"Sorry but I am not in the mood right now." Marcus straightforwardly rejected Rachelle's invitation for dinner.
She's constantly calling him out and she didn't hide the fact that she wanted to spend a romantic night with him at her house. However, he is not in the mood for any of that since his mind was in a muddle the past few days because of some unexpected events. He's been wanting to go home too but the thought of seeing a dog in his house upsets him greatly.
It's not because he hated dogs, he simply couldn't bear to look at them since a certain memory keeps on disturbing him. That awful scene was carved deep inside his mind that no matter what he does, he can't forget about it.
And it keeps on hunting him once it was triggered.
And that day, when he saw a beautiful dog, his terrible memories bothered him.
He was standing at the balcony of his condo unit looking at the city below when his mind recalls a piece of his childhood memory.
FLASHBACK:
"Makish, don't disturb me… I'm studying!" Little Marcus was trying to control his big Alaskan malamute who was obviously wanting his attention at the moment.
Makish made a pathetic sound as he sat defeated in front of the little guy who was busy studying.
Looking at his defeated glow, little Marcus frowned in disappointment.
"Makish, please don't give that kind of gaze. You know we can't afford to let dad see us play, right?" He moved close to the dog and caressed its fur. "I'm sorry, let's just do this tomorrow, okay?"
Makish seemed to understand his words but not his intention so he moved a little farther from him and sulked in a corner.
"Makish…" Now the dog got him. "Don't be mad at me or my little bunny would be upset too." He whined when he remembered his little bunny.
The dog was not originally his. The truth is, that little girl gave it to him as a present on his last birthday.
"I'm entrusting my Makish to you now, so you must be good to him, okay?" The little girl talked like an adult.
"Makish? I thought his name is Mamao?" Little Marcus looked at the little girl, puzzled.
She grinned naughtily. "I changed his name a long time ago."
"But why? Your mama told me that you loved that name. Hmmmm, I think that's the name of boy classmate whom you truly like." Little Marcus smirked mischievously. He loves teasing the little girl.
"No! I don't like that boy!" She pouted irritatingly. Her face tells him that she's ready to explode anytime soon. Cute. He smiled within him when he successfully saw what he wants to see for that day.
He's day wouldn't be complete if he didn't irritate the little girl.
"Then just give me my little Makish!" She was about to take back the dog but little Marcus run away with the dog.
"A gift is a gift. You should never take it back." He chuckled as they run outside the mansion.
"Hey! Where are you going? Wait for me!" The little girl followed his tracks and found him near the fountain playing with the dog. She smiled cutely.
"Make sure to take good care of my Makish from now on, okay." She went and sat beside the boy who's caressing the big dog that was on his lap.
"Can I change his name too?"
"No!" She glared at him.
He pouted. "But have you thought that it's too weird to call him that since you are also calling me Makish. I am not a dog you know!" He yelped in disappointed.
"But it's cute. You both look cute." She chuckled as if taunting the little boy. "Let's call him with your nickname so that you wouldn't forget me when you go back to Europe." There's a hint of sadness in her voice.
"That's not my name. You came up with that and only you call me that." He made a face but the little girl only laughed to her heart's content.
"NO!" The little boy was crying desperately as he plead his father not to hurt the dog.
"How many times do I have to tell you to never accept anything from that family! And look? Even the dog is stealing your precious time to study hard."
"Papa! Please, don't take him away. She gave me Makish as my birthday present!" He was pleading on his knees.
"It's time to get rid of him. And don't you ever forget this day, I didn't take the dog away, you killed him." He looked intently at the little boy's eyes before pulling the trigger that killed his dog instantly.
"No! Makish!" He was about to run to where the bloody dog was when the guy held him. "Let me go, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! I want my mama back!" He was wiggling in hope that he'll escape his father's grasp.
However, the man knelt and met him in the eyes. He smirked evilly before holding the boy's hand and made him point it on Makish.
"Marcus, YOU KILLED THE DOG."
"No!" The little boy cried in fear.
"See what you've done? I'm warning you, try to get another dog and I guarantee you, the fate of Makish will be his fate too. Understand?"
THE MAN'S EYES held deep remorse and little Marcus didn't understand why.
**End of Flashback**
Marcus suddenly clenched his throbbing chest. Until now, that memory still has a great impact on him.
And if possible, he doesn't want to hear that name again since it brings him great pain.
He was mourning deep within him when he suddenly realized the oddity of the situation.
The big furry Alaskan Malamute that Jade brought home has also the same name as his old dog. Makish. Is it coincidental or what? Now he's in deep thought.
He was lost in his thoughts when he suddenly heard the doorbell rang. He raised his brow. Who would know his whereabouts? No one knew about his condo except Spencer.
He then walked towards the door and opened it. But as soon as he got a glimpse of the person's standing in front of the door, he widened his eyes in disbelief.
"Y-you… How did you know I was here?"