Sitting by the fireplace Altren giggled softly.
"Excited to go back to the old academy?" Aaron walked past him, taking a bowl of milk and a cereal box.
"Nope. Just something happened and I'm happy," he glanced at his uncle with a bright smile. "Uncle, do you have a friend?"
Aaron gave him a weird look. "no,"
"Sad, I do,"
"I don't want to know," his uncle just rolled his eye pouring the cereal little by little into the milk.
"What were you doing by sixth street yesterday evening?"
He just shrugged. "Going to work probably, why?"
"Really? Work? Why do you have work by the cafe uncle?" Altren walked close and took the cereal box out of his hands. "Why the sudden interest in my friend, huh?"
Aaron plucked the cereal carton off his hands and poured a small quantity inside his bowl. "None of your business,"
"well, now it is. He is my friend now, and I have to watch his back. But you... you stalk him till no end." he pulled the chair out and sat down. "Tell me why the sudden interest,"
His uncle did not give any explicit reactions, just continued eating his food.
But somehow he got a weird feeling he knew why. His uncle had been searching for a person for a long time. He knew about that, but he did not know who or why he was searching for this person. He even had a small wardrobe full of papers and tracking information trying to find that person.
When he was young, accidentally walked in and got a stinging glare from him.
'I don't think...'
"Is Kang your destiny?"
Aaron spat out the milk, coughing loudly.
"No way," Altren shot up. "Zhu Kang is your destiny. The person you have been searching for?!! No!"
"Stop shouting, my ears are ringing for god's sake," Aaron wiped his mouth and proceeded to wipe down the counter. All the while, his nephew pranced before him like a caged tiger.
"You can't. Not him,"
"What are you talking about?" he set down the bowl and the cereal box, giving his full attention to his nephew.
"Kang can't be your destiny,"
"Why not?" he glared at him slightly.
"He just can't be your destiny. I won't let you,"
Aaron stood up, pulling him close. "Why won't you let me?"
"Uncle, do you even understand what you are asking about. Think about the age difference"
"Fuck, I'm just three years older than you! I'm just 23!"
Altren looked him up and down. "You look like an old man. Even his brother agreed to that. I'm pretty sure Gwyn won't agree with his brother dating you."
Not being able to reason with him, he took a deep breath and sat down. "I don't have time arguing with you. Just pack your things and go to the academy,"
"Scoff, so you can go and stalk him, right?"
"Don't test my patience,"
Altren just scoffed. "I won't let my new friend get tainted by your oldness. I will stop you uncle….,"
Aaron looked at the door with a loud sigh. Just talking to that kid nowadays made his blood pressure shoot up to the roof. Pulling up the spoon, he peered at his reflection. His hair was completely jelled back neatly, his three pieced suits all in place.
"I don't look old. His eyes must have rusted away."
His assistant came by with his day's schedule.
It was jam-packed. 9 am he needed to take a look at the new admission in the mighty light academy. 12 pm he had to sign a business deal with their new partner.
"I can definitely squeeze some time in between my lunch and meeting to go past his place... I think so..."
"s-sir... we don't have time..." his assistant hesitantly whispered.
"Make some time then."
The poor assistant pouted as he was trying to squeeze in his routine check-up on his busy schedule.
While he was doing so, Aaron secretly took his phone out and glanced at the photo he had clicked. It was the one from yesterday when his stupid nephew met up with Kang.
They both were seen sharing a donut.
'Are they even friends? Do friends react the way that stupid Altren does?'
There was always a nagging feeling that there might be something more going between them. Especially with Altren.
"I need to check. Clear out my 5 pm schedule. I want to meet Kang and ask him myself,"
Internally crying, the poor assistant cleared out and moved his schedules over.
Exactly By 5 pm he parked his car by the entrance of the college waiting for Zhu Kang to come out.
Unaware of this danger, Zhu Kang happily chatted with Ruth on the way out. Since his bar had burned down to ashes, he had time free in the evening.
Ruth had invited him for dinner; he was more than willing to enjoy the evening.
"Kang!" Altren ran to him, hugging his shoulders. "See you are still with this whimp," he pushed Ruth slightly away from him.
Ruth just silently glared.
"Keep it civil boys."
Altren hugged his shoulders and pulled him close. "Say, why don't we go to your place?"
"Not in a million years Altren. I'm not allowing you anywhere near my brother. He is a cute virgin that needs to be protected from the likes of you,"
Altren chuckled loudly. "He's a cute virgin? That's sad. I might as well give him the greatest pleasure of his life."
"Oh shut it, he will slam you in your stomach before you can even try to,"
Altren glanced at the gate, subtly noticing the familiar car. "Kang, you don't enjoy being stalked, right?"
Zhu Kang glanced up at him weirdly. "Are you going to stop if I tell you to?"
"Hey, I don't stalk.. I just take a look now and then,"
"That's stalking…" Zhu Kang rolled his eyes. "It would be better if you stopped doing that. Its invasion of privacy,"
"Got it," Altren smiled mischievously pulling Ruth to his side. "Say Ruth was it? Can you get us a cola?"
"w-wha…" Ruth just stuttered.
"Altren what are you doing?"
"Ruth, go get us a cola." he handed him a wad of cash. "chop chop,"
"Don't listen to him… hey…"
Ruth hesitantly glanced at him and walked over to the nearby vending machine.
Zhu Kang glared at him. "You are being a mean ass. Why would you make him do that? You bully."
"No, it's for something. I needed him gone for a second. Hey Kang listen, I need you to act out a play with me, yes,"
"What Play?"
"Just play along," he dragged him out the gates towards the alleys.
"Why are we going there.. hey?.."
He pushed him to the walls, leaning closer. "Calm down,"
"Altren! what are yo…." he slammed his hands on his lips shutting him up. "mnn. hm..smsmnn…"
"Calm down and just trust me. I will solve your stalker problem…" Altren leaned close with a bright smile. "Close your eyes," he whispered ever so softly.
Zhu Kang blinked confusedly. "wha how?" he mumbled through his hand.
"You'll see," he suddenly kissed his own hands.
"!!!!!!" Eyes wide, Zhu Kang watched him move his head side to side pretending to act out a kiss.
'This fucker! He is so dead!!!'