Ian turned around upon hearing a voice talking to him.
With his plate piled up with fragrant food in one hand as he nimbly turned around with poise, Ian showed no sign of surprise when a person dressed in a bright red formal suit sporting a head full of colorful silky strands, not knowing when, appeared behind him.
The sense of calmness about Ian unwittingly stimulated Elliot's interest that previously was stirred up because of his father's scheme, by a smidgen.
Things rarely aroused Elliot's interest. Even the interest that rose its head because of his father's plot was already hard to come by with the zero interest he had in life on most days.
"Hello," Ian greeted back politely with his trademark smile, with no signs of the turmoil within his inner world showing.
But his hands visibly clenched the porcelain plate tighter, blue veins popping out of his fair hand from the excessive force, nearly crushing the plate into dust if not for the little restraint left in him.
Despite Ian not going around with his brother to greet those bigshots and the other invited guests, they still came to his door.
"Again, I am honored to meet you," Elliot said again with real interest in his eyes this time.
"Oh? Not my brother?" Ian calmly repeated the same lines he had replied with in his last life.
The next line came as Ian had anticipated, for they were the exact words that aroused an interest in Ian towards Elliot.
Elliot smirked inwardly while giving a friendly smile on the surface, "You are the main character of tonight after all and I intend to respect that."
Ian stared at him. Elliot looked back with a confident smile.
'The same script as last time, it seems,' Ian mused to himself while holding back his churning wrath. It was all because he trusted the wrong person that tragedy struck his life and took away all he cared for.
In the last life, after the particular young man before him spoke those words, Ian had been stunned in place, unable to think of a reply for a moment because of the unexpected words.
Everyone in the party practically glued their eyes to his brother even while they acted like they were chatting with each other.
When Ian passed by them, they don't even notice him, let alone greet him. It was only with the company of Angus that they took the initiative to flatter him a few words before going back to chatting with his brother.
This was the reason why the young and naive Ian of the past found this colorful-looking young man shocking and… different.
Ian was never jealous of the attention and admiration his brother received from others, however, he understood that that was the norm, so when something against the norm happens, it takes some time for the brain to process it.
Once his brain processed that this particular young man was focused on him rather than his powerful brother, it perked Ian's interest.
In all honesty, Ian also had the little thought in his mind before that the other person must be insane to not be in awe of his brother. At the same time, Ian thought that such a person was suitable to become his brother's friend—at that time, Ian still didn't trust Levi or see the good in him—after all, his brother was always surrounded by annoying fake people.
The naive Ian thought he was being thoughtful, so his contacts with the young man started and continued and never ceased until that fateful day.
Now in the second life, the major events remained mostly unchanged. They still appeared during his 16th birthday party, the day when his brother revealed him to the world for the first time.
They still came to him and ignored his brother, setting their eyes on him—their alleged easy target.
However, this time was different and Ian didn't plan on sticking to the old script. After all, he came back to change things.
"You don't have to flatter me, I know you're more interested in my brother than me," Ian suddenly said bluntly. Or precisely, in the Everett group.
"!" Elliot was taken aback. Not just by Ian's words but by the attitude he displayed that was a far cry from his proclaimed innocence and ignorance.
Falling silent, he suddenly started going through all the information his father had gathered on Ian, and began calculating the best response. Simultaneously, he felt that something was wrong.
Stopping on a piece of brief information, that was more like a rumor and hearsay than anything else, Elliot paused his rapidly turning brain.
It was said that in a certain month, on a certain day, Ian Everett, the younger brother of Angus Everett, who had always shown nothing but naivety and innocence, personally ripped the tongue out of a chef who tried to poison him.
It was only through a narrow grapevine that this information came into their hands. Its accuracy and truthfulness unverified.
Most importantly, that one report stood inconsistent against the other testimonies and history of Ian's past actions and his personality. Plus the fact that most of the powerful organizations and groups had heard about it, his father thought that the news might've been purposefully spread out by Angus to deceive others, making them less willing to target Ian.
That's why his organization chose to disregard it and proceed with the plan as is.
'It seems this little young master is not as innocent as he appears.' Elliot thought, amused, and then on a whim he started probing Ian, something that was not in his father's plans.
"Don't you ever get jealous of your brother? He receives all the attention and admiration from others while you get ignored. You're nothing without your brother. If only you were born earlier, you would be the center of attention instead of him," Elliot spoke in a low, dark voice, as if tempting the other to sin.
"You're absolutely right! If only I were born earlier, I would be the one in the spotlight, powerful and admired! He's always made me feel inferior! Like I was nothing compared to the glorious him! I wish I could pull him down from his throne and let him see what it's like for those below him!"
—Is what Ian could have falsely replied with in order to get the other side to think that they could take advantage of him and use him against his brother. In that way, he'll be let in on their plans and appropriately make arrangements to counter them.
However… he won't do that.
Because he doesn't have to.
'Mind games. He's too young to play those types of games with me,' Ian smirked. 'Even if it were the me before, he would not have succeeded because he got the wrong idea. Besides, I am no longer the past me. I am no longer weak and helpless, nor a fool.'
"You must not have siblings. Well, even if you did, you would never understand." Ian smiled. He could play as the other wished and say that he was jealous of his outstanding, capable brother who overshadows him.
However, Ian didn't want to. Why should he play according to their ideas? Why does he have to admit to something he did not feel? There's no way he would degrade and slander his own brother, even for the sake of deception and the benefits he would gain.
Besides, he has enough power to not bend to anyone's will. Rather, everyone has to bend to his will.
To be honest, it would all be so easy if only he could storm into their base and destroy all of them at once.
But it wasn't that easy.
The problem is, no one knows where the location of the core of the organization is, nor does the underlings of said organization even know who the boss and his close subordinates were.
Despite their young roots when compared to the many other gangs and groups, that organization has quickly grown into a colossus. Hidden from the sight of everyone, with many people under its hold, and sufficient financial strength.
And, Ian was not sure if he was mistaken or not, but there must've also been a reason why Levi never used his powers much when they were on the run.
It's true that Levi's powers were weak, but their power itself was considered world defying. It made no sense that he hardly used his powers to deal with the people who chased after them—it would have made their time much easier.
They might've even… survived together.
And Ian might've never…
Sadness sparked and faded in the light purple eyes like striking a flint.
Forget it, it's all in the past now. Focus on the future.
Anyways, all of those doubts made Ian suspect in his last life that they might also have a mind controller among them, or someone with similar powers but was more powerful than Levi.
However, it was never confirmed. If there was one, Ian had never met them in his pursuit for revenge.
"Although it is as you say, I do not have any siblings of my own. Won't anyone feel uncomfortable always being compared—whether by oneself or others—to another person? I'm sure there were some times you felt uncomfortable with how you're treated. Who can stand being ignored by everyone?" Elliot didn't give up and continued to probe Ian.
Yet Ian didn't give an inch. He showed no sign of falling into the trap at all. Let alone enter it, Ian didn't even touch the edge.
He stood unfallably outside the trap.
"I'm proud to have him as my brother. Now if you'll excuse me. I must get going now." Ian excused himself and ended the conversation just like that.
Ian did not ask for the other's contact information, unlike in the last life.
It would seem that Ian had no intentions of entangling with the other party in this life.
But calm and rational even in his anger, Ian saw through Elliot with a glance. He discovered something that he couldn't have noticed before in his last life, because back then, he had been spoiled and pampered, naive beyond help, and had no ability or the power to discern people.
And with that discovery, Ian planned on using it to his advantage and make things easier for himself.
Originally, he had planned to keep in contact with this chess piece of that organization, however, when he met the other person once again, he chose not to take the initiative.
Elliot, seeing that Ian was really walking away, did not panic or chase after him, instead he calmly said to Ian's leaving back with a trace of amusement and fun in his voice, "Catch!"
Fwoosh!
A thin, rectangular item cut through the air.
Without glancing back, Ian caught it in midair with his free hand.
Pulling it down and placing the item in front of his eyes, Ian saw that it was a business card with the name: [Elliot Grimwald]
Ian suddenly smiled imperceptibly.
—The fish was in the net.
"Call me if you change your mind."
"That'll never happen."
Ian walked away with the card lightly clutched in his hand.
Gentle yet firm, elegant yet blunt, calm and steady beyond his age.
Elliot's eyes were opened by Ian's demeanor and his unexpected words.
It seems he has to report back to his father about that report not being a rumor after all.
And Ian let him. He knew the other's predictable, next course of actions and he didn't do anything to prevent it. He never cared whether or not his enemies knew of his true nature. He only didn't want his brother to worry, that's why his mask never fell and it eventually became a habit that he saw no need to clarify.
It would not affect his plans in any way. After all, he was only after the head of their boss. Kill the king and his heirs and the kingdom will naturally fall.
What he really needs now is accurate information. Everything else was for the sake of protection and prevention.
And what better way to obtain what he needs than to get them from the very mouth of the person they sent to get information from Ian.
But now Ian no longer has time to think about those things, because high school starts in two days.
*****
After the party ended late at night, a tall figure walked to a quiet hallway.
The mysterious figure had a head of colorful hair ranging from pink and purple to blue to green to yellow and orange, with red tints. They had on a slim suit red in color that made them look playful yet serious, with an elegant feeling.
It was Elliot.
As he walked, one of his hands reached into his pants pocket and took out his phone that was also decorated with vivid and bright colors.
As he dialed the phone and the call was in the midst of connecting, he continued walking straight ahead and combed his free hand through his bangs.
The bangs glued to his temples were messed up by the hand and fell docily on his forehead. With a comb of the fingers upwards, the thick bangs were pulled up above his forehead, making him look devilishly mischievous like a gangster unlike the serious yet playful look from before.
As his sleeve lowered slightly, a bright red bead hair tie was revealed on his gleaming wrist.
Beep—
The call connected.
"Father? I think we need a change of plans."
Elliot smirked as his eyes gleamed with newfound interest.
The hidden necklace underneath his shirt glowed vividly instead of its original gray.