The cafe remained quiet, the only sound the gentle clinking of cups and the low murmur of conversations. I finished my coffee, savoring the warmth and the bitter taste.
Kring! The door chimed as it opened, and I glanced up.
Ah, she's here.
Dove walked towards me, a playful smile on her face. "Seems like you're quite the troublemaker, aren't you?" she teased.
"Haha, I guess so, I just wasn't in the mood for school today," I replied, shrugging.
"So, about that driver's license, Shall we go now?"
"To where?" I asked, confused.
"To Uncle Antony's, He can help you get your license quickly."
I nodded, understanding dawning on me. "Alright, let's go then."
Dove led the way, holding the door open for me with a flourish. I followed her out of the cafe, towering over her as we walked towards her car parked on the street.
The familiar rumble of the SUV's engine filled the air as we pulled away from the cafe. I settled into the passenger seat.
Dove navigated through the streets, her hands resting lightly on the steering wheel. "So, how are you feeling today, Xian?"
"Good, Just a little sore from the workout."
She chuckled. "Yeah, that's to be expected. But it'll be worth it in the end. You'll be strong and fit in no time."
"I hope so," I murmured, a flicker of doubt clouding my mind.
"Wait..." Dove said, interrupting my thoughts. She reached out and tapped the touchscreen control panel in the center console.
"What's that...?" I asked, watching as she initiated a call with a contact labeled "Uncle Antony."
"It's better than having to pull out my phone, don't you think?" she replied with a smirk.
Ring... Ring...
The sound of the ringing call filled the car.
"Hello? Uncle Antony?" Dove spoke into the car's built-in microphone.
A moment later, my uncle's voice filled the car. "Hey, Dove! What's up?"
"We're on our way to your office, Xian needs to get his driver's license."
"Oh, right! No problem, I'll have everything ready for him when you get here," Uncle Antony exclaimed.
Dove ended the call, a satisfied smile on her face. "See? Easy peasy."
I chuckled, shaking my head. Having a family with connections certainly had its advantages.
The rest of the drive passed in comfortable silence. We arrived at Uncle Antony's office, a nondescript building tucked away in a quiet corner of the city.
Inside, Uncle Antony was waiting for us, a stack of papers and a laminated card in hand. "Welcome, Xian Ying! Ready to become a licensed driver?"
I nodded, my nerves tingling with anticipation. I was one step closer to freedom, to being able to explore the city and pursue my own investigations without relying on others for transportation.
After a brief explanation of the process, Uncle Antony handed me the laminated card. "Here you go," he said, his smile widening. "Your official driver's license. Congratulations!"
I stared at the card, a sense of disbelief washing over me. It had been so easy, almost too easy. But I pushed aside my doubts, focusing on the newfound freedom that this license represented.
"Thank you, Uncle Antony," I said, my voice filled with gratitude. "This means a lot to me."
"Hello? Uncle Antony?" Dove spoke into the car's built-in microphone.
A moment later, my uncle's voice filled the car through the speakers. "Hey, Dove! What's up?"
"We're on our way to your office," Dove explained. "Xian needs to get his driver's license."
"Oh, right!" Uncle Antony exclaimed. "No problem, I'll have everything ready for him when you get here."
Dove ended the call, a satisfied smile on her face. "See?" she said, turning to me. "Easy peasy."
I chuckled, shaking my head. Having a family with connections certainly had its perks.
The rest of the drive passed in comfortable silence. We arrived at Uncle Antony's office, a nondescript building nestled among a row of shops and cafes.
Inside, Uncle Antony was waiting for us, a stack of papers and a laminated card in hand. "Welcome, Xian Ying!" he greeted me warmly. "Ready to become a licensed driver?"
I nodded, my nerves tingling with anticipation. I was one step closer to independence, to being able to investigate Hana's case on my own terms.
After a brief explanation of the process, Uncle Antony handed me the laminated card. "Here you go," he said, his smile widening. "Your official driver's license. Congratulations!"
I stared at the card, a sense of disbelief washing over me. It had been so easy, almost suspiciously so. But I pushed aside my doubts, focusing on the newfound freedom that this license represented.
"Thank you, Uncle Antony," I said, my voice filled with gratitude. "This means a lot to me."
"Don't mention it, kiddo, Just don't go crazy on the streets, okay?"
"I won't…"
"Well then, I'll leave you two to it. I've got a lot of work to catch up on."
I nodded, then turned to Dove. "I have plenty of money now," I said, showing her the remaining cash my father had given me.
"Haha, good for you! You can save it. Anyway, I'm heading back to the office building. Want to come?"
"Sure, But I need to be back at school by 3 AM."
Dove raised an eyebrow. "That's a bit late, isn't it?"
"It's for... a special project."
She nodded, seemingly satisfied with my answer. "Alright, let's go."
The city lights twinkled around us as we left Uncle Antony's office and headed back towards the WRA building. A sense of camaraderie filled the car, a shared understanding that we were in this together, bound by a legacy of secrets and extraordinary abilities.
As we entered the lobby, employees gave us polite nods and bows, acknowledging Dove's position as CEO.
"Everyone's already on the 20th floor," she informed me, leading the way to the elevator.
I followed her, my mind still buzzing with the day's events.
"You know, we haven't given you a proper welcome gift, have we?" Dove said as we waited for the elevator.
< Chapter 039 > Fin.