Dwayne gave Raven a confused look. Raven stared back with an icy glare, making Dwayne flinch. He immediately looked away and murmured,
"Uhm, that white cat is not mine. That… That cat came to me at my previous part-time job. Every early morning after my shift, it would wait for me by my bike. It was so cute and adorable that I would stash cat treats from the store to give it. However, it never ate them. I was really sad because last week the convenience store where I worked part-time closed. I thought I would never see the cat again, but that wasn't the case."
Dwayne glanced at Raven, who was still looking at him with icy indifference. Nervously, Dwayne just opened his mouth, and words spilled out. It was a habit he had developed over the years—whenever he was nervous, he just babbled on. Other boys his age found it annoying, but girls liked it and would even pinch his cheek whenever he shied away and mumbled.
"This afternoon, I saw it at my school. It found my bike and waited for me. I was surprised to see the beautiful cat because C University is at least six kilometers away from the convenience store where I worked. For a cat, that's very far, so I began to worry. I tried to take it with me so I could find its owner, but it ran away!"
Dwayne's voice started to get louder, and he moved his hands to add emphasis. He began to retell how he found the cat standing in front of the crosswalk and how it ran through a red light. He managed to narrate the events with perfect detail and such enthusiasm that his loud voice even attracted Cole's attention, who was in the driver's seat.
"And after that, it ran away. I never saw it again," Dwayne said quietly. He bit his lip and looked away. He couldn't tell them that the cat had actually brought him to some unknown space full of strings and that the very same white cat had introduced itself as the god of love.
When he stopped speaking, he realized how loud his voice had been, so he covered his mouth and looked at the two nervously. "I'm sorry I was so loud." He bowed and inched closer to the car door.
At the same time he stopped talking, Cole in the driver's seat announced that they had arrived.
"Ah, hehe. We arrived, that was fast. Tha—thank you so much for sending me home." Dwayne bowed once again, and the soft curl on his head bobbed and even stretched downward, mirroring his actions.
Under the faint light of the car, Dwayne's peach blossom eyes shone even more vibrantly. Warmth spread across his face as he expressed his full gratitude.
"The people who will fix your bike will come this morning to leave it at your gate. Is 6 a.m. good?" Cole asked.
Dwayne's small lips widened in an arc as he giggled in embarrassment. "Yes, of course. Thank you so much for both of your kindness."
They have done so much for me. I wonder if there's something I can do to repay them, Dwayne thought.
Even though he still felt fearful and anxious meeting the President's eyes, he could sense that this person might be a good person. He wasn't like the typical CEOs and presidents who were strict, looked down on people, and stared at them with disgust.
Dwayne was secretly happy because this person did not even look at him as if he were some lowly peasant. Although his eyes were cold and his gaze sharp, they did not contain an ounce of prejudice or disgust.
This person was like an intelligent predator observing his surroundings, quietly assessing the small animals that trespassed into its territory.
Maybe this person has black and green strings all over him because the people that surround him are bad people. Dwayne regretted his previous prejudice and wanted to start fresh this time. If given a chance, he would want to get to know this man and maybe learn from him—like a mentor!
"Uhm, President, sorry for talking too much. I bothered you so much that you weren't able to finish your work. I'm sorry. And, uhm, I hope you both take care on your way home. Have a good night."
Without waiting for a response, Dwayne opened the car door and bolted out like a frightened rabbit, but he was full of smiles and warmth as he bowed at the car door and waved them goodbye.
Dwayne turned around and entered the gate. Cole was a good navigator. He was able to find Dwayne's house just by being told it was the third one.
Cole started the car and maneuvered it backward, making sure it wouldn't bump into anyone's gate when he heard the President's voice.
"That child's bike….buy the latest model and have it delivered to his home early in the morning."
"Eh?" Cole was so surprised that he let go of the wheel for a moment.
"Discard his broken bike. Buy him a new one." The President's sharp gaze stared at Cole as if to say, 'Don't make me repeat myself.'
"Understood." Cole calmed his racing thoughts and focused on backing the car up.
He wanted to ask why the President was being so kind to that boy.
Ever since Cole had become his secretary and personal assistant, nobody had been allowed to sit next to the President in the back seat. Whether attending important meetings or going on business trips, the President would either drive himself or have Cole do it for him.
If he were meeting a business partner, the President would always insist that the other person contact their secretary or chauffeur to pick them up, never letting anyone ride in the car with him.
So what had happened earlier? Not only did the President let that young boy sit next to him, but he also patiently listened as the boy explained what had happened with the cat.