This question came as a surprise to him. He didn't expect Casper to ask such a question, but since the question was already out, he had to figure out the appropriate answer as quickly as possible, if he was to reduce the chances of Casper doubting him.
Suddenly, he came up with a plan that would buy him some time to come up with the appropriate answer.
Turning in the direction of the entrance, Jean remained motionless for a while as if staring at something. When Casper noticed this, he also gazed in the same direction and tried to confirm what Jean was staring at.
That was the opening that Jean needed, and without looking, he casually swatted his hand across the table and toppled a glass of water that splashed on him. Immediately this happened, he flinched in fright.
"Oh!"
Jean shouted as he pretended to be frightened.
"What!"
Casper shouted back as he quickly turned his attention to the toppled glass on the edge of the table.
"I am sorry! Let me clean it…"
Jean excused himself as he blinked severally.
"There's no need for that, let me find you another clog"
Casper said in a friendly tone and immediately got to his feet. He then turned back and gazed at the door on the left wall from the entrance. In the next moment, he tilted his head and looked at Jean before excusing himself as he headed in the direction of the door in haste.
'Finally, I have a couple of minutes to think about this.'
Jean thought as he sighed out of relief.
The reason to why Jean remained calm despite Casper rushing into the room, it was because he had a task at hand that required his concentration. And that was finding out the appropriate answer to Casper's question about how he managed to escape from his kidnappers.
On one hand, he felt like he should tell him the truth, but at the same time he felt like the truth had higher chances of picturing him as a very dangerous person. While on the other hand which he felt like the optimal option, he felt like he should manipulate the truth. He felt by doing so, he would have a chance to reside in Casper's house until he had fully recovered as Casper won't be worried about his safety.
Despite him having a preferred choice, he still had to come up with a lie that won't raise concerns the moment he airs it out. That was the reason to why he needed an extra time to think about it, and that's why he decided to trick Casper into leaving the living room.
After a few moments of brainstorming, Jean managed to come up with an appropriate lie that would suit the unexpected question that puzzled him a while ago.
Just as he was feeling elated by this, Casper barged out of the room with a dry clog in his hands. Without hesitation, he headed directly to Jean and handed it over to him.
"Replace the wet one with this"
Casper said as he handed over the clog to Jean.
The moment Jean removed the wet cloth from his body, Casper flinched on seeing the bloodied clothes that Jean was wearing. He immediately scratched the back of his head in embarrassment as he looked at Jean with a dazed expression.
"I am sorry for not giving you clothes to change on time. I was planning on giving you clean clothes when you would wake up but it escaped my mind when I covered you with the cloth"
Casper said apologetically.
"It is okay, it could have been easy for someone to forget considering that my dirty clothes were under the cloth all this time"
Jean said in a friendly tone, as he pulled the dry cloth over his body.
"Stop it!"
Casper shouted at Jean and immediately Jean stopped pulling the dry cloth over his body. Just at that moment, Casper took the cloth off Jean's body and shove it in his seat.
"Follow me, let me go give you some clothes for you to change"
Casper said as he took the wet cloth before heading in the room on the left wall from the main entrance.
Having no other choice, Jean followed from behind and the two disappeared behind the door.
The moment Jean stepped in the room; he was amazed by how neatly arranged the room was.
Right at the top of the frame of the door, there was a lump that illuminated the room.
A few meters from the door, there was a medium sized bed which was neatly tacked. The bed was placed next to the opposite wall, and right in the centre of the wall, there was a small window that was currently locked. To the right side from the door, at the edge of the bed, there was a small drawer.
To the left side from the door, right at the edge of the bed, there was a hanging line with a good number of clothes.
The room didn't have too much things. This indicated how minimalistic Casper was, a trait that Jean embraced a lot.
Now standing next to the hanging line, Casper threw the wet cloth in one of the corners and immediately started rummaging through the clothes. He was trying to look for the clothes that could fit Jean.
When Casper was done looking for the suitable cloth, he was about to hand it over to Jean before he recalled something.
"You need to take a shower, or else you will have to sleep on the floor. I am not going to share a bed with you when you would be emanating this fetid smell"
Casper said jokingly but Jean could tell that he meant what he said.
'As if he had not been perceiving the smell all this while.'
Jean thought to himself.
Although Casper was right to mention that Jean was smelling, what surprised Jean was that the guy didn't show any sign of discomfort during their meal – the most sensitive moment.
"Okay, where can I take my shower from?"
Jean asked after a short moment of silence.
"This way, follow my lead"
Casper answered in a gallant tone as he threw the clothes in his hands in bed, picked a towel and headed for the door.
The two then entered the living room with Jean limping from behind. A moment later, Casper unlocked the exit door and the two walked out of the house.
As soon as Jean stepped out of the house, he noticed a lone lamp right at the top of the exit door that illuminated the surroundings.
To the left, there was an extension of a small structure that looked wretched and old.
"Come this way"
Casper said as he motioned Jean to follow him. The two moved a few meters away from the house before taking a right turn.
four meters away, Jean noticed a small roofed structure that was one meter wide and three meters long. Since it was veiled in the shadows, it was difficult for him to identify the materials used in constructing the structure. The structure contained two narrow doors that were less than a meter wide that stood facing in the direction of the two.
The two approached the structure with measured gaits.
When they arrived there, they stood at the first door from the left. Just at that moment, Casper who was now veiled in shadows, but still visible due to the lights dissipating from the lamp at the exit door that was a few meters from the structure, turned to Jean.
"Here is where you will take your shower from"
Casper said as he pointed at the door in front of them and shove the towel in Jean's hands.
"Take off your shoe and use my sandals"
Casper said as he lowered himself and started taking off Jean's only shoes on his right foot. Thereafter, he handed his sandals to Jean.
Jean truly enjoyed this rare moment.
For the first time in his life, he felt like he had tasted the love of a father, though not his biological one.
'Are these what people with dad are privileged to have?'
Jean mused as he gulped with bitterness.
When he was about to step into the structure, he felt a little bit nervous because the structure was surrounded by trees. He wasn't imagining himself staying there for long.
"W-What about the water?"
Jean asked with a starter.
"The water is in a container at the left corner from the door"
Casper answered nonchalantly.
After lingering for a few moments, Jean heaved a heavy sigh, pushed the door open and vigilantly stepped in.
At this point, he was praying that Casper should not leave him, but since he wanted to act bold, he didn't say it.
In the next moment, Jean locked the door, this is after confirming the presence of the container that Casper had told him about.
It didn't exceed ten minutes, Jean was already done taking his shower, and without wasting time, he unlocked the door and stepped out with the towel covering his lower body. On his right hand, he was holding his dirty clothes. He then started limping towards the house
"Where are you taking that?"
A familiar voice resounded from the back.
Upon hearing this, Jean immediately stopped in his tracks and quickly turned in the direction of the sound with fright.
The moment he realised that it was Casper who was right behind him, he sighed out of relief.
'Thanks goodness it is him.'
Jean thought to himself.
"What did you say?"
Jean asked out of confusion.
"Where are you taking the dirty clothes to?"
Casper repeated his question as he approached Jean.
"In the house"
Jean answered.
The moment Casper got to him, he took the clothes from his hands and returned them in the room that he came from.
This act stunned Jean.
When Casper came back, he didn't a thing to Jean and just breezed past him and headed towards the house.
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