Chapter 15: Chapter Fifteen
Mark ate his curry with wide eyes. Jacel even almost laughed at her friend's expression. "Hey, control your expression, Mark. Your face is really funny," she said.
Mark swallowed his food. Oh my goodness.But really? Why didn't you ever tell me your father remarried? Especially now that you're related to an art class student from our school."
Jacel now only smirks by showing her eye-smile. "I also didn't think that Dad would advance the wedding date. So, I'm sorry for not telling you and the others."
"Then which art class student is your brother?"
Her smile disappeared. Her expression becomes a little tense when Mark asks her stepbrother's name. "Err... you know, the early semester transfer student in Art class?"
"Kevin?"
Hah, Kevin's name is really famous. Jacel didn't think that Mark would know the young man.
"He's the one."
Once again, Mark's already big eyes are getting bigger. "Really?! That Kevin? The art class student whose painting was auctioned off at the festival for the highest price?! That Kevin?"
"Mark, you have to learn to control your expression. I'm serious! And yes, that Kevin. Why?"
The boy's expression is back to normal–hah, even with a normal expression, his eyes still look huge, like doll eyes. Mark devoured his curry again. "Nothing. But I don't think you guys interact too much at school. You know how Loey and Arwin behave. Our class may compete against each other every year at a festival, but should that tradition make us hate each other?" Mark said while chewing his food.
"That's what Mom asked,"
Mark stares at her. "Mom? Ah, your new mother?"
Jacel nodded. "I have to call her Mom because Kevin is used to that name. But in return, Kevin must also call my dad, dad."
Mark notices the girl's expression. His best friend didn't seem to have any problems with her new mother and siblings. Well, it's not a strange thing, but still..
"Looks like you've gotten used to your new family," Mark commented.
Jacel blinked a few times. "Huh?"
The boy shook his head. "Nevermind. Just eat already."
*****
Siegfried keeps his cell phone in the pocket of his jacket after making an emergency call. The situation at the factory was under control, and Sonny Kim's men had already left with the middle-aged man. And even if it doesn't cause a riot, he will add security guards around the factory to prevent things that are not desirable.
Then he turned and looked at Cameron, who had just finished dressing the wound on Blaze's left hand. Actually, his cousin forced him to call an ambulance, but Blaze was more stubborn.
He took a deep breath. The incident of Sonny Kim throwing a cup of coffee at Blaze was not expected by anyone, including him.
Luckily, it was just a threat that hit the target. Or is it actually bad luck? Sonny Kim himself looked surprised when blood came out of the lawyer's hand. And the middle-aged man was grateful that Blaze would not prolong the "accidental" problem.
"Blaze, is it true that you don't need to go to the hospital? Your wound is quite big. Looks like it has to get stitches," Cameron said worriedly.
Well, of course, the man was worried. Blaze Schift is the mainstay lawyer of the law firm Jordan Reyes, and the owner of the law firm is very protective of the man. Once, for a corruption case two years ago, Mr. Reyes hired a personal bodyguard for Blaze during the trial process. If Mr. Reyes finds out that his "beloved" lawyer was injured, he always replaces him with another lawyer.
Blaze saw his hand wrapped in a bandage and smiled. "It does not matter. If the wound looks serious, I'll go to the hospital myself. Do not worry."
"But still…"
Siegfried took a deep breath. "Cameron, we have to go back to the office," he said.
Cameron and Blaze suddenly looked at Siegfried. Cameron sighed. "Ah, I forgot you have an important meeting. But couldn't you just go first? You don't have to wait."
"You hold the car keys, Carter," said the man.
Cameron then threw the car keys at Siegfried. "You can ask for it. Is that usually the case? Even during the meeting with Manager Han, you asked for the car keys in the middle of a conversation and left without saying much. Why do you have to wait now?"
Siegfried hissed in annoyance. His cousin returned to being annoying with his stupid question. But he doesn't want to argue with his cousin right now. He chose to leave the room, but turned back to look at Blaze. "Go to the hospital and send the bill to our office."
Blaze blinked a few times at the man's attitude. But hearing no answer, then Siegfried just left. Making Cameron, who snorted, annoyed. "He's become a cold jerk again. I thought he would only act like that in front of the girls he was betrothed to."
Blaze looked at Cameron closely. "Fucking cold, man?"
"Siegfried Lowells always has a different side of his personality depending on who he is dealing with and the situation. You just saw two sides of his personality today. A cold jerk who is a jerk and a caring, annoying man," the man explained.
But Blaze did not understand what his client said. Cameron chuckled at his expression. But then the man smirked innocently at him. "And since Sieg has left while I'm still here. Can I take a ride with you back to Manila? I can drive because, with the condition of your hands now, it seems a bit difficult for you to hold the steering wheel."
"Eh?"
*****
Jacel put the shopping bag on the counter. She took a breath and saw the condition of the kitchen, which seemed completely untouched. But the money that she left on the table is gone. That means Kevin has eaten the food that she ordered.
"Maybe he cleaned it right away," she mumbled.
Then she took out all the groceries she bought and put them in the refrigerator. Since childhood, she always pays attention to her late mother when she is in the kitchen. Her mother always arranges the food she buys regularly. In fact, almost all homework is always done in an organized manner. Maybe because of that, she is always used to tidying up her things.
Even after her mother died, it was she who took over almost all the housework. Her father might be able to hire someone to take care of the house, but she always said that she could do it herself, except for cooking. Jacel did it so that her mother wouldn't disappear. She knows exactly where and how her mother always works.
However, even so, she can not replace her mother with her father. Sara is the right person to do it. She took a deep breath after she was done.
Then she walked towards the stairs. It was almost dinnertime, and she had to see how Kevin was too. Jacel feels a little bad about Kevin leaving him alone. She walked to Kevin's room, which was next to her room. Actually, Kevin's room was her study before, but her father changed it two weeks before the wedding day. After all, Kevin needed his own room.
She knocked on the door several times. "Kevin,"
"Come in, Jacel."
Jacel then opened the bedroom door and didn't see Kevin. However, the window was open.
She walked into the big window. "I thought you were sleeping," she said.
"You want to ask for the dinner menu?" Kevin asked.
She nodded. Kevin sighed and smiled. "Then let's cook together."
"Eh?"
Kevin touched her head and rubbed it gently. Then he walked out of the room, leaving her to just stand still. Jacel slowly touched her head where she still felt Kevin's warm touch.
She then took a deep breath. "Wake up, Jacel Kim." she mumbled to herself.
Jacel was about to walk out, but her attention was drawn to a large canvas in the room. She watched the painting closely. "Eh?" Slowly, her feet brought her closer to the canvas. She paid close attention to every line of the painting.
"It's an illusion painting,"
She suddenly turned around and saw Kevin standing in the doorway. "Eh?"
Kevin then walked over to her and looked at the paintings he had made for the past week. It was not very satisfying, but Kevin was grateful the painting was finished before the new semester started. "Can you guess what I painted?"
Jacel stared at the painting closely. "Clouds in the sky?"
"Well, at first glance, it seems so, but look carefully. Illusion painting usually keeps two or three images in the same painting. You've only seen one, Jacel," Kevin said.
Jacel took a deep breath and tried to get a closer look at Kevin's painting. At first, the painting was just a collection of white clouds in a blue sky. However, slowly, she noticed the shape of the cloud forming another image.
"Eh?! This is… an angel?! Right?!" exclaimed Jacel, who then looked at Kevin.
Kevin smiled and nodded. The girl smiled and looked back at the painting. "Wow!! This is really great. You're really great, Kevin."
"Nope. I still need to study. It took me a week to finish it," said Kevin, dismissing the praise he had just gotten.
Jacel looked back at Kevin. "You still have a lot to learn, but your talent is truly extraordinary. I believe one day you will become a great painter."
Kevin rubbed her head again. "And you will be a great singer in the future, Jacel." However, the girl's smile disappeared. Kevin looked at her in confusion. "W-why?"
She shook her head.
"It's nothing. What do you want for dinner? Oh yeah, mom and dad are going home…" asked Jacel as she was about to walk out of the room, but Kevin grabbed her wrist.
"K-Kevin…"
Kevin looked at the girl intently and then let go of Jacel's wrist. He looked back at the painting.
"Jacel..."
"Yes?"
Kevin took a deep breath and turned back to her. "You think of me as your brother, don't you?"
Jacel was a little surprised by Kevin's sudden question, but she could still nod and answer it.
Kevin smiled and lowered his head slightly to reach her level of vision. "Can you not think of me as your brother today?"
"Huh?"
"I'm sorry," Kevin whispered quietly.
And then, in a split second, Jacel felt the boy's lips pressing against her.
*****
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone