Friend or foe?

Ava's eyes shoot daggers at Zen who was taking a sip of his drink. The smug on his face revealed his intentional plot. "What a despicable way to win," Ava commented. There was no way she would allow him to enjoy the feeling of winning against her. Especially when he used such a trick.

Zen lifted one of his brows when he heard Ava's criticizing his way to win.

"Is it? To me, winning is all that matters. Who cares about the process?" he argued.

Ava bit her lower lip. Whatever it was, she couldn't help but agree to his argument.

But, she also believed that there was a distinction between black and white, and that distinction was the only thing she wouldn't cross. To turn grey was never a choice for her. What she referred to was the value as a human being, something she believed most people have crossed.

"So, you're saying that you'll do anything to win?" she confirmed. Once she saw him nodded, a soft sigh left her lips. For some reason, she felt like giving him a lesson.

"Even if it means to hurt someone?" she asked. That was when she saw a slight change in his expression.

"I need to think about that. How about this, since you're here, how about we compete with each other every now and then. When you're about to beat me up, perhaps I will know whether I'm the type that could hurt someone for a win. But, that if you're capable to make me come to that decision," his purposely charming smile made his already good look even better looking. Although, in Ava's eyes, it looked like the face of the devil. She scowled at him.

"Little girl, do you dare accept this challenge of mine?" Zen put more emphasized on the nickname he used. Inside, he was cursing himself for he didn't know why he had the urged to tease the little girl he just met.

"You! I. .." Ava took a deep breath. She almost lost control of her emotions and impulsively accepted his challenge. 'I need to think this through,' she thought. That was when her grandpa finally decided to get involved in their conversation.

"Good! Little princess, accept it. While at it, please teaches this ungrateful brat here in my stead. You don't know how many competitions he had forced me to take. How about you two become two competitive friends?" Willow Sr. sighed and complained at the same time. His reaction showed how much he wanted Ava to accept Zen's request.

'At least, he is a reliable friend to my little princess,' was his actual thought. He had known Zen for a long time. At the age of five, he was entrusted to take care of him by his sworn brother. Willow Sr. immediately agreed to it after listening to his reasons.

Today, seeing how there was no awkwardness between the two lonely children of his, he hoped they could become friends. And he saw the opportunity to fulfill his hope at this moment.

Ava watched her grandpa who was in deep thought and nodding while at it. That was when she thought that Zen was almost similar to her. She wasn't sure what made her think so. Probably she was influenced by the signs given by her grandpa. But was it really? she had no idea.

"Then, are there any benefits for me to be involved in this self-discovery fight?" she stared at Zen who pouted his lips while also looking at her. Somehow, he looked like a defenseless child when he did so.

"Well, how about this. I'll write a list of things that we can compete for and you'll pick the one you wish to do. The loser of each competition has to do something the winner desired. How about it?"

Ava sat on her chair and played with her hair. She was thinking of his suggestion.

'Then, if I win, I could ask all the things that he knew about the Willow Household. Not bad! But, what if I lose? Hmm, then I'll just make sure that today's event will never repeat,' a knowing smile formed on her delicate face. She had come to a conclusion.

"Sure!" she agreed.

"Good! you really are my granddaughter. Zen, if you do anything despicable to my daughter and breach the rules, I will punish you according to the Willow Household's rules," Willow Sr. said after listening to the agreement between the two children. At the same time, he purposely warned Zen to show his support for his granddaughter.

"Sir, what you said just now, is it only applicable for Ava?" Zen asked. Once he saw the Willow Household's grandmaster nodded his head, he chuckled.

"That's unfair," he refused such unfair treatment.

"It is. I am his grandpa," Willow Sr. puffed his chest feeling proud after calling himself a 'grandpa'.

Zen couldn't help but laugh. He finally understood why the old man was doing so. "That's fair," he deliberately glanced at Ava and repeat the same phrase.

"You accept it so easily. You're weird," Ava frowned not believing the matter of discussion between the two people in front of her.

"Well, first, let's see if we will reach to that point," Zen replied before giving her the meaningful look that shattered the calmness in Ava's mind and soul. An exaggeration of how Ava was feeling since she always believed that her emotion was something she could control after going through all the training of steeling herself at the orphanage.

Zen seemed to be an exception. Somehow, she couldn't see through him.

"For a fair competition. I'll give you the list later," Zen reached out his hand for a handshake. Ava stared at the hand and without hesitation accepted his competitive handshake. She could tell the sarcasm on Zen's first sentence.

"You," while pondering over what to say, Ava unconsciously pulled her arm due to the sudden pressure from the handshake. 'A little competitive greeting for you,' she heard him said.

"What kind of greeting is this! You're physically bullying me," she grunted not knowing that Zen wasn't voicing it out loud.

"Interesting," Zen said. His eyes were looking at Ava as if trying to read her mind. Ava didn't understand what nonsense he was talking about and decided to ignore him. She started to get confused about whether Zen was a good candidate to be a friend or a foe. More like a foe? she felt so.

"Good kids! Alright, enough of that. Little princess, about the request you made before. There are two options for you. Enter the elite school or have a private tutor," Willow Sr. decided to pull them out from their own heated argument. He remembered something that he wanted to tell his granddaughter.

"Then, I want to enter the elite school," Ava's eyes sparked upon knowing what her grandfather was talking about. Zen asked for another plate of food while listening to their conversation.

"Well, about that, I really wish to enroll my little princess to the one and only elite school in this country. The problem is the registration can only be processed every two years. So, we still have to wait," Willow Sr. took a deep breath before releasing them to the air. Even if he was to regret it, there was nothing he could do.