Chapter 10.2

"You can try, but it doesn't matter," Jason shrugged his shoulders, unconcerned over her instability. "I don't care what you feel for me, I will use you to get what I want. So I'll let you play your games for now but ... hurt those near me? And I'll kill you. Deal?"

"Mmm, deal," Melanie answered with joy before stopping Jason and using him as a support to fix her boot. As she leaned forward, a necklace slid out of her chest and hung downwards.

"Is that … a Vesper?" Jason asked with hesitation when he saw the necklace. He recognized the device that looked like a piece of simple jewelry but was, in fact, a hidden vibrator. [1]

"Oh, you recognized it?" Melanie giggled as she tucked the necklace back into her shirt. She leaned forward and began whispering erotically. "I wore it just for you … and it'll be our little secret now…"

"That's good and all, but we need to catch up to the rest," Jason acted cold but in truth, his blood was boiling with lust so he steered the topic away before leaving. Melanie smiled as though she had seen through his facade but she didn't reveal it. Her eyes were locked on his figure as she followed him towards everyone else.

***

Alina who was being dragged by Asami bumped into a boy and apologized offhandedly.

"Alina?" the boy in question said in surprise.

"Ken?!" Alina turned to look at the boy closely and realized that it was her classmate Ken. "Um, hi!"

Like her, Ken was being dragged by someone else. The girl was a lot younger than him and had his brown hair but it was a shade or two lighter. Her bright hazel eyes glowed with curiosity as she studied Alina and then her brother, Ken, both of whom had slight blushes on their cheeks.

"Who's this? Your girlfriend?" the girl who was about eleven years old teased Ken while stretching the syllables in the last word with emphasis.

"What, no! She's a cla-"

"He's a classmate."

Both Alina and Ken spoke at the same time, trying to explain it to the girl, who was grinning widely, without realizing they were in sync.

"Uh ... hi, I'm Alina. Ken's classmate," Alina gave the girl a handshake.

"Hi! I'm Nikki, this blockhead's sister," Nikki smiled as she shook Alina's hand enthusiastically.

"Oh what a coincidence," a hand landed on Ken's shoulder while the latter froze with a stiff smile.

Slowly turning, he saw Jason who had just caught up with the rest. Jason's hand started squeezing his shoulder as he gave a smile that did not reach his eyes.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you're shadowing my sister, Kenny boy," Jason continued while Ken had cold sweat dripping from his brows. "But that's impossible, right?"

"Yep, that is impossible," Nikki interrupted and Jason turned to look at her. "He's too dense and naive to plan that. Plus, coming to the park was my idea."

"Little sister?" Jason asked her after studying her face and she nodded. Jason had a sympathetic look as he patted her shoulders. "Wow, it must be hard on you."

"Tell me about it," nodded Nikki. "But it's also fun sometimes. Like, when I told him Santa didn't exist, hehe. And wanna know the best part? He was thirteen!"

"Nikki!" Ken protested with a red face while Alina tried and failed to wipe her smile with the sleeve of her shirt.

"Speaking of which, who are you?" Nikki asked Jason, realizing that she didn't know him.

"Jason. Her brother," Jason used his thumb to gesture at Alina who rolled her eyes. Nikki looked at Alina, then Jason, and finally at the girls in the group before patting Alina's shoulder with sympathy.

"Wow, I feel sorry for you," Nikki told Alina. "Must be exhausting."

"I know, right? What's worse, they're supposed to be my friends!" Alina agreed and complained to Nikki who nodded in understanding.

"I also deal with that all the time," she said. "Problem with having a good-looking older brother, eh?"

"Uh, we can hear you," Asami called out trying to reminding the two that everyone could hear them.

"We know."

"That's the point."

Both Alina and Nikki answered at the same time.

The two giggled and playfully argued with the other girls when a couple approached the group and calling out to Nikki and Ken.

"Parents?" Jason asked Ken quietly. The couple seemed to be too young to be Ken's parents and Ken shook his head, confirming Jason's suspicions as he checked to see if Nikki overheard them.

"No, my- our parents passed away," he answered in a low voice. "That's our uncle and auntie, they look after us now."

"Huh," Jason looked at Ken as he swallowed the lump forming in his throat. "Just like our parents."

As Ken stood in shock trying to process what Jason said, the latter walked to the couple and shook their hands while smiling.

"Hi, Jason Sage, Ken's teacher," Jason introduced himself.

"Mr. Sage, a pleasure to meet you," Ken's uncle introduced himself formally. "I'm Robert Jones and this is my wife Susan."

"This is my sister and Ken's classmate, Alina," Jason shook their hands before plucking Alina from her friends and placing her in their sights.

"Oh my," Susan appeared to notice something as she raised a hand to her mouth while studying both Alina and Ken alternatively. Robert then seemed to realize it as well due to his wife's ambiguous manner and he discreetly gave Ken a thumbs up.

"Well, now that we're here, why don't we split up?" Jason suggested out loud while clapping his hand to gather everyone's attention before turning to Ken's guardians. "Let's see, why don't you two enjoy a date together and let the kids hang out alone?"

"I'm not too sure," Susan answered while looking at the gathered group and Robert said nothing, he was waiting for his wife to make the decision but his eyes showed his eagerness to accept Jason's proposal.

"Don't worry, Melanie here is the Academy's President and Michelle over there is an AEM officer-in-training," Jason reassured Susan while gesturing at the girls. "Besides, I know what it's like to raise kids, you two need to relax and have some time to yourselves. Away from prying eyes."

"True," Robert agreed while holding Susan's hand. "We recently got back together after a long separation so …"

"Alright, but what about you, Mr. Sage?" Susan asked while pinching Robert's hand to silence him.

"Please, call me Jason," Jason said as he smiled politely. "Unfortunately, I need to attend a holo-meeting with the principal so I can't join them. I'll catch up with everyone after a while."

"Jason …" Alina, along with the other girls, realized something was wrong and called out to Jason but he stopped her with a raised hand. "Alle, we came to show Alice how to have fun and I don't want to spoil things, ok? Besides, this is a perfect time for you and Kenny, so enjoy it."

"Je viendrai," Michelle said as she stepped towards him but Jason shook his head.

"No, you all enjoy yourselves, let the adults handle it," he said firmly. The girls realized he wouldn't budge and simply told him to be careful. Jason smiled at them before turning to look at Asami seriously.

"Protect Alle's first kiss alright?" he said. "Don't let him steal it."

"Leave it to me!" Asami patted her chest as she spoke. "I'll keep her chastity for myself- ouch!"

Michelle grabbed Asami into a headlock with her right arm, choking her into silence before she could finish her sentence while everyone else processed the information.

"Oh my," Susan said again as she stifled a peal of laughter with her hand. "Looks like you have some competition, Ken."