Episode 73

"Wait...there's something wrong with the floorboards..."

"What is it?"

"What are you both doing there!"

"Mom!"

"There's something wrong with the floorboards, look it made a different sound when Lian walked on it!"

"Come here both of you, don't wander too far"

"But mom"

"No buts"

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"Hey"

"Did you ask?"

Alex sprung up the moment Aoi walked in. She shook her head in a no.

"The child just refuses to talk, he keeps urging to see his brother, we can't bring him here, Mr. Strauss' men are everywhere" She replied.

"Then let me talk to him!" Alex said, though Aoi looked a little hesitant.

"I don't know...you might scare him..." Aoi said.

Alex grabbed both her arms tightly.

"I only want to ask him, just let me meet him" Alex said, Aoi flinched a bit.

"That hurts.." She said and Alex came to a realization. He let go of her and stepped back.

"Sorry" He whispered "It's just...I want to know..."

"I know..." Aoi said "Let Natsu try, the boy seems to be somewhat fond of him, I feel like eventually he'll give in"

"Alex" Zhuang also came back, he was holding Adrian up, the moment Adrian saw Alex, he extended his little arms desperately wanting Alex to pick him up.

Aoi slapped Alex's back really hard

"Don't neglect your child, you ass"

Alex flinched "You just wanted revenge, you hag" he proceeded his hands and took little Adrian from Zhuang. Zhuang leaned in and gave Alex a kiss under the ear.

"Don't neglect your lover too" Zhuang said and handed him a cup of coffee that he bought for him on the way.

"Did you visit the school I recommended?" Aoi asked.

"Yes, I like it, the principal and the staff seemed very nice too but it appears to be an elite facility, I'm worried alot of alpha children will be present there, so I'm a little worried for Adrian" Zhuang said.

"That's a silly thought, we can't hold our kid back from getting the best on account of alphas" Alex said resting Adrian's head upon his shoulder "We teach him to fight ofcourse"

"I'm with Alex on this" Aoi said.

"Okay okay, don't you both team up on me, I'm only worried" Zhuang said "Let's go together once we can" Zhuang said to Alex.

"Alright,now both of you go home, I'll be staying here" Aoi said.

"Eh? Are you crazy? Go back to Natsu, he needs you right now" Alex almost whined.

"Alex you seriously need rest, you're neglecting me and Adrian too, come back home, Ian is alot better now, besides Aoi said she'll stay so..." Zhuang also insisted.

Alex still seemed reluctant but eventually gave in.

"Let me get my things" Alex said and went inside.

"So where is it?" Zhuang asked Aoi as soon as Alex left.

She pulled out a diary from her clothes and handed it over to Zhuang.

He immediately put it inside his coat.

"Are you sure you don't want Alex to know?" Aoi asked.

"I just don't think it's the right time, I will share this with him myself.." Zhuang lowered his head.

"Do you think such a thing exists?" Aoi asked.

"What does?" Zhuang asked.

"In one of those pages, someone asked Raina Strauss if there was a way to bury a secret forever and she replied do you think such a thing exists?" Aoi replied.

"Is it important?" Zhuang asked

"The question and the answer are the only thing written on that page" Aoi replied.

"Maybe it's an important memory...?" Zhuang asked "Why'd it strike you as important?"

"It's not what she said that matters, it's the fact that it is written by two different people" Aoi said.

"What?!!!!" Zhuang got surprised.

"It's written in a pattern of question and answer, there's a questioner and there's an answerer...it's not a diary but a medium of conversation" Aoi said but quietened up as Alex came out with his bag.

"What are you two talking about?" Alex asked casually.

"Is there a way to bury a secret forever?" Aoi asked him.

"Only if the bearer of the secret is buried" Alex replied and Aoi's eyes widened

"What is it...? Uh did I say something wrong? Er sorry my head is just not in the right place!"

Aoi stepped forward with a sudden gush and grabbed Alex's face kissing him on the lips.

Zhuang covered Adrian's eyes.

"I'm unavailable" Alex said with a straight face after she parted.

"No you idiot! That's where it is!" Aoi replied.

"You mean the thing Raina Strauss hid?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, it must be around Clara Hughes' grave, the secret can only be buried if the bearer is buried... the secret is buried with her..." Aoi said.

"But what about the thing that Ian's talking about, where is Raina Strauss' journal?"

"Uh about that...let's go home first...I'll tell you later" Zhuang said, Alex gave a somewhat reluctant look, especially after feeling close to something.

"It's okay go...Rest first, I promise, I'll handle it...is there anything I can't do?" Aoi reassured him.

Well for one, Alex knew Aoi meant it and the fact that if Aoi took onto something, she made it happen, so he trusted her...but there was still a restlessness in his heart.

"Come on..." Zhuang said and took Adrian from Alex so that he could walk freely with the bag.

Alex had to follow him even if he was reluctant.

"Like mother like son huh" A voice came from behind and Aoi turned.

"Mari, you heard?" Aoi asked.

"Yeah...sounds about right, though I think the question was asked by Raina Strauss, not the other way around" Mari said.

"Well...could be..." Aoi gave it a thought and what Mari said made sense.

"Go ahead, return to your guy, I'm here now" Mari said.

"I'm sorry for not mentioning you to him, it's just Alex doesn't trust you that much" Aoi said.

Ofcourse, she had told Alex that she'd stay by Ian's side to send him home but it wasn't actually possible, she had to return to Natsu's side. Besides Mari planned to stay by his side since the start but couldn't.

"I'll go now...take good care of him, he did you a huge favor" Aoi said.

"I know" 

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"Take some rest"

Akio dragged the chair away from the working table with Kei sitting on it, he totally got parted from his study table to a huge distance.

"Akio..san!" Kei showed a little moodiness.

"No" Akio said and turned his chair even further away.

"But....It's...important.." Kei argued.

He'd buried himself in papers as soon as he came back from the hospital and it had become really late now, even Akio was worried.

"So is your health..." Akio argued.

Kei got up with a sulky face and flopped down on the bed face down , taking all the space with his legs and hands spread out like a child being moody.

Akio put the chair back where it belonged.

"I know you're really devoted but don't worry me like this, I can be more strict"

Akio said and came back, he lowered on Kei laying on his back in the same manner as him.

"You...re ....crushing.....me...." Kei mumbled with a flustered face since he really was getting crushed under Akio.

"Who decided to take up the whole bed?" Akio reminded him.

"Ok...ok....sorry..." Kei pleaded ,even though Akio wasn't putting his whole weight on him yet.

Akio rolled on the side and Kei rolled back giving him space on the bed.

The girls were fast asleep already in their own bed that Akio made.

They both looked at each other and smiled a bit.

"Are... you feeling...better..?" Kei asked placing a hand on Akio's cheek.

Akio grabbed his hand and kissed it.

"Akio...san..." Kei mumbled "Don't..."

"Don't,what?" Akio tilted his head in confusion.

"Not today...I'm going...to pass out...in the middle....if you do...." Kei said.

"Ah,sorry...I didn't mean to, I just wanted to kiss you" Akio argued.

"You say...that...but once you start...kissing...you always..do it...till I'm sore..." Kei whined.

"You just get tired too easily" Akio said.

"You are...more...energetic...than you look..." Kei argued "Besides...look..."

Kei pulled at his shirt's collar revealing a bunch of marks that Akio left on his neck and chest. He then rolled up his sleeves showing the marks there as well "you...don't even...spare my...arms and legs..."

"Do you dislike them?" Akio asked.

"No...but, it's..kind...of embarrassing..." Kei said shyly.

"I see" Akio slowly turned over getting on top of Kei.

"Say....what are you doing.....?" Kei asked pressing at Akio's chest.

"Hugging you" Akio mumbled resting his face into Kei's chest.

"Are..you really...okay...?" Kei asked.

"I kind of have something to tell you" Akio whispered hiding his face in Kei's chest.

"Yes?" Kei playfully patted Akio's hair while the latter was hugging to his chest.

"So...um...there's going to be a little addition to our family" Akio whispered in the lowest possible voice ever.

"Eh...I can't...hear you..." Kei really couldn't, since Akio seemed to be mumbling to himself.

"I'm saying-" Akio didn't complete his sentence yet when Kei cupped Akio's cheeks and lifted his face out of curiosity.

Akio's face was beet red upto his ears and neck.

Seeing his all flustered face too suddenly; Kei got flustered and his face turned red too till both of them were red upto their ears.

Kei let go of Akio's face and covered his own face with both hands, while Akio buried his face even more tightly in Kei's chest.

"Akio...san...what's wrong..." Kei couldn't dare do that again, he was totally embarrassed after looking at Akio's embarrassed face.

"An addition....to our family" Akio picked the courage to whisper again, this time a little louder than last time.

"Eh?" Kei replied for a moment in blankness "EHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Until realization hit him and he almost sat up.

Akio's face was still buried in Kei's chest even though Kei sat up a little.

"You...mean..." Kei's face was flushed again but not from embarrassment this time.

"Yeah, you're going to be a father again-" Akio whispered.

"Akio san!" Kei almost yelled but Akio covered his mouth with both hands with his head bent, the girls were asleep too, he didn't want them to be freaked out.

Kei tied his arms around Akio's neck and pulled him down whilst laying back and kissed him on the lips passionately.

"Go ahead..." Kei whispered.

Akio's face was a bit back to normal now but he still looked a bit off and embarrassed.

"Hmm?" Akio seemed confused.

Kei tied his legs around Akio's waist.

"Today...you can do it.... as much as you want...." Kei said with a wide smile full of excitement on his face, it was as if all his fatigue had been washed away and he was born anew.

"Are you sure, you were tired-" Akio could barely complete again before a kiss shut him up and a tongue invaded his mouth rendering him speechless and lured him into an equal response. He clasped at a handful of Kei's hair and parted lips just to bite down on his chin and move down caressing his neck whilst unbuttoning his shirt.

Kei moaned a bit into his arms but went a bit unresponsive whilst Akio was caressing his chest.

Akio took a little peek only to find Kei fast asleep with a calm and peaceful look on his face.

"You little-" Akio really wanted to give this guy a really big smack but then sighed...

Ofcourse he was tired...

He got off Kei and laid besides him and intervened his own fingers with Kei's; with a relaxing smile on his face.

"This time, let's make a proper family"

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"What are you hiding from me"

"Er nothing"

"You definitely are"

Alex had been stubborn since they came back, he knew Zhuang was upto something especially since what happened with Aoi back there.

Adrian was sleeping in the middle of the two of them, he refused to sleep in his own room because these days he could rarely get to see both his parents together.

"I'll tell you when it's time" Zhuang said.

"Means there is something" Alex scooped over and sat on Zhuang's stomach " Tell me "

"Let me atleast figure it out first, I don't know if it's okay for you yet, I don't want anything that'll sadden you   to reach you, I want to protect you" Zhuang said.

"That's not protecting me, that's keeping me in the dark" Alex answered.

Zhuang was speechless, he couldn't really reply to that one.

"Don't do that, share with me, I'll lower your burden" Alex said.

Zhuang felt a bit ashamed, Alex was right in this one.

"Okay so we might have found it.." Zhuang said "You know, the journal that Ian Strauss told belonged to his mother, it was in Ian Strauss' locker, we didn't need to ask Lian Strauss, it was obvious since he's still a teenager and that's something he'd do..I'm sorry for hiding it.." Zhuang lowered his head a bit.

Alex didn't respond for a while but then took a deep sigh.

"I'm sorry" Alex said.

"For?" Zhuang was puzzled.

"I already overheard you guys, but I wanted you to tell me on your own" Alex said to Zhuang's surprise "I know you're trying to protect me in your own way but it's doing more damage than help, I don't like that I'm spying on you and you are hiding things from me...let's please stop that..."

Zhuang lowered his head "I'm sorry"

"Please let's keep our communication steady, I don't want us to be unable to trust each other...that's the worst thing we could do to one another and I'll try my best to keep my composure too and not make you both worry too much" Alex said looking at the sleeping Adrian as well.

"Okay" Zhuang felt relieved " Do you want to see it?" He asked.

"I will but later, right now I'm giving attention to my lover" Alex smiled moving back from Zhuang's stomach and grinding against him instead.

"Adrian is still here" Zhuang whispered.

"Then keep it low" Alex whispered licking his lips.

"I can't keep up with these public fetish of yours" Zhuang got up and pulled Alex up on his shoulder smacking his rear.

"Don't lie, you love it" Alex flinched.

Zhuang carried him off to the living room since Adrian was fast asleep now.

He almost threw him on the couch and got on his knees whilst taking Alex's lower clothing off and caressing up his leg.

"Pent up huh?" Alex gently patted Zhuang's head.

"You think?" Zhuang said and pushed Alex legs up in the air almost startling him.

"Whoa, calm down" Alex was taken by surprise but his eyes widened when he left something soft and wet tease between his cheeks and Zhuang's face buried there.

"I told you I don't like being - there- whoa- hold up, hey relax..okay time out I'm- " Alex tossed his head back and Zhuang moved back with his face wet. 

"That was fast, I didn't even start" Zhuang said annoying Alex a bit.

"You freakin sh-t you know I'm sensitive there, you did it on purpose" Alex pulled Zhuang's hair.

"But you got off before me this time, shows how pent up you are" Zhuang couldn't help but tease.

"Oh?" Alex pressed his foot on Zhuang's lower half making him flinch "And you think I'm going to let you humiliate me like this huh?"

Zhuang held onto Alex's ankle while sitting on his knees as Alex rubbed him in with his foot. He rested his forehead against Alex's kneecap huffing hard until he got off.

"You're evil" Zhuang panted hard still resting his forehead on Alex's knees.

"You should just know who's the queen amongst us" Alex shrugged.

"Well your highness, what do you want?" Zhuang asked still being out of breath.

Alex got up and turned around pushing his hair back.

He bent over the couch

"You should please your highness all night long, understood?" Alex said and Zhuang's heart almost skipped a beat.

"Understood"

In short....

The couch broke that night.

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"You okay?"

"Yeah...help..me up"

Ian sat up for a bit, Mari lent her hand.

"What is it?" Mari asked since Ian looked like he had something to say but was hesitant.

"Where's..." Ian lowered his head.

"Alex went home, he needs to rest" Mari didn't even need him to finish his sentences half the time, she was able to tell most of the time from his expressions.

Ian started trying to get up on his own but a cringing pain in his left arm made him sit back down.

"What is it?" Mari asked.

"Bath..room" Ian whispered.

Mari didn't say anything, she just came to his right and gave him support to stand, she was kinda short so it almost felt like an arm rest, Ian almost laughed a little.

"Sorry" Ian whispered trying to control his laugh mostly because it hurt, otherwise he would have, especially since Mari barely reached his shoulders and he was still growing.

Mari didn't say anything but when they reached the bathroom she did get in with him.

"Go out" Ian said standing there awkwardly on her support.

"Why, you can't use your left arm and you're using right to stand" Mari said.

"I'll manage...just go" Ian was becoming flustered now, wondering if she was taking revenge because he just laughed at her for being short.

"I might be short but I can help you take a leak" She said with a straight face and he realized it was exactly that.

She was totally pissed at being called short!

She started to lower his pajamas to which he reacted by grabbing her shoulder tightly.

"Relax" She said and lowered it all down to his knees.

He stood there feeling exposed, it wasn't the first time he'd been exposed, he'd done worse than that since a young age but it was the first time in 18 years of his life that he felt embarrassed just by being exposed a little.

Mari placed her hand on his stomach and pressed a little upon his bladder area whilst holding it for him.

"Relax..." She whispered to him again and he felt his body heat up, if only he wasn't in a bad health, he'd have reacted differently by now but for now all he could do was let it out because he really needed to.

To worsen his embarrassment, Mari even washed it up for him before pulling his pajamas up.

"Wait, stand here, let me wash my hands" She made him stand on support of the wall and quickly washed her hands before coming back to him.

Ian couldn't dare look her in the eyes, his face was burning.

She helped him back to the bed.

"Should I clean you.." She asked.

"No, Alex....did..." Ian whispered hiding his face with an arm over it.

There was a moment of silence in the room.

"Do you..still...love..her" Ian asked out of the blue.

Mari looked at him covering his face with his arm, though she could still see his tomato cheeks.

"I found out, I have a child..." She said and Ian peeked momentarily at her lowered face.

"Isn't she...married...to someone else..." Ian asked again.

"Are you worried I won't marry you if there's a chance she'd come back?" Mari could already tell what was going on with him.

"It's..a business...marriage..." Ian realized his position well, he knew there was no space for him, neither with Natsuro sensei nor with Kirihara Mari; both their hearts already belonged to someone else.

"I won't because it's best for her, she deserves better than a toxic person like me" Mari answered his previous question showing self realization.

"What...about your ...child?" Ian asked after being surprised by her answer.

"I guess ...I'm confused what to feel about it, I want to see him at least once.." Mari answered directly.

"I can't..even...give you...one..." Ian spoke with a certain disappointment.

"I didn't ask for it, I'd be terrible mother, no child deserves someone like me" Mari answered honestly and Ian got a bit annoyed.

"Why are you so absorbed in self hatred! If you did something wrong then correct it rather than being into self pity!" Ian spoke in one go ,moving his arm away from his face and cringed really hard in pain after doing so, he was out of breath too.

Mari smiled in response, to which Ian's face heated up again "You finally looked at me" She mumbled to heighten Ian's embarrassment.

"I don't like this..I hate the idea of a business...marriage..." Ian said clearly.

"Then what do you want?" Mari asked.

"Can't you just...like me...?" Ian said and Mari sighed.

"Don't fall for everyone who's kind to you, I'm a more terrible person than you think" Mari said.

"Stop..with the self pity...and stop treating me like a child...see me as a man who will marry you..." Ian said

"Heh.." Mari stood up and moved closer to Ian "Ian Strauss, you're making the wrong choice because I showed you kindness"

"It's fine" Ian said with a stubborn look in his eyes.

"I'm incapable of loving anyone" Mari made it clear as she lowered near Ian's face.

"I'll seduce you till you can" Ian replied.

"I've harmed people beyond recovery, I deserve the lowest place in hell"  Mari replied

"Don't escape your sins, I will help you redeem" Ian replied.

"I'm low enough to be about to make a move on an injured person" She replied again.

"The injured person consents it" Ian whispered.

Mari lowered her face further in and kissed the young man, he closed his eyes slipping his hand on her shoulder to the back of her neck while she placed her hands on his waist and gently caressed his lips.

The two parted with a hot breath.

"You kiss very kindly for an evil person" Ian whispered with a smile.

"Thanks" Mari said straightforwardly.

Ian leaned up a little and kissed her lips softly once more and she slipped her hands up his waist to his chest squeezing it.

"There's nothing" She said with a surprised face.

"Of course there's nothing! I'm not a woman you little...!" Ian got flustered and mad at the same time.

"Sh-t" Mari said and Ian's nerve cracked.

"Well I'm sorry for not having bigger breasts, f-ck you!" Ian said being completely annoyed.

"And you said you were going to seduce me, with what, an ironboard?" Mari clicked her tongue whilst making a cringed face.

"I will kill you!"

Ian threw a pillow at her and turned over pretending to sleep with an annoyed look on his face, she took the pillow to her face

Though behind the pillow, she hid a bright tint of red on her cheek and a little smile upon her lips.