Episode 84

"Fated pairs?"

"She said that?"

"It doesn't make sense"

Mari placed her hand on Ian's shoulder, rubbing it up a bit.

"As far as I know Aoi, she wouldn't make a joke like that" Mari told him.

"I know, I'm just trying to absorb this thing, it's just weird, how can someone who's not even born yet have a fated pair? But..." Ian shook his head a bit.

"But you felt it too didn't you?" Mari placed her both hands on his shoulders, massaging them a bit while he sat infront of Lian.

"Only remnants, you were there too, the pheromones in that room were extremely putrid, I felt weak in the stomach..." Ian replied.

"To me it felt like my heart was sinking, I felt as if I couldn't breathe" Mari told him.

"That kid...it's...dangerous...how does it even have awareness at this stage" Ian relaxed his head a bit, somewhat giving into the relaxing massage.

"What are you going to do about this?" Mari asked him.

Ian shook his head "I don't know, what do I do really? Right now a fated pair is the least of my worries"

"A fated pair..." Mari whispered.

"Yeah, but right now I just want Lian to wake up, I can deal with this later..." Ian sighed

"No, I mean he's the kid's fated pair" Mari repeated herself.

"Yeah I know, tell me something new" Ian spoke sarcastically though Mari legit slapped his head.

"What..!" Ian mumbled holding his head.

"Fated pair!" Mari clicked her tongue.

"Oh yeah...!" Ian came to a realization after the hit "No wait, are we like thinking the same thing?"

"I don't really know if something would happen at all" Mari replied.

"No first tell me are you thinking what I'm thinking? Like maybe that kid could help call Lian out or something?" Ian turned to confirm placing his hands somewhat on her waist since she was standing at his back.

Mari was taken by surprise and Ian realized it too. He somewhat removed his hands a bit awkwardly.

"Sorry...I meant, like, you know, we can use that thing to our advantage..?" Ian spoke nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah I thought the same" Mari said and Ian smiled a bit awkwardly.

"Hey now that I am able to process a few things...we're husband and wife now legally.." Ian lowered his head a bit shyly.

"Oh yeah, you mean when I had to sign the marriage agreement giving more than half my property as a dowry to you, figures" Mari replied and Ian covered his face in disappointment.

"Ah I knew it! You hate this don't you! What was I thinking!" Ian shook his head still covering his face with both hands to hide the disappointment mixed with embarrassment.

"We forgot one thing" Mari said and Ian finally looked at her "The groom and bride are supposed to kiss" 

Ian's face lit up again "Will we?"

"Not necessarily" Mari replied and Ian was dumbfounded once again.

"You're enjoying this aren't you" Ian spoke with a cracking nerve.

Mari somewhat smiled, something she rarely did, she flipped her hair behind her ear and leaned closer to Ian's face. He anticipated a kiss for some while which she didn't give and only when he made an annoyed face, she pecked him.

"Cruel, too cruel" Ian mumbled.

"Well I'm not having a make out session especially with audience, I'm not as shameless as Aoi" Mari shrugged standing straight again.

"Did you just use me as a simile?" Aoi spoke from the door.

"How long you've been there!" Ian spoke being somewhat flustered.

"You know, the part where you suggested using my kid as a catalyst" Aoi shrugged.

"So basically you were there all along" Ian rubbed his temples.

"Don't worry I wouldn't comment on how you both kiss like kids" Aoi spoke flatly.

"YOU ALREADY DID!" Ian cracked a nerve.

"Wow, you're so Aoi" Mari replied calmly.

"Did you just use me as a metaphor now?" Aoi said realizing right away that Mari had replaced her name with shameless now.

"Anyways, what now" Mari turned back to the original topic.

"For now your assets belong to Ian Strauss, Mr. Strauss still needs to move the power of attorney from Ian to himself, if he'd done it directly, it'd be a long process but a marriage contract does the job faster. Shows that he was desperate" Aoi folded her arms.

"I felt it as well, for him to rush things, something might be up" Ian also added.

"What makes him so confident that Ian would transfer the power of attorney to him?" Mari looked at Ian.

"I don't think he was thinking much, he must be in a tight situation to go with using a marriage contract for the transfer of the property, if he'd done it slowly through proper channeling, it would be long time of court hearings and meetings before he'd actually be able to get it, even the marriage contract is just an initial assurance, there are still processes required before I can truly have a call on the Kirihara state" Ian replied.

"He's gambling as well" Aoi whispered.

"It's a game you both like don't you" Mari responded.

Aoi nodded.

"For now I just have to delay the processes, he can't just simply move the power of attorney from her to me with a bunch of papers, we need a lawyer, we can nullify the contract too if you want" Ian suggested.

"No just leave it there, as for the lawyer, we have the best lawyer at hand" Aoi said.

"You got something in mind?" Mari asked and Aoi nodded.

"Okay but what about Lian?" Ian asked.

"I don't know what you're both trying to do but it's okay if you can convince Natsu" Aoi told them.

"You have a fated pair too, like is it possible, can you call out to him or something ? " Ian asked.

"I'm not sure if things work like that" Aoi said but watching them both look disappointed she changed her statement "but there's always miracles, we can't know without trying"

Ian's expression changed again "I'll talk to sensei!" His face lit up again as he rushed out.

"Aoi" Mari asked.

"Hm?" Aoi turned to her.

"Did you figure it out?"

"Yes, it's not him"

"Then who are we looking for now?"

"An old accomplice"

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"Papa!"

"Come here"

Alex tightly hugged little Adrian, his heartbeat was so fast that it could be seen pounding over his chest.

"I'm so sorry...so sorry so so sorry love .." Alex mumbled kissing the little boy's face all over who also responded to his papa with lots of kisses.

Zhuang also placed a hand on little Adrian's head slowly caressing his hair.

"Papa you bring brother Natsu back?" Little Adrian asked with a proud look on his face. He was especially proud of his papa and aspired to become like him when he grew up.

"Yes" Alex spoke sweetly with a smile and again hugged the little kiddo.

"I feel like he didn't miss me as much as he missed you" Zhuang spoke jokingly.

"Noooo Adi missed papa and daddy" Little Adrian tried to clarify the small misunderstanding feeling he'd been unfair to his daddy. Though both Zhuang and Alex ended up laughing a little watching him struggle to keep peace between both his parents.

"We both missed our little angel too" Alex replied to the kiddo before the little girls came running in.

"Uncle Alex Uncle Alex! Adi chan say you fight bad guy" The girls went excitedly in a unision and Alex nodded with a sweet smile making the girls more excited and starry eyed.

Akio and Kei came right afterwards.

"Come to think of it, what happened to your face" Alex reached his hand to Zhuang's face touching the bruising on his jaw, to which Zhuang flinched a bit.

Akio turned right back from the same way he came in, taking a U-turn though Kei held him back by pulling his arm.

"It's nothing, you tell me" Zhuang grabbed Alex's hand on his face, holding it "You had a panic attack I heard?"

"Hmm" Alex nodded "I'm okay now"

"You shouldn't..pile...up things..." Kei told Alex knowing his nature well "it's okay...to just...cry and let..it out"

"I'm seriously fine, don't overthink" Alex said, though he felt a bit uncomfortable being in the spotlight of everyone's worries and moreover remembering something he didn't want to remember so he decided to turn the topic.

"Kei why don't you sit down"

"Eh..?" Kei said not understanding how it suddenly turned to him.

"You look like you're having a hard time standing" Alex spoke with a same teasing glint in his eyes.

"You..noticed...?" Kei spoke shyly.

"Damn Akio san, why don't we just leave these two softies and get together instead, I swear we can keep up with each other's ener-" Alex went teasingly again.

"KIDS-" Akio interrupted his conversation "take him down"

"No wait" Alex tried but the words from Akio were enough for the girls who just went attacking mode.

"You had it coming" Zhuang moved away carrying Adrian in his arms.

The tiny girls legit started climbing and running all over him playfully. Akio had trained them well.

Zhuang smiled lovingly looking at Alex struggling with the kids.

"Kei!! Help!!" Alex called out and Kei somewhat tried to pull one of the girls off Alex.

"I'll check on Natsuro" Akio said turning to leave.

"Wait I'll come with you-" Zhuang said but then turned to look at Alex as if asking permission from him and Alex was somewhat dumbfounded.

"Can I?"

"Can I what?" Alex asked in confusion.

"Go with him?" Zhuang asked and Alex looked at him with a poker face.

"Pffftt" Alex somewhat ended up laughing, he took Adrian from Zhuang and smacked his rear "I don't even know why you're asking me, I'm way past trust issues"

"Oh" Zhuang was taken by surprise by the sudden smack but he somewhat felt relaxed as well, he leaned and kissed Alex's forehead before following Akio who started walking out.

Kei looked a bit worriedly at the two but Alex poked at his cheek "Let them talk it out"

Kei was a bit surprised "You...know..?"

"Not really, but I can guess" Alex spoke seating Adrian on one side of his lap and Sia on the other side while Kei was holding Leah.

"Akio san...I'm worried ...about him..." Kei expressed.

"Come here" Alex asked him to move closer to which Kei did "Group hug" he said and hugged Kei, the kids also hugged kei hearing the word.

"Thank...you" Kei whispered shyly being grateful for the moral support.

On the outside Akio was half way through the stairs when he somewhat stopped like he wanted to say something but then turned again.

"What is it?" Zhuang said "What's bothering you?"

Akio didn't reply but instead changed his route, rather than going to the 2nd floor, he just walked all the way up to the third floor and Zhuang followed.

"Akio!" Zhuang called him out grabbing his shoulder to which Akio almost turned to punch him again but then remembered lil Adrian's expression from earlier and stopped.

They both reached the roof and that's where Akio stopped walking.

The wind was especially wild there considering the weather was changing soon.

"You'll catch a cold" Zhuang spoke taking off the coat of his suit and rested it on Akio's shoulders since he was wearing a tank top.

"What makes you a better parent than me? I just don't understand" Akio let him do it but ended up mumbling something.

"Akio what's wrong" Zhuang simply asked.

"Everyone obviously trusts you more than me, you all hide things from me like me getting involved would make things worst, its like I'm unreliable or can't be counted on..." Akio somewhat ranted out.

"It's not like that" Zhuang responded

"Don't use the care card on me, you're probably gonna say they hide things because they care for me and don't want me to worry, which is total bull because not only do I feel left out but completely worthless!" Akio got a bit loud, clenching his fists.

Zhuang turned Akio to face himself and held his face "What's wrong for real?"

Akio folded his arms tightly, not willing to reply but being completely angry.

Zhuang fixed the coat on Akio's shoulders properly knowing that catching a cold wouldn't be good for him in this state.

"I raised him you know, I put all my youth and life into it, I tried my best to be the best parent, but for some reason..I feel like-" Akio paused.

"Akio, you are an excellent parent, you raised Natsu really well and even now you're a good parent to Leah and Sia" Zhuang held his shoulders tightly.

"You know that's not what I'm talking about" Akio said a bit rudely.

"Then what are you talking about?" Zhuang asked.

"Why are you guys leaving me out of his life like I'm not worthy to protect him..." Akio glared a bit at Zhuang to which Zhuang's eyes widened in realization.

"Akio, what did you see??"

"I saw what Natsuro did"

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"Spare me..!!! Spare me!!! I'm sorry!!!!"

"Spare you? Ha ha, you pathetic excuse for a human"

The guy laughed stepping on the pleading person face.

"You'll all have to pay for your sins"

He whispered with a huge grin before sliding a huge rod against the ground and lifted it all the way into the air before he swung it real hard thrashing the head of the tied up old woman lying on the floor.

He carried on to do so while laughing frantically.

A light from the window of the room irritated his eyes and he finally stopped, resting the bloody rod against the ground, lifting his arm infront of his eyes.

A dragon shaped bracelet on his wrist sparkled due to the sunlight and the slightly exposed burn marks on his arm got an itch.

He threw the rod forth and itched his soft crunched up burnt skin.

He fixed his hoodie and slowly proceeded to walk forth, carrying a carton of gasoline and starting to spread it around the secluded house while occasionally looking at the farm outside the window.

He only walked out when the wooden cottage was all drenched in gasoline. Pulling out a matchbox from a pocket in his hoodie.

He lit the flame watching it dance with the wind a bit.

The dancing flame escaped his grip and befell upon the floor as it slowly ran all the way through the rooms of the house, lighting it all up.

He moved to a distance and watched the flames engulf the secluded house. A gush of smoke rose to the clouds making them darker than they already were....

The weather was truly changing....

It was going to be winter soon....

A nostalgic season full of melancholy and saudade....