Chapter 10

His instant change caught me off guard, it clearly made me deviate from what I wanted to say next. Is this what it feels like to be someone who wants to disconnect? I'm not sure myself. Mera kept pestering me by poking my sides. I tried not to react but she was hitting my softer sides making my body move on its own.

She was clearly having some fun knowing this! I slapped her hand away to show my discontent, all she could was pout. As our drinks arrived, he took a sip of his chocolate milk trying to ignore the exchange that just happened.

Brendan: Did he make you do some kind of elaborate plan or something? Or maybe giving me some advice? Sometimes he can be so annoying.

Mako: Well he's just doing his best to keep you from being depressed.

Brendan: Depressed!? He said that!?

Mera: Depressed?

Mako: It means being very sad, cinnamon roll. But he is genuinely trying to make sure you're okay.

Brendan: Is that why you're here!?

His face suddenly lit up with rage! This guy is dangerously volatile, any comment I could possibly make might just increase the tension. Just being at the same table made me uncomfortable. Though he must've realized that he lost it and effectively started to cool off. His breathe started to return to normal as kept sipping his milkshake.

Brendan: Apologies. I just thought that he was clearly wasting his time. Sometimes I feel like he's got nothing to do with his life but to bother his busy older brother.

Mako: Is that something an older brother should say about his younger brother just trying to help?

Brendan: I don't need help. Simple as that. He needs to focus on what he wants to do. If it's one thing that I know from my experience with the kid, he's nosy. Can't leave me alone.

Mera: That's still a bit mean…

Brendan: You wouldn't understand. So? What did he want you two to do exactly?

Mako: Nothing. He didn't say anything in particular. He was just worried is all.

I can't possibly tell him the plan, it would clearly just anger him further. I just need to steer the conversation elsewhere. Jake's plan was to convince him that we were a couple so he could have an idea on how to approach his novel. All I could do was keep my composure while Mera constantly poked me with curiosity and enjoyment.

Brendan: Whatever then. As long as he's keeping his distance. I don't need help. I can do this on my own just fine like last time.

Mera: Like last time?

Brendan: Hm? Oh I meant I could win the aspiring writers contest coming up. People also call it the Shield award because of what the ribbon looks like.

Mera: Have you heard of it, Mako?

Mako: I have. Just talks in the town, I don't actually know a thing about it. It's just one of those things that writers would want to aspire to have. The winners of those usually head onto joining other writing contests like the Hermes awards.

Brendan: You're quite versed yourself in the locality. Though I'd expect nothing from my little brother's girlfriend. Always such a social butterfly compared to me. The Shield awards has some money to it too but that's not what people are after. It's just the free publication deals and publicity of course.

Mako: Money...

Mera: Mako! Hmph!

Mako: Stop bothering me damn it! Anyways, I'm an editor of sorts. Well to be closer to that I'm an aspiring editor. I don't actually have a publication to back me but I have edit quite the sum of novels in store already.

Brendan: Woah! Jake really hit the jackpot there. Either way you still made it to edit a bunch of works already. I'm already assuming that he knows about this?

Mako: No, I've chosen to keep it a secret.

Brendan: Y'know secrets in a relationship can tarnish it from within.

Mako: Have you ever been in a relationship?

Brendan: Ack! I shouldn't have said anything there. But what an opportunity! Have you ever reviewed popular books for authors yet?

Mako: I've reviewed a couple ones here and there but they never actually flew out the shelves. Some people also get too scared that they'll never fucking make it so they scrap it entirely. In the end, I still get my money. The only one that's popular that I'm currently editing would be "My Life In A World With Mana"

Brendan: Wait! You're the editor for him! That's pretty big! Well I guess in terms of sales he's big but the novel is trash.

Mako: You've got quite the mouth to say that but I certainly have my sentiments on it.

His eyes seemed to take a liking to what I've said. Though I think he's more interested in the fact that I'm an editor in general. I could smell a deal brewing in the background. Another way for me to earn money. I could feel my excitement pulling my hair up.

Brendan: You're already quite the package hahahaha! To think, you'd be an editor for a high selling book and still in high school. Could you perhaps edit my new work too? I'd appreciate it.

Mako: Everything has its price of course. Make me an offer.

Brendan: Well how about I don't tell Jake that your secret.

Mako: I'm leaving.

Brendan: WAIT! WAIT! I'm sorry! I didn't mean that but it was worth a shot.

Mako: I'm a professional y'know. I don't have time for this shit. So state your price already. You should be honored that I'm letting you name your price. That's not something we usually do in the business.

Brendan: Geez, I didn't think you'd be all uptight like that. Anyway, I don't have much to offer but I do need help actually. If you can't edit my work then I'd appreciate some help in terms of gathering material.

Mako: Material?

Brendan: The novel I'm going to submit for the Shield awards would be a romance novel and friendship novel. Though I'm not exactly the most sociable person, so it's a bit hard to write and make it sound realistic without it being wishy washy. I also wouldn't know what's popular for kids nowadays. Do kids still do karaoke? or is that an old person thing?

Mako: Get to the fucking point already.

Brendan: I'm too broke to ask for a full review and edit, but I'll gladly pay for some resources like diary entries or rather first hand experiences of my little brother.

Mera: Ew… Creepy…

Brendan: Don't take it that way please. I'm just saying that I want you to hang out with him and his friends. Take a video or pictures then write your experiences filled with your thoughts. Anything is fine, I just need material. I'll pay you a couple hundred just for that.

Mera: That does sound like an easy cash grab, Mako.

Mako: Hmmm, that's still a bit suspicious in all honesty. But money is money. I don't mind in particular, it's just that it's a bit weird to just join their friend group all of sudden.

Brendan: But that's the point. My book is going to be centered in a female lead that does exactly that. Something of a slice of life actually.

Mako: Makes sense. So do I just record it all on my phone?

Brendan: Just a couple weeks of footage should be fine.

Mako: A week?!

Brendan: I mean, it's just hanging out with Jake. It should be easy for you. Imagine hanging out with your boyfriend's group. All the fun times it's going to be socializing, talking, and eating together. Ah~ Something I wished I did in my youth. Well I could still do it now. I'm just in my twenties.

Mako: Socializing... Talking... Eating... Together!?

Mera: Mako?

I fell back to my seat because this suddenly didn't feel so worth it. But if I deny it, then the plan would be a bit hard to deploy. Do I want to care about these people? Though I guess this is just the things people do for family. Who am I to judge it all? Maybe in the end, Brendan actually cares about Jake and wants me to hang out with him more. That way he doesn't have to think Brendan or something. Accepting it would mean being involved in their family.

Mako: I'll review your book for that price instead.

Brendan: Huh!?

Mera: Classic Mako…

Mako: I just don't see a good reason for you to get footage or sources when you can just ask your brother instead.

Brendan: Tch, it's complicated…

Mako: Just send your novel to this email and I'll get back to you.

I slipped over my editor's information card or rather a business card then took Mera's hand left. Something about him just made me want to punch him the fucking face. Those expressions, words, and nuances just cleared what type of person he was. To think that Jake would do give me money for a jerk like him, absolutely unbelievable.

After we stormed off the cafe, I hailed a cab then went back to Mera's condo complex. She lived in the penthouse of her tower at the center Oak station. I just couldn't help but be pissed off more than I thought. Even the way he approaches his novel source was something so stupid.

Mera: Mako?

Mako: What is it!? Can't you see I'm thinking!

Mera: You're hurting my hand already…

Looking down, I didn't realize that I was still holding Mera's hand. Well the right term for this situation was crushing because I even left some marks of pressure. I promptly let go then continued to move onto my side of the car.

Mera: You're quite mad aren't you?

Mako: I am. I thought your one ability was to read the mood. Guess you couldn't even get that right.

Mera: I'm sorry, I just wanted to make sure…

Mako: Whatever… That guy just pisses me off. To think a person like him would want to be some kind of icon in writing or something, it's disgusting. What a fucking mess!

Mera: But I was quite shocked that you didn't choose the easy route. Hanging out with your boyfriend sounded easy.

Mako: I don't have one, cinnamon roll. That was just an act. I met with Jake beforehand to come up with a plan to give that bastard some kind of inspiration for his novels. I just didn't expect to meet him earlier than expected. This is just troublesome. I might even have to fucking message Jake later about it.

Mera: So you don't have a boyfriend?

Mako: Why the fuck would I want a boyfriend?

Mera: Nothing~ Just wanted to make sure~

Mako: It just wouldn't make sense for someone like me to get one. I'm too perfect of a main character to be held down by some npc.

Mera finally gave me that thousand megawatt smile as she continued to wait for us to get back home. Geez, what the hell am I going to do with this girl.