The Notification

Four weeks ago, when he was still assembling the Aegis, his lab was full of smiles and joy. It was the time where his assistant, a person close to his heart, was still with him.

"When I finish you, I'm gonna call you Aegis cause you will be our guardian," he mumbled in excitement.

His assistant prepared a brown coffee for him, which is his favorite, and laid it on the table near him.

"Here's your coffee, Sir."

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me 'Sir'? Just call me Darryl, okay?" he grumbled.

His assistant smiled at him.

"I refused. Although we're friends, you are still a high-ranked personality in this land and that's why professionalism must always be exhibited, Sir!" she persisted.

He grunted in disagreement.

"I have a proposition. You are obliged to be formal with me if there are other people around but you will call me by my name if we are alone," he proposed.

"And why would I agree with that?" his assistant disputed.

"Come on! I hate being called 'Sir' by my peers. It sounds like I'm old. I'm not that old!" he persisted. "If you don't, I'll bribe your sister to annoy you until you accept my deal."

"Hey, don't play dirty!" she complained.

"Did you say something?" he retorted with a grin on his face.

"Sigh! Alright, you win!" she replied in defeat.

He beamed in triumphant.

"Hey, did you—" she uttered. "Why didn't you eat the lunch I prepared two hours ago? Look, you even left it near your tools! It's no longer edible!"

He completely forgot about it. He was so absorbed by the Aegis.

"I got distracted," he reasoned out.

"Alright! You, young man, need to stop!" she complained.

His assistant grabs his hand and forcefully pulled him towards the dining area.

"It's alright. Don't trouble yourself. I'm not hungry," he said as he stands up and returns to his working area.

A hand grab his shoulder and pushed him down back to his chair.

"You, stay here while I cook!" his assistant glared.

"Okay," he mumbled like a child.

He really has no chance of winning against his assistant. He only wins when he uses her sister. He and his assistant's sister are close that's why they became a team to outnumber her when they want something she doesn't want them to have.

"Let's just order something. How about we order pizza?" he suggested.

"No!"

"Why not?"

"You need nutrition. Look at you!" she pointed out his body which is actually losing weight.

"Awe, you really care for me," he teased. "Can you be my wife?"

"Here we go again with your jokes," she complained.

"I mean it!"

"Sir—"

"Darryl!" he corrected.

"Sigh, Darryl, I care for you because you're my boss," she said.

"So, you're just doing this because of the job?" he asked in shock with a bit of pain.

"Of course not, I care for you not only because you're my boss but because you're my source of income," she clarified. "What would I do if you got sick… and die? You know I hate job hunting."

He was speechless.

"I'm just kidding!" she giggled. "Of course I care for you because you're my friend."

"Hmm!" he groaned.

"Don't be like that! It's you who started it!"

"Hmm!"

"Alright, I'm sorry if that offended you!"

"Hmm!"

"I'll bake you cookies!"

His assistant knows that he loves cookies and biscuits. It's an ace up sleeve when she slightly makes him feel bad.

"Apology accepted. Could you make it a little bit creamier? I like creamy biscuits," he requested cause he can longer refuse.

"Biscuits and cookies aren't the same, young man. A cookie appears as a small flat crisp baked cake, which is made from sweetened dough. While a biscuit appears as a small round plain piece of bread that rises with soda or baking powder and is then baked in an oven, got it?" she lectured.

"Yes, teacher," Darryl responded even though he has no idea what she just said.

"Good. I'll bake you some later," she replied with a chuckle. "First, you need to eat your lunch."

After he had lunch, he quickly resumed the construction of Aegis. A few hours later, he made a minor mistake making the Aegis sparked and created a light explosion that ignites a fire which later on was put out by a fire extinguishing bot. His assistant suddenly came in while staring at her tab to inform him about his scheduled meeting.

"Sir, you have a scheduled meeting with Mr. Symmachus at 4 pm. Also, there are documents— what happened to your face?" she exclaimed with wonder.

"Um, new makeup?"

She chuckled.

"Wait, let me wipe that dirt from your face!"

She took a towel, soaked it with a little bit of water, and cleaned his face. Darryl was just sitting on the chair as he observed her wiping his face.

"Is there something on my face?" she asked as she notices him staring.

"No, no, none. I'm just glad that you're always here for me. And I can't just simply thank you for it," he said as he took something in his pocket. "That's why…"

It looks like a small fancy box.

"…I bought you thi—"

She stood away when she realized what it was.

"I can't accept that, Sir," she refused as she stepped back.

"I saw you staring at this when we went to the jewelry shop to buy a gift for the newlyweds. So I thought, you wanted it. That's why I bought it for you."

Darryl showed her a silver necklace with sapphire and ruby on it.

"Sir, it worth serious money. I can't even afford it just by working 24/7 for one year. I really shouldn't accept it," she refused again.

"Just take it as a 'thank you' gift!" he persisted as he hands her the box. "And maybe consider it as a birthday gift."

"My birthday is still in three months."

"Yeah, I know!"

She couldn't refuse anymore when Darryl stood up and went at her back for her to wear it.

"I knew it would look perfect on you."

"Thank you."

"You know what?" he said as he sat on his chair. "I've known you for almost 3 years now and I couldn't still believe no one ever asked you out. You're the most lovable woman I've ever met," he added as he looks deeply into her eyes.

"I choose not to since I have to take care of my little sister," she explained.

Darryl didn't remove his gaze on her.

"I have something I wanted to tell you for a very long time. I just don't know how to say it."

She remained quiet as she listens.

"I've faced many trials and difficulties in my life. I work hard to learn everything I know today. When I become the ruler of this empire, I was too young for the job and everything was messed up because I have no idea about leadership," he chortled.

"I wanted to quit. But when you came into my life. Everything was slowly sorted out. You were there to support and help me do my job better. You were always there to assist me and to keep me company," he deeply expressed.

"Don't be silly! I'm just doing my job!" she chuckled.

"You're the only person who makes me happy."

"How about Mr. Helix?"

"Okay, him too but you're different," he replied in a grumpy tone. "As I look at you, I feel relieved from stress. I thought it was just nothing but it was something," he added.

"Um…"

He looked at her more deeply and then stood up.

"I think, I.." he said in a low voice

"I…"

He then slowly moved closer to her.

"I lik..."

RING!!!

"GASP! The cookies! I forgot! Let me take care of them first or they'll burn. Just give me a sec," she exclaimed, startled.

She stepped back to the kitchen, prepared the cookies, and then went back to Darryl as she placed the freshly baked cookies on the table.

"What do you want to tell me again?" she asked.

He immediately looked away because of embarrassment.

"Um, the thing that I wanted to tell you is… is… I…"

He is hesitating whether he tells her the truth or not.

"I… I'm starving!"

He chickened out.

"Yes! That's what I wanted to tell you," he lied.

"Okay?" she replied with a confused look. "Don't forget about your meeting at 4 pm, alright!"

"Okay, okay! I won't forget!"

"And thank you for this necklace, Sir! I promise to take good care of it!"

"You're welcome!"

His assistant then left his lab.

"Fuck! Fuck! Three words, Darryl! It's only three words! And you still didn't say those three fucking words! Damn!"

Recalling that memory made him feel more depressed and blue.

"I wish I had the guts to tell you that day what I truly feel about you," he mumbled. "But it would be impossible now after what I did to you!"

He continues to stare at himself in the mirror as he remembers something.

"It's your sister's birthday tomorrow. How I wished you two were here and we celebrate it like there's no tomorrow."

He, again, stares at himself in the mirror when all of a sudden, Paul, one of his co-engineers, entered the restroom. He immediately wipes away his tears. He then glances at Paul in the mirror for a second. Then Paul does his thing in the urinal. As he washes his hand in the sink, Paul went beside him and also washes his hands. Darryl then dried his hand on the dryer and he's about to leave when Paul uttered something.

"Thank you for making the Aegis and making the empire more secure!"

Paul is an energetic and friendly guy. Despite that, they never made a conversation. They only talk during discussions regarding technological issues.

This would be the first.

"It's really nothing. It's just my responsibility as the leader of this land," he humbly replied. "I hope you're having fun at the party?"

"Actually, I'm not!" Paul bluntly replied.

"Oh, is it because of the drinks?"

"Nah, it's just I'm not fond of this kind of party. My kind of party is wild and fun!" Paul asserted. "It is really boring. I better head out now since my house is a little far away."

But he only lives a block away from here! he wondered.

Paul is still drying his hands in the dryer when he walks towards him and then continues, "And besides, my task here is done!"

Darryl was perplexed about what he is referring to. However, Paul's expression and behavior felt somewhat familiar to him. He thinks that he had seen it before but he can't remember when, where, and who.

"I better leave now," Paul said.

Paul suddenly gave him a bro hug and lean towards his ears.

"Take a rest because next week's event will be fun, best friend!" he whispered before he left.

Darryl was consternated by the familiarity of the man's words.

"Weirdo," Darryl mumbled.

He chose to ignore it and decided to go home now. As he walks past the hall where the party was held, Darryl froze in shock and confusion when he saw Paul walked out from the party and headed towards the restroom, looking all wasted. Darryl was bewildered because one moment ago, Paul told him he hated the party and headed home, now he looks so drunk with an enjoyable expression written all over on his face.

What's going on? he thought.

"Nice party, Sir!" Paul greeted as he went into the restroom with a disorienting pace.

A strong suspicion arises.

He checks himself and noticed something inside his pocket in his polo shirt. He grabs the stuff inside his pocket and discovers that it was a small piece of paper. Darryl opened the note and he immediately runs and went back to the restroom to find Paul. There he saw him asleep in the sink, already knocked down by the alcohol. He then looks around the building to find the first Paul who he thinks is an impostor.

When he failed to find the impostor, he runs straight to the Bionic's Command Center and reviewed all of its CCTV cameras' footage to find the suspicious man.

He is confident enough that no person or organization could easily penetrate Bionic's defense. He is certain and confident about that, all except for this one specific person.

He read the note again and curses the only man who would do such a thing to him.

I'll be back next week, seven days from now, at midnight to fetch my newest toy. Be sure to welcome me properly! the note stated.

"Caleb! You fucking bastard!" Darryl cursed.