Lobster

Ethan spaced out a little as an incomplete image of a couple and a child without face comes into his mind. He lowered his head while his smiles fading along his with his face.

"My parents…I…I don't…even remember their faces anymore."

His head lowered so much that even his face was hidden. Lucas didn't like this at all. Ethan was like a sun always smiling and laughing at any moment. But today Lucas had seen what kind face he had made. It was a downcast expression filled with sorrow and unbearable grief…

He had enough of it! It was one thing if they were just bullying us…Lucas doesn't mind as what love story is without suffering but this is clearly crossing the line! Lucas prepared himself to stand up-

!

Wind seems to be stops as pin drop silence took place. Temperature was falling down with sensible difference.

"…Jim."

Miss Evans opens her mouth as looked at her husband. Jim didn't bother look into her eyes as he avoided her face altogether.

"…Jim."

He raised his head slowly to look at the face with whom he had taken a vow to spend his rest of the life with. Her face was as beautiful as he remembers but her smile was not. He gulped down whatever existed in his throat as he looked at her.

"Ethan felt hurt by your words, don't you think he deserve an apology?"

Her face carries a smile but her eyes were not. Jim had hard time believing her words. Did she just ask him to apologize?

When was the last time he was asked to apologize? There was a time that an executive asked him to, because he ripped arms of his son. He remembered he went out of his way to find him and ripped his remaining limbs for it. What is worse that the reason he did that because he messed with his wife! Now that same wife is asking him to apologize to a brat?!

"…I…-"

"It's fine. Miss Evans."

Ethan raised his head and looked at Miss Evans with his smile. Miss Evans raised her brows at him. He doesn't seem to be hiding his emotion or acting for their sake. It is more like his previous self never existed in the first place!

Everyone present at the table looked at him, smiling at her. They are lost for words. This situation is giving them an uneasy and creepy feeling. It is same like you are standing below the blue sky which suddenly turns into pitch-black, covering the whole horizon and space around you with same color then just like a lie it replaced by the sunny blue sky. Black sky had vanished yet its impression still exists in everyone's heart, giving a foreboding feeling of something ominous and terrifying coming down!

A man in waiter suit comes in their private room and put a big plate which was adored with a giant lobster, covering more than half of table, only leaving space for plates. He gave a bow and leaves the room right away as he felt an uncanny feeling inside.

"…Are we just going to stare at each other now?"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…Hello."

Miss Evans was the first one to start as she raised her hands to cut off its crab with some sharp scissor like things. Ethan stares at her for some times. He was hoping he will just learn and do but it doesn't seem to be working.

"…Alice. Help him in removing shells on lobster."

"…Hmm…"

Alice was still a little in daze thinking about what just happened. She sneaks glances continuously at Ethan as she twisted its crab and de-shell it.

Alice was feeling a little awkward because of her father. She knows her father tends to go little overboard. There were many people who tried funny things against her in past but they somehow vanish mysteriously in span of a month. She doesn't care about it though...but for some reason, she doesn't want Ethan to be part of those people. Is she just feeling pity or interested in him?

"…Alice…"

"…?"

"…I don't know much about this but…I think you're going to destroy the meat inside it."

Alice looked at her hand and notice that she almost crushed the meat and shells together. She brings her attention back and carefully removes the shells over it.

Lucas looked at the scene with expectation. He was waiting for her to finish helping him then he will use that excuse to switch places with Ethan. He will be reunited with her lover after so long while Ethan uses his sophisticated personality to busy her father.

Lucas was planning to act cool before by reprimanding her father for being rude to his friend but Miss Evans beats him to it. Finally…Now another ray of light shone on him, giving him a chance to make this disaster dinner into first wind of his spring.

"Lucas. Do you also need some help?"

"Hmm...Yes, yes…I do…I am just…waiting for her to finish helping him."

"…No need to bother her. I will help you."

Lucas slowly turns his head to his side, toward the source, something he doesn't want to do. Jim was flexing his muscular arms as he looked at him. In the end, he agreed with a bitter expression.

"…Please do…"

Jim draws the lobster toward him and twisted a part of it. His eyes never left Lucas as he de-shelled it. Lucas felt threatened as he twisted, removed and crushed the shell. It felt like he is telling him that he will also ended up like that if he will not behave himself.

Lucas was hit with sack of regret, he felt helpless as he saw his entire attempt failing. He had only suffered with no reward until now yet his suffering still knows no end.

Jim removed the shell and presents the meat on his plate. Lucas looked at it and tries to console himself as at the least he get to taste his favorite lobsters. He pushed the fork into the meat and brings it toward its mouth.

"…You don't even how to remove shells?"

Cough. Cough. Cough.

Meat was only half way in his mouth when Jim rebuked him. Lucas coughed and somehow meat went to his throat before he can even taste it. He hit his chest sometimes, trying to swallow it down. It went down but… Lucas wants to cry…no…He just wants jump out of building now! Just what kind of sin he did to suffer like this?!

Ethan carefully used his fork to check the meat if it's alive or not. Alice looked at him but didn't found this situation funny in least. She currently have an irresistible curiosity within her to know about him.

'Is it façade or indifference? How did you end up in academy? What about your past? What the hell are you?'

"...Where in the world are you?"

"…"

Ethan was putting the fork-hooking-meat into his mouth when he stopped and looked at her. He was stunned as he keeps his fork close to his mouth. Ethan put down the fork and pick up and tissue and rubbed his back of the hand with it. He looked at her with a concerned look and put his back-hand on her forehead.

"…Are you fine…Is your mind spinning…If you are feeling uncomfortable then-"

"…I am fine… Just remove your hand over my face."

"…Okayy…"

Alice just avoided his eyes. She felt awkward as her thoughts slipped through her mouth. She just wants to die from embarrassment but kept herself calm as she doesn't want to mess things up again.

Miss Evans smiles at their exchanges. She can tell her daughter is interested in him. She shifted her attention toward Ethan and asked him with a smile.

"…So…Ethan…how about you tell us your academy life?"

"It's bearable…Miss Evans…Are you an alumni?"

"…I am…I still remember those old days…Jim was just like you in his younger days."

Cough. Cough.

Miss Evans looked at Jim, who was coughing furiously, with a lovely smile. Lucas turned his head as he found this scene unbearable. Ethan pressed her further.

"…Tell us about those days. I am interested…I never heard about academy in old days."

Miss Evans went ahead tell about their time when she was only in top 100 while Jim stands at the top 3 as we enjoy the food. She also tells about how they tackle tests and comes together that was not something pleasant to hear about.

Ethan went ahead also asked about her guild. It's not daily you get talk with Leader of a strongest Guild after all. Her stories carry gold in itself! Ethan still remembers how Raven had told him about information. He might stumble into sack of gold by coincidence today!

"…There was a time when Jim asked Alice to give him a kiss on his cheeks but Alice picks her spoons and hit Jim in his forehead furiously…Ha…It was so funny that we still laugh when we remember…"

That's what he had hoped but he doesn't know when but with some mystery and magic, their conversation had shifted from their guild to Alice's childhood. He didn't receive a single valuable information with what he can earn big. What's worse that he is also bored by Miss Evans talks.

He secretly glanced at Alice who was playing with cutlery with disinterested face. Ethan bends toward and whispered.

"It's not first time, is it?"

"…I wish you had used this sharpness of your before."

"…Your parents are here…are you sure talking like that?"

"…That's the only thing saving your pathetic life now…tell that pathetic loser besides you that if anything about today leaked to others then both of you can kiss goodbye to your academy life."

Ethan turns silent at her threat. She is acting indifferent but she is in no way unaffected by what happened today. She is not even bother hiding her true personality while talking…which shows how pissed she is now! It will be better to never meet her again...in this life if possible!

"~What are you two whispering to each other?~"

"…!!"

"…Mom, Ethan seems to be feeling unwell after eating so he is planning to excuse himself."

"…Is that so?"

"…Are you feeling unwell, Ethan?"

Lucas looked at Ethan besides him. He was trying to talk with Jim and find some way to impress him but all he got is a growl from him that sounds like a beast.

Even though Jim stops using his stares and intent to pressure him but he still made him uncomfortable by cheap words and some comments.

Lucas refused to give up even after everything. He is going to live with him in future so he might, as well as, get used to it to make things smoother in future. Lucas refused to give up on Alice in any case! He already saw her as his bride so how can he give up now so easily?!

Jim also had targeted Lucas because Ethan is being protected by his wife. Even though, he is a GrandMaster for outside world…One who reached the pinnacle in weapon mastery. In front of his wife, he is nothing more than a contracted servant.

Jim leaves Ethan alone but he has no intention of giving up on Lucas. He will make sure this son of a bitch will stay away from his daughter for the rest of his life!

*

In the end, all of them raised themselves up and leave the restaurant. Miss Evans insisted on paying for us that both of them didn't resist for too long.

Ethan leaves on foot while two cars come for both, Lucas and Evans family. Ethan was walking on roadside ways as he looked at the crescent moon above. Miss Evans had whispered some words in his ears when she passed by him.

'If you ever hurt my daughter, then no one will be able to save you.'

Ethan felt his heart becoming heavy when she said that. Her words were soft and a smile hung on her face when she told him yet there was an immeasurable deepness in words that scared his soul out of him. Ethan knows that she figured it out!