CHAPTER 16

"Bro, what happened to your eyes? Did you sleep? You look like a zombie in distress." Said Torin as soon as he saw Zach at the training grounds.

Zach's face crumpled. Torin was right. He looked very haggard, as dark circles were visible under his eyes because he had suffered from sleepless nights for almost three days in a row.

'It's all her fault.' Zach complained inwardly.

Keira Chan haunted him with her words that kept replaying in his dreams. The worst part was not only that her voice was bugging him but her face that was appearing in his dream at the same time; the exact scenario that happened that night.

"Do you know any sleeping pills that I can take?" He asked Torin instead on answering the latter's question.

"Seriously, bro? But why? Is it because of Field Marshal Chan's daughter? I mean did something happen when you're alone? Did you feel an impact?" Torin asked in sequence, curiosity was killing him at that time.

This was the first time he saw Zach act weird like this.

Zach narrowed his eyes at Torin and said, "Do you want to experience a great impact right now, Torin?"

Torin pursed his lips but smiled at Zach after. "Alright, let me get you a prescription at the Medical Center," Torin offered, he was obviously in a good mood.

Zach arched an eyebrow when he noticed that there was something different about Torin.

"Did something good happen?" He asked as he continued to scan the training grounds where the cadets were preparing the area, as planned by Jeru, for the final challenges for those who had already passed the medical tests.

"Yeah… I'm inspired, Bro, and decided to embark on a journey to capture a very elusive fox." Torin said laughing.

Zach sniggered and said, "Torin, you are always on a journey to capturing a fox but nothing happens. Why don't you just change your tactics and wait for the fox to be lured instead and…"

He abruptly paused because Keira's face suddenly popped out before him.

'Did I lure you, Gen. Zach? I don't take a 'NO' for an answer.' Keira said, her words accompanied by her sweet smile.

He swiftly shook his head. He would go crazy if this continued.

"Damn!" He hissed and Torin heard him.

"What? Hey, are you alright? Are you perhaps talking to yourself now? Is that Keira Chan's effect? Now, I'm curious what has really happened inside that room. Hmm, I'm sure there's somethi…"

"Shut up, Torin, and check the vicinity. See if everything is set-up properly!" Zach instructed, not letting Torin speak further.

"Relax, bro… What you're feeling is very normal for a man who had a night alone in the same room with a very beautiful young and alluring woman not to…" Torin defended but paused when Zach threw daggers at him with his piercing eyes.

"Okay, bro, I'll stop and leave you at peace now," Torin said laughing, he was so amused with the conflicted look on Zach's face as if he was having a hard time figuring himself out.

.....

*Chan Mansion*

'I'm sure he is in a dilemma.' Keira thought as she giggled on her own.

Mrs. Chan shook her head and looked at her husband. They were all in the living room, watching the news.

Field Marshal Chan gestured to his wife, signaling her to open the topic about the dinner invitation from Liu Family.

Mrs. Chan arched an eyebrow as she crossed her arms and glared at her husband, her eyes were saying, 'You tell it to your daughter. It's your call because you're the head of the family.'

Field Marshal Chan scratched his head and looked at Keira who was obviously daydreaming at that time.

"Dear…" he whispered, but Keira did not notice it so he repeated with a clearer voice, "Dear, the Lius invited us for a dinner in their ancestral mansion this coming Saturday. They want to talk about marriage…" but there was still no response.

"Keira Chan! Are you listening!" Field Marshal Chan's voice startled Keira.

"Yes, Dad?" She asked.

"I said we will be talking about marriage…" he said, making sure to point the topic to Keira.

Keira smiled sweetly, "Oh, yes, Dad, I don't mind getting married."

Field Marshal Chan and Mrs. Chan exchanged meaningful glances.

"Dear, are you sure you don't mind getting married to Liu, Jeru Liu?

"What?! Who says I'm gonna marry that one?" Keira burst out when she heard an unexpected name.

"You!" Answered her parents in chorus.

"Are you here with us, Keira? I've been saying that the Lius has invited us for dinner to talk about the marriage between families, you and Jeru." Field Marshal Chain repeated to his daughter.

Keira stared at her father with wide eyes. She was out of herself that she thought her dad was referring to Zach when she heard the word marriage.

"What are you telling now now? Wait? Have you agreed on that absurd arranged marriage, Dad?" Keira asked as she looked intently at her dad.

Her dad would never agree with anything unless he had no choice.

Her eyebrows arched as she figured out what had happened by just staring at him.

"Okay… I get it. Don't worry I will take care of that family." She said with a firm voice.

"Dear, I have to remind you not to put your father in an uncertain position. The Lius are not someone we can easily offend, especially Old Madam." Mrs. Chan explained.

Keira creased an eyebrow.

"Don't worry, Mom. I got it, and, Dad..." Keira said and turned to her father.

"You know me. If I set my mind on certain things, it's marked. Same goes to a person… So whatever happens, trusts your daughter, okay? I will take care of the Lius and just don't agree with anything."

Field Marshal Chan sighed and Keira gave him a wink.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

The group went back to the Military Academy for their Complete Physical Examination where their medical, physical, mental and emotional condition would be examined.

"I don't really get why the tests don't end once we passed the complete physical examination. It should end there, right?" May complained.

Lana laughed, her friend couldn't get over it.

"May, Torin explained everything to us last time, they have changed the approach and tests for this year's admission test. They added the challenge thing in the final round so basically, we have an idea of how hard the training will go on in the future. They don't want quitters at the half of the year which usually happens every year. So they prefer the applicants to quit or do not enter instead of quitting once admitted and experience the training." Lana explained.

"The hell, Lana. I thought you're not bothering at all and was wandering at your own world that night!" May exclaimed.

Lana actually listened well at Torin that night, although she looked uninterested when Torin was explaining and giving them some tips.

They sat at the bench, waiting for Drey to finish the physical exam.

Keira, on the other hand, was very alert with the surroundings, scanning every area her eyes could reach from her spot.

Lana noticed it and laughed. "Dear Keira Chan… I'm sure you will not see your General Zach. If I was him I will hide from you as soon as I notice your shadow around the area."

May laughed too and added, "Yeah, a teenage girl in her puberty confessed boldly to him. I'm sure he thinks you're a crazy stalker now."

Keira pouted her lips and said, "Hmmp… It's my style of wooing. Direct to the point. Besides, I will not stalk him in the open. I have it all planned so just watch and learn. For now, I need him to notice my presence and hunt him with that confession. By now he will have mixed emotions and that's okay. I know what to do next, so he won't distance himself from me or think I'm a crazy stalker."

May and Lana stared at Keira totally flabbergasted.

"Woah, I really don't know how your mind works, sis…" May commented as she shook her head.

"Haha, she's one in a million, May. A different kind of species from us!" Lana stated.

"Are you an alien perhaps?" May continued the teasing.

Keira winked, showing them her wicked golden smile, a natural symmetry, shape, size, and contour that absolutely fit her face.

"I'm a goddess, dear." Keira declared laughing.

"Yeah right, a clever, tricky and scheming 'Goddess'…" Lana murmured with a twitched lips and Keira made a face on her.

She wouldn't correct Lana because it's the truth. She smiled and said, "You all love me, right? Even when I'm playful?" Then she put her arms on the shoulders of her two friends and squeezed it hard and she pulled them closer to her small body.

"Right, right?" she kept saying as she laughed.

Their bantering was interrupted with Drey's arrival.

"Hey, is there something wrong?" Keira asked because she noticed that Drey was still quiet and he seemed out of himself.

Drey was startled when Keira touched his shoulder, "Hmmm?"

Keira touched Drey's forehead and said, "Your temperature is normal but why do you lack energy as if you're sick?"

Drey sighed and with his whacked look he whispered, "I'm fine."

"Don't mind Drey, Keira. I think he got laid on that night that's why. By the way, where do we go now?" May said casually. Not minding how reddened Drey's face had become.

"Oh my? For real? You mean Lieutenant Kang took advantage of you?" Lana asked in complete bewilderment.

"How was it? That's your first? Oh, are you going to be a straight guy now?" Keira asked excitedly.

Drey wanted to be eaten out alive by the ground right on that spot because of embarrassment. He himself couldn't absorb what had happened that night too, because everything happened very fast.

May shook her head. Among them all, she believed Drey was not really gay. She felt that he was just in his confused stage of puberty and the big factor was he grew up practically with them, the company of women.

"Please… I really don't want to talk about it." Drey murmured with a weary tone.

"Alright, let's just go and eat, I'm hungry. I think Drey is still in shock too, so let's go for now." May said as she hooked her arms on Drey.

Keira followed and hooked her arm on the other side and said, "Okay, let's go. Just remember, Drey, we will always be here no matter what. We will stay by your side and will remain friends forever."

"The heck! Where should I hook my arms?" Lana complained from the back.

Keira laughed and said, "Try hooking it on Drey's leg, Lana!"

"Nah, you both took his arms. I'm gonna go for the kill." Lana murmured and without a second thought jumped on Drey's back and she hooked her arms on his neck from his back.

"Urghhh… You will literally end up killing me, Lana, that way," Drey complained as he almost choked because of Lana's sudden grab on his neck.

From the third floor of the Main Hall Building, Torin and Zach saw Keira's group from afar.

"These kids… playing around like it's their playground." Zach whispered.

"Nah, those are no kids. They are adults already, bro, and I like that group. See their connection? Isn't it great to see a solid bonding like that?" Torin commented smiling, as his eyes were fixed on Lana.

"I smell trouble, Torin. I feel like turbulence is about to come…" Zach grumbled helplessly.

Torin: "...?"

_______

*Liu Ancestral Mansion*

"Why would she want to join the Military Academy?" Old Madam Liu murmured as she scanned the latest report on Keira's activities submitted by her assistant.

After she reviewed Keira's profile, she strongly considered Jeru's request to choose her as his wife. It was because of Field Marshal's good reputation and his family. Being connected with the Chan Family would be an advantage for them in all aspects.

She did understand why would her grandchild Jeru want that Keira Chan. There's no doubt that Field Marshal's daughter was a complete package of beauty, brain and wealth. The perfect criteria to be a part of their Clan.

Old Madam Liu smirked. "Jeru chose well," she muttered.

She had requested for dinner so she could meet and assess Keira Chan personally. She hadn't got the chance to meet the girl at any event so far.

She called her assistant in the intercom.

"Yes, Madam…" Jorge said as he quickly walked towards Madam Liu.

"I want to know why she wants to enter the Military Academy! Look into it! I smell something off about it, so dig deeper…" she instructed in her usual sharp tone.

Jorge pursed his lips and nodded then bid her farewell. He sighed as soon as he was out from the door.

'How the hell should I know her reason if it's something personal?' Jorge complained inwardly. But he must find it no matter what or he would face hell if he didn't.

So far he was the last man standing. Every one either quit the job or was fired. The pay was so damn good, including the benefits too, but the Boss was an evil hag.

'Darnn!" he scowled, he would not want to end up without a job or be assigned in the remote area like the others.

"Dig deep!" He exclaimed before he left for further investigation.