Family Calls 2

His right foot stepped out of the taxi as it screeched to a halt in front of a towering apartment complex. The structure was massive, easily the tallest in the area, standing at an imposing height of at least 100 meters, its peak seeming to pierce the sky.

After paying the driver, he stepped aside to retrieve his grocery bags. The driver revved the engine and sped off almost immediately, leaving him standing there, watching the car disappear around the bend that led to the main road.

He turned back to face the building, his eyes traveling up its immense frame. Its size was daunting.

With a sigh that carried the weight of his thoughts, he muttered to himself, "I guess they moved here as soon as Jaxon got the Neon Dragons contract..."

He adjusted the grocery bags in his grip and made his way toward the building's entrance. The public lobby was spacious and gleamed with polished surfaces, exuding an air of sophistication. As he approached the elevators, a sudden realization hit him like a slap—he had no idea what floor or apartment number he was supposed to go to.

He stopped in his tracks, glancing around the lobby, scanning for someone to ask or a way to get the information he needed. His eyes landed on a desk at the far corner, where a receptionist sat, much like the lobby staff at his own apartment complex.

Without hesitation, he made a beeline for the desk. However, as he drew closer, he noticed something unexpected—the receptionist was a woman, not a man, and she was strikingly beautiful. Her long blonde hair framed her face perfectly, and her calm, professional demeanor only added to her appeal.

As if sensing his approach, she looked up, her eyes meeting his with a spark of recognition. She immediately stopped what she was doing, waiting for him to arrive at the desk.

Jaxon cleared his throat, trying to steady himself. He tapped the desk lightly, both to catch her attention and to ground himself before speaking.

"Good morning, ma'am," he greeted, his tone a bit too formal than he would like.

She smiled warmly, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "Why are you so formal, Jax?" she asked softly, her expression a mix of amusement and curiosity.

Her words caught him off guard for a moment. It clicked instantly—this building housed the rest of his family, the family of the original Jaxon Lin, not him. Of course, the receptionist would know his name. But what puzzled him was her unusually welcoming tone.

"Nice track clothes," she added, her gaze scanning him from head to toe. "It's been such a long while. How've you been?"

Jaxon stammered, his composure faltering. "Huh... uh… I'm fine. I'm doing great," he replied, his voice uneven. "How about you, umm…" He trailed off, desperately searching for her name without appearing suspicious. His eyes darted down to her name tag.

"Valerie!" he exclaimed, his tone a little too enthusiastic.

Her brow furrowed slightly as she gave him a curious look. "Are you sure you're okay, though?" she asked, tapping away at her keyboard.

"I'm fine, thanks," he replied, forcing a faint smile.

"Okay… but you never call me by my full name like that," she said, her voice carrying a note of nostalgia. "It's usually Vee or Lerie—or Princess. But I guess that's okay now… since we're not together anymore."

The word hit him like a punch to the gut. Together? His eyes widened as realization dawned.

'This stunning, gorgeous human being is this delinquent's ex?'

"Together?" he blurted out, then immediately coughed to cover his reaction. "Ahem."

"Yes, together," she confirmed, her gaze tinged with faint suspicion. "Are you sure you're okay, Jax? What are you doing here? You never really come by anymore."

He rubbed the back of his neck with a dry palm and placed the grocery bags on the countertop.

"Oh! You went shopping too?" she said, her eyes flicking to the bags. "Didn't know you had the time for that."

"I came to see my family," he replied quickly, trying to steer the conversation back on track. "Are they around?"

"I think so. I haven't seen anyone of them leave the building today."

"Okay, what's the apartment number again?"

"22B," she said, typing something briefly before looking back at him.

"Alright. While I'm gone, do you think you could keep an eye on these for me?" he asked, gesturing to the groceries.

"Yeah, sure. No problem."

With that, he spun on his heels, walking briskly toward the elevator. He jabbed the button with more force than necessary, shifting nervously as he waited for the lift to arrive.

Meanwhile, Valerie glanced at the grocery bags. 'Chicken breast and sweet potatoes? He can't cook, can he?' she thought, securing the items behind the desk.

***

He finally arrived at the front door of apartment 22B and stood there, hesitant to knock. Anxiety clawed at him, his mind racing with thoughts of what might happen if he met the family of the body's original owner. The realization that he had a stunning ex-girlfriend working as the lobby receptionist was already overwhelming enough.

He lifted his right hand, index finger hovering over the doorbell, when a feminine voice called out his name. The unexpected sound startled him so much he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Jaxon! You're home!" the voice exclaimed.

He spun around to see a teenage girl approaching him. She appeared to be in her late teens—17 or 18 years old, he guessed. Before he could react, she threw her arms around him in a warm embrace.

"Uhhh… hi…" he stammered, utterly lost for words. After a moment's hesitation, he placed his hands gently on her back, awkwardly returning the hug.

She pulled back slightly, her face lighting up with a radiant smile that showcased her perfect white teeth. "I haven't seen you in forever! And it's so nice of you to show up on your birthday!" she said, her excitement bubbling over.

'Birthday?!' he thought, his mind reeling. A younger sister, perhaps?

"Hey…" he began, his voice tentative as he tried to recall her name. He made eye contact, searching her face for clues.

"Come on inside!" she said cheerfully, cutting him off. "Mom and Dad are home today. It's their day off, so they didn't go to work." She tugged on his arm as she reached out and pressed the doorbell herself.

Still flustered, he quickly pulled his phone from his pocket to check the date, he had been so occupied with getting used to this new life that he couldn't keep up with time.

OCTOBER 20TH, 2025.

Sure enough, the date confirmed it—this was Jaxon Lin's birthday. The realization hit him that the body he now inhabited had turned 22, although not the same age he would've been in his original life, the uncanny coincidence that both his old and new bodies shared the same birthday made him wonder if this bizarre similarity was somehow tied to the incident that brought him here.

His thoughts drifted, and he quickly became aware of how little time he had left to make a legendary mark in the NBA.

The door swung open.

A woman, visibly in her late thirties or early forties, appeared. Her eyes immediately locked onto the pair standing in front of her.

"Mom, guess who I found!" the teenage girl exclaimed excitedly, her gaze darting between her mother and Jaxon.

"I can see that, Krista…" the woman replied, her tone soft but deliberate as she squinted at him. It was almost as if she struggled to focus, as though her vision wasn't sharp enough to clearly recognize his face. Then, her expression shifted. "Jaxon… My boy…"

Mom. The word struck him. He realized instantly that Krista—the teenage girl—was supposed to be his younger sister, and this woman was undoubtedly their mother. Her name didn't matter much in this context; after all, most kids didn't call their mothers by their first names.

"Mum?" he said hesitantly, forcing a smile to play along with the situation.

Before he could think of anything else to say, Krista was gently nudged aside as their mother surged forward to embrace him. The hug was tight, almost suffocating, and it caught him so off-guard that he froze, unsure of how to respond. She held him firmly for several seconds before letting go, only to place her hands on his shoulders, inspecting him as if he was a trophy.

"You look well… uhm! Come in, your dad is home," she said, her tone faltering as she mentioned his father. Jaxon immediately noticed her shift in demeanor—something about that statement had drained her confidence.

He stepped cautiously through the doorway, crossing the wooden frame into the apartment. The first room he encountered was the kitchen, where a tantalizing aroma wafted through the air. The scent of peppered stew filled his nostrils, igniting his taste buds and making his salivary glands work overtime.

"I cooked your favorite meal to bring over later today," his mother said, her voice carried an element of sadness. "But I wasn't sure if you'd even open the door to see me… Don't remember the last time you did."

Her words hit him unexpectedly, who wouldn't want to see their mother on their birthday? He couldn't help but feel confused and intrigued by the dynamics of this family. Why would the original Jaxon Lin avoid his family for so long, even though they lived in the same city?

They made their way past the kitchen and into the living room. Sitting there was a man, slightly hunched in his chair. His hair was streaked with gray, evidence of the years creeping up on him. The moment their eyes met, Jaxon felt a jolt of recognition. The resemblance between this man and the body he now inhabited was striking.

'His father?' he wondered silently.

The man's wavy hair cascaded down his face like a waterfall, and his features reflected a distinct Japanese background—folded eyes, near-pale skin, and firm, youthful-looking collagen despite his age. They were undeniably alike.

The man turned his head fully, his sharp gaze cutting through the air as he took in the sight of Jaxon and the others entering the room. Then, his face darkened, and his brows furrowed deeply.

"I want him out of my house," he growled, his voice low and gravelly with anger. "I don't even want to hear anything!"

The force of his words hit like a hammer, stoping everyone in their tracks.

Jaxon turned to his mother, his confusion very evident across his face. She didn't look as startled as he did—if anything, her reaction suggested she had anticipated this. That realization made him uneasy. Taking a deep breath, he braced himself for the truth, knowing fully well that whatever he was about to learn wasn't going to be pleasant.