A Decided Future

Levon looked in scrutiny. 

The visitor wore a most extraordinary suit: well-tailored and crisp.

The man looked no older than 27, wore slightly tinted glasses and a jovial smile that did not reflect in his eyes

His parents might be fooled, but Levon knew there was something odd about the man.

Giving one last glance at the many bodyguards outside their home, Levon calmly closed the door behind him. 

He stood nonchalantly, with both hands in his pockets—in wait.

"You disrespectful boy. Is this how we taught you to welcome guests?"

"That's right. Your mother asked you a question. Where did you learn such manners from? Sir, don't mind him. You know, we did our best. Sadly, he has failed to keep up unlike his younger brother."

His parents thought they did a pretty good job with their fake smiles, but their eyes betrayed them. 

Because of the silence from the stranger and Levon, they subconsciously felt the need to speak… Fill in the void, as they say. 

"You boy; this fine gentleman has traveled from afar to solve your problems and this is the way you treat him?"

"Sir, I apologize for our unruly son's behavior. Please be magnanimous and forgive him just this once."

Like birds, the two chirped away about nothing. 

However, the stranger and Levon were having a silent staring competition of their own.

The man still had that fake smile on his lips, and Levon had no expression.

"They say you are here to solve my worries… But excuse my oddity, seeing as I didn't send out any requests, nor did my brother or my parents."

So isn't it odd for him to show up out of the blue?

"You--" His mother was about to lash out but was stopped by the man's reassuring smile. 

"It's okay, Mrs. Belmont. I don't mind."

'Of course you wouldn't.' Walking towards the meal table, Levon took a seat. 

So did the man, unhurriedly.

The air around them was swollen with uneasiness. Yet they both wore looming smiles. 

As for the stranger, his smile bloomed even brighter than Levon's. 

"Now then, let's talk, shall we?"

Reaching into his suit's hidden inner pockets, the man took out a letter.

"Allow me to introduce myself," He began. "I am H.W. LaCroft, a member of B.E. Academy."

What? A school?

His parents' eyes almost flew out of their sockets, wondering if there was some sort of mistake.

"Mr. LaCroft, we don't mean to be rude, but are you sure you've got the right person?"

How can this useless child get such a chance?

Seeing Lacroft's suit and aura that dripped with money, both parents felt more and more that it shouldn't be Levon who gets such an opportunity.

Even if their youngest son didn't want it, it shouldn't be up to this parasitic son of theirs to take it.

"Yes," Mr. Belmont nodded. "Mr. LaCroft, don't worry. We know you're mistaken. You must be looking for my other son, Lock, who did marvelously well in the national exams. Why don't you wait here and we'll go call—"

"No need." LaCroft's voice was engraved with authority. 

Levon's parents felt an underlying threat from him. 

Well, they must be hallucinating, especially when seeing LaCroft's friendly smile. 

The man almost had the smallest pair of eyes they had ever seen. 

It resembled 2 single lines drawn on paper. 

He had the sort of crescent eyes that always looked closed.

They were so crescent-shaped and small that it was hard to tell whether he was annoyed or not.

However, if he was still smiling, then it should be alright, right?

Calmly taking off his glasses, LaCroft. turned his face toward the duo.

"I assure you, I'm here for the right person."

"I assure you both that I'm a member of an academy approved and well-supported by our generous government... But it's not what you think."

Both parents frowned, confusion evident on their faces. "It's not?"

"No." LaCroft's lips raised even more in mischief.

"B.E Academy... Its full meaning is BE EXCELLENT."

"In other words, it's a place that takes in delinquents and those with little to no chances of making a good living in society."

"We do this in hopes of turning their bleak futures around."

A school for delinquents, run by the government?

LaCroft nodded slyly.

"You may not know, but the number of delinquents in our proud country is becoming too rapid… We do not need people turning into future thugs and gangsters. So understand that this is a call for action to make better use of them."

"Mr. and Mrs. Belmont, smart people like yourselves can foresee the future if a talentless boy like your son stays at home forever, no?"

Like a devil whispering in their ears, both parents turned pale with the imagination of having a drunk or no-money-making son live with them into old age.

Just look at one of their neighbors.

The old woman's son is still living with her at 45.

She does everything—gardens, sells tomatoes in a local market, pays the bills, and slaves away for that worthless man.

Yet, he remains ungrateful and often steals her money to gamble.

The thought caused a shiver to crawl up their vertebrae. 

They heard the man was also a delinquent when he was younger.

So-so-so... So if what this man is saying is true, then won't their useless and talentless son turn out the same?

NO!!!

Be Excellent Academy… B.E Academy… 

The words sounded like a miraculous solution to throw the useless vermin out for good.

They were even thinking of how to move their family far away once he got to the academy. What if he escapes or returns to mess up their lives? And what about their youngest son's future?

Say no more! 

As Levon's legal guardians, they have already approved of his going, and nothing could change their minds.

Thinking that their family of 3 will soon live together without any further disturbance from Levon, they almost jumped in celebration.

In their hearts, LaCroft was their savior!