19 TRUE IDENTITY

< Athaire Starlight Hotel

UTC+2 0816 AM

Lobby >

Leaving just a hair strand wide distance between them, he was being the perfect gentleman. However, against his expectation, she suddenly sneaked her arms loosely around his neck and reaching up from her stance to meet his lips. Oh well. He closed his eyes and held her up to his chest, fully leaning into the kiss - until a voice spoke up.

"Alex?" Both Angel and One Shot froze before letting go of each other and like robots, turned their heads towards Jenny in unison.

One Shot's expression stiffened.

"Jenny…" He muttered. This was a disaster. A quick glance to Angel affirmed his hypothesis that she was of the same opinion, glancing at him with eyes wide open.

At least he didn't try to lie to her and tell her a fake identity earlier. Things could still be managed. But she certainly wasn't supposed to find out his real identity.

Jenny's furrowed eyebrows let one guess that she knew him rather well and her clenched fists as she stepped towards them both let all of them guess that she was about to explore. Angel, however, was delighted to see that Joff had obviously no clue as to what was going on as he was left standing alone by the elevator.

One Shot backed away from Angel and she stepped aside as Jenny brushed past her, raised her fist, and punched One Shot in the chest.

"How could you," she spat out one word at a time, each in sync with a new punch, "not reply even once?!" He took another step back, more out of safety concerns for her than for him. Her punches were weak like a little child hitting a stone. He gave an apologetic look towards Angel and realized that she was smiling while staring down Joff, who was still standing numbly and with an open mouth by the elevator which was now leaving back upstairs. He caught Jenny's small hands in his.

"Jenny, calm down. I'm sorry I didn't call you earlier, but I'm here now, so it's fine, right?"

Jenny was starting to tear up, and now Angel focused back on their interaction, somewhat intrigued by Jenny's emotional outbreak. Not uncommon, but having her try to lay hands on someone was a first. Jenny struggled in One Shot's grip, wailing, "LET GO, JERK!", and he let go. Wiping away droopy tears with the back of her hand, she pouted up at One Shot before throwing her arms around his waist and holding on for dear life.

"Don't cry," One Shot said softly as he carefully patted her back, "calm down. You're not a child anymore, remember? Today is your big day, how can the bride cry?"

"Sho yu didn't forget," she mumbled in his shirt.

"Of course not, dummy."

"Don't call me dummy, dummy."

"Alright, princess. Time to smile and shine." He held out her hands as she stared up at him with teary eyes but now with a happy blush as he helped wipe her face. She gave him a soft smile, which he returned in all honesty. He was glad to see her again: his only family, his precious little baby sister, Jenny.

The heels of a woman tackled the marble floor as she majestically approached them.

Tack, tack, tack.

A custom-made suit was framing her fit body. Only the wrinkles and the silver hair revealed her old age. Her expression was that one would make when biting into a citron, and her steely glare over the situation was all one needed to know what she thought of the scene in front of her.

"What," she began with an exasperation clouding and dragging out her words as she placed one hand on her hips, "are you all still doing down here?"