Chapter 2 ~Past, full of tears part 2~

*Knock*

"Come in," said the voice inside.

"Won't you greet me, Leon?"

"Huh?" The voice answered, rather annoyed that he was interrupted while playing his game. He can't be bothered to see when his bangs are in the way. His golden hair, which was cut in a Korean wolf cut and specially chosen by his sister, suited his heavenly face perfectly. That sport jacket with a white t-shirt underneath and blue jeans on his great physique was a feast for everyone's eyes. Those facial features he got from his parents were a sight to behold.

That person turned his face and then suddenly lit up. "Zecora! My precious friend!" He ran off and tried to hug him.

Yes, he was about to hug, but you know the childish tricks children pull nowadays?

Just as he came near Zecora, he turned his back to him and bent down very fast; his right foot was going to slap Zecora's face. His other leg and both palms were on the ground to support him. But Zecora wasn't his precious friend for nothing. He knew every trick Leon had under his sleeves. He grabbed the foot that was going to slap his face.

"Oh, Lord. You haven't changed at all, Leon." He chuckled.

"I know this isn't much to faze you." And Leon let out a chuckle too. He quickly removed his hands from the floor and flipped his other leg to aim at Zecora's waist.

"If you have two legs, then I have two hands, dude," Zecora said as he stopped Leon's attack with his arm.

At this moment, Leon's upper body was in the air. Zecora grabbed one leg, and the other one was attacking.

"Take this! Head smash!"

Hearing that attack made Zecora realise that this one was going to hurt.

"Shit. I can't dodge it! It's way too fast!"

Leon thrust his head forward, which just landed on Zecora's chin.

"Ugh!"

Zecora fell on the floor, and on top of him was Leon, laughing hysterically.

"You lost, dude."

"Just freaking get up from me, you beast!"

"Yeah, yeah."

Leon got up and sat on the bed and Zecora sat beside him.

"So? When did you come back from your trip?"

"Just Yesterday. It wasn't a trip though. It was a personal training session for me," Leon said when he switched off the game.

"Oh yeah? What was that park's name again?"

"Kanha National Park."

"Yeah, yes. You enjoyed your training?"

"Damn right! It was freaking awesome! You won't believe how well I got along with the animals there!" Leon's eyes were practically sparkling.

"Good for you. Here I was drowning in all the paperwork, and you? You were enjoying your life to the fullest! You won't be able to now, though. Haha!" Zecora let out an evil grin.

"Oh, so Dad told you about me taking over the guild? Did he also tell you about Lea?" Leon said while staring at the ceiling.

"Yes, how great! We'll both be suffering from success together." Both of them laughed, and Zecora continued, "And about Lea, he told me everything."

"When Dad was the guild master, your guild was just a step-down. Hey, look, if I become the guild master, then won't our guilds be on par? And I'm as powerful as you, don't you think? We'd be a great ally to each other." Leon said with a cheery tone.

"I think so. I'd love to fight with you now that you've gotten stronger." Zecora said while he gave Leon a bump on his shoulder.

Leon was also an S Rank hunter like Zecora. They often trained together and fought with each other. Zecora was curious to know how strong Leon has gotten.

"I have something to show. Follow me." Leon got up and went towards the balcony, and Zecora followed him. Leon's room was on the first floor, and the back garden could be seen from his balcony.

"Look there," Leon pointed.

"Hm? Look what we have here," Zecora smirked. "How entertaining. They've grown a lot since I last saw them."

The sight of the two lions running on the grass entertained him.

"I thought you were going to release them in the national park? Changed your mind?"

"Stupid Zecora. How could I release them in the national park when they are ours?"

Zecora laughed then said, "Are they, Shera and Saffron?"

"Then what do you expect them to be, huh?" Leon said, smirking.

"Saffron must be lucky to have been raised by Lea," Zecora said while staring at Saffron.

"I should learn a transforming skill..." He mumbled through his fingers, which didn't reach Leon's ears.

"They are both lucky to have been raised by us. Oh, by the way, I took Shera along with me to the park. He enjoyed it too much but was probably missed by Saffron; that's why they are playing like crazy." Leon laughed.

"You can summon them from anywhere, right?"

"Yeah, even if we are at two different points in the world. I can confirm that Lea isn't in major danger; if she were, she would have already summoned Saffron."

Zecora went deep in thought. Then something struck him.

"What gender is Saffron? I forgot."

"He is male, of course. People can tell by looking, dude, you're freaking stupid."

Dayum. Zecora clenched his fist hard and gritted his teeth, unnoticeable to Leon when he heard that sentence.

Let's take a peek inside his mind-

'So Saffron is male. Lea must have... must have patted him everywhere from the moment he stepped into this household, right? Shit. I'm so freaking jealous. So freaking jealous...'

Let's stop here. We shouldn't peep too much.

"What happened? You don't look good. Let's get back to bed." Leon said, patting Zecora on his shoulders.

"Yeah. That would be the best." Zecora was practically staggering.

"Don't you think we should go down for lunch? Didn't Dad say to eat here?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot. Let's go." He was about to touch the handle of the door but stopped. Then he turned back to see Leon's face.

"?" Leon tilted his neck.

"Fuck off," Zecora said. Leon just stared at him. Then he smiled widely.

"Fuck me."

Zecora laughed and asked, "When?" Then Leon answered, "Whenever you're ready."

"Okay. So tomorrow morning, at 4 a.m. Be ready."

"Sure."

Then they exited the room and went downstairs. The table was already ready for everyone, though there were only four people there. They all talked and laughed as if trying not to remember the sad memories that were reopened.

"Look at the time. I should go. Lea and my sister are going to return from their raid soon."

"Yeah. You should go." The Leonard family agreed. Then it struck them...

"Don't tell me... You didn't employ anyone there!?" - Dad was menacing.

"If something were to happen to my beloved child..." - Mom's eyes were glowing.

"You'll be seeing hell before our scheduled appointment!" - Brother's whole body was emitting an insane amount of aura.

"If you'll excuse me right now, nothing is going to happen to her. Hey, dude, you're leaking your aura, and I don't want to be damned before our appointment, so I'll be taking my leave. The lunch was tasty, Mrs. Leonard." He answered, looking at them. Then he smiled. "When I see you all like this, it'll be really hard to convince someone that your relationship is that of parents and a son. Age doesn't show on the faces of this family. Not even a wrinkle. You people all look so young. Is this the power of the beast that I've heard of?"

When they didn't say anything but only kept staring at Zecora, he chuckled and left after putting on his overcoat.

"That boy knows how to manipulate us by using our child, huh?"

"For sure, mom. He's got some talents for sure."

Mother and son laughed together.

"What's your appointment about, Leon? I'm unwillingly curious." Raion asked.

"It's a secret, Dad," Leon said, winking.

"Tell me, tell me." His mom jumped up.

"No. Not to you, Mom." He laughed and went to his room.

"Geez. What a stubborn kid! I wonder where he gets that stubbornness from."

"He takes after you, of course, darling." Raion chuckled.

"Ah, you!!" She continuously punched Raion, although those punches didn't seem to hurt him.

"Haha. Come here." He just pulled her close and landed a kiss on her bare neck. Chryseis' face reddened up. Raion then dashed back to their room, laughing mischievously.

"R-Raion! You w-won't get away from t-this! Stop running!" Chryseis chased him.

Zecora reached Azad Market. The place surrounding the gate was empty.

He was right on time. It's already evening. Were they not able to clear the gate? If so, then they could have just exited from there like other hunters.

"Huh? The Gate's name is... It changed?"

When? How? Is it even possible?

Zecora was trembling, thinking it was his fault, but just then the glow of the gate started to disappear, and two girls could be seen coming out of it.

"Zecora! You waited, huh?" Rae waved at him. And Lea was smiling.

The sight of this sudden surprise comforted Zecora somehow, and he sighed while smiling. He walked towards them.

But his smile soon disappeared, when he saw a girl coming out with them.

Who is she? Some of her features look like Lea's. Long and dark hair... Could it be...?

Then his confused face turned into an indescribably expressionless one when he saw Leaena's dress.

"I think this top was white when I sent you in there, so why is it red now?" His expressionless face and the tone in which he was talking were enough to make both Lea and Rae realise that he was too angry to be convinced somehow. He stretched the end of that woolen crop top, leaned in, and smelled it. Lea blushed and forgot all the tension she felt when she saw a huge man, like Zecora, whose lips were just a few centimeters away from her belly. Well, that's what you'll expect from a person who's never dated anyone.

Of course, Zecora didn't even stretch Lea's top much so that more of her skin could be seen, he is a gentleman.

"Lea. Is it blood that this piece of fabric is drenched with?"

She snapped out of her daydreaming and was using every last brain cell to come up with a convincing excuse.

"I fucking asked if it is blood!? Answer me, dammit!" He shouted, which made Rae and Author shudder. Lea trembled but answered, "Yes, it is."

Zecora let go of her cloth and dialed someone. He didn't say a word to Lea.

Where did it go wrong? He asked himself.

"Come and move my car to the garage. Don't contact me until tomorrow morning; I'll be going somewhere." He glanced at Lea and ended the call.

"You two are coming with me and that girl too."

He unleashed his black chains with the first ring that he was wearing on the fingers of his left hand, bound all three of them with that chain, and disappeared.

Moments later, an employee appeared out of nowhere and disappeared together with Zecora's LA Ferrari.

~ To be continued.

-My fav lines-

Geez. What a stubborn kid! I wonder where he gets that stubbornness from.

He takes after you, of course, darling.