Chapter 7: Apologizing To Levi

"Hm, if it isn't little Ian. Long time no see, kid," Levi said with a smile which looked more like a smirk because of the natural twitch of his lips. "By the way, what did you just call me?"

Ian blinked. The mist clearing in his eyes. He was brought back to the present.

"...Levi."

A whirlwind of complex emotions could be heard from Ian's voice, making Levi confused and doubtful.

Angus cut in before they could start arguing—which he thought they might do. "Ian, I know you two didn't get along before, but it has been years since you've last seen each other. Levi has been aboard for the past 6 years working on our overseas company branch and now he has come back to return to office as my secretary. And now he will be looking after you during my absence. I sincerely hope you will both get along with each other from now on."

"You both," Angus looked between Levi and Ian before finishing, "have grown up."

He said this as a warning.

"Tch," Levi sighed with a smile and waved his open fan, looking unpredictable. Angus took this as Levi's sign of acceptance.

Angus turned to look at Ian who nodded back to him without hesitation, which honestly surprised Angus. Ian had always been quick and eager to butt heads with Levi, even at the mere mention of Levi's name used to cause Ian to fly into a mood, so understandably it made Angus confused when Ian was so calm about this whole matter. Angus had thought Ian would've vehemently opposed this decision.

On the other hand, Angus felt a sense of pride, thinking that his little baby brother has finally grown up and matured.

Angus clapped his hands together and said, "Now that this is final. Please shake hands and get along with each other peacefully."

Ian was the first to stretch out his hand to Levi, causing the latter to raise a brow.

"Hmm," Levi hummed to himself in thought before he amusedly gave his own hand out to shake.

Angus beamed with a playful but serious smile as he watched this scene.

Finally the two most important people in his life are not at each other's throat anymore.

Knock. Knock.

"Boss, there is a call for you." A subordinate knocked on the study's door and informed Angus. "It's important."

Angus said his acknowledgement, and before going to deal with the phone call, he said to Ian and Levi, "You two play nice before I come back, I still have something to say to you two."

Then Angus left to take the call.

The door slammed shut, leaving two awkward figures facing each other.

Smiling behind his green and elegantly painted fan, Levi said, "Little Ian, how come I feel you're different today. I remember when I left for abroad, you told me to stay there and never come back. And now, you don't appear reluctant to have me back. If I didn't know better, I would've thought you missed me."

If Ian hadn't known any better, he would've thought Levi wanted to pick a fight with him.

And Ian did know better.

Ian was no longer a mere child who did not understand the world and the ways of the human heart. He wasn't even a normal child. Inside that small, underage body contained the soul of a twisted, deceitful grown-up who had lived one life already. And in that life, he saw through the true nature of Levi.

Breathing in deeply, Ian mentally prepared him for what's going to happen. Although he had long acknowledged Levi as his master and dropped the prejudice and mistrust towards him, Ian still felt awkward saying such things to this Levi.

"Mas— Ahem, Levi, I apologize for the immature actions of my younger self." Ian bowed 90 degrees at the waist towards Levi as he apologized straightforwardly to a surprised Levi who did not expect this development. Usually as long as Levi said even a little suggestive and differing words, Ian would get stirred up and start an argument.

Straightening up, Ian continued, "I sincerely wish for us to become good friends and partners. I hope we do not fight or argue over pointless, superficial things in the future."

Ian looked directly into Levi's narrow, jade green eyes as he said all this. Over the surprise, Levi could see that the seriousness and sincerity with which Ian spoke with was real. Now this honestly made Levi happy, surprised—and a bit confused—but happy.

Levi had never once wanted to fight with Ian. In fact, his intentions were never to provoke Ian or ignite his anger, he only couldn't help himself from wanting to tease the cute child to see his amusing reactions. Even Angus had talked to Levi about this many times, but Levi just couldn't change his personality. He was naturally playful and mischievous.

He had noticed that young Ian had been nursing a prejudiced judgement against him due to his appearance (he had suffered a lot due to it in school and in life as well) and Ian's innocent and naive upbringing, but Levi never cleared up the misunderstanding because he saw no need, believing that it was just a child phase. However, over time, his and Ian's relationship got worse and worse. They would start arguing and bickering the moment they sense each other's presence. Sometimes even Levi would think that there was a relationship of hate and enemies between them. This was one of the main reasons why he went abroad. He didn't want to fight with Ian. Nor did he want to cause trouble and headache for Angus being stuck between the two of them.

He wanted time to cool down, time for Ian to cool down.

In the present, seeing Ian act like this, Levi thought that he had made the right choice.

Fanning himself, Levi felt satisfied and joyful.

If Ian knew what Levi was thinking, he would've refuted the way he did in his past life. Ian was not like this because of the "cool-down time" Levi gave him, but because Ian was reborn. In the first life, Levi had also gone abroad and came back, and their relationship was just as bad as before he went away.

It was not until the disaster struck them that Ian made up with Levi.

"All is in the past. Those were just mistakes children can make. Think nothing of it." Levi smiled brightly at Ian, his appearance not looking like a sly fox for once.

Ian was a little dazed to see Levi like this. He had never known how well Levi thought of him until now, never blaming him for his wrong thoughts and misconceptions, never angered at his unreasonable words and unjustifiable actions. Ian for the nth time realized just how lucky he was to have two brothers who cared so much for him.

Levi, who noticed Ian's eyes reddened, was about to ask what was wrong when the study's door opened.

It was Angus. He had returned after receiving the call and had good news to announce as he strided in with a grin on his handsome, cold-looking face.

"You wouldn't believe the news I just got! The CEO of the corporation who rejected the deal our corporation proposed in favor of our rival's, got assassinated recently!" Angus exclaimed as he patted Levi's shoulder and Ian's shoulder at the same time in excitement.

Levi grimaced from the heaviness of the pats Angus gave him and frowned at the wrinkle Angus formed on his robe.

Frowning, Levi asked, "This is considered good news? It brings no benefit to us whether he lives or dies." Levi shifted his eyes in thought. "Though, I speculate the deal with our rival company might fall through since they haven't officially signed the contract yet and the executive most in favor and adamant about them can no longer take charge. In that case, I guess it is good news since those hateful jerks took a hit and failed to obtain this deal in the end after much wasted resources in lobbying."

Levi openly laughed at their misfortune.

"I'm not finished yet. Due to their CEO's death, as you've guessed, the deal with our rival company fell through, but most importantly, the new instated CEO of their corporation wants to strike a deal with us after reviewing our outstanding proposal!" Angus said excitedly. It's not strange he would feel this way. Lately, for unknown reasons, many of the carefully planned and negotiated deals had either fallen through or been snatched away by Angus's competitors. Now that Angus finally landed one, and one that he had been working so hard on and was almost snatched away, Angus was ecstatic.

In his joy, they all laughed along.

Among the three, only Ian knew how this incident came to be.

The elated older brother hugged his younger brother in his uncontrollable excitement.

It was then that Angus spotted the reddened corners of Ian's eyes that didn't have time to fade. Angus immediately turned to look at Levi with squinted eyes filled with questioning.

Exasperated, Levi un-gentlemanly rolled his eyes and denied, "It wasn't me."

Ian laughed.