-Encounter-

"Jc?"

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He turned his head and got paralyzed on the spot on whom he saw. Emily wore a simple but elegant dress that matched her shapely figure with her hair loose. And today, she wore light makeup that complimented her dress, striking envious to countless girls who whore heavy makeup or expensive attire. Passing or entering the restaurant, and of course, causing some disputes for the couples seeing her.

Badumb! Badumb! Badumb!

His heart started beating faster.

"*Why...*" Clutching his chest as he frowns.

"Jc? Are you okay?" Emily said with a worried expression.

She was about to walk closer to see his condition, but he rejected her approach and said he was alright and needed some air while he supported his upper body with his arm on his knee and the other arm still clutching the chest.

"Uncle. Hurt?" Jc felt a soft little hand touch the back of his hand on his knee. He saw a little girl looking up at him with her cute sparkly eyes, and for some reason, these crystal clear eyes eased the pain in his chest.

"So you came here to eat with your mommy too, huh, spray kiddo." He smiled and squatted down to meet her eye level.

"Not kiddo. May." The little girl said, pouting, and then she reached for something in her small bag wrapped around her waist.

Jc laughed, watching her cute actions, then he messed the little girl's hair gently and stood up.

"Are you really okay? You're burning. Do you want us to take you to the hospital?" Emily said as she touched Jc's forehead while likewise felt her forehead too.

Jc was startled and wanted to back away, but he could not. He just stood there staring at her.

*Achoo!*

'See what have you got into silly! Do you still feel dizzy?'

'Yeah...'

*Achoo!*

'Stop that!'

'What?'

The girl rolled her eyes.

'You're squeezing me while you're sneezing,'

'Why? Can't I embrace my girl? Plus, you're my cure to everything.'

'My god Jc! So cheesy!'

'You're cheesy boyfriend!'

The girl chuckled.

"Uncle. Eat?" Jc clasped out of his thoughts when he heard the little girl's voice.

"I'm fine. Uncle will stay here for a bit. You guys can go ahead." Jc said to the little girl then to Emily with a smile.

"Okay... Then. We're heading first." Emily was still worried, but she could not pry into it. She carried the little girl as they entered the building.

After they're gone, he suddenly remembers the word that the little girl spoke.

"May? May... May..." Tears rolled at his stilled eyes after saying those words.

#####

"Now, May, once you see Grandpa and Grandma, give them a big hug, okay?" Emily reminded May while they were on the elevator going up. Even though it's only her Uncle and Aunty, she still taught her daughter how to address them.

May nodded happily.

"Uncle. Join Eat?"

"No, baby. Uncle Jc will not join us."

"That. So." Little May said with a sad expression.

Seeing her daughter's adorable sad face, Emily couldn't help her heartbreak. Even though she doesn't show it, she also wanted her daughter's request, but she could not simply ask him out with a reason.

"*Reason...*" Emily gazed at her daughter as she thought of something.

"Baby, do you want Uncle to eat with us?" She happily smiled, saying this.

Emily waited for her daughter's response as little May was puffing her cheeks happily after she heard what her mother told her just now, and then she couldn't contain the happiness anymore as they both said Yes cheerfully at the same time.

#####

Jc was washing his face in the bathroom to conceal his moist face from crying.

"That is one great slut right there."

"Yeah, getting into that skirt must be heaven for the poor."

"Yeah, I wonder how much is she? or should we ask for a dirty?" A man with a snake-like face in a malicious smile, talking to the other man who looked fine outside.

"I'll call my assistant, but that beauty, coming here. She must be in a higher status or known background."

"I don't think so if that woman is in a higher status. That kind of dazzling beauty should be guarded or at least brought a man with a background for us to only admire from a distance. Didn't you see a little girl accompanying her? The woman was practically announcing that she wanted someone to take care of her child, including her."

The snake-like man and the other man were laughing on their way to the stool, but they stopped when someone was blocking their path.

"Brat. Didn't your parents told not to hinder the path of your elder?"

The two punched and kicked the man until he was back and leaned against one of the stool doors.

"That tickles..." The man whispered to himself.

"What did you say?!" The snake-like man was already relieving himself when he heard the guy they beat up still had something to say.

"Nothing. I said I'm sorry for blocking your way." Said the man with full of smiles. He looked at something on the side, and then he walked to the door.

"Are you guys into men?" Said the man as he locked the door from inside.

"What the sh*t that this dude say!?"

"You're really tired of living, brat."

"I'm serious. You guys would probably see a lot of guys soon. Do you prefer a tattooed one or a buff one?" Sarcastically said the man who was sinisterly smiling, looking at the two who were enraged after what he said.

#####

After shaking the dirt off his clothes, Jc stared at his phone on the side and walked towards it as he avoided stepping on the two people with bloody faces rolling on the floor like an astronaut.

"Well, that should do it. You guys behaved well, don't let me see you roaming again. Take care of your butts in there." After warning the two he left the place in a hurry.

#####

"You're the only one who's not here! Get your ass here quickly!"

"I'm on my way now, Old James. You better hurry your men there too, or they might get away."

"I know, I know, don't worry. Your aunt said she's starving- Oh wait, I see you! I'm waving!"

"Oh yeah. Why do we have a lot of people..." Jc seeing Old James waving at a big table where ten chairs surrounding it, and only one was vacant.

Getting close to the table, he suddenly halted.