The Elder, Sibal Cohen

"A-ah! Right! Why are you so early!?"

Internally panicking, he thought of a topic that could help him escape from the current dilemma. And ended up blurting a question.

Lucian backed away, his eyes avoiding Sherdan's. He couldn't keep himself from huffing quickly, as he seems to be struck with a sudden outburst of serotonin.

Sherdan stared at him for a few moments, making the already awkward situation turn deadly quiet.

"A-ahm. Cohen?" Lucian glanced his way, only to end up getting flustered after seeing his gaze.

Sherdan's brow arched slightly. He backed away and turned his attention to the dishes. His mind wandering to somewhere else.

'Cohen' Just now, Lucian called him Cohen.

"I don't know what time it would start," Sherdan replied. He started rubbing the dirty plates with the sponge, and the white areas soon came onto view again.

Lucian looked his way, surprised with his answer. His hands that were scrubbing the plates stopped.

"Eh? Then why didn't you text me?"

Sherdan didn't answer, as he was so immersed in his task.

Lucian had no choice but to think of the reason himself, and when he finally realized 'why', he ended up chuckling.

"Oh. You don't have my number?" Lucian asked, answering his question in the end. His head tilted to the side, and his eyes stared at Sherdan who had now finished sponging the plates. Sherdan, who was done with the sponge, opened the sink and started rinsing it.

"Ay! I'd do it. You sit there." Lucian out of reflex smacked his hands.

Sherdan was surprised by this sudden attack, and so is Lucian. He hurriedly extended a hand and clasped the part he smacked, rubbing it with his thumb gently with a repetitive up-and-down motion.

"Sorry." Lucian apologized. Sherdan didn't mind and answered his earlier question, which had been delayed for too long.

"Hmm. We hadn't exchanged numbers."

Lucian who had heard his answer was preoccupied with this thought and his hand let go of Sherdan's hands.

Right, they had never exchanged numbers huh.

Thinking of something, he turned his attention to the plates. Rinsed it and quickly shook them till the drops of water fell off. Soon after, he was done.

He rubbed his hands on a dry towel, and when it was finally as dry as a bone, he took his phone out of his pocket.

"Give me your number"

Sherdan performed the same actions and handed him his phone. Lucian looked at it, sighing, he took it and typed his number under the name 'Lucian'.

When Sherdan saw Lucian's name in the contact number, he somehow felt unsatisfied and changed it. The movement of his finger attracted Lucian's attention.

"What are you typing?"

"Your name"

"My what?"

Sherdan looked at the word he typed and nodded in satisfaction. Right, this is it.

Lucian was weirded out after seeing him nodding to himself, but didn't voice it out. He just slightly, very slightly, moved away from him.

The birthday party was soon held after the guests arrived, and Lila was surprised after seeing Sherdan helping with the preparations early on, with his apron still draped around his body.

"Ohooo" She placed her hands on her mouth, her eyes squinted as if some sort of real-life meme. She looked at Lucian who had gone her way to greet her briefly, obviously teasing him.

Lucian just flicked her forehead.

"Stop your thinking"

"What? Not thinking of anything" Lila whistled. She's truly not thinking that Sherdan was here to court her dear friend, no, not really.

Lucian just scorned at her and excused himself before going back to the kitchen to help Sherdan with the taking out of food.

The room was decorated with very minimal balloons, and the table was placed in the center. There were only very few guests, probably countable with one hand.

One teen who was a daughter of an old lady stared at Sherdan and Lucian shamelessly. Her cheeks tinged with a hint of red. Her inner fujoshi self screaming.

Lila saw her like this and went beside her, coughing to subtly get her attention.

"Ahh, they look good together right?. I mean two handsome men beside each other."

The teen's ear perked up as if fed with dog food she exclaimed.

"Right! You're absolutely right!" She readily agreed. Her eyes shining as though she could see some stars.

Lila rubbed her chin, her head slightly nodding.

"Don't you think their height looks great together?"

"Yes!" The teen nodded her head in agreement.

"The one is tall, pale, and devilish."

Lila spoke.

"The other is bright, sunny, and handsome. They would make the novel-example of a bl couple" The teen exhaled, her breath almost visible from the extreme excitement.

"Oh! You have keen eyes! What's your name?" Lila nodded her head and leaned in closer to ask her name. Quite eager to get to know this cute teen who knows her stuff!

The teen was surprised by this sudden closeness and ended up blushing. How could this be! To be this close with a beautiful woman--she can't take it!.

She avoided her gaze, and with her voice stuttering slightly she gave out an answer.

"C-clea" a little bashful, she timidly lowered her gaze. A strand of her light brown hair fell, and Lila caught sight of it.

She tucked the lock of hair behind Clea's ears, oblivious about the other's inner turmoil.

Clea's face flushed red, and in panic, she turned around and ran away. Escaping, she ran back to her apartment in a frenetic state.

Lila was left dumbfounded in her spot.

"Eh? What's that?" Scratching on the back of her head, she glanced at the way where Clea ran off to. But wasn't able to see even a shadow of Clea anymore.

"Wow"

"Did I scare her?

Whilst Lila stood there dumbfounded, the celebration finally started. And everyone sang to greet Gila.

"Happy Birthday to you!"

"Happy Birthday to you!"

"Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to you!"

Lucian kissed Gila's cheeks after singing the song, and everyone clapped altogether. Sherdan stood beside them, as per Gila's wish. No longer wearing his apron.

"Happy Birthday Auntie" Sherdan smiled and gave her his gift. Gila opened the black box and was surprised after seeing what was inside. It was an expensive watch.

She was reluctant to receive it at first, but Lucian probed her to accept it. Gifts should be accepted, regardless of prices!.

Sherdan nodded beside Lucian, totally agreeing with his words.

In the end, Gila could only sigh and take the gift.

The gathering ended and Gila told Lucian to walk Sherdan down the building. Lucian obliged without much thought and the two of them reached the parking lot without further adieu.

Sherdan was about to enter the car, but Lucian extended his hands and tugged on Sherdan's clothes. He gave out a genuine smile and spoke.

"Thanks for today, I'd repay it someday I swear" His smile was like a sudden beam of sunlight, it made Sherdan wonder how come someone could have such a pure smile.

His other hand holding on the car door let go, and he leaned in forward. His lips couldn't help but broke out in a slight grin. His right hands uncontrollably patted Lucian's hands.

It took two pats before he realized what he had done. But it was too late, it had already turned awkward. Lucian coughed, trying his hardest to regain his calm composure. And Sherdan only pulled back his hands and gave out his reply. Pushing his embarrassment at the back of his head.

"That's the least I could do."

He went inside the car, and soon after, it started moving. Sherdan remained seated, motionless. Though his eyes were plastered to the mirror reflecting Lucian's gradually shrinking structure.

Upon arriving home, Imogen ran towards him. She had been standing in the gates for several minutes, waiting for Sherdan to appear. When she caught a glimpse of the car's headlight entering the gates, she instinctively knew it was her older brother.

"Brother! What took you so long?" Imogen pouted her lips, and she raised her arms wide open. A moment later, she was raised from the ground and was encircled inside Sherdan's embrace.

"Older Brother had to help his friend--" Sherdan was about to say 'friend', but halted. Uncertain whether the friend was an appropriate term to address their relationship. Imogen looked at him who had drowned himself in his thoughts, and she poked on his cheeks.

"Brother?" Poke.

The small white fingers poked at Sherdan's face, and he ended up chuckling. He let her play with his face whilst he walk towards the house.

"Older Brother had to help a friend. Are mother and father still home?" He asked. Upon entering, he looked around in the living room but saw no sign of the couple.

As far as he can remember, it's around this time that Elder Grandfather Sibal would be hospitalized. Sherdan checked if the two were still around, hoping in his heart that they weren't.

"Oh nooo. Mama and Papa said they had to go to Grandpa!." Imogen's words calmed Sherdan's slightly nervous heart.

Although he made sure not to cause too much havoc so the main events won't change, he still couldn't get rid of his anxieties. No matter how hard he tries to, he couldn't stop himself from worrying over unnecessary things, despite knowing it's impossible to happen.

"Hmm, what did they say?" Sherdan talked with Imogen, his voice coaxing and sonorous. Imogen giggled and talk enthusiastically. Eager to tell her brother a lot of things.

"Mama said they would visit Grandpa!"

It didn't take long before her chatters drifted far from the topic, as she started talking about her school life and the things she learned from her teacher. Despite the lengthy conversation he wasn't normally used to, Sherdan remained attentive and listened to every word Imogen said.

"And you know brother! My friend said the butterfly wasn't a butterfly at first! Her nanny told her!. How can that be?"

She was so full of energy, that it didn't take long before she became tired and sleepy. When she could no longer open her eyelids fully and continued constantly yawning, Sherdan carried her to her room and tucked her in the sheets.

Right after he finished with his business, his phone rang. Showing his mother's name on the phone screen. He picked up the call, aware of what it might contain.

"Are you already home?" Andra asked, she was sitting beside Nicholas who was talking with her father-in-law Jelo. The Elder Cohen, Sibal was diagnosed with cancer just earlier.

Sherdan went towards his room, answering while on the way.

"Yes, Mom."

"How's your visit with the elder?" It was customary to call the head of the family Elder, rather than Grandfather. But the younger ones were instructed to call the Elder Sibal Grandfather. Only Sherdan persisted in calling him Elder.

After all, it's not as though he had ever acted as a filial grandfather to his grandson. His Grandmother, Hermosa was a lot kinder. If only she didn't die from the concubine's schemes.

Andra didn't miss the uncaring tone in his voice, and she ended up sighing.

"At home, I would let you call the Elder that way." Her voice became lower as she spoke the last few words.

"But when the gathering happens, call him grandfather." She was reminding Sherdan, and also slightly warning him.

"Hmmm. I understand."

Andra looked at Nicholas and signaled him that she would go out to get some air, Nicholas could only jerk his thumb upward. Returning with an affirming answer.

He was preoccupied with consoling his Father, and couldn't accompany Andra outside.

After arriving outside the hospital, Andra breathed in and out. Trying to catch her breath.

"Your Grandpa was diagnosed with cancer. The doctor said he wouldn't last long." She muttered. Answering Sherdan on the other side of the phone.

She pressed the phone with her shoulders and ears, to prevent it from falling. And rubbed her cold hands together. After it became hot, she rubbed it on her face and took the phone again with her right hand.

It was too suffocating inside the hospital room. Since every child of the Elder was there. Looking for a chance to gouge their claws inside the company.

"Is that so"

Andra laughed after hearing her son's reply. Her son, he's too unfilial.

"Arent you worried about your Grandfather?" She asked. Although she was obviously messing around.

The Elder wasn't hated, at least in general, but he wasn't loved either.

He was a philanderer, the same as her father. Although Sibal married all his mistresses and made them legal, but second wives. They were still no better than a female consort.

Sherdan pursed his lips and didn't gave an answer. Sometimes, silence is more powerful than words.

Andra didn't take much of his time and bid goodbye. But she reminded him to take care of Imogen while they are still away. Sherdan gave out a 'hmm' implying he had agreed.

After turning off the call, Sherdan sat on his bed. He massaged the back of his neck, and tilted it right and left. Making a slight cracking sound. He had always exercised, but he still feels somehow extra tired today.

Ah. It is almost time to start his moves.

He plopped down on the bed and closed his eyes. Everything is going as the original events. Is what he thought---

But it didn't take a few days before he was dropped with a ticking bomb.

Lucian, with a frown on his face, asked in a serious tone.

"Does Elionor had a son?"

Elionor Cohen. One of the people who made his life difficult before was one of the most trusted underlings of his Uncle Stevan. And also the husband of Molina Morris. His mother's sister.

"No"

Elionor doesn't have one in the original timeline.