Chapter 7

'Slam' !

Karris stared at the file that was thrown by the infamous lawyer Hyera Rozémantell. Also the biggest admirer of Karris.

"A case? I bet it's related to Acemark false accusation." Says Karris, without even touching it.

"Well, I think I should get some advices from you. About how can I win this case." She walked near Karris, and slightly put her chin on his shoulder.

"Why? It's my first time seeing you this nervous. What's wrong?" His soft kind voice made her heart melted even more. She couldn't hide her blushing cheek, and ignored her shy feelings.

"I have to do my best, since Noah is the saviour of my younger brother in-law."

'Such a cheesy line...' He was gazing at those red yet glossy lips of her. "Sure. I'll have my schedule free by tomorrow morning. So tonight I'll be very busy, and don't call me up." He briefly chuckled but the sound of his little laugh was heard by Hyera.

'He laughs. What a blessing to my ears.' She stepped out as she couldn't hold her tears out of happiness.

Kayser looked up at the moody sky as he felt a drop of water fell on the tip of his nose.

"Shut up, bitch!"

A loud voice that made the surrounding paid attention to it. There were 2 girls who standing straight while another one fell on the ground, holding her red cheek. Seemed like she was being slapped by them.

"I warned you again don't let my boyfriend come near you or else, I will sue you. Let's go." She pulled her friend's hand and left the pretty girl alone bearing the pain on her cheek.

'Tsk, why am I always to blame...? It's getting annoying when it comes to men.' She tried to get up, but her legs were unsteady.

But Kayser managed to catch her from falling. "Are you okay?" He stared into those baby blue eyes.

"... Yes. Thank you." Feeling uncomfortable in a man's arms, she slowly got out of his grasp.

"Your cheek is swollen. You should go treat it before it get worse." Kayser gave an umbrella to her before she could refuse it.

"What about you? It's storming."

"My house is not far. You can take it." He smiled softly as he left the building, while she grabbed Kayser's shirt.

'His attitude...'

"At least tell me your name." She said.

Kayser's amethyst eyes gazed into hers before answering. "Kayser."

"I'm Charlotte."

With a briefing smile on his face, he nodded and left politely.

'... His attitudes are like Ares'. But gentler.'

"A-choo!"

Hakka gave a tissue towards Ares who's covering his nose. "Want me do it for you?"

He shook in quick response, and took the tissue nicely. He wiped his nose neatly and noticed that Hakka was staring at him.

"A cold?" He asked.

"Nope. I think there's someone who talked behind my back." Then Ares looked at Yerenica who had been sleeping from the first period until break. 'From what I've heard from Thomas, she used to serve under Raphael. But there's an incident that made her quit it.' Ares glanced at Hakka, who's reading a book.

'This guy doesn't know that she's one of Raphael's people. But it's not like he's totally a fool about that, since Yenni might just share it to him as a friend.'

And he turned his head to the desk next to her, which was Charlotte's.

"Hm? Where did Charlotte go?" Asks Ares, as he looked around before he looked at Hakka.

"She's on her job. You'd better don't ask her about it. She's hiding it, and it's better if you ignore it." His eyes deeply stared at Ares.

'Well, of course she hides it. But Hakka knows, since nothing escapes him. And he warns me not to get involved, means that he's protecting me.' A light sigh left his mouth. "Yes, sir..."

He genuinely smiled and leaned back. 'Just kidding. I know everything from the moment we met.'

'Clack' !

The classroom door was opened, it was Charlotte. Her eyes and Ares' interlocked to eachother.

"Charlotte. I thought you're skipping class." He grinned, while Hakka glimpsed at him.

"I'm not. By the way, I can't hang out today. I've got something to do." Says her, patting on Yerenica's back.

"Me too." Hakka continued to read the book.

Ares looked at the book he was reading, and was surprised as he saw a familiar title. 'The One who Cherishes The Empty Book'.

'That book again...' The eyebrows wrinkled were noticed by Yerenica who just awoke from her sleep.

"Ares. Can you accompany me to the nursery?" She asked, and the three of them looked at her.

"What's wrong? Feeling sick?" Charlotte touched Yerenica's forehead.

"Yeah, just a bit dizzy. How about it, Ares?"

Just before he could give an answer, Ares glanced at Hakka. As he thought, that guy was feeling suspicious of her. Not because of something bad, but he might think that she wanted to take Ares away from him.

"Sure. Let's go."

Ignoring the threats glare, Yerenica pulled Ares' hand and left the classroom. She grinned right at Hakka before she shut the door.

Feeling a bit annoyed by that grin, Hakka let out a sigh and pinched his head. "What an irritating woman."

While Charlotte was chuckling as she heard those words, to think she got to see the upset Hakka.

"Hey, I heard that there's a student named Ares. Do you mind telling me his surname?"

Hakka and Charlotte were shocked at the moment a famous guy came to him and asked for Ares' surname. Of course, they're baring their fangs towards him, not telling what he wanted.

*

The light breeze stroked his face gently. He could feel the cold in the wind at this lunch break time.

"Feeling better?"

He glimpsed at Yerenica who's smiling as she looked at him.

"Why? I'm not feeling sick or any-" Then he remembered the book that was read by Hakka. "Ah... Now I see... Thanks."

"You should do it yourself too, well, if I wasn't there... If you're uncomfortable around something like that book, you're free to go." She said as stretched out her arms.

"It's not that... But Hakka would notice it if I do it. And he will claim that I am leaving him."

"Sure, his obsession towards you will only increase knowing that you're not staying with him."

Ares was silent thinking of that. 'How come this is becoming more serious?' He then scratched his head.

"By the way, it's okay to run from him or avoid his questions if you need to. It's not like he can do anything to you, right?" She continued, putting a grape flavoured lollipop into her mouth.

"What do you mean by that?" He stared at her in puzzled.

"... Well, you have your own secrets. Might as well the secrets you hide, will eventually help you out in the future where you caught up in problems." The gloss on her thin lips was attracted by Ares as she smiled softly.

'So she can be my comfort too, instead of my tension relief.' He smiled unknowingly, looking at the pretty girl in front of him giggling like a kid.

Of course he knew that Yerenica might know the secrets he was hiding, but she just the type that will not pry anything without a permission.

That's why he's very much comfortable when he's around her.

"Ares? Who is that?" Hakka's glare was thrown to Hacre who's waiting for the answer.

"I see you're playing fool." Hacre smirked knowing Hakka's hard personality when it comes to people he's not close with.

"Excuse me, we really don't know a person by that name." Charlotte's turn to speak and she reached out her arm as if she was going to protect Hakka.

"If you're going to play like that, sure. But if I found Ares myself, don't think of a way to resurrect him." Says Hacre, glaring with his violet colored eyes towards them, meaning a negotiation won't be accepted if Ares were to get caught by him later.

The two of them just staring at him leaving the classroom without making an unnecessary mess like usual delinquents.

"What a shitty bastard. Now another problem was added." Hakka sighed while his eyebrows twitched.

"Freaking hell."

He was shocked to be hearing a curse word would come out from Charlotte's mouth.

"There's no way that Ares wouldn't be caught by him. The issue will just getting bigger if he's in that guy's palm." She stood up and picked out her phone of her uniform pocket.

"Now, what are you doing?" Asks Hakka as he saw Charlotte's dialing the number.

"Business matter."

"What? That guy asked you for Ares' surname?"

Noah widened his eyes and looked at his brother. The cake he's chewing were choked as he tried to interrupt Ivan and at the same time wanting to swallow the cake.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Who would choke on cakes? Only kids though." Rosea gave a tissue to her little brother who's coughing nonstop.

"Why would you give me tissue?? I need water...!" He tapped on the table several times meant that he's almost suffocate until Ivan gave him a glass of water.

"How did you get choke? Or were you surprise by my conversation with my assistant?" Asks Ivan, took a seat next to Rosea.

"Ah, yes.. So, the guy who asked for Ares' surname... Who is it?" He put the empty glass on the table. Looking at Ivan who's put the salads onto his plate.

"It's Hacre. Hm... Mr. Dave's son." Ivan answered.

"What?! Him again?"

"Why? Do you know him?" Asks Rosea, she poured the orange juice into the empty glass that was used by Noah.

"That guy is Ares' cousin. But Noah doesn't know him."

"She looked at Noah in confused. "So? What do you mean by 'him again'?"

"Well, of course I know him as Ares' cousin. But I also know him as Mr. Dave's son, he's basically my rival. Didn't know that he would go to this extent where he's reaching out towards Ares." He clenched the fork tightly and he remembered one thing.

'If Hacre asked for Ares' surname, isn't that mean he already has a clue about Ares' existence?' His bloody eyes were gleaming as he learnt of how dangerous it could be for Ares if Hacre meet him.

Noah slammed on the table and put on his black leather jacket.

"Hey, where are you going? You're not that fully recovered. Noah! Shit..." Ivan gritted his teeth as he watched Noah left.

"There's a reason why he won't listen to you this time." Says Rosea, a little bit baffled. "But can you now tell me? Who the hell is Ares?!"

He's being sneezing for a while now, a pile of tissues was falling as he sneezed one more time to no ending.

"How come? You're quite energetic this morning. Now you've got flu and sick all over your body." Hakka put another pack of tissue on Ares' table, thinking that sneeze was not the ending.

"Are you alright? Did you eat something you're allergic to?" Asks Charlotte while sweeping the messy tissues on the floor.

"Hm, maybe the cold breeze on the rooftop just now? Makes sense since Ares has a weak physical." Interrupts Yerenica as she munched the donut.

"So it's basically your fault that he became like this." Charlotte pinched Yerenica's cheeks.

"Want to go home? I will send you back." Asks Hakka, his hand touched the back of Ares' head gently, while ruffling his soft hair.

"Not really, I prefer to stay here. Since the lessons are still ongoing."

"You're joking, right? Your whole nose is red, even your eyes are swollen!"

"Can't be help, right? That's what he wants." Says Yerenica again.

'It's not like I don't understand that. But if this going on, Hacre will notice Ares in no time. Since we don't know what he's up to.' Hakka gave Charlotte a glare, saying how to make Ares rest.

She just couldn't ignore what Hakka asked her, at the moment, she saw a water bottle that was belonged to Hakka and Ares. Well, they often shared their own meals.

'Splash' !

Ares widened his eyes and looked at Charlotte's expressionless face. Of course everyone there was shocked too, by what she did to him. Mostly Hakka.

"Charliey... What are you doing...?" Yerenica was too speechless that the donut in the mouth fell.

"It slipped. Now go change and take a rest before you catch a cold." Orders Charlotte while throwing away the bottle into the dustbin.

Hakka facepalmed as he's getting the picture she tried to make. While looking at Ares, he stood up and grabbed his slender arm.

"Let's go. We will get you change first. I have a spare clothes." He said.

"Alright. Now that I think about it, the water was a bit cold." Ares was shivered in cold drench water.

As Hakka opened the door, a guy stepped in and collided with Ares.

"Ah, I'm sor-"

"Well, look at this. So you do know who is Ares actually, Hakka."

"Hacre...!" Hakka spotted the face he wanted Ares to avoid the most, and he quickly pulled Aees into his arms. The whole of his glare made everyone there shuddered excluding Hacre.

Of course, Hacre was well known for his attitude. About he wouldn't back down until he gets what he wants. And Ares was no exception.

*

Noah stared at the school building nervously. He looked at the picture in his hand alternatively.

"Is this it?" He remembered how he rushed to Raphael's hotel just to know Ares' school adress.

"What? Ares' school adress? What do you need it for?" Asks Raphael as he took off the glasses while looking at Noah in confused.

"Hacre... He found out that Ares is alive." Says Noah, still breathing unstably.

"Say what?! How do you know?" Worked up about that, Raphael stood up.

"Ha..." Not enough catching the oxygen, Noah sat on the couch due to his exhaustion. "My brother's assistant, Charlotte told him just now. And I rushed here as fast as I can."

"This can't be ignored. I'll send the address to you. Go first, I'll catch up to you later."

"What? You're going to? No freaking way! You know you can't expose Ares' secrets like that!"

"Then? Should I just watch?"

Seeing those sapphire eyes displayed such a desperate emotions, Noah gave up the conversation and went to the door.

"Just don't come, you jerk. Think of Ares for now. His life will depend me handling the situation. Don't worry too much." And he left.

Raphael was too shocked now and then, until he dropped his body on the warm couch that was sat by Noah just now.

"It's you who get too worked up. Dumbass."

Hacre grabbed Ares' collar and pulled him roughly, but Hakka won't just sit back and look, so he kicked Hacre tikl he was thrown to the wall.

"Keep your hands off him, bastard." Hakka's both hands unknowingly held tightly on Ares' shoulders.

"Don't move. One touch and I'll send you to hell." Charlotte's blue eyes gleamed as if she was going to kill him.

But Hacre smirked, not afraid of them. Instead, he looked at Ares who's already being glaring at him for a while now.

"Why do you need to be like this? All I want is to have a little talk with my sweet cousin." He snickered.

"Is that so? Like I will allow you to." Replies Hakka coldly.

'Hacre is here to meet me, even though he's not aware of my existence before. But what now?' Ares touched Hakka's arm.

"Let me talk to him." Says Ares without hesitation.

"But...-"

"Hakka. Do I look that weak to you? Don't forget who I used to be. Charlotte, you too." He said as he half-turned towards Hakka while turning on his back.

Of course even though he wanted to chase after him, Ares wouldn't want that. There's no one who would respect Ares' decision greater than Hakka himself.

And the issue won't fade, as long as there were people hearing to that conversation, the rumours will be made and spread throughout the school.

"You're braver than I thought." Hacre grinned as he grasped Ares' upper arm tightly.

The golden eyes were piercing through that evil cousin of him. "What do you want from me?"

"Straight to the point, huh? I like you."

Ares pushed the hand that rough his arm, and sat on nearest bench to them. While crossing his legs, he threw a hatred stare to Hacre who's still standing while smiling innocently.

"My father... He doesn't know that you're alive, right?" He then took a seat next to Ares.

"And?"

"If I were to tell him about your whole existence, how would he react to that? Maybe he will convince Diego to take you back?"

Ares just looked at Hacre laughing, felt a little annoyed by that sarcastic laugh.

"You're here just to blackmail me, right? You already know the answer I would give you. That's why you're confident to do that, because you like hearing what you want to hear. My surrender to you."

Hacre delayed with the response, but he smirked anyway. "You're not stupid. As expected of the former corporal."

"So, what do you want?" Asks Ares, finally got to the main topic.

"If you kill your brother, I will keep your existence a secret." The evil grin was displayed on his face.

As he widened his eyes, Ares just realized how stupid he was to ask that guy for an exchange to keep the secret safe. Can't expect the bad guy froom the beginning.

"You mean Big Brother Karris?"

With a nod as a confirmation, Ares pushed Hacre hardly. "Crazy bastard. You sure think of me as a fool." Not turning his hea back to Hacre, Ares left him alone sitting on the bench while laughing like crazy.

'If he was aiming for Brother Karris, that means he wants to take over the company before Brother Karris gave the position to Brother Kayser. I must report this to Brother Karris.' He stopped as Hakka pulled Ares' wrist.

"You're going too fast. What's wrong? Did he threaten you?" He asked in a soft low voice.

'This can't be heard by this guy... Otherwise, my secrets will be concealed.'

Taking a deep breath before let go from Hakka's grasp, Ares stared back at how Hakka stared him now.

"Yeah, he did. But, it's nothing. Since it's a trivial matter."

"My guess is, he threatened you using the fact that you're alive. So what's the exchange for keeping it secret?"

"It's nothing."

Ares' response made Hakka suspicious of him.

"What do you mean it's nothing? There's something that you hide from me, right?

"... Well, we're the same. You keep yours, and I keep mine. We don't dig into each other's privacy, that's how we earned our friendship and respect. Until you asked for mine, and still hiding yours."

Charlotte and Yerenica who were running towards them, halted for a moment and looked at Hakka's surprise expression.

"But you do know my secret, right?What else am I going to hide from you?" He asked while his eyes softened when he gazed on Ares.

Of course Ares would be startled by the sudden confession. Meant that Hakka genuinely trusted and respected Ares. He also knew how he was also in the wrong here, not telling the whole thing as he knew the others' secrets as well.

But what can he do? The trust he earned before was broken to pieces like it couldn't be fix anymore. Who would be responsible for those broken loyalty and trust? Everyone who knows the truth would know who to blame for making Ares lost all hopes for humans.

Until now he lived in fear and anxiety towards people, knowing that they will betray him later on. So he locked his heart, not letting anyone in even it was knocked politely. No, he just couldn't bring in people like those old days.

Every time he looked at the ocean, he was reminded of the time he sank in with a prison ball chained on his leg, not letting him swim up to be saved by people.

Every time the strangers asked him to be friends, all he can think was the short-term relationship just because of one greeds. Respect and love he learnt from one person were all shattered without a tiny chace to build it up back.

His sweet memories with that person were vanished as he learnt the word pain that also put him in such a despair and disdain.

This was the story of that heartbreaking relationship that he was once thought, what beautiful bond they had. And those memories were actually the most haunted nightmare to him.

Ares couldn't help it, since Hakka showed him how to trust and respect again, like he used to do before being betrayed by Diego.

Once again he learnt to love other people without being tied to his past, he just felt so emotional at the moment and wiped his tears before crying in front of everyone there.

"Just cry, Ares. See? You're not alone anymore. I can shed you tears as many as you want. Cry a river, so I can know what you don't like." Says Hakka, gently hugged Ares with no word or reply from him.

"Don't burden yourself anymore, we're here." Charlotte patted on his back while smiling sincerely. And Yerenica just watched them and giggled, felt happy for Ares.

'Phew... What a timing to get emotional. Luckily I didn't make it in time, if not, Ares will definitely kill me for exposing myself to them.' Noah finally left among the crowds, and glanced at the bright expression on Ares' face.

"Now you found yourself again, Ares."

*

The three of them looked at each other, after hearing about Ares' family.

"Whoaa, your family is no joke, huh?" Charlotte couldn't cover her shock expression. And looking at how Yerenica's mouth was wide open, she closed it for her.

"So, you're the prince of your families, right? Seems like their attentions were put on you." Says Yerenica as she leaned back.

"Hm, so what are you going to do about Hacre's words? Doesn't seem like he will let you go if you're ignoring his order." Hakka's face turned serious, staring at how Ares was still wiping his tears.

"I... Of course I will reject him. I love my brother so much, he's stupid for expecting me that."

"Well, he does look like a stupid bastard." The pen that belonged to Yerenica that Charlotte was holding, was broken to half. Showing how angry she was towards that sex crazy man.

"Charliey really pissed off a out Hacre. Since he dared to offer his body to her." Yerenica laughed at Charlotte who's actually being seduced by that kind of guy.

Just after Ares realized about the thing that happened between Charlotte and Hacre, he remembered the actual same thing happened to his pretty sister, Ariane.

"Ares? What's wrong?"

When he was five, Ares often woke up in the middle of the night, since his mother left him for almost a year. When he woke up, he would get a drink in the fridge for quenching the thirst in his throat.

"What do you mean by that, uncle? You're making Hacre engaged to Ariane?"

Hearing those serious voice came from Karris who's 14 at that time, was talking on the phone with Dave.

"She's 10, uncle. She's 10! And Hacre is only 8, can't you see how young they are!?"

That's the first time, Ares witnessed and heard his eldest raised his voice like that. To think he would raised the volume to no other than their second uncle.

Until he was 12, Ares finally get to ask Karris about that night.

"Why did uncle choose Sister Ariane?"

"The Kellian blood on Dave's side really prioritizes appearance, which is why everyone from his family is beautiful. Don't you see how handsome Hacre is? Because the good looks come from Uncle Dave himself, mixed with Aunt Nallea who is also beautiful." That's how Karris explained to Ares. Now he knows about why did Dave chose Ariane, who's the most pretty woman among the families.

"Well, it's true that Sister Ariane is pretty. But what about Sister Alleanor's beauty? She's above the standard too, right Brother?"

"... It might weird if I say this since Alleanor is my siblings as well. But she's my type if she weren't my sister." He answered bashfully. "I answered it because you asked for it, don't get any weird thought."

"No, I didn't think that Brother Karris would have a type too." Ares chuckled looking at how embarrassing Karris became.

"Ares!"

He startled and almost hit his head on the wall behind him. But Hakka was quicker to hold the back of Ares' head.

"You're zoning out more than usual. What's wrong?" Asks Charlotte.

"Hakka has been calling you for so many times, yet you look like you're being absorbed into something."

Ares looked into Yerenica's crimson eyes, it's so out of her character to worry for someone.

"I was remembering about my brother told me how Kellian bloodline on Uncle Dave's side really prioritizes the appearance. That's why you can see how beautiful they are. And my sister Ariane was once get engaged with Hacre. But my brother Kayser broke it off since he knew that Hacre was just lusting over my sister." Says Ares, fixing his messy hair.

"Ew, a pervert?" Yerenica made grossed out face while Charlotte was a bit disturbed by the fact he was a sex machine.

"Did he ever touch your sister or something?"

Ares' eyes switched to Charlotte, and couldn't rethink whatever happens to Ariane since she often agreed to every of Hacre's word.

"There might be a reason why she can't refuse the engagement. Well, Brother Karris won't allow it, but when they asked for her consent, she accepted it. Of course my brother would be shock after hearing a willingness from her. In the end, my brother agreed to let that guy to get engaged to my sister." Ares wrinkled his eyebrows, realizing how he'd never ever thought about Ariane's bitter past.

"I think that your brother Karris did wonder how could his sister accepted that kind of man as her fiance. But he chose to keep silent." Says Charlotte.

"Rather than choosing to keep quiet about it, I think he's more observing the whole thing from the start of the engagement and until now." Hakka gave his thought, his eyes were showing the sign of how things will get serious.

And they turned silent as Ares didn't respond to Hakka's words.

"These things will never ending just by a discussion. So let's move on to another topic." Instead of longing the conversation, Ares put it aside since there's nothing coming from the serious talk with them. Only his brother Karris can handle the situations, since he will be part of the biggest role in the families.

"By the way, can I meet with your siblings?"

They looked at Yerenica's sparkling eyes.

"Why?" Ares was too confused when she looked like that but then he undertook how Yerenica would admire every single of famous people like they're a true celebrity.

"Sure, but I have to tell my sister first. You can at least enjoy some of my sister's handmade." He smiled prettily, thinking that this might be his first time ever to invite his friends coming over his house and introducing them to his family.

'This life is not so bad, after all.'