30 - Holiday Planning

"The kid has three weeks of school holidays, give him to me for proper training," Wolf told Ren. "He's gotten much better, and I'm sure he can be trained to a regular Blue Wolf's level in a year or so."

Ren frowned slightly. "He's not fully recovered yet," he said, looking at Fang's medical records after the latest check up.

"He's good enough to train," Wolf said. "Actually, if you give him to me for three years for intensive training, I can guarantee he'll be at least at my level or maybe even surpass me."

Ren raised an eyebrow. "That good, eh?"

Wolf nodded excitedly. "Say, why don't you let him stay in high school for the regular term and keep up his training with me instead of sending him to medical school right away? Though not as good as intensive training, he'll be almost at Pax's level by then."

"Ask him yourself," Ren said. "Fang is free to choose whatever he wants to do; I won't hamper him in any way."

Wolf brightened. "You think I can convince him to come with me full time?"

Ren shrugged. To be honest, he didn't know. Fang had taken to martial arts like a fish to water. With improvements in his overall health, his progress was stupendous. Wolf was naturally impressed with the teenager's talent and wanted to groom him. It left Ren, whose combat skills were quite poor when not supplemented by his powerful magic, feeling rather strange. Fang had said earlier that he wanted to study medicine and it made Ren very happy to bring the seedling to his own line of work, but he didn't want to restrict Fang in any way. The boy was young and Ren would prefer if he chose to pursue his passion and what made him truly happy rather than anything else. The Male Lead in the book hadn't studied medicine; he had started working right after finishing high school, and then founded his own company.

Ren rarely thought of the book anymore. To him, Fang was now his bona fide boyfriend and this world was as real as it gets. Other than getting general pointers about the events that would occur independent of the main characters' involvement, Ren barely paid any attention to the contents of the book these days.

"Did you already make any plans for him for the holiday?" Wolf asked, narrowing his eyes.

"I was thinking of taking him to Ray Country to learn to drive," Ren confessed.

Wolf scratched his stubbled (but ruggedly handsome) jaw. "Yes, they give you a learner's permit at sixteen...and I suppose it's best for him to learn now." He angled his head and stared at Ren. "Does Fang know yet?"

Ren shook his head.

Wolf chuckled. "Ah, a surprise for your dear boyfriend, is it?"

Ren shrugged. "I thought it'd be nice if he could drive it himself when we pick up his car next year."

"You were never this nice to me when we were dating," Wolf complained. "What's with this kind of blatant discrimination?!"

"We never dated for real," Ren pointed out.

"I wanted to," Wolf told him. "You just wouldn't cater to my wishes!"

Ren laughed. "My dear Wolf, weren't you the one making all the rules when we started? Who told me that they were straighter than the straightest arrow and that I'd better not think of making a move on their mature, handsome self?"

Wolf stuck out his tongue childishly. "What else was I supposed to tell a fifteen year old kid?"

Ren shook his head ruefully. "Never mind. I do owe you for all your help in the early years. Without you, I'd not even be alive now."

Wolf flushed. "What's all this owing business between us? At the very least, we're friends, if not lovers."

"We were never lovers," Ren snapped. "Don't go misrepresenting things. I don't want Fang to be upset."

Wolf propped his chin on his hand and grinned mischievously. "Oh? I heard you got really happy when he was jealous...?"

Ren threw a book at him in response.

Wolf dodged it neatly and cried loudly in a sultry voice, "Ah, Ren, what are you doing...?"

"Shut up!" Ren shouted angrily and picked up another book to throw at the other man.

The door burst open and Ren froze, still holding the book he was about to throw.

Fang stood at the door with a strange expression, which immediately relaxed when he spotted Wolf hiding behind a chair and Ren preparing to throw a book at him from at least six feet away.

Pax popped up behind Fang.

"What are you two doing?" Pax asked, glaring at his brother and his employer.

"Holiday planning," Wolf replied, grinning shamelessly.

"From what angle does this look like holiday planning?" Pax asked archly.

Wolf pouted and turned to Fang. "Your boyfriend is bullying your teacher," he said pitifully. "Won't you save me?"

"Ren doesn't bully people unless provoked," Fang said loyally.

Ren smirked, his face smug as he looked at Wolf.

"Well, Fang's right," Pax said and cuffed his brother. "What did you do to provoke him?"

Wolf shook his head ruefully and laughed. "Ren's gotten shy since he started dating our Fang; it's so much fun teasing him!" he said innocently.

Pax sighed and shook his head fondly at his twin brother, thinking that Wolf had somehow managed to inherit all the mischief and cheer from their parents while all the seriousness and responsibility had fallen on Pax's own head.

"What holiday plans were you making, though?" Pax asked his brother. He turned to Ren. "Haven't you already made the arrangements to take Fang to Ray Country to learn to drive?"

Wolf clipped Pax on the head. "Are you my brother or Ren's? I want to take Fang with us to train!"

Pax blinked. "Ah, yes, you did mention that," he muttered. "Why don't we just ask Fang what he wants to do instead of you two idiots fighting over him?"

Ren and Wolf looked at Fang eagerly.