Chapter Thirteen

Siegfried sighed. He felt like he wanted to get out of the room and go back to his own apartment or wherever, as long as he didn't have to be in this matchmaking meeting again.

Well, his mom once again set up a matchmaking meeting with one of the daughters of the Lowell family relations. Normally, he would show up but say nothing, hoping that his prospective wife would give up on her own. This time it was him who was unlucky. His mother accompanies him throughout the meeting. Maybe it was just dinner, but he was really tormented.

He checks his cell phone several times and sends a short message that is not important to Cameron. Even though he never got a reply from his cousin, he still sent those messages and pretended that he was busy.

"Sieg can also play the piano. It's just that he hasn't done it since he joined the company. Right, honey?"

He suddenly looked at his mom when his name was called. "Huh?" he asked, confused.

His mom smiled while gesturing that she should be more focused and involved in the conversation. "You can play the piano, can't you?"

Siegfried glanced at the young girl sitting in front of him. "Oh, a little," he said flatly. But his mom was not satisfied with his son's answer. She deliberately stepped on her son's feet.

Siegfried smirked. He looked at his mother with a look of protest, but instead she was busy talking to his prospective wife – well, who would likely fail again. He can guarantee it up to ninety percent of the time.

*****

"I really don't understand your attitude, Siegfried. We just want you to get married and not go to war. Why do you always thwart all these matchmaking meetings, huh?" Once again, Siegfried had to listen to his mother's nags and complaints all the way home.

This is actually the twelfth meeting with ten different girls. Two girls had survived until the meeting between families, but it still failed because he never showed up. And even though he has already shown his disinterest in marriage—well, for now—his family still arranges meetings with girls for whom they think is suitable for him. They think that he is mature enough for marriage. But because the man was too busy with his work, they became a little worried.

Siegfried sighed and continued to drive quietly, even though his mother was still complaining about his indifferent attitude towards all the girls. Well, his mother might get tired of talking and end up letting her eldest son do whatever he wants. It used to always work.

"Don't tell me that what Cameron said is true? You are gay, Sieg?"

His eyes almost popped out when the question came, and he was lucky enough not to apply the sudden brake, which could have ended in an ambulance call. He looked at his mom.

"Mother!!" cried Siegfried.

"Then why do you always reject those girls, eh? If you're not gay, you should feel attracted to at least one of them, Siegfried," said his mother.

He took a breath. "But I don't feel anything when I see them, mom. And don't get me wrong, I'm not gay! I'm really going to kill that good-for-nothing cousin of mine after he settles the land dispute," he said.

His mom sighed. "Your uncle might not mind if you kill your cousin, but you must take over Cameron's position as well when the Carters and Lowells merger process is complete."

Siegfried snorted. "Geez, well, maybe just to the point of putting him in the hospital."

"Sieg, we can understand if you don't want to get married anytime soon. But you're in your thirties now. We just want to see if you have other things to do besides the office. Go with your friends, go on a date. Like any other young man out there. You may have great responsibilities as the Lowells' only man right now, but that doesn't mean you have to bear them now. Your dad is still in the office. Likewise, with your other uncles," his mom said.

He was silent, listening to his mother's words. Even though it's true, he still has time before he really gets the Lowells Group's big responsibilities, but he can't just enjoy the success without feeling the hard work that his grandfather, father, and uncles have put in to make the empire as big as it is now.

His mom looked at him closely. "Even if you are really interested in men, I don't think the rest of the family will mind."

"Mom!!!"

*****

Jacel looked at Kevin's friend, who had just arrived. But she felt a little awkward because Kevin's friend kept on looking at her while she was eating ramen. She gulped down a glass of water to relieve her nervousness a bit. "What do you want?" she asked.

Levi – Kevin's friend in question just shook his head. Then he walked over to the kitchen counter and watched her closely. "I think it's the first time I've seen you up close," he said.

She frowned. "Huh?"

The boy smiled. "Kevin is really lucky."

"Lucky?" Jacel really didn't understand what the boy was saying.

Levi nodded. "He's lucky to be able to live under the same roof as you. As a brother to you, Jacel Kim."

"Eh?"

However, before their conversation could continue, Kevin came with an art book that Levi wanted to borrow. After their parents got married, Kevin stayed at Kim's house while his mother had to return to Canada—accompanied by his stepfather—to take care of some things as well as on their honeymoon.

"Thanks, Kevin," said Levi when he received the book. Kevin just mumbled as he walked to the fridge, took out a juice bottle and poured half of it into a glass.

Kevin closed the refrigerator door again after returning the bottle of juice. "Is there anything else you need, Levi?" he asked and drank the juice. Kevin didn't intend to offer the boy a

drink.

Levi snorted. "Hey, is this how you treat your best friend?"

Jacel watched the two closely. She didn't even want to eat the remaining ramen that was still

in her bowl. Kevin placed the glass near her and looked at Levi seriously. "It's almost curfew, Lev. You don't want to sleep outside the dorm building, do you?"

"Well, I can stay here, can't I?" said the boy, then looked at Jacel. "May I stay here, Jacel?"

"Eh?"

Kevin took action. He pushed his body towards the exit. "Say goodnight to him, Jacel," Kevin said.

But before Jacel could speak, Kevin had pushed his friend out. Jacel smiled faintly and looked down at her bowl. Well, she really didn't want to eat anymore. While outside the house, Levi looked annoyed at Kevin.

"Hey, you don't want to be disturbed, do you?"

Kevin rolled his eyes. "What do you mean, Lev? It's almost curfew. The dormitory gate will be locked soon. You have to come back. We'll meet next week at school, okay."

"Don't distract yourself, Kevin. I know exactly that you want to enjoy some alone time with Jacel while your parents are away," said Levi.

Kevin took the book from the boy's hand and hit his best friend's head with it. "Keep your dirty thoughts away, Levi. Now we are nothing but siblings. Don't think like that," he said.

Levi snorted as he took the book and then hit Kevin on the head. "Just a step-sibling, you idiot. You don't have any blood ties. Even if you confess to your mother and-"

"That will never happen, Lev. Jacel never thought that my feelings for her were real. You can now go. Good night," Kevin said, then closed the door.

Levi himself just snorted, annoyed at his friend's attitude. "Is he going to give up that easily even before he acts?"

*****

Kevin returns to the kitchen and finds Jacel making tea for herself. The girl glanced at him slightly and returned her focus to the tea mug. "Your friend is home?"

Kevin mumbled as he sat down at the counter. He looked at the remaining ramen and pulled out the bowl, and ate it. Jacel sat back at the counter with her tea mug. "Hey, it's already cold.

You can make more."

"It's not good to waste food. It's still delicious after all," said Kevin, who quickly finished the ramen.

Jacel watched him closely. Kevin seems very hungry. Although two hours ago, they just had dinner, five hours before, Kevin spent more time painting. "Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something else?"

Kevin shook his head. He grabbed his glass of juice and gulped it down. "This is enough," he said, taking the dirty glasses and bowls to the sink and washing them along with the pot where the ramen was cooked.

"Let me wash it, Kevin."

But Kevin ignored Jacel. Even though it wasn't what he wanted, Kevin could only act like this if he was near the girl. At first, it was the girl who ignored Kevin a bit after the events at the Enchanted Star. But then he often stays away from Jacel because, to be honest, he probably

won't be able to hold himself back if he stays too close to the girl for too long.

Jacel took a breath and approached Kevin. She took another rubber glove and helped the boy rinse the bowl. Kevin glanced at Jacel, and his stepsister looked back at him.

"Why? Can't I rinse it off?" asked the girl.

Kevin didn't say anything. He just continued his activities and let Jacel stand by him—which he really enjoyed. He likes the sweet vanilla scent that wafts from the girl's body. Well, sometimes he can smell the melon scent, which makes him wonder if Jacel really enjoys using fruit-scented soap?

Kevin and Jacel took off the rubber gloves after all the cutlery was cleaned. For five minutes, they didn't talk to each other, and that frustrated Kevin. He may not like Jacel as his stepsister, but he also can't keep acting like this every time he's around the girl—and ignore her. He could explode at any moment.

When Jacel was about to leave the kitchen at the same time, Kevin accidentally blocked her way. Besides that, their arms touched each other, making Kevin even crazier. The two are now staring at each other, and he once again falls for Jacel Kim's charm. Somehow, those two eyeballs bewitch him so greatly. He seemed to be able to forget everything that was happening around him—including their current status. Even Kevin doesn't know how his face is now only inches away from the girl's face.

Kevin eventually realized his mistake, but could he hope a little? Jacel didn't move from her position. Even the look in her eyes didn't leave his face. The girl also didn't know why she didn't avoid Kevin. Even when the distance between their lips is running out.

However, the sound of her cell phone woke them up. She suddenly took a step back while Kevin straightened himself back up. They stared at each other for a few seconds before the boy finally chose to return to his room.

Jacel sighed and took her cell phone off the counter. "Yes, mom?"

Kevin's footsteps stopped when Jacel spoke. Sara did ask the girl to call her mom—just like Kevin—and John asked Kevin to call him dad.

"K-Kevin? He'd already gone up to the second floor and probably wanted to sleep. During this afternoon, Kevin continued to paint because…"

Kevin decides not to listen to the girl's conversation with his mom and chooses to finish his new painting before the new semester starts.

*****