Veterinary hospital

While the young missy was red from embarrassment, Vincent and Calla continued ahead to their destination. Naturally, they caught the attention of many, and that included a group of three boys who were very surprised to spot Vincent with her.

''H-Hey….isn't that Vincent?'' A shocked voice dragged all eyes to the Vincent and Calla waiting on the roadside for a school taxi.

''Yo Lucas! our prince skipped class for that freak. I thought he and your sis were going out?'' A male on the left curiously asked another in the middle. His surprised eyes were fixed on the backs of Vincent and Calla until they entered a school taxi, gradually disappearing from his view.

Pursing his lips, the male in the middle took his gaze away, and resumed his steps, widening the distance between himself and his friends. His voice drifted off to the boys behind him, who made no effort to hide their curiosities.

''I thought so too.''

****

''The puppies need to be well fed. Other than that, they are good to go. Judging by their sizes, their ages look close to seven weeks or more. It will soon be a proper time for them to be vaccinated....'' As the female doctor explained more about vaccination of the dogs to Calla, they ambled towards Vincent who sat on the metallic side bench.

Once his blue eyes spotted them, he immediately stood up and met up with them in the middle of the busy hallway.

''Kayla and her puppies need to be vaccinated. I will schedule a proper time for you and an email will be sent from the hospital.''

Taking the woven basket from the female vet, Vincent softened his gaze down at the puppies wagging their tails at the sight of him. Something ticklish nudged his hand, and he tilted his gaze down to Kayla, also wagging her tail at him with her pink tongue sticking from her mouth.

Chuckling softly at the cheerful dog family, Vincent listened as the conversation came to an end between the female doctor and Calla.

''Okay, thank you very much.''

Once the female doctor left, Calla watched her back until she passed through the double doors where they walked out from, which was the consulting room. Releasing a relieved sigh, she moved her gaze to Vincent and the dogs. ''Thankfully, there's nothing wrong with them. Just need to feed them with good food.'' Saying that, she gently tugged the leash around Kayla's neck, a signal for the dog to start walking with them.

''So who's going to adopt them after they are healthy?'' Strolling down the busy hallway, Vincent questioned with a faint frown. Though a bit reluctant, he knew Kayla and her puppies would eventually live with someone. The puppies could even be separated from each other. If it wasn't for his grandfather, he would have brought them all with him.

''They have been adopted.'' Calla immediately replied. She then added after a moment, ''I did.'' her voice, a little softer than before and her gaze looking down at Kayla on her side. Her entire countenance appeared shy at the moment.

''…..'' Vincent was a bit stunned to hear that. From their little interaction, he could tell her love for dogs and animals in general. Even when the female doctor was with them, her eyes on the latter were very serious during the conversation.

''Thank you, Calla. That's very thoughtful of you.'' A very thoughtful and kind woman, still with the heart of taking care of another, despite of her poor circumstances.

''Please always inform me of anything regarding them. Since I am the one who found them.'' Vincent knew it wasn't easy to take care of dogs, especially energetic puppies. Calla was someone with heavy burdens on her shoulders, and adding these dogs to her plate seemed troubling in his own perspective.

''You are not an exception.'' He added.

His words made Calla to halt for a moment. She turned to the side, her questioning gaze on him that depicted 'What do you mean by that?'

Vincent was well aware of the meaning behind her stare.

''Just as you are taking care of the dogs, I will take care of you. Don't try to keep everything to yourself. You are not alone, Calla.'' At the end of his serious words, he gave a bright smile, charming every passing young maiden who had been peeping at him from the corner of their eyes.

''…..'' Not used to his handsome smile, Calla's face felt hot, and she whisked her gaze away from him before continuing her steps with Kayla on tow. She could see how this guy had enchanted many females in their university and also the ones in this hospital.

''Haha…'' Vincent laughed softly at her reaction. Even if her face was hidden behind her hoodie and mask, it was very obvious that she was affected, or else she wouldn't have created a distance between them.

*woof* *woof*

The barking of the puppies attracted his attention, and he looked down at their cute, round eyes. ''Your new mum is a bit shy.'' Vincent joked with a smile before calling out her.

''Hey Calla, wait up!'' Lifting his gaze up to her figure that was now a bit far, He hurried his steps to catch up in that busy hallway.

As Vincent eventually caught up with her, they were unaware of the eyes following them. A soft feminine voice naturally followed in a questioning tone. ''Calla?''

''Young Miss, why aren't you standing up? Is something wrong?''

The pretty lady who had her eyes set on Calla and Vincent turned to another lady, staring down at herself with worry. She still returned her gaze back to where she saw Calla and Vincent, but there was no sign of the two people in the hallway.

'I am sure I didn't see and hear wrong…'

''Young Miss?'' The other lady called out, interrupting her thoughts again.

''Nothing is wrong. I thought I saw a familiar face just now.'' The pretty lady dismissed with an assured smile.

****

''Welcome back home, young master.''

''Uncle Joe.'' Vincent returned the middle-aged man's greetings back with a small smile on his lips. Even if this man wasn't related to him by blood, Uncle joe was still family to him. Besides, this man had been with his grandfather for as long as he could remember.

Speaking of his grandfather….

''Where is grandfather?'' Vincent voiced out his thoughts.

''In the office. Old master will like to see you as well, young master.'' Uncle Joe said with a wrinkled smile.

''Okay, thank you.'' Vincent nodded, before passing by the middle-aged man and walking towards his grandfather's office.

Upon getting to the mahogany door, Vincent stood for a moment, then knocked on the platform after taking a deep breath.

''Grandfather, it's me.'' He cranked down the silver door handle after making his presence known to the old man on the other side of the door. Pushing the door inside, his gaze landed on the rigid old man with similar features to himself.

An example would be their sky-blue eyes.

''My grandson finally remembered this old man.'' The old man looked up from the business proposal at hand.

''I ate with you before leaving for my classes, grandfather.'' Vincent pointed out before making his way to a couch in the office. The first thing on his mind was to lie on his bed, but his grandfather asked for him so he would have to make do with this couch.

''Such rudeness....Hmph! You didn't call to check up on me, grandson.''

''I send messages to you during my free time at the university, grandfather.'' Saying that, Vincent took off his sneakers and laid on the grey couch with his hand over his forehead.

''A call is different from a message. I assume you know that very well.''

''Did grandfather call me to argue about this, as always?''

''Tsk. You are so impatient. I wonder where you got that from….'' The old man's lips tugged down as his blue eyes narrowed at this heartless grandson of his. The papers in his hands were already dropped on the office desk.

''Who else? I got it from this side of the family. Your behavior just now justifies everything, grandfather.''

''You also took my sharp tongue.'' The old man's frown deepened, as if that trait was a problem.

''I know you are secretly pleased about that, grandfather.'' Vincent glanced at this shameless grandfather of his. His grandfather was someone whose true feelings could be never guessed from his facial expressions.

''This brat…Making fun of your grandfather?'' The old man almost choked up on his words.

''And my day was fine, thank you.'' Vincent replied with non-related words. He knew his grandfather wanted to ask about his day, but the old man was too proud to admit it. Though he liked his grandfather's big ego, as it became a part of his routine to anger the old man.

''You….''

''I met Calla Anderson.'' Vincent suddenly announced. His grandfather was someone with whom he shared his many thoughts and worries, despite the age and generational difference between them. Since his mother was not him, his grandfather was, and this habit of his was probably due to the fact that his mother took all of his grandfather's features.

His frown,

His smile,

Everything from his grandfather was exactly like his mother.

''It seems my grandson finally has a friend.'' The old man eyed his grandson, who never shared anything about someone with him. The latter always mentioned that he had no friends, yet what he heard was entirely different. For his grandson to speak about this Calla Anderson meant he was quite smitten with her.

 ''How is the lady like?'' The old man asked, looking down at the papers to resume his work.

''….Her eyes are like mother's.'' His aging fingers flinched at those words, especially the one 'mother'. Blue eyes met another pair but a younger set of blue eyes in the air. A moment of silence settled between the two men, until Vincent decided to break it.

''Before mother died, I remembered her eyes. So dull and sad, so empty and blank….and so tired. When I was staring at Calla today, especially her eyes, I saw mother's.'' He tried to explain the overlapping image of his mother that he saw in Calla.

''Grandfather might think of me as a nosy person, but I don't want another person that I know to end up like mother. Also, Calla is a kind person.''

 In other words, the rumors about her might be fake.

''I see.'' The old man guessed there was another meaning behind his grandson's words. His grandson was rarely serious with his words. And this time, a girl was involved. A lady who seemed to resemble his late daughter, according to his grandson.

Knowing the lady's past, the old man would have preferred if his grandson did not get involved with such person….but what can he do when his grandson said such words?

Someone with the same eyes as his daughter before her death? Now his fatherly heart would not be able to retain more guilt if something does happen to the lady.

After all, he was the one arranged his late daughter's marriage.

''Do what you want, Vincent. As your grandfather, I will be your pillar in whatever you do. My daughter, your mother and I, will forever be proud of you.'' The Old man's voice was steady. His eyes were firm and serious, yet his words did not hide the sincere thoughts in his heart.

Those words of his stirred something in Vincent's heart.

'Do what you want, my son. As your mother, I will be your pillar in whatever you do. Just know that I will forever be proud of you.' Hearing his grandfather's words made him to think of the first time his mother said those words to him. Her voice was unwavering and strong, yet sincere, warm and sweet.

His mother was really a spitting image of his grandfather.

''Y-Yes…'' The arm above Vincent's forehead shifted down below to cover his eyes. His voice choked as a lone tear slid down his face.

''…Grandfather.''

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