Acceptance

"The young sir wasn't home when I got here sir."

Aiden stared down at the helper, short of what to say when he processed the information,

"Thank you. Put these upstairs." He finally ordered and sent her off. When she was gone, Aiden leaned his back against the car and took out his phone from his suit pants to call kai. The phone rang for a while but there was no reply. He called the merman again a few more times but there was still no reply. He heaved a sigh and raked his long fingers through his black hair,

It was unlike Kai to not pick up when called so him not picking up made him worried... where could he have gone this time? So early and without telling him too. He scrolled through his phone searching for a guilty contact and dialed the person who would usually take Kai away without permission.

He pressed the phone against his right ear and waited for a connection.

"Where is he this time?" He questioned when the phone clicked indicating Jenny answered the call.

"You didn't know? Kevin went on a trip -" Aiden rose a brow when he heard her say this

"what the...? No - what are you talking about?"

"Who are you talking about?"

"Don't play coy with me, where's Kai?"

"Ohh, Kai... he got himself a job cause he was sick of staying home all day waiting for you. And today is his first day."

"Eh? Why would he -? Anyway, where does he work? He's not picking my calls."

"I'm not dumb enough to tell you that just because you asked, Aiden. Kai needs this. He's been too cooped up at home and attached to you, and that can be depressing. If you wanna know why he didn't tell you, I was the one who told him not to so don't go scolding him."

"Why would I scold him?"

"I don't know. You always manage to brain wash him every time to have him do what you want, I'm just telling you not to do that."

Lilith said the same thing to him, was that really how things looked like to others? Aiden squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose feeling his head ache,

"Aishh you're making me feel like a bad guy..."

"Of course you are! Are you just figuring that out? You're a terrible guy,"

A vein popped on Aidens head,

"Yah, do you want to die!"

"As if. Anyway don't stop him. He's not a house wife that'll be there at your beck and call."

Aiden didn't reply to this and just disconnected the call. Yeah... he should adapt Kai wasn't a house wife so there was no reason to be so touchy on the subject of him having a job.

Even though they wouldn't have time together, if that's what Kai wanted to do then it should be fine with him... right? It was just for the mean time anyway.

Last time he felt like a burden but this time he was just bored so this was more of a reason and besides when the next semester starts he'd have to quit.

Aiden sighed and glanced down at his phone lock screen which was a picture of Kai asleep, probably taken without his knowledge.

 After coming all the way only to be disappointed by the sudden turn of events. He slid his phone back into his pocket, got off the car and headed into the house to freshen up and get some rest. He still felt a bit on edge since Kai didn't answer his call but decided not to duel on it if. He didn't know where to find him and Jenny wasn't willing to give him the location of his work place or any information about it and there was no one else to ask. It couldn't be the restaurant he frequented. Perhaps he should have downloaded a tracking app on Kai's phone before he gave it to him. Back then he felt like he was just prying too much but then, a lot of things would be easier if he had done that.

Maybe he'd do it after all, to avoid situations like what happened before.

.

"Kai, your phone keeps buzzing aren't you going to answer it?" Mrs. Lyn called out to Kai when she came across his phone on the counter top but the merman didn't reply. The elderly woman picked up the cell and walked into the fairly spacious break room to see Kai lying on the polypropylene corner couch with his arm over his eyes trying to shield them from the bright light.

Hearing the door open and the woman walk in, Kai immediately sat up and offered her a weak smile,

"Aunt Lyn, do you need me for something?"

"It's not safe to just leave your phone out in the open, you should be more careful." She said and took a seat on the space beside him before handing him the phone.

Kai took it hesitantly and unlocked it only to see seventeen missed calls from Aiden and he sighed

"Is everything alright dear?"

"I'm just a little tired, ma'am it's nothing." He switched off the cell phone and placed it screen down on the arm of the couch

"It is tiring, I know. But you handled it perfectly for your first day and you even drew in a lot of customers today." She said enthusiastically and Kai smiled,

"Me?"

"We don't usually have this much customers on Tuesdays."

"It doesn't mean I'm the one who brought them in."

"You wouldn't say that if you saw how they stared at your every move. You are very pretty even if you are a boy." She pinched his soft cheek and Kai giggled heartedly and rubbed his sore cheek with his palm when she let go.

The phone beside him started buzzing again and the smile on Kai's face fell. Mrs. Lyn noticed this and gently caressed his head to make him brighten up once more,

"Is that your lover perhaps? The person calling." The elderly lady offered him a motherly smile and Kai nodded nervously,

"He's just worried since I left without telling him."

"Oh dear! Why would you do that? Did you perhaps have a lovers quarrel?"

"It's nothing like that, he's just a little prickly when it comes to me going out." Kai unconsciously pouted.

A small gasp escaped the woman's lips but she quickly fixed the creeping smile. A possessive seme!!! She thought. The elderly lady giggled internally but still maintained a motherly smile on her face so she wouldn't betray her fujoshi side.

"I'm sure he has his reasons."

"Is it okay if I leave for the day by four? Since I'm not fully hired yet. Just until I sort things out at home."

'At home' that means they lived together, she noted.

"Of course dear. You can bring him over when you've sorted it out, I'd love to meet with him" She ruffled his hair again. His hair texture was beautiful and silky so she could get used to this act.

"How are the dessert recipes going?"

"Its okay. Ava is a nice teacher, I learnt well."

"Good. You can rest up and come out when you're ready. There aren't many customers so it's fine."

"Thank you Aunt." She nodded with a smile. And ruffled his hair once again before she stood up and left the merman to himself.

Kai switched on the phone once again and stared at the number of calls he missed and sighed,

He had probably found out he wasn't home by now which was why he was calling but he would deal with it later.