IN THE CAGE

75. KARE

...NORMAL pov...

...----------------...

Jem is opening a brown envelope given by his assistant-Rose. While she opened the brown envelope and looked at the contents, Jem's expression turned very bright. It was as if happiness that had long since left her had come back. He put back the photo paper that he had noticed for a while the contents-back into the envelope.

"Good job, Rose." Jem put the envelope on the glass table, side by side with a vase containing plastic hortensia flowers. "With this, I believe the deer will disappear from Ace's side."

"Is this gonna be okay? I mean-mister Ace could be furious if he knew boss Jem---"

"Do you think Ace is that shallow? No matter how hard my game is, he won't act so presumptuously to his own best friend."

"..."

Rose who was standing by the door, to be honest, was still hesitating. Rose knew the reputation of an Arcelio Hunter was very black. Men don't seem to be the ones you want to bother with. Because it's the same as teasing a sleeping lion.

"After all, I'm doing this for Ace's own good. That woman needs to be destroyed. Otherwise, he would be an obstacle." Jem crossed his legs and downed a cup of tea that had cooled on the table.

"Ace is my precious weapon. If he became dull because of his feelings, he would become useless."

Jem stared at the family portrait on display in his family's study. On top of the fireplace, with a golden-portrait frame it shows Jem with Jeremy and his grandmother. The three of them smiled elegantly in white clothes that showed purity and glory.

Jem's eyes then rolled specifically towards Jeremy. The younger brother who was in the arms of his grandmother. The younger brother is now a threat to his position.

'Only with Ace, I was able to maintain my position in this house.' Jem nodded with the malevolence that came back to dominate.

...----------------...

"What are you thinking?" a question greeted Fawn's ears. Vaguer.

Fawn turned his head and found Ace at his side, sipping a box of milk with his arm resting on top of the balcony railing. Fawn's smile expands thinly in response to the hospitality Ace often gives later. The man changed so much. When Fawn recalls the beginning of their relationship, she probably wouldn't believe Ace was able to show her adorable side.

"I didn't think of anything" Fawn said, lying. He had too many thoughts to the degree that he felt so depressed. His longing for freedom, guilt, and self-loathing began to blend black in the head.

"Mmm, are you okay?"

"I'm good, why?"

"No. I just feel..Are you a little weird?"

Fawn smiled faintly. "That's just your feeling. I'm good, seriously."

While welcoming Ace's remark, Fawn wondered in her head. Will the peace he feels now endure if he alludes to his desire to be free?

Would he hurt Ace if he said he wanted to leave this house?

Fawn did not understand his way of thinking at all. The thought that he would hurt Ace if he said what he felt.

"So, what are you doing here..., alone?" Ace looked at Fawn's face. The face bathed in moonlight. A pair of chocolate beads sparkled softly. Ace wanted an answer to the faint sadness imprinted on that face. But at one time he didn't want to know either. He just wants to think they are happy. He and Fawn are fine. Even if it's just a lie.

"I see stars."

"M." Mmm." Ace looked up at the sky. To the stardom of stars that glittered throughout his eyes looking.

"I'm looking for a shooting star" Fawn continued.

"Do you have any hopes you've hidden from me?" Ace responded with a bit of doubt. What did Fawn expect?

"Mm.." Fawn nodded.

'Did he expect to run away from me?' the question crept into Ace's mind like a sharp thorn piercing his heart.

"What's that?"

"It's not hope that I'll tell you." Fawn rolled her eyes.

"I can be a shooting star for you."

Fawn chuckles. "Ooooh, is it because you're a versatile and versatile master?"

"I won't deny it." Ace shrugged. Despite behaving calmly, his heart was immersed in anxiety and fear.

"I want to..." Fawn hung up her words, eyes staring at Ace thoughtfully and in a dilemma. If he was honest, would Ace have let him go? Also..., if he got out of here would Ace..., would he be okay?

"You wantu?"

"I want to eat some curry."

"Huh?"

"Yes, why?"

Ace scrunched his forehead. "If you only want that, you can ask Felix."

"I want to eat your curry."

"Joking, huh?" Ace laughed blandly. "I'm from everyone?"

"You said you liked me."

"I really like you, so I don't want you to die of poisoning from eating my food."

Fawn punched Ace's arm instantly. "No exclamation, you give up before you try. Do you seriously like me?"

"i'm serious. But I'm also not stupid to do something that I obviously know isn't my skill."

"Cooking is not something that requires an IQ of 4000. You can learn." Fawn frowning. "Oh, forget it. How about you give me something else?"

"All right, what is it?"

"Your house certificate?"

Fawn patted Ace on the shoulder and chuckled. "It's funny to see you surprised, too. Do you think I'm serious?"

"You look serious."

No, what made Fawn look serious was something that was spinning in her head right now like a broken radio. Fawn was having a lot of thoughts and it made it difficult for her to create jokes.

"Ace, do you know.., if you go from here to two stars from the right and straight until morning, you'll find Neverland." Fawn means a fairyland where time stops. A place to escape, without the anxiety of maturity.

"I've always wanted to go there since I was a kid."

"What are you afraid of growing up?"

"Maybe I'm afraid of who I am now." Fawn answered Ace with a smile full of slices.

Silence lay between them after Fawn gave her answer. Ace lost his voice, worried about what Fawn might look like. Perhaps, he was the cause of why Fawn hated herself. That assumption consumes Ace like fire.

"Ahaha....., why are you listening so seriously?" Fawn broke the tension with a forced laugh. "I'm just kidding you know, I mean.., do you see me now? I'm ugly and not attractive at all. As a child, all the mothers in my housing complex always praised me cute and beautiful. I think losing that compliment is painful..."

Fawn imposes a witty tone in her voice, but Ace is not swept away by her falsehood at all. Ace only stays by Fawn's side-waiting for the girl to finish her monologue before pulling Fawn into his arms.

"You're so beautiful, Fawnia. But I won't let people look at you with interest."

"Official?"

"Yes." Yeah."

"disgusting."

...----------------...

Early in the morning, when the sun had not yet risen at the end of the earth, Felix who had just come out of the bathroom heard a knock from outside his room. The middle-aged man reached for his glasses and sauntered towards the door.

Who knocked on his room this early? Felix wants to curse.

Geck! Geck! Geck!

"Awhile..." Felix replied with a complaint.

When he finally reached the door, Felix who was wearing a white T-shirt and plaid-fighting pajamas pants was incredible. Felix's eyes nearly popped out of his socket as he looked at who had come to say hello.

"Good morning, Felix."

"B-boss Ace?!"

For God's sake, since 30 years of serving this house, this is the first time Felix has been visited by the head of the Hunter family. This part anyway. Did something important happen in this mansion? Fires maybe?

"Bos Ace..., what's up..?"

"Don't panic, I just need...., a little...., help?"

"Hu-uh, what's that?"

Felix listened carefully. If Ace comes to his room at 4 a.m., that means the situation is very urgent. Could this be a secret mission? This is definitely a secret mission!!!

"Care..."

"Yes?" Something to do with Kare? No, this is probably a password?

"Do you know..how to make curry?"

"Kare..., real kare? Food?"

Wait, what is this?

Ace looked at Felix in wonder. "Of course, Felix. What are you thinking?"

"I-I can, cook kare." Felix gulped. "But, why?"

"Tsk.., I want to make it."

"Oh, Ace's boss is hungry. I'll prepare the curry now." Felix thought why.

"Hey, no..." Ace interrupted Felix who had misunderstood him. "I mean, I want you to teach me how to make curry."

"Huh?"-- Did I hear wrong?

"Boss Ace..kare?"

"Yes, Felix."

"Now?"

"I work tomorrow morning, so teach me to make it now."

"But I can make a curry for Ace's boss now..."

Ace took a long breath. "Felix, listen to me. I want to make my own work. Do you understand?"

Oh?

"Well-well. Then, I'll change clothes for a while."

"Don't be long, I'll be waiting for you in the kitchen."

"Okay, Ace's boss."

For God's sake, what's possessing his boss now?

...----------------...