Chapter Five #2
Brendan blinked. A smile brighter than the sun crawled onto his face, and he laughed loudly. “Good job! You’re kind of there, but not quite. Not a vet, but I’m studying pre-med right now. I want to become a doctor.”
Aiden’s heart continued to flutter. He walked beside Brendan, watching the president take another photo. “What kind?”
“Haven’t decided yet.”
“I bet your parents are super pleased you picked such a prestigious dream job.”
“Mmmm.” Brendan shook his head, much to Aiden’s surprise. “They said that as long as I don’t do stupid things in college, they’re okay with whatever I end up choosing.”
Aiden stopped walking, his mind tilting at the very concept. “What do your parents do?”
“My dad’s a prosecutor who takes up a bunch of crazy dangerous criminal cases.
He’s been working on one for what feels like forever, and I have no idea what it’s even about because, apparently, it’s just that dangerous.
My mom’s the CEO of a small game company.
Both very successful people.” Brendan stopped walking, tipping his head. “You coming?”
“Oh, yes. Can you show me your last photo?”
“Sure.”
Don’t successful people like that want their kids to follow in their footsteps in some way? The pink blazed stronger in Brendan’s camera than the naked eye could capture. His fingers lingered above the photo, but he pulled away. “And they don’t pressure you on anything?”
“They don’t.” Brendan continued his walk further into the garden. He remained smiling, but his eyes didn’t shine. “I do. I’m all too aware that I’m not as smart as my parents.”
Aiden stopped in his tracks. That can’t be true.
Ge trained me to read and how to best interact with people in engaging ways.
He just does it like it’s instinctive. Upon seeing Brendan had stopped again for him, he briskly caught up, and the two continued strolling.
“I’m sure you’re just talking down on yourself. ”
Brendan laughed sardonically. “That’s a nice thought, but I’m not delusional enough to believe that.” A dark cloud hung over Brendan’s head.
His heart twisted at the familiarity. “You don’t want to disappoint them.” Aiden screeched to a stop. Oh god, why did I say that without thinking?! He opened his mouth to apologize, but Brendan stopped beside him.
“No, I don’t. But,” he looked at Aiden, “I feel like that’s most people.”
Aiden blinked.
Brendan moved elsewhere, but Aiden stayed rooted. His heart quickened in excitement and slowed in its acceptance. So it’s not impossible for me. I can be normal. Aiden lowered his face and grinned.
“Aiden, look over here.”
Brendan gestured to an open field.
A few families picnicked on the grass. Children chased each other and tumbled onto the ground.
A couple enjoyed their food as they remained engrossed in conversation.
Flowering bushes lined the open grass with varying colors of red, pink, purple, and yellow.
Each bench that dotted the side was unique with an artist’s plaque, all made to resemble plants.
People were happy.
It was the most beautiful thing Aiden had ever seen.
He reached for his camera and snapped a photo of the view. At the corner of the field, he spied Christina and Javier comparing pictures. He snuck a photo just as Javier’s jaw dropped at whatever Christina showed him.
He lowered the camera and closed his eyes. A soothing wind passed through his hair, and he smiled at the joyful chatter that conducted itself like a symphony in his ears. Brendan really does have an eye for photos.
“It’s a good garden, isn’t it?” Brendan called from behind him.
Aiden looked back, catching sight of Brendan on a nearby bench. He tried not to dash and sat down beside the president.
Wordlessly, Brendan offered him a water bottle.
“Thanks.” Aiden accepted it.
Brendan opened his own water bottle and dug his phone out of his pocket. “What’s your Instagram?”
Aiden shook his head. “I don’t have one.”
“Then anything else? Twitter? Discord? Tiktok?”
He shook his head again. “I’m not on any social.” It’s too dangerous to have them.
“In that case, can I get your number?”
Heart fluttering, Aiden smiled and nodded. He typed in his number faster than writing his stepmother’s name.
“Thanks. Let me text you.”
Aiden’s phone vibrated in his pocket. It was a photo of an albino squirrel dropping its acorn. “You caught a picture of it after all!” he exclaimed, looking up to see Brendan level his phone to take a picture of him.
Pounding steamrolled his fluttering heart.
He raised his arms, almost throwing the water bottle aside, and covered his face. “No pictures!” He squeezed his eyes shut. “None whatsoever.”
“Oh geez—sorry. Truly. I didn’t think to ask—that’s on me. Sorry about that.”
He tepidly brought his arms down. Is he going to ask why? Aiden wondered. How do I explain?
“Are you okay?” Brendan shifted closer, now hovering in reaching distance. “I’m really sorry.”
His pounding heart refused to settle.
“Brendan!”
Jumping, Aiden snapped around to see Christina jogging over.
“We should’ve brought food here.” She stopped in front of their bench. “This would’ve been a perfect time to have a picnic.”
“Yeah, I know. I didn’t think that far ahead. We’ll just eat somewhere nearby.” Casually, Brendan moved away and stood up from the bench. “Where are all the others? I’m starting to get hungry.”
Aiden’s phone rang. He glanced at the name on the screen. His eyes widened, his breath quickened, and his shoulders stiffened at the sight of his stepmother’s number.
“Excuse me,” he mumbled, dashing out of earshot. He ducked underneath a hanging plant, looking around three times before answering. “Yin Mei? Is something wrong?”
“Where are you?”
“I’m out right now. With the photography club.”
“Come back.”
He blanched. “Buy a bus ticket now?”
“No. Come back to your place.”
Aiden blinked. “…why?”
“Because we’re waiting outside your apartment right now. Hurry up.” The phone clicked off.
The pounding heart transformed into a hammer on fire. He dug his nails into his palm, clenching and unclenching his hands, but the heat consuming his body only roared louder. What does she want? Is it about the will? Is she going to force me back? Maybe they found out who murdered my brother?
The questions drowned out the growing voices of the photography club nearby. With his hands in his pockets, he walked back as normally as he could, keeping his face neutral with steady control. Brendan gestured to him. “Is everything okay?”
He forced a smile.
Swallow first before you speak. It evens out the voice.
His brother’s training never failed him.
“Sorry, something’s come up. I gotta go.”
“Do you need a ride back?”
Aiden shook his head. He turned away from the group and walked briskly toward the exit. What if this is the last time I see him? He slowed, stomach sinking. With his years of practiced smiling, he turned and waved at Brendan. “I'll call an Uber. Thanks though!”
Aiden didn’t miss the concern flashing on Brendan’s face when turning away.
· · ·
Aiden watched the numbers flash on the elevator.
His feet echoed in the metal box. Agonizingly, the light shifted from the second to the third floor.
Just one more. He tapped his fingers against his sides.
Was it always this slow? Aiden counted seconds to the change from third to fourth floor, heaving when the doors finally dinged open.
He dashed to his apartment door, coming face to face with his stepmother, already with brows furrowed. Beside her, He Bao snickered and Zhu Zhu remained empty. A pile of suitcases was stacked around them like the moat of a castle. What is going on?
“You should always be on alert for my calls,” she snapped.
“I don’t understand why you’re here?”
“Just let us into your stupid apartment. We were waiting for way too long.” He Bao kicked at the door.
“Okay—just stop that.” Aiden’s hand shook when grasping the key and unlocking the door.
He Bao slammed his way into the apartment, dragging the suitcases into the living room and watching them topple over. “You’ve been living here? It’s tinier than anything I’ve ever lived in! Ma, please tell me we are not living in this trash pile.”
“Not permanently. We shall go house hunting tomorrow while you and Zhu Zhu work with your tutors here.”
“I’m sorry—what is going on?” Aiden asked.
Zhu Zhu slipped her way past the group to head straight for the restroom.
“Have you already forgotten our predicament? You cannot run away from your duties.” His stepmother gestured toward the open door. “Quickly now. And do make sure to close all the blinds.”
Of course, of course. Aiden tripped over the suitcases.
“How do you even survive here?” He Bao tugged the fridge open.
Before Aiden could stop his stepbrother from grabbing anything, his stepmother sat down on the couch, making a show of coughing and dusting the air around the couch.
Brows furrowed deeper, she slipped off her designer sunglasses.
“Hui Lang. I don’t know how else to break this to you, but we are, to put it simply, in trouble. ”
“We’re completely fucked.”
“He Bao!”
His stepbrother shrugged and returned to a carton of ice cream.
Brother’s dead. What can be worse than that?
Drawing out a never-ending sigh, she leaned forward. “Hui Lang. Hui Ye made an error. The location of the will was false. There was nothing there.”
The world tilted. “Are you certain?”
“Yes. We looked everywhere, but we found nothing. You understand, don’t you? Without the will, we’re not guaranteed the businesses or the money. We could be living in poverty for the rest of our lives.” Her voice broke. “And what will happen to Zhu Zhu and He Bao? We must think of their futures.”
“That—that doesn’t make sense.” He stumbled backward, reaching for a chair in time to lower himself onto it. “Ge’s too careful to let something like that happen.”
“Do you know something?”
“No! I just don’t think this sounds like his doing.”
“Someone might’ve stolen the will. Regardless, he likely left everything to you.
From today onward, we are dependent on you.
I will speak to the other families to acclimate you to the work—do not worry, I will take care of everything.
No matter what, we must stick together. That is why I’ve decided to buy a house closer to your college.
It’s a manageable distance from the other families anyway. ”
Who would want it? A beat later, he shook his head.
What a stupid question. So many people would want it.
A breathlessness rushed through Aiden, exacerbated when he looked up to see his stepmother watching him.
Her eyes roamed his face, down his body, and back to his face.
Searching. Exactly like how Ge taught me.
Exactly like how everyone operates in Infinite.
Confusion settled in. Does she think I know more than her?
He thought further of her words, blinking. “Why…are you buying a new house then?” he asked instead. "If you’re essentially saying that our family fortune is no longer guaranteed?”
She blinked back. “Surely that is obvious. We cannot live in such a dump as here. Zhu Zhu and He Bao are growing children. They need to be as comfortable as they can, so that they can grow up as handsome and beautiful as possible. You are already in college. You have no chance of growing more beautiful. Or taller.”
He opened his mouth to inquire about the other house, but she looked away.
“For that reason,” she continued, “while we find the perfect house to live in, you must now sleep out here. It is the right thing to do as an older brother. Now, come help an older woman carry her stuff into her room. We are tired.”
Before Aiden could blink, he found himself ushered into grabbing the suitcases and stumbling into his room. As he mindlessly returned to the living room to grab the remaining items, he saw Zhu Zhu sit down on the living room floor, scrolling through her cell phone without sparing him a glance.
He wondered how long ago it was when he took pictures with Brendan and the photography club. In a matter of minutes, the garden, the pictures, and Brendan’s kindness felt out of reach once more.