It’s a natural behavior of humans if they go out of their comfort zone and mingle with the alienated things or even experience something that they are not used to… But the children of houl company is different
“Wow! What a pretty boy” some guardians and parents circled Christian the very first time they saw the child, who is proud because of all the compliments he’s receiving “thank you” his response with a flying kiss
The other kids rolled their eyes looking at him
Some kids look at the new group with admiration and envy… most of them wants to befriend the new children
A girl with pigtails and lollipop in her mouth approach Lorey “Ya want?” with a ‘pop’ the girl remove the sweet in her mouth and give it to the new acquaintance, she only receives an ‘eww’
“Hurry up, I don’t wanna be here” Lorey acted up and sneered to the girl with pigtails
Jeniel saw what happened and rebuke her friend “That’s not nice Lorey” she take a closer step through the girl “I’m Jeniel and this is Lorey, We are not just used to socializing. Please take care of us” she smiled before grabbing Lorey’s hand
“Is this our room?” Ren asks and looks at his friends “I… why did we leave Christian there? He’s the one who knows about our room” Jeniel lifted one of her eyebrows and look at their back, waiting for Christian’s marks
“He’s so annoying I don’t want to be with him! By the way, where’s the demoness’ room?” and even if they’re unsure of the room, the little girl barge in without further ado
“Mister soldier said that she will be in the SPED room, Sherry is originally a SPED student… do you know what that means?” Lorey sit beside Jeniel before searching her bag for a snack “Hmmm? SPED? It means Special education… that’s what uncle soldier said” she snatch a gummy bear and offered it to others
“What? And she’s the only one there?” Jeniel wants to vocalize her disappointment about the situation “I thought that we have an agreement with that soldier? We will go to school together… why did they separate her?”
The little girl’s hate for the government and soldiers grow more, if she only knew that they can’t be trusted… they shouldn’t agree to anything they proposed
Christian figured out their topic and butted in “sister? Is she sick? They said that she should undergo some treatment… it’s not life-threatening, is it?” he worriedly look at Lorey, who once entered the HQ. She shrugs her shoulders
“I know nothing! The HQ is more strict to any information, I only go there to relay messages. You know that they didn’t even contact your sister for the past months”
They heave a sigh “What are we gonna do now?” Ren hopelessly said while looking at the room’s ceiling
Taping the desk, Jeniel abruptly stand and look at them one by one “We should make them regret” smiling cheekily, the little girl stands up from her seat and the other three can only tail her
***
Dionelle Martin hurriedly get off his car and rushed through the guidance office ‘what is it this time?!’ he impatiently asked himself before opening the large wooden door
With a smile, he asked the old teacher “I’m sorry for being late sir, I just cleaned their mess from- I mean what did they do now? The cost and what about the victim’s guardian?” massaging his temple, the stressed man stop his line and look at the smiling teacher
It made him feel shivers
“What do you mean, mister?”
“Ah! Martin, I am Dionelle Martin. A pleasure to meet you sir” the teacher laughed and shook his hand “I’m more honored to meet this precious children’s guardian, Mr. Martin”
With a confused face, Dionelle look at the innocent-faced children who made his life hell for the past 3 years
They jump from town to town, school to school and he doesn’t want to be in the situation where they need to migrate to a different country just to allow them to have a normal life
Jeniel shamelessly grab a snack from the guidance’s desk and eat it with one chomp, Dionelle act like he saw nothing and awkwardly smile back at the teacher
“The principal is on his way to greet you, sir, you may take a sit while patiently waiting” the Corporal’s ear moved when he heard the word ‘principal’
His mind started to fly, planning what will he do after they finish this meeting. He already has a compilation of their personal documents for transfer… does he need to get them a passport this time?
‘What kind of crime did they commit this time to have a meeting with the principal?’ he wondered
The children laugh in the background looking at the man’s confused face “uncle soldier will be a dragon later, be ready” Christian laughs “he should be glad, right? We didn’t cause trouble this time” Lorey respond and look at her well-trimmed fingernails
Jeniel raised her hand “Teacher? Can we go now? Since our guardian is here, I believe that we aren’t needed here” she didn’t even wait for the teacher’s answer, she pulled Lorey’s hand and ran through the door
Dionelle looked at them helplessly ‘Those kids don’t have any speck of respect in their body’ he look at the teacher and saw that he doesn’t even get offended ‘what a great patience’
“The council decided to reward those children, Mr. Martin. They won every contest that they’ve been to, academically smart, responsible and a great role model for the other children”
Martin is too stunned to speak, he knows that they are smart considering that the demoness Lina, herself teaches them everything. From physical training to academics, she is an exemptional teacher… but saying that they are a role model?!
“They are too kind, we really are sorry for doubting them earlier because of their records” the teacher touches the left side of his chest, acting like it is such a touching moment to treasure “we made a mistake in that part, please forgive us”
Blinking twice, he can’t believe what he’s hearing “Please tell me what they do this time” with a resolved and impatient tone, he pressed for the situation
The teacher cleared his throat before answering “It seems like they did not tell you their heroic acts… well, considering they did some dangerous stunts it’s reall-”
“What? Heroic?”
Silence flowed for a minute, waiting for Dionelle to calm down, the teacher brewed coffee “I’m a fool for being grateful at their sacrifices. I didn’t even think that you’re their guardian and you don’t want them to be hurt but…” he stops talking when he noticed how tight Mr. Martin gripped the side of the table
“Cut the chase and tell me what they did”
“One week after they came here, Jeniel Martin discovered a criminal on the outskirt… luckily, she survived that encounter, unscathed. After Jeniel’s experience, Rennie Ramos saved his classmate from drowning. Lorey Martin found the Chairman’s heirloom stamp and brought it back. Christian also happened to save his classmates from an accident when they have a field trip-”
“Field trip?” with an arching brow, Dionelle frustratingly asked “Wa… What field trip?”
The teacher realized what just happened and tried to explain the situation “It seems that they forge your signature. We distribute a consent form” he then go to his table and hand him some papers
Laughing, he can’t believe that they even perfectly forge this kind of thing just to go on a field trip without him knowing!
“CHILDREN! What’s the main point you’re here?” they didn’t even get in their home but Dionelle is already at the threshold, yelling at them
“To play the fool?” Jeniel sarcastically ask and rolled her eyes
The man looks at his back, demanding for Lina to help him “did you just hear that disrespectful answer?!” he raises one of his eyebrow while watching Lina in front of the television, being lazy
“Calm your fucking nerves! For fuck’s sake! They only want fun, isn’t that what you all want? For them to enjoy?!” raising her middle finger, she throws him the remote
“NOT EVEN YOU! You, WE are all here to have a normal life! Not… not this!” he pointed out but his words only got stuck in a wall, the children came in without a word
“Why are you here again mister demon?” Christian asked when he saw Astran, sitting beside Lina and watching the movie together
“Oh, Hello friend” Astran smiled joyfully and make a space beside him, tapping it. Christian sits there and hugs his sister “She might be tired mister demon… will you excuse us?”
Astra nods his head but his whole attention is on the movie
“Where’s mister Nathan? Is he still at the company?”
A month after they got into the school, Nathan tailed them and appear as Lina’s teacher. They are both thankful and worried because of Lina’s situation, they didn’t know why but she’s starting to act strange. They’re thankful for Nathan because he’s there when She’s the only one at the SpEd center, he’s always there… assisting her
“Don’t worry, her situation got better” Nathan got out from the kitchen and hand Lina’s dessert
“By the way, can we get rid of this camera?” with a wrinkled forehead, he pointed his hand in the direction of the camera… it’s recording directly in Lina’s direction
Dionelle actively protect the high-quality camera and hugged it “NO CAN DO! This will be useful when she gets better, it’s my only light in this hellish place… and no one knows, if she saw herself picking her nose she might get better in instant”
That’s what they all hoping to, for her to get better and be back with her old self
Not long ago, Lina always whine about her headaches and they also noticed how she became forgetful, her senses became numb and sometimes they saw her talking or fighting with herself
Forcing her to consult a specialist, the army send some men to their home… it shows that Lina has symptoms of Alzheimer and brain tumor, they were devastated by the news
She doesn’t show it but… Lina is the most vulnerable at that time
The demon, Astran fueled their grief when he said that “It’s only natural, she just recovered herself from my spell. Don’t tell me that you did not expect this side effect?” hearing that he’s the reason for their troubles, the children immediately want to end him
But they can’t
He’s the reason for her illness but he is also the reason why she’s alive
There are more spells that lingered in Lina’s body, it will also end her life if they kill Astran
“I will learn some healing spell!” the demon suggested that made them have a little hope but not after he spout those sentences, he didn’t leave their house
“We don’t have any materials for spells and healing here, demon! Go to hell and study spells there! Be productive just for once!”
“WHAT? Do you think hell has healing magic? And even more a source of knowledge for anything of good deeds? What do you know about that place?! Why can’t you go out and find me some books and scrolls? Why can’t you be more useful just once?”
Fortunately, Nathan came
They don’t know the main reason but the demon is scared of Nathan, which made things easier “I learned some healing spells and already cast it on her” he speaks more about how he’s so fast learner and they should learn it from him
“But why did I not see any changes from her… there’s no sign of improvement”
The demon hesitated to answer “Ah… you see, I have a demonic power. My nature doesn’t allow me to do things like healing” scratching the back of his head, he’s shy to show his weak side
The room fell in silence
No one talked for a minute that made Astran shyer ‘are they sympathizing with me because I also have a weakness?’ he wants to tell them not to pity him or anything because he is still the strong and dependable demon, their friend
But they are thinking and feeling different from his expectation
“Then why are we keeping him alive?”
“Yes, Isn’t useless? His life is useless!”
Jeniel grab any weapon and point it at his throat, she signaled Nathan “Mister! Paralyze him”
But the latter one only look at them with sadness “we can’t kill him, you know that”
Dropping their weapons, one by one… they started to weep
“Ho… how? How can we save her?” tears started to stream out of Jeniel’s eyes, she tugged Nathan clothes and demand him to look at her eyes, wanting an answer
“You should be resting now, Even. Christian? Can you help mister bring her upstairs?” the child gloomily guide her sister through her room, thinking that he can’t do anything with her situation made him feel suffocated
“Mister? Can I ask why you’re always calling my sister, Even?” he tucked his sister in bed, her peaceful face reminded him, Sherry, this exact feeling made him remember his other sister
Nathan wiped Lina’s forehead affectionately “Just because” he tucked the loose hair strands to the back of his ears before kissing her on the cheek
“Hey! That’s my sister!”
Laughing at the protective brother, he step back and let Christian wipe his sister’s body “let me ask you a question, why are you calling her sister? You’re not blood-related” he wanted to know if this child already knows Lina’s background but his answer made him at ease
“We are blood-related! She’s uncle Richard’s daughter” and with a ‘hmp!’ the little boy throws the wet towel at Nathan, which he catches “Didn’t you know? Major Richardson doesn’t have a wife, why would he have a daughter?”
Christian tilted his head and think deeply “he has my sister when although he’s just a young man?” muttering, he look at Nathan’s reaction and finally saw him chuckling
“YOU! MISTER! You don’t need to have a wife to have a child, don’t you know that?”
The young man stops at whatever he’s doing just to look at the little boy’s angry face “W- what?” he wants to know where did this young child get that kind of thought, they didn’t even give him sex education! Where did he get such thoughts?
“Don’t you know what the men only need to have a child?” Christian pressed more about the situation and look at the man’s eyes intimately
He slammed his two hands in both sides of Nathan’s cheeks, which made him gulp
“Love” Nathan doesn’t know what will he react
“Love is the only thing you need to have a child, mister. Remember that” and with the last word, Christian left the room like an old man… feeling proud that he gave his child an advice
A/n: Please leave a comment directly on the Novel’s cover page, I want to know your thoughts about this book <3