Toxic Innocence

THIRTY NINE

Christopher's mansion had been compared to an abandoned warehouse of a museum by many. It was huge for two brothers who mostly stayed outdoors. But tonight- things were not the same.

It was eerily quiet contrary to its domicile that had three different people underneath.

Chris adjusted the cuffs of his shirt as it was a better alternative than to watch a man glare at the rugged floor.

Mind that his bloody knuckles were rested on his lap to remind Chris of what had happened a couple hours ago. And he was afraid that it might happen repeat with him on the opposite side of those horrendous punches if he opened his mouth.

Why? some may ask.

It had been Chris's fight or flight instinct that caused a blunder were he had used an emergency exit to transport the battered man to hospital and themselves to his home.

By them- it meant Ji-Hyun, himself and U. As for Althea, he had arranged a chauffeur to drop her home safely. Chris was both guilty and shaken by what took place. He had been the one to drag the young Althea into such mess though it wasn't his fault that the pervert guest of his victimized her.

He was ashamed. But he was rather proud of how he had handled the situation and scared at what U had done to on measure to stop what was about to happen.

May be it was extreme, may be it wasn't.

But U was there reminding Chris that what he was.

A human titanium? A ticking grenade? Or a boy hopelessly falling into a pit of blind emotions?

Chris was scaling it. Though he was a coward piece of human at times- one cannot deny that he was a pretty good scientist with a working calculative brain. So when U had asked him of where Althea was? He had told him that she was safe and in her apartment.

But he could see how much U wanted to crack his nose cross, almost as if his hard eyes spoke-

Why is she not here with me?

That answer would be-

Because you have someone who will take you back. Your family.

But Chris loved his beautiful features so he adjusted his collar and began counting the amount of sheep in the million dollar painting that his father won from an auction. He cringed at the waste of fortune in such a piece of sheep, but it was fruitful as they distracted him when needed.

Ji-Hyun, who had been missing till then hurried to U with a box of aid kit. When she sat next to him and tried to hold his hand, U in a wink snatched his from her grasp.

"You are hurt, please let me do this" Ji-Hyun said with her voice strained. U doesn't even look at her as clenched his jaws.

"Please" she tried once more. But to no avail did he budge. He was like the annoying child whose demands weren't met, but it was a problem when Ji-Hyun didn't even knew what his needs were.

But luckily Chris did.

"I texted Althea, she said she is fine. She wanted to know how you were"

That had him, he switched up, His senses sharpening as Chris almost smiled at how he looked. Dangerous, but still an attentive kid.

Funnily, Chris's little moment of victory surged out of the window when U got up.

"What are you doing?" Chris asks his stomach churning gracefully. He hadn't felt this nervous when he had his first kiss or when he dissected a dead frog for his AP biology class. U gave him strange kind of unmanly shivers. And he hate that sexist though crossed his mind as he visibly stood up startled.