This Time

|6| IKAANIM NA KABANATA

"10," another short response. 

"So, what are you reading?" I asked. His dark blue eyes looked up at me from his book.

"Anatomy," he simply answered. My eyes widened upon hearing his reply.

"That's very advanced of you," I complimented. "I have a lot of anatomy books too; maybe we can read together some time."

This time, I got a different reaction. Confusion. "You don't think it's weird that I'm reading this book?" 

"Of course not; you're allowed to read any books you like. Besides, anatomy is great."

He smiled at this. "I know, that's why I'm studying it. Human anatomy fascinates me."

"It is rather fascinating," I agreed.

"I'll take up your offer to read with me in the future."

I chuckled, nodding. "Of course, I'd love to have a study buddy."

"You seem like a pleasant person, Aiden. I'd like to be friends with you," he said, seemingly pleased upon hearing the word 'study'. 

"Well, as your new friend, we can do something fun. What do you want to do? Aside from reading," I added the last part, having guessed he would say that.

He pouted a bit before taking a moment to think. "I do like to play video games. Perhaps we can do that," he pointed at his playstation set on the TV. 

Grinning, I stood up. "Of course, why don't you set it up so I can cook some food for you?" 

"A grilled cheese sandwich would suffice."

I shook my head, amused by his choice of words. His parents are either strict or smart as well. 

I wonder where his mom is. I do recall Sir Tristan saying that I'd meet the mother later on and that I should introduce myself because his hiring of my service was impromptu and he didn't get a chance to tell her wife about it. 

I hope she's as nice as Sir Tristan. 

 
————— - ————— - —————
 

"Oh wow, this is fun," Aaron laughed, breathing heavily after the game.

"You like it?" I grinned, tossing the rattan ball in my hand.

"Surprisingly, yes," he nodded. "What is it called again?" 

"Sepak takraw, but in my country, we also call it Sipa. If I remember correctly, it originated in Malaysia, and we adapted it. It's one of my favorite games from my childhood."

"You know a lot of outdoor games. It's nice. I mostly just read books and do puzzle games. Sometimes I play video games, but that's it." Aaron looked sad while saying it. He seemed to not get enough attention from his parents based on what he's been telling me and the way he's acting. Despite only a few hours of meeting him, I could already see it. 

"I can teach you more if you want." I tried to cheer him up, succeeding when he smiled. "Besides, you're also learning about different cultures. Think of this as entertainment mixed with education."