Chasing Reasons

Accomplice

I went in and headed straight to the kitchen. Preparing food is the only way I know that can clear up my mind.

I picked up a loaf of bread and sliced them to toast. I cooked up eggs and bacon shortly after. I don't really know how he.. He likes his toast, or if he even wants toasts at all. So after slicing up avocados and tomatoes thinly, I placed them on a plate before proceeding to look for sauces in the fridge. This is when I heard the door open. I really didn't want to mix up random sauces to guess which he likes, it would be a waste. So disregarding his awkward stance standing beside the counter, I asked.

"What sauces would you like on your toast?" I asked while I stared at the sauces on the fridge.

"That's really the question you are going to ask?" He said as he stood with his arms crossed.

"If you wanted me to know, you would have told me. I don't want to be met with silence or rhetoric for an answer. So... What sauces do you like with your toast?" I said as I finally looked at him.

He's still not back to his usual self. There wasn't that smile in his eyes that I unknowingly got fond of.

"Anything will do" He said as he walked to the sink after picking up the basket of strawberries we picked earlier. He silently washed the contents of the basket as I worked on the sauces.

As I was arranging the table I heard him speak, and to be honest it made me feel less tensed.

"What drink would you like to pair it with?" He asked

"Huh?" was the only reply that came out of my mouth. I don't know why but I just have this thing that even when I've heard what people are saying, I still respond like that.

"I mean, would you like tea? Coffee?" He clarified calmly.

"Oh, do we have milk?" I asked. Somehow, I got used to saying 'we'... And it only sounded off when it came out my mouth. I saw as Xi Fengs face came from the previous solemn one to amusement.

"Okay" Xi Feng mumbled. Now with his gentle smile, and for some reason, I just felt relieved. I didn't even know I was that tensed up.

I sat down as I watched him bring out 2 glasses from the cabinet. He then placed them on the table and poured both cups with milk.

"Here." He said as he slid the glass to my side of the table before sitting down.

"Thank you." I say as I moved the glass closer to myself, taking a sip before picking up another strawberry from a bowl.

I am not really this meek when I eat, I am just cautious because of how the person in front just stares at me.

"We should probably say grace before eating" Xi Feng suddenly says.

Was that why he was staring at me? I grew up in a Christian household and yet. Still, considering our circumstances I didn't expect him to do these practices.

I immediately put down the strawberry I already bit and quickly swallowed the contents of my mouth. I do hope this is real, if his faith was real, he might really be a good person.

I clasped my hands but then saw his large ones open as he seemed to motion for me to put mine on his. I'm not quite sure what his denomination is, from where i come, We don't really need to hold hands when we pray, even at home.

"Heavenly Father, once again we have woken up thanks to your grace. But before we consume these food, we ask that it be blessed by you Father. We thank you for the skills you've given the person that prepared these food Lord, and I humbly ask for your guidance as we face this new day. In Jesus name we pray, Amen"

"Amen" I followed suit. I don't know why a person who'd pray this way would conspire to kidnap someone. Why exactly did he bring me here.

I still do have too many questions, but right now I don't feel much urgency to know the answers.

Halfway through finishing breakfast we were alerted by a loud thump that came from my room. Follow by meows that made me stand up and run to the stairs. By the nature of my clothes, I tripped on the way up but was quickly assisted by Xi Feng as we ran inside the room.

We quickly noticed noticed the vase from the bedside table that was now on the floor. But what surprised us most is the another black cat that is now feeding and grooming the kittens.

I cautiously crouched down and got closer to the carpet.

"Hi mama" I unconsciously said in a very high and soft voice. To my surprise, the mother cat meowed back at me.

I slowly clasped my hands just to make the cat smell me and test if she was feral. However Xi Feng stopped my hand and only then did I notice he was also crouched on the floor beside me.

"It's okay" I said as I retrieved my wrist from his grip.

Call me crazy as I am but I do meow back at cats. And as the mother cat responded to my meows with gentle ones and not a hiss, I took the risk to slowly let her smell my hands. I was so glad she didn't bite or scratch me, instead I felt her soft fur as she brushed her cheeks on my fingers. I carefully caressed the cats head that was now purring. I felt excited as I knew at that moment, the cat didn't reject me.

I couldn't control my smiles even as I looked at Xi Feng just staring at me. I was rather proud, I half expected to be scratched because of how protective mother cats are.

"Try patting her head. Let her smell your fist first." I told Xi Feng, still unable to stop the smile on my face.

"What if I'm scared?" says Xi Feng with a smile that was almost a smirk. Man, this dude is handsome.

"What if she scratches me?" He said as he put on a childish pout. I couldn't help but stare at his face for a second. Is he seriously pouting?

"Don't worry, I'd accompany you get anti-rabies injections" I couldn't hold in my giggle anymore but suddenly froze as he held my hand. Rubbing our hands together. I just looked at him perplexed.

"Having your scent would give me the highest chance of not getting scratched" He said as he let go of my hand. Slowly, he reached closer to the nursing cat, relieved as the cat let him pat her head.

We looked at each other and smiled as soon as we realized the mother cat accepted him too.

" See, my tactic worked" He said as he smiled at me playfully.

" No. She's most probably already familiar with our scents since we held her kittens awhile ago" I answered back without looking at him. I didn't want to put meanings behind his actions. But then I got reminded.

"Come to think of it, why haven't I seen Yun Ge around?" I ask as I finally look back at him, resting his chin on his fist.

"Yun Ge was my gift to grandma Esther, she took him with her yesterday." He said as he looked back at me. This is the second time I've seen his face on my level, and this close.

"Huh. I wasn't even able to see him off" I said as I looked back where the kittens are curled up.

We stayed like that for a while. Laying on the floor as we watched and interacted with the new housemate. That is if nobody comes looking for them. However I haven't seen houses nearby. Wait, if mama cat was able to find her kittens that fast, Judah might have picked them up somewhere near. But they said they brought those kitten formula on the way. That doesn't make sense, as far as I remember, we haven't passed any pet stores coming here. This place is secluded... I slowly looked at the man beside me in realization. Doubt now setting in. Does that mean Esther is his accomplice? But why would Esther reveal those things if they were? Maybe I am, overthinking.