With what arose something so little from his concern, Jin secretly peered down at Haru while holding his little hand tightly between his fingers, firmly getting a hold of him as his appreciative amethyst eyes could not hide their admiration for his young and charismatic face.
Deabak . . . (Wow)
He breathes in sheer disbelief.
Really . . . what a dangerous weapon to own.
Little Haru was chewing the upper part of his dewy and cherry lips, and there was a noticeable curve forming close to a cheeky smile on the corners of his mouth, undisclosed that it was indicating his splendid victory as his curious eyes survey the room.
It was his first time stepping foot inside this room. His mum deliberately warned him the entire floor was off-limits to play.
It was said to be under heavy construction days ago.
His wide eyes caught the peachy silk ribbon by the strawberry patterned sofa, and heat gushed across his cheeks to the tip of his twitching ears.
It's like he's inside a girl's room.
But isn't this Aniki's room?
Jin considerately mimics Haru's short footsteps. One meek step after another, and soon after, a radiant smile shadow on his lips.
Haru's charming smiles were lethally contagious.
Even his small but plump cheeks have that natural reddish glow. It looks so healthy and soft.
So cute.
He continues to study Haru in awe—from the smallest glint of astonishment in his eyes while looking around the room to the small crease on his forehead after discovering the hidden quarter from the corner—not minding whether it consumes a bit of their time to arrive at the canopy bed.
No. He does not mind at all, but . . .
"Does your mother know you're here?"
He witnessed how Haru stiffened from his place before he gradually shook his head from side to side, his thin bangs swaying above his firm strands of brows and anxious pair of chocolate eyes that peered up at him to see his reaction.
Jin soughs inside his head.
So his mother does not know he is here?
He hides his disbelief and puts on his gentlest smile, not wanting to ever let Haru misunderstand that he's upset about it, which he's not one bit, just concerned.
On second thought, his arrival and timing were rather godsend.
He glances behind him, seizing a brief and good look at Hiro's tall figure by the door. Now, he was overflowing with curiosity. He carefully bent his head down to Haru's side, "Are you afraid of your uncle?" Jin whispers to Haru.
Haru pressed his hand tightly and raised his eyes to meet his, a bit startled seeing him too close. He looked back at his uncle too, and Jin flushed when he did that.
Now, this makes them look like they are gossiping about his uncle behind his back.
Erm . . . He observed Hiro and examined him by his shoulder, discovering a frown on his brows and lips while looking at them.
'Come here.' Hiro mouths to him, precisely and carefully word after word.
Since Jin already mastered reading others' lips, 'Later.' he mouths back at him and gives him a reassuring smile, encouraging him to wait a little longer.
He saw Hiro part his lips and he swore he could almost hear his distressed sigh even from the distance.
Hiro steps forward to follow them, but he shakes his head at him, only seeing his frown deepen. 'I'm sorry. Please wait a moment.'
He's still unsure how would Haru react to his presence.
Anxious Haru found his way again to encounter his crystal purplish eyes and offered him a small and reluctant nod.
So he is.
His shoulders dropped. Haru is afraid of his moody uncle. He sighs.
Aigoo, Hiro, even children had misunderstood you.
"Everyone does, Aniki."
Everyone?
After arriving shortly in front of his bed, he assisted Haru to sit on the edge of the silk duvets and came to sit at the space beside him right after. His eyes scan his precious face, now tattered with a concerning expression of what an innocent child would opt to wear when genuinely frightened of something.
"May I ask why?" Jin can't help but pop the question.
And the room went dead quiet.
Why has it that no one has ever looked through the gentle soul of a fierce cat such as Hiro?
Haru went stiff and freezes in his place again and completely stopped sniffing his snoot. He was quiet, unlike before, and can't seem to bring himself to look at him any longer when just about a second ago he caught him paying extra attention to his eyes.
His heart hurt, too depressed after seeing Haru quietly turning pale.
Surely, he does not despise his uncle, no?
Hate is a very strong word.
Questions start occupying his head fully.
He didn't know the issue regarding everyone's misconception of Hiro was this worst.
Haru breathed in and kept his voice and eyes down, "My mum said he kill—"
"Young master."
Jin's brows rose when Haru stopped midway to look at his butler from behind. Jin came to follow his sight and was greeted by the butler's firm preserve smile above his visibly pale temperance.
Oh my, is he okay? He looks under the weather.
Jin brought his gaze again at Haru, hoping for him to complete his answer, but he just kept silent and dropped his eyes once again to his polished shoes, clinking them together while fiddling his fingers in front of his lap.
They were shivering.
"Aniki . . . are you also afraid of uncle?" Haru questioned, his voice frail and thin, hinting that he needed someone to convey and relate his concern to for emotional support. However, it was also alarming for him to suddenly shift the subject.
Comfort. That was what he was looking for.
Why would a young child think this way?
He gently stroked the top of Haru's head, fixing a few strands of his hair down. He shakes his head. "Why would I?" He pauses, recalling all the cherished moments he had now held dear from someone who showed him that love has a dangerous but passionate side he didn't know had lived yearning inside him.
"To me, your uncle has never been anything but kind."
"Kind?" Haru's pitch of voice rose to complete inquisition, baffled, however, his trembling state had now disappeared.
Jin beams and tilts his head. So he has never seen how warm-hearted his uncle can be?
If he does, he's sure Haru is bound to love his uncle by heart. Who wouldn't?
Other than that he's extremely caring. Hiro's heart is young and needy at his age. One he found too fragile.
"Yes. Kind." Though a bit childish. "Your uncle is a very kind man." Although he's weighed to revive Hiro's wasted youth, the job could never be less entertaining.
He was leisurely easy to tease.
He's afraid at this point he could no longer consider joking around if he oaths to not see any of his tears anymore.
He nods in reconciliation. Indeed, he's a very sensitive man.
"Does that mean aniki likes ojisan?" Haru responded and copied the way his head tilted.
Jin stilled. His heart hammered nervously inside him for a second.
That startled him.
He brushes the wetness across Haru's cheek clean and takes a good look at him. "Mhmn." He nods shyly. I like him very much and probably more than that.
"Hontou ni?!" (Really)
Haru's eyes were red, and their lids were a bit puffy. He did really have a habit of crying. It was slightly silly to see with his bright and unsuppressed shock to his statement.
Does it sound that unbelievable?
Somehow, Haru reminds him of himself when he was younger. Well, his condition was worst, he tend to cry over the smallest things.
His mother did say he was handy as a baby.
Now that the memory has been brought up, Hiro is a crybaby himself too, but he doubts anyone ever knew that. Perhaps he had trouble opening up to other people.
He relaxes from a flashback of such vivid memory inside his head.
Hiro's warm tears above his aristocratic face, but he was weeping like no tomorrow in the hospital. It was an unlikely sight to see, but quite charming.
"Does ojisan like aniki too?"
Haru suddenly threw another question that almost tossed Jin to slip from his place. He looked very curious and interested.