"I'm hungry, want to go to the cafeteria with me, Max?"
"Eh? Ah, sure. I'm also getting hungry, to be honest." I said, trying to talk less awkwardly but I can't help it! I am too nervous talking with someone who is extroverted unlike me!
Joel left me with Zack and we walked back inside the building to look around. Being with someone in the same age is sure get me nervous. I am only get used with Maddox and Kou only.
I also notice by standing beside him. He's a lot taller than me even though we are the same age and well, I did expected that, of course. I am kinda jealous of his genes. He must have his father's genes.
"Hm?" In my point of view, I can see sunflowers in the middle of the garden, gathering in one place. This is my first time seeing one in person. I heard that it was hard to plant sunflowers but its sure stand tall very well.
"Max, what's wrong?" I snapped out from my thoughts and turned my head to Zack who appears to be closer to my face. I squealed by surprise and get steps backward from him. "What are you getting close to me all of the sudden?!" I am shocked by his closeness
Zack laughs at my weird face that I am making right now. His lips are making a big grin which it shows his teeth. "That's because you are not pay attention to me!" He said simply.
Uwah, what's with that sentences? It's almost like a boyfriend would say to their lovers. But Zack is still young to get a girlfriend yet. Well, he's far too innocent to know that, haha.
Looking back at the sunflowers, Zack follows my gaze toward it.
"Ah, the sunflowers! I'm glad it's growing very well!" I blinked my eyes, trying to think what to ask next. "Did you plant that?" I asked.
He turned his head to me. "Yup! My mom is a gardener so she teaches me how to plant! Since it's summer, I thought I should plant some sunflowers for everyone to see...." slowly his gaze get lowered. "But I don't think anyone would interested on flowers as much as me." He said, scratching his cheek as he's feeling awkward.
Ah, that look of his looks so familiar to me for some reason.
I unconsciously grabs his hand. "Eh?" My eyes blinking in confusion, asking myself why am I holding his hand so suddenly. I bit my inner cheek while trying to think what to do with this. My eyes gazed back at the sunflowers again. I raised my head to see his confused face. "Let's go over there!" I told him as I brings him with me toward the sunflowers.
I immediately let go of his hand and crouch down as I can feel the heats from my face. Crap, the heat from the sun itself is burning my skin as soon as I stepped out from the side.
"Why is so hot today...?" I muttered quietly.
I raise my head and just stare at the beautiful sunflower. "But at least, the sunflowers are blooming well." I smiled.
Zack crouched down as well beside me. "Y'know, my mom and I are fans of sunflowers so that's why we are so excited to planted sunflowers for this summer. I can't wait next year of summer as well!" He told me with cheerfully smile.
And he's smiling again. I'm glad.
"I don't do much of gardening but I do like flowers though." Well, dad never interested on gardening in the first place. He is more like builder like he made treehouse for Kou. That's because Dad somehow has bad luck in the forest even though we lives in the middle of the forest, faraway from the town.
"I'm glad that I had the time to planted this sunflowers before you came. It's almost like it's fate that brought us here together." Zack joked as he give me a wink. I playfully punch his shoulder. "You're such a tease." I chuckled.
Zack grins. "Well, I am a jokester after all." He proudly said that. He is like Joel, being so honest.
"I wish Maddox will see this since she never see sunflowers in person at all." Now that I mentioned my little sister, Zack seem interested about Maddox. "So is she your biological sister?" He asked, feeling curious.
I nodded. "Yeah, she is one year younger than both of us. Right now, she went to attended magic school with my childhood friend."
"And how about you?"
"Don't ask."
Zack laughs. "I guess schools are exhausting." Yup, he's understand me very well in short time.
"Sword trainings are also exhausting, sport idiot."
"Wow! You are just called me idiot right away! Max, you're such a meanie!" He pouted. He don't seem offended by that.
I rolled my eyes. "Well, I am telling the truth."
"Eh~? But you don't have to call me sport idiot! Only dad admitted that he is dumb, not me! You hurt my pride, Max!"
We started teasing each other and laughs at our lame jokes. We get along pretty well unlike our dads.
Being with Zack reminded me of the sunflower. He is just like the sun, him being cheerful. He is befriends with me even if I am too shy at first and I hardly talk but he patiently waited for me to get used to him.
He is a great friend but why is he's alone even if he's this nice?
O Chapter 7 o Summer Heat O
"Two ice cream soda and curry as well, please." After all that, we finally arrived to the cafeteria and Zack ordered foods and drinks for me as well to the A.I. As for me, I am waiting on one table, that not far away from Zack is.
The cafeteria has big space, enough for many knights rest here. I noticed there's trainees that trained with Zack are here as well. For some reason, they don't seem get close to Zack. They ignored him whenever he is close beside them.
It's almost like they avoided him as if his existence are not exist to them. Even though he is the son of the famous knight Joel yet they don't want to talk with him.
"Sorry for the wait, Max!" Zack came back, bringing two trays with his two hands. "Oh, you're here." He grinned happily as he put down one tray in front of me carefully. "I just brought curry and ice cream soda for lunch. Is that okay for you, Max?" I nodded.
"Yeah, thanks for the foods." I start picking up the spoon and take a piece of curry into my mouth. "It's been a while that I haven't eaten curry." I said while eating as I take more into my mouth. "Yeah, me too. My mom suddenly stopped cooking curry for me since she wanted to eat something else." Zack exclaimed, pouting childishly.
I cringed. "What are you? A curry alien?"
Zack give me a thumb up. "What do you say? I like curry! Curry's the best when to come the spice." He proudly said it. I rolled my eyes back. "I preferred eating fried rice with egg to be honest." Zack put his spoon with curry into his mouth again. "I didn't know you like egg that much."
"Who doesn't?"
By the time we talk more, more people come in the cafeteria because it's lunch time. I already told dad about us in the cafeteria so he will be here soon. Well, that if he can get out. After all, Grandpa Gaku talks nonstop.
I talk with Zack everytime he asks about me or even Maddox. He's very curious kid who like interesting things. What I didn't expected that he didn't ask about why dad adopted me and Maddox in the first place. But I'm glad that he didn't ask about it. To be honest, I rather not want to remember the past or even them.
Maddox never did once talk about them at all in the house but of course, she's still remember the pains we got from them. I don't know where they are now in that world. I hope they are alright. It's not like that I forgive them or anything. I am not a heartless person who want them die. I think Maddox also hope of them alright as well.
"What do you have here? The little Johnson got a new friend. Not to mention, a small fry." Threes trainees who are much older than us suddenly come up to us with mocking looks on their faces. They are staring down at Zack as his head is lowering down. I can tell he is afraid of them by looking at his hands, clenching on his pants.
So they must be the reason why Zack had no one to hang out with. That's why he's alone. They avoided him because they doesn't want to get bully as well. What a shitty excuse.
The leader of the gang walk up to Zack and sit down beside him with mocking smirk on his face . "Hey, Johnson. Introduce your friend to us." He said but Zack didn't talk back as he kept looking down. The older kid put his arm around Zack's shoulders, uninviting.
My face slightly frowns at his action and his words.
It's not his fault. After all, he is also afraid to talk back at them. So I decided to help him out because I cannot just let my friend continue getting more hurt.
I stood up and walk toward them and grabbed his arm to get off from Zack. "Excuse me but you are making my friend feeling uncomfortable so I suggest you to leave him alone." I said politely but my eyes are glaring at him.
The other two older kids are seem surprised by my action but I ignored them and just focus on these two first. Whispers from my back are starting to get louder and the atmosphere is getting tense. I am not good at center of attention but I don't want to see Zack's sad face again.
Zack turned his back on him and gave me a look of concern. "Max..." he whispered my name.
"What the hell...? Aren't you brave for small brat?" The older kid started to laughing mockingly as if this situation is amusement to him. "You are also a small brat." I talked back. When I said, his eye is twitching as he's trying to keep calm.
I smirked with a proud face. "You are too immature for your age to start bullied someone who younger than you. You think you are the best of him. Think again." My smirk slowly fade away and now, I am looking at him with seriousness as I gripped his arm hard to make painful. "Well, that's it from me. So can you leave us alone now?" My words are polite but harsh.
No matter what, I'm protecting Zack even if I had a weak body. Because he is my friend.
I watched he's clenching his teeth and harshly pull off from my grips. Now he started to glare down on him. "Shut up, you little brat! I am a noble here and you are just a commoner so that's mean I am in the highest position! You will take back your words when I finish with you!" He yelled angrily at me as he raised his arm and make a fist.
Before he could punch me on the face, I quickly close my eyes to prepare but the pain never happen yet so I slowly open my eyes to see what's happening.
The big hand is blocking the punch. When I raise my head up, I saw my dad. I feel relieved to see him. He came in nick of time or not, I will get a punch on the face right away. I don't want to have bruise on my face. It will hurt me!
"Dad..." I called out and the older kids are shocked by dad's sudden appearance. His face is still expressionless as always. "Max, what is going on here?" He start asking question, looking confuse.
I noticed the older kids are backing away including the kid who tried to punch me.
"Captain Kaiser, this is...." Zack is also surprise by this, trying to make an excuses but failed.
Grabbing dad's hand, I smiled innocently. "Oh, I totally forgot to introduce myself..." I lift my hand to slightly cover my smirk to let them see on purpose. "...My name is Max Zalkiere. I am Kaiser Zalkiere's son." They're taken aback by hearing my name.
The kid in front of me is gritting his teeth irritatedly as he glared at me. I thought he was gonna talks back but fortunately, he left the cafeteria with his followers which left us here.
We watched them leave in silence but then, dad looked back at me. "So what is going on?" He asked again, still confuse about the situation. And, I just chuckled. "You don't have to know, dad. I just teach them a lesson." I told him which he's still don't get it.
I looked at Zack and grins. "You don't have to worry about those guys. If they are bother you again, be sure to tell me and I will be sure to save you!" I said with a grin, using my thumb to point at myself.
His face look surprised with his eyes widened but slowly he make a big grin that showed on his face. "Pff! As if I want to get protect by someone who is 5cm shorter than me!" I gasped when he mentioned my height. He's just 5cm taller than me.
[Zack- 145cm Max- 140cm]
I pointed my index finger at him. "Excuse you! I am still growing! Watch me! I will get taller before you notice!" I talked back. Zack just look away from me, smiling. "Where is Max~? I can't see him~! Because he is too short~!" He is making fun of me!
"You jerk!" I playfully punch his shoulders. We start to laughs when we make eye contacts.
Dad put his hand on my head and smile down on me. "I'm glad you two are getting along." He said as I grinned happily.
"Yeah!"
-end