A/N: If everyone notice from reading Chapter 3 and 5 after reading this chapter, I had to rewrite them and replace a character with another, explained in the third chapter's trivia.
"Hurry your ass out of the house, and get us some food and money!" A male voice howls his rage after throwing a glass alcoholic bottle at the wall and nearly kill the underweight, dirty twelve-year-old boy who sat against the said wall and glare at nothing with blank, blue eyes but his body flinched from the broken shards from the bottle falling and scraping gashes at his body, right before a rough hand grab him by the back of the collar and drag the lifeless-like, weakened body against the floor towards the door, catching a glimpse of his heartless mother lying on the couch and ignore this abusive sight to continue smoking a cigarette she was holding.
Even when he was thrown out of the house and land his body on the grassy lawn, managed to not break any of his fragile bones, Terren cannot feel his body and legs operating well to remain lying side against the grass and not even have a tint of hope that people that might walk past their broken house could sympathize with a nearly dead almost teenage boy lying and starving in front of them…
….
"The police have arrested the parents, and the boy is undergoing medical treatment. But unless someone is willing to pay for him, we have no choice but to euthanize him since he's barely dead." The orange-haired doctor informed his pink-haired, yet strangely deep male-voiced, nurse as the two stood in front of the hospital bed holding the unresponsive boy sleeping on the hospital bed with the IV fluids seeping through his arm from the IV stand beside his bed just as he weakly wakes up from hearing 'euthanize', knowing that despite being saved from his awful parents; he is still fated to die.
Suddenly, the door opening alerted the child and the doctors to be a couple the latter two recognized as the couple who saved the boy, called the police on his parents…and willing to pay for his treatment when the husband offered with a concerned smile. "Was wondering if we could see him, and pay for his treatment with my insurances?"
…
"This is absurd! Why would you both waste your money for this filthy boy, NOT from our family, and take him in!?" An old woman voice of Mirabelle's matriarch demanded her great grandson and daughter-in-law with rage while jabbing a finger at the boy not joining in the argument about him, ignoring the furious glares of both Mr. and Mrs. Mirabelle's families staring behind his back while he cannot unhear the terrible comments of his adoption to feel his heart heavy with despair, saddened that he is responsible for the loving couple sacrificing themselves to give him what his parents never put an effort of being a loving family.
'Please…I'm sorry….I didn't mean to…' Terren cried with a fist wiping any tears that escaped from his eyes after he heard a male family member enquiring the 'victims' with vehemence spitting from his lips. "Are you planning to have this cur replace your ONLY child? Siris, we know you and Lucy love children, but you cannot take in someone who might be part of the disgusting Dark Hell Market!"
"…Terren, or any children Lucy and I want to adopt, will not be a replacement to Adam. If he was here, he would love to have a little sibling, regardless of not related by blood. Also, there's no proof that Terren's shitty parents are from the Dark Hell Market, and if all of you think that you can demand Lucy and me to throw Terren away, then all of you are no different than the Dark Hell Market, or heartless jackass parents!" Siris explained with anger on both his and Lucy's families' lack of empathy towards Terren with possible false rumors of his heritage, no surprise that his shitty parents are indeed assholes to other people and making them believe that they and Terren have associations with the Dark Hell Market, with his rage for both the heartless family and their birth son managed to shock and anger the other members while Lucy excused herself to walk towards Terren and kneel beside him with her hands grasping on his shoulders, taking note of his tears to grimace in sadness. "Terren? Are you alright, baby?"
"…I'm sorry…I didn't mean to…" Terren tried to apologize through his choked sobs although he could not finish by soft arms pulling him into a hug and Lucy Mirabelle's voice assured the crying boy with sympathy and a tint of happiness, breaking the child to cry some more. "Don't listen to anyone who talks and says awful things of you like that, Terren. No matter what anyone says, you are our son. If Adam was here, he would be happy to be with you."
…
"Hey, look at that guy/ I seen him before/ He's the guy who beat the other schools' delinquents hard/ Never get on his bad side/ Are you shitting me? Just forget him./ Yeah, he could still be a poor loser…" As soon as he walked through the entrance and the halls of his new school, Redwood Academy, Terren gritted his teeth in anger at hearing the other students he walked past by whispering to themselves about him with shock, anger, and pride in their voices, even mentioning fighting other delinquents but omitting the latter side's intentions as bad rumors.
'I only fought them because they were harassing other people…' Terren wanted to explain to them but as if he will get himself and his adopted parents who works in the academy in trouble by his personality, he has no choice but to restrain himself. Even so, he is still being seen as a nuisance…
Suddenly, a soft body thumped itself against his body and stopped him from walking, also snapping out of his negative thoughts in surprise, while the muffled gasp from the source alarmed Terren to hear startled gasps of shock and jealously by the other students when the 'delinquent' look down to see a female student slowly back away from him and look at him with a subtly surprised scowl on her beautiful face, capturing Terren's disbelief with his face blushing from seeing someone in the school who has natural pale blue hair, instead of dyed, and brown eyes appearing to glow from the light.
Ignoring the other students watching them, Terren sees the girl first look at him with curiosity no one even looks at him like that before his left hand and raises her right hand to also look at her palm. Dumbfounded, Terren also looks at his left hand to see nothing before back to the girl and ask his first question to her, catching her attention. "…U-um…Is there something wrong?"
But before she could muster a single word to him, seeing her opening her mouth…
"Puteri!" A loud female voice screeched inside the hall with appalment and anger with the other students looking at whoever is behind the one called Puteri and see a girl with black hair tied in pigtails and silver eyes glaring daggers at Terren while stomping towards Puteri and harshly grab her left arm by wrapping her arms around it to pull her closer to the agitated girl, collecting Terren's shock that shifted into anger and concern when seeing Puteri gritting her teeth in pain by the grip yet the other girl dare complain the unfortunate girl's brief interaction with Terren, looking at him from head to toe with disgust. "You shouldn't be with anyone but me by your side! Especially by this loser! He'll turn you into a creep and take you away from me, like all the other boys!"
"B-But…" Puteri quietly objected yet everyone watches the girl forcefully walk away and drag the former away from Terren, not seeing her pain and horror in her face by carelessly propose to 'her friend' with a childish-like happy tone and smile. "Let's just leave and see if we're going to be in the same class! We are best friends forever, after all!"
"Wait!" Terren called out while trying to grab Puteri's hand when she wanted to reach his but she and the girl dragging her away from him by force were already gone from them walking to the stairs, leaving him standing in the middle of the hallway with the other students now staring at Terren with confusion, anger, and jealously for what happened for the boy to again hear them whispering to themselves, slowly increase Terren's anger for them talking instead of helping out. "Well, that was anticlimactic./ That Puteri girl was so hot!/ I heard her parents were the ones who nearly destroyed the world's Dark Hell Market for years/ Woah shit, seriously!?/ Then, I know who I want as a girlfriend./ No way, asshole! She's mine!"
"Pu…teri." Terren whispered to himself as he now ignores the boys hissing threats to themselves of wanting Puteri as a girlfriend to any one of them while unable to deduce that she is in pain by an obsessed girl…a yandere chick, Terren decided to call her in the future. '…I don't care what others think, I want to save you, Puteri.' Terren declared with a determined sneer and walk through the hallway to walk to his first class of the high school, hoping that it would be Mathematics where his adoptive mother teaches but reminding himself to not call Miss Mirabelle mother during school.
"Terren?...Terren…." Terren tiredly blinks his aching eyes with a weak moan and sluggishly look to the side of his bed to be Collin floating beside him while glancing at him with worry, his mouth, and nose already covered by a surgical mask since the two and Keenie were surprised that Terren suddenly got a fever right before he was about to leave the house, worrying his adoptive parents when he fainted in front of them at the living room and prompt Siris to carry him back to his room and undress him into his house clothes before leaving the house with assurance that they will go home from school early to take care of him.
As much as he appreciates their help and love, Terren cannot help but feel guilty that Siris and Lucy Mirabelle sacrifice their happiness to care for him which resulted in their exile of their families, despite always saying that the family is strict anyway, and endure negative comments of treating someone outside of their family. Worse, the Mirabelle family are the type that strives to have higher and successful positions and influences in the world, though Terren compared them to have less fame in their accomplishments than Puteri's family, and his inclusion in the family makes them see them as a pest that will break them apart.
"C-Collin? Sorry…that I can't help you look for Cletus and do good deeds…" Terren coughed in sadness after feeling Collin carefully place a damp cold cloth on his forehead, hopefully, help reduce his burning temperature and turn it normal by the end of the day, while the sheep cherub smiled behind his mask and pat his hoof on Terren's head and blond locks for the apology.
"Don't worry, Terren. Your health is important. We can continue with our stuff once you feel better. Let's just hope that Puteri and Keenie will be alright after school and possibly visit us." Collin assured with a glimpse of Terren weakly smile back at the cherub for the possibility.
"I hope so too…I don't mind if Puteri just tells me Happy Birthday because I don't want her to get affected by my fever." Terren quietly prayed while trying to slowly kick the sheets off his sweating body with his legs until it lands on his ankles and feet, seeing him wear last night's clothes which is a simple T-shirt and shorts when Siris stripped him from his uniform after fainting downstairs this morning, before he took note of the clock hanging on his wall to be 5 o clock. Knowing school has ended two and a half hours ago, Terren was thinking of grabbing his phone from the bedside drawer by himself instead of asking Collin to help, not wanting to be a burden, and call Puteri to know if she is alright. But Collin beat him to it when he saw Terren weakly raise his arm and tap his hand on the drawer a few times without realizing his phone slowly moving to fall off the drawer before Collin hastily flew and grab the phone before it could reach the floor, handing it to Terren just as the two heard and feel the phone ringing and vibrating on his palm for a call, which Terren accepted with a weak cough. "Hello?"
"Hey, Terren. We're on speakerphone, and on the way home. Are you feeling well?" Lucy's voice called with happiness from the other line alongside the noises of the car engine as Terren smiled to himself for his adoptive parents' carefree personalities and thoughtfulness for him when he responded with another cough and see Collin hovering with a smile behind his mask. "Y-yeah….a bit, Mum."
"Don't worry, sport. We just reach the house…oh shit." Siris's voice first assured with a composed tone just as the instant shift of irritation startled Terren and Collin who squeak in surprise of the sudden curse for the former to hear his adoptive father finishing the call with the agitation that he knows it could lead to the one thing the family of three dread…. "The family's here. Terren, do not leave your bedroom. Lucy will bring you something to eat and drink from downstairs."
Terren nearly asks his parents for Siris's demand, risking his health to feel the stress of what is happening downstairs, but the call ended by Siris for the boy to face Collin when he wondered with the anxiety of this family he was told and heard by Terren and the parents. "You mean…the same family that wanted to throw you away from your loving parents!?"
"Ah, Siris! Lucy!" Right before they could run back inside the house and close the gates, the sound of a male family member stopped Siris and Lucy from doing so just when they exited the car, hiding their anger and disdain on their faces from the incoming group of adult men and women walking towards them alongside their children around Terren's age or younger to be toddlers, with some of the parents holding the babies on their arms. Even though their faces show humane personalities by some of them smiling warmly at them including the oldest woman of the group, the damned matriarch of the family, Siris and Lucy are not fooled by their expressions as they know their actual personalities and secrets never match their body language.
But, they still have to be proper when they quietly walk towards them and receive some hugs and kisses from the family. "How have you both been?" A female mother asked happily.
"Fine, thank you. Why don't we all get inside?" Lucy proposed as kind as she can act, trying not to hiss any anger for their ex-family who remain oblivious to the hosts' agitation for their visit when everyone proceed to walk inside the house with Siris leading everyone to the living room and ask them to sit on the couches while Lucy walks towards the kitchen and start making tea for the family, leaving Siris to increasingly but secretly feel his nerves breaking in his system during his conversations with his family and in-laws, starting slow with amusements and chuckles when talking about what they have been doing in law, their children's education, and what is happening around the world while drinking tea that Siris and Lucy managed to make before the latter makes something suitable for Terren to eat and making sure he cannot leave his bedroom for both his fever and the family's everlasting hatred for him.
Dreading of the one subject he and his wife know that they will ask him sooner or later, Siris hissed through his gritted teeth in his fake smile when one of his nephews immediately ask a question with a curious scowl. "Hey, Uncle Siris…who's awesome motorbike is that outside?"
The entire room immediately went silent with Siris twitching his eye and stare at everyone's faces that shifted from warm emotions into displeasure or anger in a few, knowing too well who owns that motorbike, while the matriarch who should be Terren's adopted great-grandmother softly sips her teacup of tea she was holding before removing the cup from her lips and softly glare at Siris with contempt straight to his green eyes shared by the same old woman. "So…you still have him? And he forced you and your wife to buy that motorcycle for him? Does he go around doing such atrocious stunts like those daredevils he is, behind your backs?"
'Oh, hell no!' Siris mentally complained his annoyance with his grandmother and other family members' usual criticisms about his son.
"No. Lucy and I surprised him with the bike as last year's birthday gift, for doing so well on his education. Everyone kept saying that he'll flunk on his exams because it's his nature to fail, but he aced every one of them with flying colors. And he never even do anything of the sort. He always informed us where he goes and even takes pictures as proof." Siris answered with a collected frown that hides the happiness he is feeling to remember everything; Terren being amazed of everything related to racing and cars, determined to become a mechanic, and even spent every midnight oil studying to ace the exams and make them proud for all the things they have done for him.
Hell, Siris wanted to chuckle at remembering Terren's reaction when he and Lucy surprised him by gifting him the motorbike.
"Oh, yes. I saw that brat out in public once. Riding on that motorbike with a girl his age and has pale blue hair, talking with a filthy, homeless family at the streets, handing them snacks and drinks before parting ways. What is he planning, and who is that girl with him?" One of Lucy's female cousins, that is unfortunately the opposite of Matilda, revealed to the others with a stern sneer while soothing her sleeping baby in her arms as her words managed to make everyone facing Siris with suspicion glowers while the latter continues to be agitated for his family and in-laws, still wondering why would they visit the couple they threw them away for taking in a troublesome boy and now demanding about Puteri Kemp when Siris's male cousin agreed with Lucy's female cousin to nod his distrusts. "Yeah, I saw them together once when me and my family went out. They helped a lame injured woman who fell off her bicycle on the road."
'Can all of you stop talking shit about someone in need?' Siris mentally growled as he did not hesitate to explain Terren and Puteri's intention and relationship, not caring how would everyone in the room react while watching Lucy walking towards the living room and holding a tray of Terren's food and beverages with her hands. "That girl is our neighbors' daughter and Terren's classmate and girlfriend. All of the boys in their school always demand her by force to be with any one of them, yet she wants Terren because she knows that he is the kindest boy he wants to be to others. Every day after school and finishing their studies for the finals, Terren and Puteri used the motorbike to help the homeless and faithless of town get back on their feet. I won't be surprised if she suddenly visits to give Terren a Happy Birthday gift, as we speak…"
DING! DONG!
'Oh, that was fast.' Siris was surprised to hear his doorbell ringing twice just as he informed his family of Puteri's possible visit, collecting everyone's confusion through their anger as Siris walk towards the opened door and see the gates are still opened to show no one but Puteri Kemp with her bag slinging on her shoulder and her hands holding a small but visible present box wrapped in colored paper and a ribbon while anxiously waiting if she can enter the house, immediately lifting Siris's spirits to smile and wave his hand, getting Puteri walking into the door.
"Oh, good you're here! Come, come! Terren will be happy that you visit for him!" Siris called once Puteri reach the porch, initially wanting to remove her shoes but a shook of Siris's hand and head stopped her otherwise right before everyone heard the matriarch loudly snort her disgust which again startled Puteri to stop moving and see Siris looking up with agitation. "Pah! What kind of girl would dare pick that dirty boy for a partner?"
'Shut the fuck up, old hag!' Siris wished to yell at the old bat for her comment after taking a step back for everyone inside the house to see Puteri's arrival inside the house when she first looks at the room with a nervous scowl, surprising everyone including the nephews and nieces although Siris and Lucy sneer their displeasure of seeing their nephews that are old enough to have a date grinning seductively at Puteri after she gave a subtle bow and nod at them before looking at Terren's adoptive parents with a twirl of her hair with a finger and holding her present with her other hand, ignoring a sudden whistle from one of the boys for Siris to almost throw a nearby vase at him at the shelf. "I'm sorry for the surprising visit, Mr. and Mrs. Mirabelle. I was wondering if it's okay to see how Terren's doing…can I see him?"
"Of course you can, dear! Unlike you, your visit is more than welcome. Do you think you can help bring this up before you go to Terren's room? Just put your present with the food and careful not to drop it." Lucy Mirabelle greeted with a smile, swiftly snap an annoyed smirk at her family to see her flinching in confusion, and disturbance for the tone before warmly glance back at Puteri when she offered the tray to the latter, bringing her to hastily place her present on the tray and hold it instead, not seeing Siris noticing one of his nephews pulled out his phone and nearly take a shot of Puteri in his camera only for the protective father to stand behind the girl who is now being lead upstairs by Lucy and disappear from the ground floor, angering the boy who did not have the picture while one of the female aunts enquired Siris with a skeptic sneer Siris saw it as jealously. "Siris. Is that girl dating the outsider and his classmate!? She has dyed hair, it's the same color as the man who saved the world from the Dark Hell Market!"
"Her hair's not dyed….she was born with it from her father who saved us from the Dark Hell Market." Siris revealed with a stern glower.
"Terren. I got you something to eat as your early dinner and something to drink for your throat." The soft knocking of his bedroom door and Mrs. Mirabelle's voice informing from outside alerted Terren and Collin who watch the door slowly open to see not only Lucy, but also Puteri holding the tray of stuff for Terren and Keenie who flew towards the happy Collin and embrace her partner while the two cherubs spin on the air, catching both Terren and Puteri's delight whenever they watch the angelic couple be happy together before both students watch Lucy slowly pull the door but not before assuring Terren with a strangely excited smile and took a peek until she closes the door and leaves Puteri with Terren. "Don't mind us. We'll try to send them away or make sure no one will barge in here…enjoy yourselves."
"H-hey Terren. I hope you don't mind me coming in here. I'll make sure I'll help out with whatever I can to make you feel better." Puteri greeted with a shy smile and a faint blush of her cheeks as Terren watch her walking towards the small desk closer to the bed and place the tray on the table, taking the bowl of chicken soup and hand it over to Terren once he sluggishly climbs and sit with crossed legs and hold onto the bowl, slurping the warm soup like a drink after listening to Puteri continue informing him with a happy smile and pull something out of her bag to be a stack of papers filled with notes from today's subjects in school, placing it next to the tray. "I got you today's school notes and homework…but enough of that, happy birthday!"
"Yaaaaay. Thanks, Puteri." Terren quietly cheered with a happy smile after finishing his soup while trying not to sneeze from his snotty nose that the one person he wanted to wish him happy birthday came true as Collin and Keenie fly towards Terren's side and above the bed once the three watch Puteri grab the small box off the tray, kneeling in front of the bed and hold it towards Collin for the other to grab it. "I hope you'll love it." Puteri hoped as everyone watch the purple sheep cherub slowly untie the ribbon off the box and pull the lid off for the boy and cherub to see the content…bringing Terren to nearly sputter the soup off his mouth and stare at his gift with fascination while Collin may have a tinge of fear but seeing Terren excited even if he is sick slowly reassure the cherub to give a nervous smile.
Puteri's gift to Terren…is a small object that can be held with one or both hands at the guard and handle, possibly a knife or a blunt weapon with a similar build to a chainsaw but with gear-like teeth, and the color is green by the body, yellow for the teeth, blue for the handle with an indigo-colored guard, and red as the gem-like glass orbs inserted in the guard and the head of the weapon. "Azren and I went to the Sturnidae Mall and I picked this for you at the Game Break shop. I was thinking that you can use an emergency weapon like me with my pepper spray gun, as long as you used it safe …"
"Ohh! You bought the knife-sized Lumber Slash! This is my favorite Gearlade out of the entire Keybearer series! Thanks, Puteri!" Terren happily accepted the gift as loud as he could muster from his slightly dry throat, holding it upright and in front of with one hand and away from hitting anyone before he instantly reaches his arms and wrapped them around Puteri before pulling her closer in a hug, startling her to feel his sweaty and burning body from his fever with Collin and Keenie silently cheer their excitement of the sight right as Terren added what Puteri was not expecting him to say from his happiness. "…You're the best girlfriend ever!"
As soon as he said it, Terren and Puteri immediately blinked their eyes and react to what he said with the latter releasing a soft gasp of surprise muffled against his body and shirt while Terren starts making high-pitched-like noises out of fear of realizing his mistake of saying what he wanted to say from his mind out loud, trying to find words to correct himself while looking at Keenie and Collin to see them cheering for his confession, since they have been staying in both houses to know that Terren wanted to officially confess Puteri earlier until now, since the first meeting was just a playful remark to make Puteri smile for once.
"I-I-I-I d-didn't mean it! I mean I do mean it! B-But…I'm sorry Puteri! W-Would you still be my girlfriend!? I mean friend…" Terren stammered his apologies through his coughs not directed at Puteri and red face from blushing so hard and his fever. But before he could look back at Puteri, he felt the other gently hug him back to look down with astonishment just as the three hear Puteri's voice chiming in with a delighted smile. "I love too! I was hoping to ask if we can still be together."
First seeing Terren's arms shaking while his face shows disbelief for the confession for a bit before his mouth quiver with a grateful smile and return the embrace, Keenie and Collin look at each other with exhilaration while grasping their hand and hoof together as the sight of Terren and Puteri's Red Thread of Fate instantly elongated to move and float around them on the air while flashing multiple times received a cheer from Keenie for Collin who hugged her back. "We did it, Collin! We did it!"
"We did it, Siris! We did it!" Lucy cheered with happiness since she didn't walk downstairs and miss watching Terren receiving a gift from Puteri, a bit worried that it is a small and handheld-like weapon but choose not to object when seeing Terren excited like a child for once before the sight of him hugging Puteri and confess only to get accepted by the other immediately excites Lucy to nearly exposing herself from the children inside the room, collecting herself to quickly walk away from the door and down the stairs although her fury for her heartless family remains when she managed to hear her great-grandmother in law yelling at Siris in baffled anger and see the adults now staring at her husband with the same disbelief and rage as the matriarch. "It's an outrage! Having a boy from the Dark Hell Market replacing your son is one thing, but being in a relationship with the daughter of the couple who took down the Dark Hell Market!? How many times is HE going to embarrass our family with his devilish luck!?"
"Since you guys threw us out for taking in Terren, I think…let him work hard to be successful and be kind to others with his famous girlfriend?" Siris jokingly assumed with a playful smirk and shrug his shoulders as he notices his wife joining his side and see him expressing such happiness, knowing that this means that Terren and Puteri did something to become an official couple for Siris to also smiled his response only for both to glare back at their families when one of the male adults noticed their reactions and yelled at them in anger. "Don't joke like that, Siris! We're trying to help you and Lucy get back to us by looking for information about your missing son, making sure that you both can throw that outsider out of your hair! But now, that hooligan will get the Demon Killers on his side by seducing their daughter!"
'Isn't that nickname for Puteri's parents a bit overrated these years?' Siris asked himself with discomfort for their complaints, fuming that he cannot believe how delusional they are for still thinking about Adam while everyone hears the doorbell ringing from outside and collect their curiosity for Siris and Lucy to walk towards the door while their families look at the open wooden windows to see a young woman with chest-length black, brown, and red hair standing in front of the opened gate and give a faint flick of her fingers of a salute at Siris and Lucy and a smile, dressed in a sleeveless pink shirt with black linings and palm tree-like designs, thigh-high pinkish peach shorts with a long-sleeved fuchsia jacket wrapped around her waist by the sleeves and hang down to her knees, and black and white sneakers.
"Oh, it's Puteri's mother." Lucy recognized with a smile although she and her husband heard one of his nephews whistling his amazement at Miss Dij Kemp. "Whoo! That's one sexy lady!" His remark resulted in his mother giving a soft slap on her son's head while one of Lucy's single female cousins pouted in annoyance while gripping her hands on the wooden frame of the couch. "She looks young to be a mother! Are you sure she married that giant, handsome man, and the one called the Voracious Darkness!?"
Siris and Lucy's families were so focused on Dij's appearance, none did notice Puteri walking down the stairs after saying goodbye to Terren before leaving, initially looking at everyone staring at outside with confusion before she slowly walks towards the door and taps a finger on both Siris and Lucy's shoulders to get their attention, turning around to see Puteri behind them and take a step back for the pale blue-haired girl to walk out and see her mother waving at her with a small grin.
"Oh, my mother's here! Thank you so much for allowing me to visit Terren, Mr and Miss Mirabelle! I hope you both also don't mind…if we can still go out around town during the mid-break and study together for the finals." Puteri informed with a happy smile and face Siris and Lucy, who immediately notices that she is happier than earlier which made Lucy's smile widen and instantly grasps her hands with Puteri. "No, thank you for accepting Terren! Just promise us and your parents that you both will do well in the finals…and knock everyone dead for the Twilight Cotillion Ball!" Lucy convinced.
With a soft smile and nodded her response, Lucy happily releases Puteri's hands and everyone watches Puteri run out of the house and join her mother's side, seeing the latter first talk something to her daughter who nods her response for the other to smile and give a warm embrace until they watch the two walk away from the house and enter to their house next door, bringing one of the crude nephews to taunt Siris and Lucy who remain watching Dij and Puteri entering their house. "You know, Uncle Siris. If you didn't have the outsider, one of us would get a chance to be famous by the Demon Killers on our side."
"Then, it's good that we HAVE Terren. Don't wanna think of what happens if Puteri had to be with someone who wants her for fame." Siris taunted back with a chuckle gone and did not see his family and in-laws glaring their appalment at the couple, for them still wanting Terren while Lucy happily embraces Siris's body to feel his arm wrapping him back although her mind cannot stop thinking about what they said earlier. 'Oh, Adam…' Lucy mused. 'I really hope you could see this.'
"There…and there…done!" Inside an apartment, a young woman sighed in amazement and rubbed her hands together when she just finished setting the table up for dinner she cooked for herself, with a little bit of outside help to make tonight fancy. First looking at the time to be close to dinnertime, no surprise that their third roommate would not come for tonight, the girl with unusual dyed purple hair draping down to her back unhurriedly walk towards their shared bedroom and open the door to see the large lump still resting underneath the sheets since this afternoon, forcing a tired sigh but still smiling instead of frowning when she proceeds to walk towards the bathroom…and walk out to stand at the side of the bed closer to the lump, with her hands holding a large pail of cold tap water.
With one hand slowly pull the sheets off her roommate's body without waking him up, showcasing his dark brown locks and well-toned built painted with long scars from front and back, and arms and legs by a whip, before joining with her other hand and easily raise the heavy pail above him….
"Wake the hell up, sleepyhead!" The purple-haired girl confidently shouted and instantly poured the ice water all over the bed and her naked roommate who groggily woke up by the shout before the freezing water managed to wake him up completely, screaming in horror and sat on the now drenched bedsheets with his hands grasping on both his scarred forearms and his eyes were hidden by his wet hair but his voice does appear to be shock and angry when he demanded his laughing roommate after she dropped the pail on the floor. "J-Jewels!? What the fuck!?"
"Hey, you said you wanted to take a nap since this afternoon. And it's already dinner time, so hurry up…" Jewels reminded while resume laughing that slowly reduce to giggles from hearing her roommate groaning his tiredness and misfortune for Jewel's wakeup prank although a chortle was released from his mouth curling up in a smile with pleasure for his girlfriend's playfulness, finding it a while since he had something like that, before he raises an arm to his face and lifts the wet bangs with his hand, showing a handsome face with brown eyes and three scars with one long vertical scar over his left eye and two other formed into a large X on his right cheek. "…Griffin."
References/ Trivia:
. The doctor and the nurse from the Helluva Boss pilot appear at the beginning of the chapter.
. This is the second chapter that mentioned Mrs. Mayberry's MMIH's name, Matilda, after the previous chapter. I decided to call Mrs. Mayberry Matilda because her actress did play the titular character of the movie Matilda. (I just realized I forgot to mention this in the previous chapter…sorry).
. Game Break is a reference to the GameStop video game shop.
. Like Keybearer is a reference to Kingdom Hearts, Gearlade is a reference to the Keyblade weapon in the games as 'Gears' and 'Blade' together.
. Terren's knife, Lumber Slash, is a reference to the scrapped Kingdom Hearts weapon that used to be in development before deciding on a Keyblade. With a fitting name for the use of chainsaws.
. The new recurring characters at the ending of the chapter are characters that I am planning to make an animated show for them and possibly the other characters excluding C. H. E. R. U. B in the future.