you're the little thing, my saving grace

Chapter 5

"Focus on it, Vegas. Look at the front sight in the slot of the rear sight and at the place where you want to shoot."

"Uh... at the same time?"

Today, Kan assigned Pete to train Vegas in shooting. It turned out that, apart from shooting with a rifle at a shooting range fair, the teenager had never held a real weapon in his hand.

Pete lets out a chuckle and places his hand on top of Vegas's, guiding it slightly. "Where are you going to aim?"

Pete's cheek almost touches Vegas' temple. Pete doesn't pay any importance to this — it wouldn't have occurred to him. But Vegas manages to turn his head so that their eyes are on the same level. Pete raises his eyebrows and says to him in the tone of a strict mentor:

"Look at your target, Vegas."

The teenager squints and, grinning, gives out:

"That's exactly what I'm doing, Sensei."

Pete rolls his eyes, trying to control himself:

"Vegas. Should I ask Khun Kan so that someone else can give you shooting classes?"

Vegas pretends to sulk, but immediately snorts and giggles:

"Okay, okay, I get it. Focus on the target. That's it, we're doing it."

"Look: the target should be a little blurry, as if in the background. But the front sight and the rear sight are very clear."

"Alright. Where should I shoot?"

"For the first time, try aiming right at the bull's-eye. Just make sure that the upper part of the front sight slightly goes beyond the lower part of the black field of the bull's-eye. Got it?"

"Yeah."

Vegas holds his breath, Pete removes his hand and lets the teenager take the shot himself.

Slightly off target.

Vegas clicks his tongue and shakes his head in disappointment. Pete says to him encouragingly:

"It's okay. Not all at once, Vegas. Let's try again."

They spend time at the shooting range until lunch, pausing only for the drinks brought to them. Then they separate. After lunch, Pete has to walk through the living room, where he accidentally witnesses an unpleasant scene. Lurking around the corner, he hears Noon and Vegas quarreling, communication is in high tones.

"You're not my mother!" Vegas shouts, "sleeping with my dad doesn't give you the right to push me around!"

"You don't dare talk to me like that, or did you want to go back to boarding school? So I'll arrange it for you!"

"You're not going to make it! My father is going to throw you out of the house soon!"

"Let's see!"

The woman begins to artificially squeeze out tears and loud crying, and then finds herself on the floor. At the woman's hysterical scream, Kan appears in the living room, whose office is located nearby.

"What's going on here?" He throws furious glances at his son, and then at his mistress.

"Your son doesn't respect me at all, and now he's pushed me on the floor!" Noon wails falsely.

"You're lying, bitch!"

"What?!" Kan is instantly at his son's side and takes him by the chest starting to shake him. "How dare you!"

Pete can't stay away anymore:

"Khun Kan," he shows himself in the living room. "I'm sorry. I happened to witness this misunderstanding between your son and Ms. Noon. Vegas didn't touch her with a finger. He's telling the truth, I can vouch for that."