Being Next to You

Chapter 24: Unraveled Face

"Here, take a seat. There's nothing much to see but please feel like home." Shaine offered a seat as Julian and I entered his house.

His house was standard and a bit small like it was meant for a few people.

"You know, it's rude to judge a person's house." Shaine smiled as that message was meant for me.

"I didn't say anything." I said defensively. But he looked at me straight in the eye, like he's annoyed. "But it's written all over your face."

"Whatever..!" I flustered as I was busted. Julian took a sip of the offered drinks then went straight to the topic. Unexpectedly, Shaine was cooperative when answering Julian's questions and every answer had a kind smile.

"So you're saying that you're doing this because of your 'Prince' existence?" Julian repeated Shaine's statement.

"Didn't you find it weird that someone handsome and smart like me doesn't attracts a flock?" He laughed, "Look at me, I'm more good looking than you and my social skills are better. But in spite of it all, you and your brother are everybody's favorite. They're well-favored than I am, even though I have this pretty face."

"You're praising yourself too much. Not all thinks that your that handsome," I commented.

"Perhaps," he agreed, "However, in an objective way of thinking, people will set their eyes straight to me without thinking." He made a reasonable explanation, but I can't help being a bit frustrated even though it's the truth. Then in a glanced, a picture frame caught my eyes when I saw Shaine smiling with two girls by his side. I realized one of them is his sister who picked him from school yesterday.

"You look very happy in this picture." I complemented Shaine as he started gazing on it.

"Yeah," He looked glad.

"Are those your sisters?" Julian asked.

"Yeah, the person on my left is my older sister and my right is younger sister, and I'm the middle child. Aren't the three of us beautiful?" He responded with a little joke. "We, three have been together since my sister got a job."

"If you don't mind asking, but where are your parents?" Julian asked as he sounds stern.

"Don't tell me they passed away!? Then, you're lying at that time!" I jumped to conclusions again.

"Hold up, Rina." Shaine made a complicated face. "I didn't lie, no one in my family died. My parents got divorced and my mom ran away from us, so it's my sister who makes a living for us."

"Sorry, if it's too personal," Julian apologized.

"It's nothing, Miss Blue asked the same thing yesterday when she talked to my sister personally. And if you're offended by mentioning my parents, don't be? Since I can't remember my mom's face anymore," he laughed.

"THAT'S NOT A LAUGHING MATTER." I said without thinking with a hint of anger but as soon as I said it I realized that I didn't have the right..

"You're worried about me? I'm so happy that I want to eat you up." He teased. I blushed and got pissed, but I knew he's also doing this on purpose since he look surprised at first then changed the mood real quick.

'He's amazing in some ways.'

"Shaine, can I go straight to the point of our business today?" Julian asked, "Go ahead," he answered with a sweet smile.

"To tell you the truth, your behavior this past few days doesn't make sense, even I can't comprehend it. So I thought it would be faster and easier if I ask you directly myself. Your answers did made sense but doesn't satisfy me, and it seems your friends from Class 3-A and Class 3-E are involved with your-- I mean 'our' problem," Julian reasoned.