The Artful Beast | Completed✔

#3 Odd Encounter

Casper's POV

"Casper! When do you see fit to come downstairs?!" Mom scolded from the living room, "If you don't come in the count of three, you wouldn't like what I'll do!" The volume of her tone increased with each word.

I groaned halfheartedly, "Fine~!" I grabbed my wallet and shoved it down my back pocket, took my phone and headphones, then jogged downstairs with a grim look.

Mom sent me a displeased look before rolling her eyes, "What's so wrong in greeting new neighbours? It's a family tradition—"

"No one did it before," Cassidy groused, "I asked grandma, she said she mostly ignored them, I don't know why we're doing this. It's embarrassing, honestly."

The blank expression on Mom's face silenced us. If there's something we had to remind ourselves about her, she doesn't like to be interrupted.

"Sorry." Mumbled Cassidy with her head down, she still got a smack in the back of her head. Mom doesn't hit hard enough to hurt us, only for discipline. Unlike back when we were kids— The memory caused a shudder to ripple through my shoulders, down to my fingertips—remote control. Clothe hangers- Slippers...

SLIPPERS!

I flinched at the memory and grabbed my butt instinctively.

"As I was saying, it's a kind act to greet them and let them feel welcomed, and nothing is embarrassing about that." She fixed the strap of her handbag on her shoulder before taking the container full of food.

By the time we reached their house, Cassidy and I were given a long lecture on how to behave in front of them since we tend to forget our surroundings and argue about useless stuff, Dad kept quiet as per usual. He doesn't like to waste his breath. He once told me that each word should hold some value. If you give out meaningless words, it'll be considered nagging.

He knocked twice, then waited.

"Cassidy, fix your hair, you look like Edward Scissorhands." Mom scolded before facing the door.

"Do I look okay?" After a simple touch, Cassidy asked, not directing the question to anyone specific but looked at me pointedly.

I gave her a genuine smile, "Chubaka would be jealous."

A snarl took place on her lips, and she stepped forward threateningly but froze at the smell of smoke originating from the closed red wooden door.

Oh, God.

The door opened, and out came thick grey smoke that blinded my eyes and shut my air pipe— all pipes for the matter. Coughing roughly as I grabbed anyone within reach and pulled us back, my eyes started to tear as my nose began stinging. Cutting onions gone wrong or what?!

"Is everyone okay?" Someone asked.

"What the hell was that?" A female voice that sounded like Cassidy whined.

"My lasagna!" Annnd that was definitely mom.

"I sincerely apologize on behalf of Tiana! Her crazy experiments heh," He let out a nervous chuckle, "She likes to blow stuff up."

As the smoke cleared and the air turned transparent, the figure that appeared in front of us had vibrant blue hair, the softest pale skin, and pink lips. That's what I got from my first glimpse. Then I started to focus on his features, soft round face, pouty pink lips, a cute button nose, bangs that covered his forehead and stopped near his puppy brown Asian eyes.

"What's your name, son?" Dad asked, slowly letting go of my jumbled mom.

"Augustus Park, at your service, sir!" He straightened his shoulder and gave him a salute.