From the Beginning

Chapter 29: Spicy

            "Who's that?" Yulian turned his head toward the window to see who was there.

"What's the matter, John?" Skye followed his gaze to see what he was staring at.

Yulian shrugged it off and shook his head. "It's nothing. I thought I heard a sound coming from outside. It must be my imagination." He remembered something and got up from his seat. "I bought some cucumber salad. Let me go get them." With that, he disappeared into the kitchen.

What's going on? Bowen also glanced at the window but didn't see anything unusual.

Snapping open the cover, Yulian hissed when the sharp edge of the plastic container cut his finger.

Bailey heard Yulian's distress when he walked in and immediately went to his side. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," Yulian quickly went to rinse his finger at the sink.

"Are you sure?" Bailey grabbed a hold of Yulian's hand and examined it. His hand isn't even a bit red. There's no injury whatsoever.

"Don't worry. I'm not hurt." Yulian reassured and smiled at the familiar feeling of the other's touch.

Realizing that he was holding on to the man's hand, Bailey promptly released him. My heart is beating so rapidly. His eyes averted to the sink to hide his awkwardness. Catching sight of a bluish substance smeared on the side of the sink, Bailey's eyes widened. That's a similar blue substance that was on the back of Yulian's head after the car accident. Is he...? Bailey gazed at Bowen's so-called cousin intensely but shook the nonsense out of his head shortly after. It can't be. He looks nothing like Yulian. There's no way he's him, right? But, Yulian is an alien. Maybe he has powers to make himself look like someone else. If he can hear my thoughts, then he might be...

"I-Is something wrong?" Yulian's voice woke Bailey from his trance.

"What?" Bailey blinked back to reality.

"Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?" Yulian rubbed a side of his cheek with the back of his wet hand.

He didn't hear my thoughts. Bailey furrowed his brows and sighed. It really isn't him.

I'm sorry Bailey. I can't reveal my true identity to you just yet. Wait a little longer. Yulian realized that his blood was on the sink and snatched the cloth from the counter to wipe it off at once.

Bailey caught him doing so and grasped him by the wrist. "You..."

"What is it?" Yulian queried.

"What are you doing?"

"There was a bluish liquid, so I wiped it off. I didn't want it to leave a stain. I wonder what it was." Yulian pretended.

Bowen stuck his head in from the doorframe. "Are you okay, John ge? Did you hurt yourself?"

"I'm fine," Yulian blurted. "Why is everyone in here?"

"I came to get a glass of water," Bailey informed.

"I'll get it for you." Yulian poured the cucumber salad into a bowl and handed it to Bailey. "Could you take this to the table?"

"All right." Bailey carried the bowl out and went back to his seat.

Rushing over to Yulian, Bowen questioned softly. "What the heck happened?"