Book 2: Seven Demon's Hearts

Episode 38: First Day

Episode 38: F i r s t  D a y

It took a moment for Aiko's eyes to settle back to normal but just at that moment, a flashing memory whiffed by Sera leaving her in a state that was beyond confusion.

"What is it! I can't get any personal me-time around here any--" Jin stopped mid-way looking at the tsunami that was ready to swallow up the mansion. "And this is exactly why I didn't want her leaving before she knew about this...well there goes his middle school enrollment plans."

"JIN!" She turned her anger at him, pointing at Aiko's innocent face grew with accusation. "What the hell is wrong with this guy! I...I was talking to a little boy about a minute ago and suddenly he just turned into this..." she looked back at his naked body and shut her eyes with annoyance. "And now Wonho is probably thinking that I'm cheating on him."

Aiko took a moment to realize her words before looking down at his body. A light of thought sparked into his eyes, "Uncle Jin, in the book I was just reading, I have a question about the reproductive system, in particular, what makes the genit--"

"And absolutely not. No. I'm not having this conversation with you. Go ask your teacher." Jin snapped his fingers and a pair of jeans with a shirt fell into Aiko's arms. "And put those on right now."

Sera turned her back giving him some time.

"I'm sorry." Aiko quickly got dressed, struggling to put his pants on like any other elementary school kid.

"Wrong leg, Aiko. The other leg Aiko." Jin corrected him with a groan, covering his face with his hand.

"Sorry," Aiko mumbled again, nervously made sure to do it properly this time, and finally got his pants on. Again, with the shirt, he was wearing it backward, but Jin let it slide as there were more serious matters to address.

"Well...Sera, this is Aiko. Aiko, this is Sera. I'm not sure if you remember, but the two of you met six years ago before he suddenly left with my brother and Hanul."

Upon hearing the familiar name, she slowly turned around, staring back at the boy's face. It was something about the way he looked--maybe a face too innocent for that physique--which irritated her. In her eyes, he looked like he belonged with one of those annoying nerds back at school. Almost immediately Sera noticed how much his age and actions didn't match up.

"Aiko...Aiko..." She repeated the name as a slight dark expression took over. "Hanul's son?"

"Yes. He returned just before you left and I was trying to let you know about it before but you didn't give me a chance and ran off with that annoying boyfriend of yours."

"First of all, his name is Wonho. Second of all, what kind of shitty excuse is this?! You're telling me that you didn't have a chance to let me know about this freak sooner? Really Jin? I had to walk in here, extremely confused, already angered because of some bitch sitting behind us who ruined our movie date, and I now have to suffer this harassment?!" She motioned her hand over to Aiko with disgust.

"Well if you haven't heard yourself speak before, then I should let you know now. You're pretty much impossible to talk with Sera!!" Jin was next to lose his cool.

In the next moment, Aiko found himself stuck between a barrage of cursing and angry words and hand signals coming from both sides. Confused, the boy kept looking back and forth at their faces remembering how sometimes his mother would be angry at his father. In the book he read, at times like this, a bystander should be the person who helps bring the two angry people to a middle ground.

"Please don't fight!" And so, he literally shoved himself between them, placing his hands at arm's span to keep them away from each other. "Uncle Jin, I was reading a book earlier and it said not to engage in--"