[Trouble] Chapter 10 - Follow that lady

The birds twitted on a tree branch just outside of the inn gate, the sun has just risen. It is still early in the morning but Riz already woke up. He go and get ready, taking bath, wearing casual cloth and comb his hair. When he is done, he took out their bag from the closet, he fold the clothes one by one and put into the bag. He only leave a pair of the clothes each for Angela and Damian.

He plan to return today back to their hometown, since it is just a week before school start, so he need to make preparation for school too. He already told Lina and her parents about this, he told them that he will be leaving after eating lunch at the inn. He also would like to say his goodbye to grandma Meng too before leaving.

.._..

Amy took a morning stroll around the inn as usual, but she is walking by herself instead of with her friend. She frowned a bit as she wonder how to persuade that boy to stay with her. She then came to the dining hall to eat her breakfast, and coincidentally met him there.

Riz looked up when someone sat opposite of him on the same table. Angela and Damian are eating slowly, as they too look at the person. Angela pouted a bit and she look away as she nom nom on her foods more.

Amy smiled when Riz look up, then she look at Angela and Damian. She raised her eyebrow when Angela pouted, she wonder if it was because of her or if it is because she don’t like the food she is eating. “Good morning. Am I bothering?” She ask them anyway.

Damian shook his head, while Angela glanced at Amy and ignore her. Riz look back at his food, “No, but there is a lot of other available table you can sit at.”

“Ah, well, I don’t like to eat alone. My friend are not here today.” She said and smile, after she ordered for some food for herself. “Say, are you running away from me?” She asked out of blue as she then stare at Riz.

“It is because you are a weird aunty! So I don’t want to stay with you!” Riz said with frown.

“I’m not weird. I’m a normal person.” She said while crossed her arm.

“You are weird, you wear like before and sneaking around..! Its scary!” Riz said as he can feel his hair on his arm stand straight. He pull down his sleeve more to reduce that feeling. At first he just ignore when he saw her sneaking around, because he assumed that she was just using the same road as him. It was not until Angela told him that she saw her a lot before this too.

Plus with that incident, Riz then felt that this woman is weird and felt worried of his safety, which is why when she approached him for the first time, Riz felt the instinct to run away first, because it seems like she aimed him.

She startled, she did not expect that a kid like Riz to notice her watching him, “Hey! I’m not sneaking around, I was just having a stroll around that town at that time.” Even though she still said with smile, it was an awkward smile.

“Anyway I don’t believe that you have my custody.” Riz added as he look at her, even though he said so, he know that it was true because Mr Niel already called him last week, he simply forgot to inform him earlier as he did not know that she would find Riz that soon.

“If you do not believe, come with me today, and I’ll show you that I did have it.” Amy smiled, “You can call Mr Niel to accompany you.”

“…” Riz glanced at her more, then he go call Mr Niel, he asked if Mr Niel is free today, he really wanted to meet with him again, because he was unsatisfied. Luckily for him, Mr Niel are not busy today and he is free enough to come accompany Riz.

With that decided, Amy suggested that Riz ride her car, since it will save time, as they will be able to arrive on the afternoon, compared to riding the train which take a much round-about route, which are much farther, so the time taken is much longer.

.._..

Juniel hung his phone with a yawn, as he go took bath and then wear a clean set of clothes, and ironed his dark blue suite. He then go ready his suitcase, and then go take his spectacle and wear it. He look at the mirror to make sure that he look neat and proper.

Shinai glanced at him, “You’re going to meet him? I’d like to come too” She said with a puffed cheek.

“No can do, no can do, what if he remember after seeing you?” Juniel said with a chuckle, he then went to the fridge and scavenge the fridge for some ice-creams. He took a big cup of ice-cream and sit on a chair to eat them.

“I-I don’t care, I can pretend to be someone else or something.” Shinai said as she seat next to him. She leaned on his shoulder as she cross her arm with a pout.

“Well… We’ll see then” Juniel smiled and feed her some of his ice-cream, as they chill around till afternoon.

.._..

Meanwhile in the car, Amy took the seat at the front, next to her driver, while Riz, Angela and Damian occupy the seat at the back. Angela and Damian could not stay still inside because the car was quite spacey and the cushion is very soft. It seem Amy has taken note of the two of them because they were quite a lot of toys for them to play with during the journey.

Since Riz woke up early today, with the car not shaking that much plus with the comfortable cushion, he soon nodded off and fall asleep up until they arrive. During that time, Angela and Damian played with the toys without bothering their big brother sleep too much.

Though halfway through, Angela too took a nap next to Riz while she hugging him, and Damian head on Riz lap as he play with a transformer toy. Amy looked through the rear mirror and can see why it has become quiet, so she smiled as she chatted with her driver about casual everyday stuffs, and she once awhile also checked her phone and social media.

.._..

With that, few minute after the afternoon, a maroon coloured car arrived in front of a big golden gate door. The gate wall is very high and seems to cover a very large area around the gate, if one try to see, it would felt as if it were an endless distance, thus one would not know the exact perimeter of the whole area covered by the gate.

After waiting for almost five minute at the gate, another car arrived behind the maroon car, by which the big door left side are then being opened by the guard inside. Both the car then went inside with the other car follow the maroon car lead.

After they park the car in front of a building, Jyu Niel then came out from the other car, with a twin tailed bespectacled lady coming from his passenger side. She then follow Jyu Niel walk closer to the maroon car and stopped few steps away from it.

Amy soon came out and as soon as she did, Riz, Angela and Damian also came out together. The two, Angela and Damian looked around while holding to Riz shirt, hiding behind him despite their curious eyes. Riz went to Jyu Niel side and Amy then lead them to her office.

In the office, there were a big brown table near the big window behind it with a big chair. In front of the table is a set of peach coloured sofa. “Have a seat.” Amy said with a smile as she then make some drink for six people. She put a slice of lemon on each of the six glasses, then pour the drink into the glasses before she then serve on table.

Jyu Niel and the twin tailed bespectacled lady took one glass to take a few sips after they sat down. Riz just sat there quietly, and looked up at Jyu Niel. Seeing how calm Jyu Niel is, means that what Amy said must have been true, so he looked down while sighing in his heart. He is unwilling to leave this deceased parents house just like that.

And with that, Amy took out the document related to Riz, Angela and Damian’s custody from her cabinet. It was a copy of the original document, but was enough to show to Riz that it was real. After Riz flipped through the document, he put it on the table and sighed.

“Tonight, stay here.” Amy said happily with a smile. And Riz just nodded as an okay. “I’ve long prepared your rooms here, so I’ll show to you after dinner.”

From arriving until now, Jyu Niel has never spoken as he only watched and accompany Riz. Before going back, Amy took Angela, Damian and also the twin tailed bespectacled lady around the building, showing around to them.

“Riz, there is one reason as to why I passed your custody to her.” Jyu Niel spoke as he pats Riz when riz again looked up to him.

“Why?” Riz asked with a bit frown.

“She can take care of you and your siblings, your education here will be better, and your well-being is reassuring.” Jyu Niel said and smile.

“But she’s a weird lady. I-I got ghostbumps when she look at me.” Riz said as he look away.

“Ah.. That, yeah she is a bit weird… Don’t… mind that” Jyu Niel said awkwardly and laugh a bit.

“Uh… I’ll try…” Riz mumble with another sigh.


-To Be Continue-