The Assassin's Enemy Lover

“Even the twin suns of Varanasi?” asked one of the boys while cupping his cheek with his hand his elbow resting on the table.

Zi Han took a sip of his galaxy lemonade cocktail through the coiled straw before saying, “Uh-huh, brighter than that but that smile is only for me,” pointing to himself before continuing, “He doesn’t smile just for, for anyone. Only me... to everybody else he is an ice cold, cold prince.”

One of them who seemed quite interested in Zi Han leaned closer and asked, “So why did you break up if he was that angelic?”

Zi Han pouted with the slight pinkness on his inner lip shimmering under the lights. His expression downturned instantly with his head lowered seeming aggrieved. “You can’t ask that,” said one of the boys but Zi Han waved his hand and said,

“It’s fine. We are... our relationship is in limbo. But I,” he said only to stop when a hand was placed on his shoulder.

When he looked up he saw Secretary K standing there tall and straight with a stern expression. “Young sir, your mother insists that you go to bed now. Please follow me,” he said while glaring at the few performers just in case they had any designs for Zi Han and plan on taking advantage of him while he is inebriated.

Zi Han obediently nodded his head and followed after Secretary K. When he passed his mother and Grandpa’s table he just had to stop. They were playing checkers and from the looks of it, it was a tie.

“Give up little Xixi. You have already lost,” said Grandpa Zi while placing the most bitter liquor in the federation on the table, “You might as well accept your punishment.”

.....

Zi Xingxi laughed and said in turn, “No you give up old man. This time I am going to win.”

Zi Han’s brow creased when he saw a crooked piece on the old board. Having lived with Yi Chen for a very long time he had developed a habit of fixing things on account of Yi Chen’s tendencies of over orderliness.

He reached out and moved it but it turned out he actually helped his mother finally win against his grandpa. “There, all better,” he said with a proud smile like he had done something amazing.

Zi Feiji, “...”

“Checkmate! Yes Hahaha drink up old man,” said Zi Xingxi with a taunting smile on her face. She was so excited and one could understand why.

She never won these kinds of games against her father ever. From the moment she could hold the pieces without putting them in her mouth her father never let her win. He couldn’t even spare a five year old.

Now victory was afoot because she had a secret weapon. “You brat! That is cheating. No outside help,” said Zi Feiji feeling as though he had been betrayed by these two.

“It counts. Accept defeat old man,” said Zi Xingxi and Zi Han couldn’t help but laugh, laughing at his grandpa.

“How disrespectful. I am not only your grandfather but I am also your superior,” yelled grandpa Zi and Zi Xingxi grabbed her son’s wrist before they took off running.

Zi Han ran along but he wasn’t sure why they even had to bother running. “Give me something to hit them with,” said Zi Feiji and Old Lu gave him a cane.

Zi Feiji looked at it and said, “I am not trying to kill them. That’s too excessive.”

“Oh, sorry sir,” said Old Lu before putting it back in the interspatial storage and taking out a glove.

“What am I supposed to do with that?” asked Zi Feiji and Old Lu swung it before saying,

“You can slap them. It’s an old earth thing. It’s called a glove slap. You know, when our ancestors used to duel.”

Zi Feiji, “...”

“Do we look like we are about to duel? This is not a two-way beating but a one-way. Give me a damn slipper,” said Zi Feiji and Old Lu replied,

“Yes sir,” as he took out the slipper and handed it to him.

After that Zi Feiji took off running while calling out their names. “You better come out now otherwise I will make things worse for you,” yelled Zi Feiji while walking around the empty halls.

Meanwhile, Zi Han was hiding in the cleaning robot’s closet with his mother while snickering.

Zi Xingxi placed her finger on her lips and shushed him. “Shh, shh. If he catches us we are done for,” said Zi Xingxi with the both of them crammed in such a tiny space.

“Why did we have to hide here? Why can’t I hide in my cabin?” asked Zi Han and Zi Xingxi stared at him with an expression as though looking at an idiot.

“How much did you drink?” she asked while pinching his cheek.

Zi Han placed his index finger on his chin as though thinking before saying, “This... ah no this much.” He raised his hands and showed a measurement which was more like measuring distance rather than liquids.

Zi Xingxi pinched her nose bridge and said, “No, I mean. How much as in how many glasses.”

Zi Han appeared like a stupid idiot as he counted with his fingers several times and then recounted again and again unable to count properly.

Zi Xingxi raised her brow wondering if his IQ was diluted by liquor. “What comes after five?” asked Zi Han and Zi Xingxi made a mental note never to let him drink unsupervised ever again. He wasn’t loud or anything like that. He was just abnormally quiet and so, so stupid. Yes, mothers aren’t supposed to call their kids stupid but come on.

Thinking his mother didn’t understand what five meant he raised his hand and said, “This much. What comes after that.”

Zi Xingxi was about to say something when they heard a sound outside. It was Zi Feiji looking for them and from the looks of it, he was tired of searching. Before she could even close her mouth Zi Han placed his index finger on his mother’s lips while whispering loudly, “Shh shh he is coming shh.”

Zi Xingxi, “...”

Could she return him where he came from? Zi Xingxi pushed his finger away and asked, “Why does your finger smell like chocolate? It’s almost as though you dipped your hand in the chocolate fountain,” she said and she did regret having that by the way. Her son looked like a kid in a chocolate factory for the first time. Maybe it was because he was so drunk that he couldn’t contain his excitement.

“I dipped my whole hand in it. I liked it very very much,” he said his eyes sparkling.

“Oh god,” muttered Zi Xingxi before the door slid open and Zi Feiji said,

“GOTCHA!!”

Zi Han, “AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!”

Zi Feiji, ???

Zi Xingxi, ‘facepalm.’