Chapter 38

Without thinking, Arthur embraced the figure in his room. He was buried in his chest, his squeaks and clicks were heard as he smelled the familiar scent. His father was here and it felt so long since they last hugged or heard from each other.

Arthur was enveloped into a wing embrace, like a large duvet or comforter. The both of them didn't speak for a few minutes, just happy to hear from each other and hug each other physically. Arthur reached up to feel his father's face, trying to make out how his face might look like now.

Same as always, only feeling a few wrinkles close to his muzzle and the spectacles around his eyes.

"I missed you," Arthur murmured in the hug. He could hear his father chuckling and rubbing his back in a soothing manner. "I even missed our time cooking dinner together."

"Me too, son," his father sighed. "Life is very funny, isn't it? Like a box of chocolates, we don't know what we will get. How is school and settling in Cherryton for you?"

Arthur smiled and gestured his father to hang upside down between the gaps of his bunk bed. Once both Honduran white bats were settled, Arthur began telling him about his first day at Cherryton, to the friends he made and even the struggles.

"Arthur," his father assured him. "There's no shame in being a C or B student. I was a lot worst than you. Right now even, with the other professors and colleagues disproving my theory on studying the sound waves that can be decipher in the voids of space."

"Sounds? I thought you can't hear anything in space due to the vacuum and lack of particles to make even a whistle in the air."

"That's what I thought. Though, I might say it could be another layer of the universe that we all don't know. Like the sea, we don't know even with our aquatic friends. So Arthur, how are you settling with girls in the school?"

Arthur almost dropped from his hanging position. "W-what do you mean?"

"Oh, ever since we moved here and you exchanging from all-boys Gryphon Cross to Cherryton, was it difficult talking to girls?"

Arthur wanted to fluffed up his fur to cover his face besides his wings. "Well....they are nice but you know, just the same like the Selkie girls from my old rival school. I joined a gardening club and my club president is nice but tough. Her name's Haru but don't be fooled by the fact she's a dwarf rabbit. She can break our knees if anyone dare crosses her."

His father chuckled, encouraging his son to continue. Arthur told him about Haru, the drama club, his new friends like Legosi and Aoba along with the troubles he faced such as certain subjects and his run in with the black market.

"Hold on," his father paused him from continuing. "You went to the black market?"

Hearing the disbelief and horror in his voice, Arthur assured him. "I didn't know it was the black market until I smelled blood. You know we can't eat meat or blood like the Vampyrum bats. But we learnt our lesson when Bill and I were captured by the group called the Shishigumi."

The old bat just listened as his son told him how he got out and carried on. He noticed the scar across his son's wing membrane and cheek. He was glad that his son was okay and wasn't traumatised by the whole ordeal. Arthur told him about how those lions almost ate him but left out the details of Louis being their boss a secret.

"The news is you're safe and that's all that matters. I remembered when I first was tricked into going there with my colleagues, I assumed it's a market much like our farmers market back home with black produce. Of course, I just tried to make a bad impression of the Count to scare some hungry dogs off my back."

Arthur laughed but something was on his mind. "Dad, I don't want to sound rude but what are you doing here?"

"Ah, I was wondering when are we getting to that. I was invited here by the principal to give a talk for the seniors before they graduate. Mostly for preparation for them either to go to university or live out their life. Have you thought of yours yet?"

Arthur's expression then fell. "I...I don't know, dad," his voice held a waver in the sentence. "I think I know what to do but at the same time I don't. I love to play music but I also love making delicious dishes, mathematics and even physics in a sense."

"It will be okay, Arthur. As much as we are all rushing to grow up, none of them realised that we are just clueless at everything. Being an adult is like being a child with more workload in your life that you choose to take responsibility or not. All of us have different ways of dealing with it. If anything happens, I'll be there to support you."

"Dad..."

Just then, there was a knock on the door!

...

Aoba almost jumped back to see a Honduran white bat with glasses that answered the door. He could tell that this must be Arthur's father because he could see the resemblance minus the darker colours at the ears and muzzle that reminded the bald eagle of tangerines.

Plus, he's got those amber-coloured eyes that resembled the sun.

"Oh hello!" the bat greeted them cheerfully. "You must be Aoba, right? I'm Arthur's father, Dr Kirk but please call me Kirk."

Aoba was surprised by how pleasant this bat was. Almost like he figured Arthur would be like him as he grows older but who knows! He smiled and offered his wing in greeting as the two shook in greeting.

Arthur was already inside and wiggled his ears, his body language showed that he was excited but also a bit nervous. He figured the young bat thought there might be conflict between his friend and his father.

"Hello Aoba," Arthur greeted. "We were just making some cup of tea and dad brought his homemade trifle. Care to have some?"

"I'd love to," the bald eagle smiled.

So the three of them decided to chat while Dr Kirk spooned the trifle in the bowls for each of them. The trifle contained sponge vanilla cake, strawberry jelly, layer of mixed berries, custard and finally rich whipped cream.

It was the most divine thing Aoba has ever tasted!

Arthur has brewed vanilla black tea, a fitting hot beverage for a berry dessert for the evening. He and Aoba were planning to help each other with their marine language homework. Arthur can speak the words but reading and writing were a different matter.

"I can't help but notice," Dr Kirk mused, nibbling his spoon of trifle. "That I saw a nice looking sweater on your chair. Where did you buy it from."

"Oh that..." Arthur's squeaked. "It's from a friend of mine. We recently exchanged gifts we made after our outing. I made for her a pencil cup since she likes to design and do tailoring."

"Technically, his 'girlfriend'," Aoba teased, which made the blind Honduran white bat flustered.

"Why didn't you tell me you went out with someone?" Dr Kirk's amber eyes lit up. Despite his cloudy blue eyes, Arthur's head was directly at the sound of his father's question. "Are you a bit shy in telling your dear old dad?"

Aoba covered his beak, trying not to laugh at how cute Arthur was when he's completely flustered.

His wings were wrapped around his whole body like a wheat crepe with the fluffy white fur looking like coconut shavings and those big ears pointing upwards.

"Please," Arthur pleaded, his fur already fluffed to cover his face. "Mizuchi and I are just friends. We had a rocky start in the beginning but eventually things are going slow but smoothly. She's very nice once she's relaxed. She has a lovely voice."

Dr Kirk wiped his glasses, his amber eyes were already sparked. "Alright, Arthur. Oh, look at the time! I must get back to my apartment. Please, feel free to drop by anytime and let's have our get together dinner."

Now Arthur unfurled his wings, nodding. "Yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea. I'll make my dessert this time."

"I'm looking forward to that, son," Dr Kirk laughed. Both bats embraced each other before he bid goodbye to the eagle.

"Well, a pleasure to meet you, Aoba," said Dr Kirk. "I'm glad Arthur has found a good friend in you."

Aoba was touched by the old bat's kind words. "I'm glad to meet a wonderful animal like your son."

"I can hear the both of you!" shouted Arthur, who was in the bathroom.

Both of them laughed before Dr Kirk took off into the night from Arthur's dorm window.