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"Hyde! You made it!" Arturo welcomed the trio with open arms while Hyde set Harper down near one of the tables. "I see... the whole family is here to celebrate, aiy?"

He joked, gesturing to Yanpu and Harper.

"I didn't come because of your updated menu. I'm just hungry."

"Oh, Hyde, don't be shy." Arturo snickered and smacked his shoulder roughly. Then he smiled at Harper and ushered her into the seat. "Come! Sit! Sit! The menu is here, Amora. Tell me if you see anything you like."

Then he looked at Yanpu. "And for the little one? He eats for free. Young boys must eat plenty so they can grow real strong, si." Arturo brushed Yanpu's hair playfully. "What is his name again?"

"Yanpu."

"Ah. Yes! Yanpu." Arturo nodded. "Yanpu, I have a special meal prepared for you. Would you like to try?"

"Is it... ice cream?" Yanpu's eyes lit up with excitement. Harper remembered the promise she had made. No doubt, he was still very excited about trying it for the first time.

"Hm. No. Scusi. But! It is very sweet like ice cream. A new pastry was added here. All the children of Piccposto love it."

"What kind of pastry is it?" Harper inquired, hoping that it wasn't something harmful to Yanpu. She was very nervous about letting him try unfamiliar foods. Exposure was good when it was controlled.

"It doesn't matter," Hyde spoke over her. "He'll take it."

"Hyde—"

"Don't start. I'm buying meals for both of us. If you know what's good for you, keep those lips shut." Hyde flipped open his menu, annoyed by her unnecessary questions.

"Okay! Come young one, I'll take you to try it. It is a hazelnut biscuit. You will like." Arturo grabbed Yanpu by the hand and winked at both Harper and Hyde. "I'll be back. Don't hesitate to look through the menu. It's Piccposto's best, no Itaria's!"

When Arturo led Yanpu away, Harper quickly shifted her angry gaze to Hyde.

"You're so irritating. I only asked because Yanpu is not familiar with the food."

"You're babying him..."

"I'm his caretaker! I have every right to be worried!"

"Just pick what you want, already."

"Fine." Harper huffed and flipped open the menu. She paused when she realized. "Wait..."

Why was Hyde treating her to eat? They had been arguing all day. Not to mention, they couldn't stand the sight of each other.

She looked at him, but he was extremely focused on the page he was reading. His fingers slid down as he examined all his options.

What if he was planning on poisoning her?

Harper felt sick in the stomach just thinking of that.

"Have you figured it out yet?" Hyde grumbled. "I don't have all day. I want to get my order over with."

"Um... I... I don't know..."

Hyde rolled his eyes. "I'll order the same dish for both of us—"

"No, wait!" Harper grabbed him by the arm, stopping him from signaling to one of the waiters. "Um... uh..."

"Do you want a platter or a stew?"

"Which one is better?"

"All of it."

"You're not helping." Harper frowned.

"I wasn't trying to."

"This." Harper pointed at a random picture of a bowl of yellow soup topped with basil leaves. "What is it?"

Hyde squinted his eyes to get a closer look.

"Cream Squash."

That sounded delicious. Harper bit her lip before deciding.

"I'll try that."

"Scusi!" Hyde waved his arm high, and a waiter with blonde hair stopped at their table. "A bowl of the number 6 for her. And I'll have my usual."

"How would eyu like eyu meat cooked, sir?" The Blonde took out his notepad and started writing.

"Medium rare."

"Of course, sir. Isseh that all?"

"Si."

"Wait! I didn't see what else was on the menu!"

"You're getting one thing. Don't expect much." Hyde snapped before handing both menus to the waiter. "This isn't for you. It's for the brat."

"You're doing this for Yanpu?" Harper gawked.

"If he starves to death, you won't let me hear the end of it."

"If that were the case, you would just kill me right away if I complained."

"I would, but I'm exhausted. So it wouldn't be fun watching your blood dry when I haven't slept well in days." Hyde smirked. "However,"

Hyde pulled Harper's chair closer to his. "We can still practice,"

"Practice? Practice what?" Harper swallowed hard. "We don't have to practice anything, okay? I'm as exhausted as you are. Just don't hurt Yani, and I'll stay out of your way." Harper bit her lip nervously.

Hyde propped his arm on the table and began to stare at the night sky, while Harper decided to make the time go by faster by hiding in her thoughts.

But the deeper she wondered, the more subtle thoughts about Hyde came to mind. There were so many questions she wanted to ask him. Knowing that he was tired, she was holding back.

But it was hard to.

Everyone here seemed so relaxed about Hyde. Almost everyone she met spoke highly of him.

And she noticed how different and calmer he was around Arnest's family. How willing he was to help them. Was this behavior really of a man who went insane?

Everything she heard about Hyde here was completely opposite of how people spoke of him in Westona. There was still so much to discover and understand about him.

She needed to pinpoint a weakness of his somehow and use it against him. There was no way for her to escape, but she wouldn't let him take her down so easily.

"Hyde," Harper spoke, but he didn't spare a glance at her. "I don't understand something."

"What?"

"Think about it... these past few days... they feel off. I mean, every time we argue now, it's always about Yanpu or—"

"I don't care about that kid."

"You didn't even let me finish what I had to say—"

"You're easier to deal with when you're quiet. So shut up."

"Rude!"

"Keep it up, and I'll knock you into tomorrow."

"Why do I even bother—"

"Are you guys fighting?" Arturo tusked and shook his head. He heard bits of their conversation. It was very clear that the two had some issues to solve. "Non fight. Here, try some of my newest wine recipe. It'll solve all your problems tonight."

"No thanks." Hyde dismissed quickly. "She can't drink."

"Oh?"

"She's a lightweight."

Harper stuck her tongue at him. "I'll try it, Arturo."

"Like heck, you will." Hyde seethed. "I'm not taking care of your drunk arse."

"Might as well build up my tolerance for it so you won't have to anymore. I'll have a glass." Harper opened her hands to accept Arturo's offer. Arturo was surprised by their words and tones used at each other.

Hyde was stubborn, but Arturo was able to get the hint that Hyde wasn't that fond of Harper. This was not just his regular resistant behavior.

He questioned if the two were having relationship hiccups silently. Rather than acknowledging it openly, Arturo just pulled both empty glasses toward him and began pouring the wine he had been developing.

Harper watched as the red liquid slid down and glazed against the transparent material.

"Before you drink, I must teach you how to enjoy it."

"You don't have to explain." Hyde placed the glass in between his fingers and began twirling it around.

"Aiy, but I do. This wine recipe is for young couples like you. Do not simply just drink. It is a love wine. The drink is strong." Arturo grabbed Harper and Hyde's hands attached to their respective glasses, before bringing them closer.

"You must wrap your arms together like this, and drink. I guarantee you will not argue for the rest of the night after trying it." Arturo chimed confidently.

Hyde rolled his eyes and yanked his arm closer to his body, forcing Harper to thrust toward him.

"Aiy, si, the closer the better. Now drink."

"Good luck. You're going to need it." Hyde sneered sinfully at her, before pressing his lips against the glass.

Harper did the same very quickly to spite him.

The sweet liquid seeped down her throat effortlessly. The taste was very light. She could hardly tell it was an alcoholic beverage. When she downed the entire glass, her eyes shifted to Hyde.

He finished as well. They moved in sync, and their glasses accidentally clinked together. The sound of it grabbed both of their attention causing their gazes to meet.

Harper paused when she felt a chill. But it wasn't one to frighten her. She couldn't explain it well, but it felt satisfying, oddly.

His blood-red eyes narrowed, and that's when Harper noticed how the moonlight reflected off of them so clearly. Before, she used to think they were intimidating, but with the different mood set, they were a very beautiful color.

Hyde broke eye contact with her and unraveled his arm from hers, and Harper's heart ached. He turned away from her without a care. But Harper's eyes remained on him.

Strangely, she couldn't bring herself to look away.

"Did the drink work?" Arturo smirked.

Hyde smiled at him, before uttering a sarcastic sneer. "Not at all." He flicked Harper on her forehead, and she quickly snapped out of her trance. "I'm still pissed at the sight of you."

"You—!" Harper stammered and massaged her head.

"It's bullcrap, Turo. You already know this shite has no effect on me." Hyde mocked. "Taste isn't bad though."

"Mm. Graci." Arturo jested back. "Try some more. Then I will leave you both alone." He poured more wine into their glasses before disappearing into the crowd once more.

Harper pressed her lips together, licking the bottom because the taste of the wine was still very evident.

She felt something just then. She reasoned that the wine was making her go crazy, but she could've sworn it felt so real. Just then, she lusted for him.

For a brief moment, she wanted his touch to linger. It was the wine. It had to have been.

"Eyu food, sir." The waiter came back with a tray full of dishes. He placed a plate with a large flat juicy piece of meat, served with sliced vegetables and a small bowl of stew in front of him.

Then he placed Harper's bowl of creamed squash in front of her. When he finished, Hyde dismissed him and reached for his knife and fork before cutting into the meat immediately.

"It looks great." Harper studied his plate in awe.

"It is." Hyde scoffed.

"Say, I'll let you try some of mine if you give me a small piece of yours."

"No."

"Huh?"

"If you wanted a piece you should've ordered your own."

"I don't even know what this is for me to identify it on the menu! You didn't give me much time to look."

"Not my problem."

"It doesn't hurt to share."

"Alright. Since you still don't get it." Hyde set his fork down. "Why would I share with a lowly Westona Scientist who praises malice ways to accomplish a goal that will never succeed?"

"Malice?" Harper spat. "You know what's Malice? Tricking these people into thinking I'm your wife! Giada and the others seem to care a lot about you! Do you realize what you're doing to them? Do you even care?"

"How is that relevant to this conversation? It's my business. Not that I have to explain it to you."

"Everyone here speaks so highly of you. But you're the cunning type. Giada would be hurt if she found out what you really think of Arnest!"

Harper felt her blood boiling. Wine. She needed more wine. She grabbed her glass and downed it, but it still wasn't enough to distract her from her thoughts.

"Waiter!" She waved her hands and motioned for him to come over. "More wine please!"

"Hey, I told you I won't take care of you if you're drunk."

"You don't have to." Harper down another glass when the waiter poured some more wine, which finally made her feel very tipsy.

She grabbed Hyde's glass and poured the wine into hers, before downing that one as well. She continued to murmur, and after some time she started to slur her words.

She was completely drunk.

Her face felt hot, but she didn't care. Only in this state could she say what she had to say to Hyde.

Harper hiccuped first and then grabbed onto Hyde's shoulder.

"Listen here, you con man... you... evil man." Harper voiced. "I know you hate me. And that's fine. But you know what I think?"

"I don't care." Hyde smacked her hand away. Harper stood up and plopped herself onto Hyde, as her limp wouldn't allow her to go any further.

"I think YOU care about Yanpu." She poked him in the face. "Or maybe you don't. But you yell at me like I'm a horrible mother or something. I don't get it."

"Get off of me," Hyde warned her. "Before I drop you and leave you to fend for yourself."

"I raised Yanpu. I raised him well. But you keep making me look like a bad person. You say you don't care, but you use looogic... to refute... your statement." Harper burped, and Hyde scrunched his face in disgust.

"Why does he have to go to school? You said to be with other children. You didn't scream at him when he gave me an attitude. If I'm being honest... you're acting like his father. And it doesn't help that you both look like you're related. But that's not possible, because you weren't there 4 years ago."

"Are you done?"

"Hyde... what is wrong with you?" Harper sat in his lap and leaned against him. "Arnest looks up to you... I can tell... but you speak like you hate him. You can hate me... but it's not right to hate your friends—"

"Get your shite straight. I'm not his friend. I'm his employer. Get up."

"You won't listen to me," Harper whined.

"Oh, overseers." Hyde groaned, and Harper froze. She heard it right. Did they have the same beliefs? "Get up!"

"No."

"Vixen."

"That's not my name."

"You're treading on thin ice, woman."

"That's also not my name."

Hyde stood up, and Harper slid onto the concrete, smacking right onto it. She whimpered, but Hyde brushed off his pants casually, pretending that he didn't hear her.

The crowd was now staring at them, but Hyde wasn't in the right mind to care. "Arturo!"

"Si?"

"Pack this up and have it delivered to me tomorrow morning. I'll pay you tomorrow." Hyde gestured at the unfinished food.

"Aiy." Arturo nodded and rushed toward them.

"Could you keep Yanpu with you tonight?" Hyde sighed.

"Why?"

"Look." He motioned at Harper, who was mewling on the ground.

"Oh," Arturo smirked. "The wine... What will you do about your Amora?"

"I should leave her here," Hyde mumbled.

"Huh?"

Hyde pulled Harper forward and hoisted her over his shoulder. "Darnit! So heavy!" Hyde almost lost his balance, not because Harper was heavy, but because he misstepped in the process. In reality, Harper wasn't a problem for him to carry.

He didn't feel any weight from her because of his abilities, but he was getting tired of having to haul her everywhere.

Without another word to Arturo, he went back the way they came from.

~~~

"Hyyyyde! I have to throw up!" Harper gagged once again as Hyde carried her up some stairs.

Quickly, he set her down. Harper limped over to a bush and released all her contents inside.

"Disgusting." Hyde cringed.

"I'm dooone!" Harper wiped her mouth and announced happily, extending her arms out so Hyde could lift her back off the ground. He didn't though.

"Is this a game to you?"

"Huh?"

"I've had to stop 5 times because of you. I'm not carrying you. Suck it up and walk yourself back." Hyde brushed by her, but Harper quickly clasped onto his arm.

"Nooo."

"Harper."

"Take me with youuu."

Hyde let out a string of swears. It was taking everything in him to not kick her down and leave her.

Words could not describe how much he despised her drunken state. Hyde sat down on one stair and nudged Harper's forehead against the wall. "You're so stupid. You thought that exposing yourself to more alcohol would build up a tolerance? You're hardly tolerant of anything."

"It's your fault for letting me drink..." Harper murmured.

"My fault?"

"Yeahhh... you're fault! You're always rude to me. Always making me want to prove you wrong." Harper hiccuped and poked him in the shoulder. "Hey, Hyde... be honest with me."

Harper sat up straight to look at him, but her balance was off. She propped her neck against the wall and burped.

"Why are you so mean to me?"

Hyde raised a brow. A devilish smirk appeared on his face.

"Everyone here values you. They praise you. But I don't understand it. You say you don't care for anyone, but you show them respect and also get in the way of me handling Yanpu's matters."

"I don't care about that brat."

"You keep saying that," Harper whined. "Okay. If that's the caaase. Why do you look at everyooone eeeelse with respect?"

"This conversation again..." Hyde rolled his eyes.

"No... it's not respect." Harper furrowed her eyebrows and frowned. "You treat them with care. You protect them. You laugh with them."

"Are you jealous?"

"I'm saying, there has to be a reason why Giada tells me how good you are. I don't want to believe you're good. You're evil. An evil man."

Her words were even more slurred than before, making it hard for him to take what she was saying seriously. But her tone was straightforward.

"You're gonna regret saying that once you're sober." Hyde grabbed her by the arm, but she pulled away.

"I need your honesty right now. 10 years agooo. What happened to you? I don't know what to believe. Are you insane?"

Hyde's red eyes began to glow, usually indicating that he was angry or going through another episode. Harper flinched when he fixed his posture.

"I don't know what exactly Bomb told you. But it's my business and something you shouldn't dig up if you want to live."

"I helped you. I saved you."

"You didn't do shite."

"I bandaged you and took you into my home. I know where the scar on your chest came from. I saw it happen."

Hyde's muscles tensed when she placed her palm against his front.

"You don't even realize how worried I was when you left." Harper began to cry. "I looked everywhere for you. I was afraid that something else happened to you." Her sobs became heavier.

"And when I tried to report you missing to the rescue patrols, they didn't believe me. They mocked me because you were a perfect serviceman. They told me that it was impossible for you to get hurt—"

"No serviceman is perfect."

"You think I don't know that?" Her voice cracked. "A few days later, there was a National broadcast that you killed so many people and went missing. I felt so bad. I believed it was my fault. And I—"

"You're an emotional drunk. It's annoying." Hyde poked her in the head.

"You're angry with me because of that, right? That's why you threaten me."

"I'm enraged. Yes. But not at you." Hyde admitted hesitantly. "I won't explain myself further."

"You're not angry at me."

"Not because of that, no. That doesn't change that you do cross the line, though."

Her tears slowed, and she began to wipe them away. Without warning, she swooped in and wrapped her arms around Hyde. He remained stiff, trying to keep his calm with her.

The discomfort he felt in that moment was immeasurable. This was an enemy that was embracing him like they had been lifelong friends. She was drunk, so he knew it wasn't genuine.

"I'm glad you're okay." She sighed into his shoulder.

The words struck him speechless. The same woman who had cursed at him, and wished the worst to happen to him was sharing meaningful words laced with comfort.

It affected him a lot. He felt his blood warming, and his heart rate sped up before aching.

What was this feeling? What just happened? Why did he freeze up?

He despised it.

He snatched Harper's arms away from him and shoved her back. "Get up." He spat out the command.

Harper was startled by his sudden change of emotion. But Hyde knew that when Harper came back to her senses, she would return to her usual state. He wasn't going to allow himself to fall for it.

He pulled her up by the arm, and dragged her up the stairs, ignoring her cries as they went back to the Dojo.

~~~