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When 6:01 PM arrived, the doors to the bedroom slid open. Harper knew it was Hyde who stepped in. She kept her eyes glued to the notepad in front of her. With the limited time she was given, she tried her best to organize the results from the vital link.

Hyde sauntered to a stop beside her and placed his hands in his pockets. Then he bent down and glanced at the notepad before shifting his red eyes back to her. "So?..."

Harper took a deep breath and handed him the notebook. But when Hyde tried to take it, Harper's grip tightened on it, as she was very hesitant about doing something that would risk her losing everything she worked for.

Hyde ripped it away from his fingers, annoyed by her unwillingness. He observed the first page, before flipping through the rest of the report casually. "Not bad..." He tusked. "Your handwriting could use a bit of work, but it's readable."

"It could've been better if you didn't rush me..." Harper mumbled to herself.

Hyde read the highs and lows, data of Yanpu's rapid heartbeats. It seemed like the link caught several instances of the boy in panic throughout the day.

Hyde pondered if he was getting bullied that much. When he finished going through the report, he tossed the notebook onto her mat and grabbed Harper by her face. Using his thumb, and other fingers to squeeze her cheeks.

"Charge the device so it'll be ready for the kid tomorrow. Every day, you're going to list the results at the same time." Hyde smirked and shoved her face away.

Harper caught herself before she could fall completely. She sat up and quickly called to him before he left the room.

"Hyde," She huffed. "Is Yanpu going through issues while at school?"

"What do you think?" Hyde retorted snarkily.

"I've never seen his vitals so unstable. Yanpu's heartbeat has always been steady. And I think you should reconsider forcing him to go to school."

Hyde crossed his arms. "A child's heartbeat is never supposed to remain steady at all times."

"Yanpu, he's not like other—"

"That's bullshite." Hyde cut her off before she could finish. "Are you really a scientist?"

Harper chose not to respond. She was exhausted for the day and didn't want to fight with him.

"You and those other dopes from the Facility think you're the smartest of all of Cryston, but everyone outside of the West can dissect your IQ points into pieces."

Hyde glared at her when she moved her eyes down.

"Look at me when I'm talking. Listen to what I'm about to say." He spat.

"I am listening." Harper frowned. "Just say what you have to say. I have a headache."

"Any child's heart beats fast when they're having fun, or when they're excited. Are you too stupid to get that?" He poked her in the head. "A scientist ought to know that. But you're telling me while he was kept in your care, his emotions were limited so he could keep as orderly as you wanted... all for what?"

Hyde paused. "All to get a gold star, a Pat on the back because you turned in a report that said he was stable. Think about it. Does that sound ethical to you?"

"Since when do you care about ethics?" Harper shot back. "Was it ethical for you to kill so many of my coworkers the day you took me? Have you thought about that?"

"Of course," Hyde chuckled. "They attacked me."

"Then what about me? How is it ethical for how you've treated me? I almost starved because of you! You forced me to pee in a cup, twice! You struck me with your sword! But I never attacked you!"

"And yet... You're still alive."

A tear streamed down Harper's face, and she quickly wiped it away. It wasn't long before another fell, and then another.

"Get rest." Hyde turned on his heel, unbothered by her crying. When he walked out of the bedroom, he spotted Yanpu by the coffee table studying Harper's flower closely.

"You there," Hyde called.

Yanpu sat up and looked at him.

"Put your shoes on, and follow me." Hyde grabbed both of his swords and strolled to the door.

Yanpu quickly got up and darted toward the exit. He slipped on his sandals. Hyde opened the door and gestured for him to go first, to which Yanpu accepted.

But before Hyde could step out, he felt a hand grab his arm.

"Where are you taking him?"

"You'd better let go of me if you know what's good for you." Hyde scowled at Harper.

"Please don't hurt him,"

"I don't like repeating myself..." Hyde snatched his arm out of her grasp. "It's none of your business."

"I'm asking that you uphold your part of our deal. You promised..." Harper felt the hair on the back of her neck stick up because of her nervousness. "At least tell me where—"

Hyde raised one of his blades and held it against her neck. She reacted and stepped back.

"I'll uphold our deal on the basis that you stay out of my way."

"Okay." Harper bit her lip.

"Lock up." Hyde shut the doors tight. Once he heard the sound of metal clicking, a smirk appeared on his face. For once, she was starting to follow his instructions. It felt like a weight lifted off of him.

He stared at the horizon and observed the sky. They only had a few minutes until the sun would set completely.

A little bit of darkness won't hurt. It could prove to be very beneficial, Hyde thought. So with that thought in mind, he tilted a nearby battered pale with his foot, and tossed it high so he could catch the handle.

Yanpu was amazed at the trick, and his eyes widened when Hyde looked at him directly.

"Alright kid, let's go." Hyde wiped his face and started on a path that led down a hill and away from the homes and businesses.

The crickets began to sing as they went along their journey. But when they ventured far out, and near the large body of water, close to Aturo's vineyard, Yanpu noticed the sky was now covered in stars.

Where was Hyde taking him? Had he done something wrong? What was the bucket for?

The swords in Hyde's hand clacked and clanged against each other with every step he took. The metal kissing each other to show its sharp edges frightened him a bit.

If he wanted to, Hyde could kill him right then and there.

Hyde placed the pale on the grass before walking over to a big rock protruding out of the dirt. He sat on it and kicked his leg back on one side.

"Alright." He stabbed his swords into the ground and waved at the bucket. "Take that, and gather all the stones you see within a 30-yard radius."

Yanpu looked at the pale and looked back at Hyde with a baffled expression.

"I don't have to explain what a radius is, do I?" Hyde grumbled.

"I... I know it." The boy mustered up some courage to speak. Hyde only responded with an eyebrow raise.

"And you're still standing there because...?"

"It's dark."

"No shite." Hyde whipped out a lighter and a cigarette, before placing it in his mouth.

"I... c-can't see."

Hyde snorted. "Let's pretend you didn't say that." Hyde became impatient with those words coming from Yanpu. He knew that both of them had sharp eyesight. Although it was dark, both He and Yanpu were made to automatically switch to their other senses to help them withstand trials.

They were bred to be the next line of powerful fighters, after all.

"Life works the same way. You don't always see your enemies coming." He pointed in the direction away from him, blowing out a puff of smoke. "Go."

Without anything else to say, Yanpu took off his sandals and felt around carefully. He was going to try to find as much as he could, despite the darkness.

The sounds of Hyde's inhaling and exhaling distracted him somewhat, but he tried his best to focus on the task at hand. He found one stone and placed it in the pale. Then he found another and another.

Eventually, he found a handful and carried them to the bucket, but Hyde stopped him. "That's not enough."

"Huh?"

"Lift it." Hyde nudged Yanpu from behind with his foot. "If you can raise it easily, then it's not enough."

Yanpu frowned and wiped his face. Though it was dark, this open field felt like they were walking around inside a boiling pot. He was sweating so much that his hair started to stick to the sides of his face.

"Don't want to?" Hyde narrowed his eyes. "Then I guess you don't need my help—"

"No!" Yanpu whimpered and began searching for more stones. "I'll look!"

Hyde sighed and leaned against the stone. As more time went by, the more Hyde yawned. It had already been 2 hours.

Yanpu sank onto the ground full of sweat and a drenched head. Hyde was amazed at just how out of shape he was. He wondered why Bomb hadn't started training him to fight yet.

He leaned forward and saw that the bucket was full of rocks to his satisfaction. It was overflowing with them. Hyde huffed and a slight smile widened on his face. He was impressed by the kid's level of persistence.

But that wasn't enough to prove that Yanpu was stubborn enough to handle what he was about to go through.

"Get up. Raise it."

Yanpu stared at Hyde for a moment, pleading with him to have a small break. "Mr—"

"Raise it." Hyde kicked it, causing a few of the pebbles at the top to spill over.

Yanpu did as he was told. But the bucket only went a few inches off the ground. It was too heavy for him. Hyde grabbed the handle, and effortlessly lifted it higher, aiding the boy.

But then Hyde removed his hand, and Yanpu's little arms tightened as he tried to keep it in place.

"Relax your body," Hyde commented. "Breathe a little."

Yanpu's chest began to poke out and his face turned red as he followed Hyde's instructions.

"Not bad," Hyde smirked. But then suddenly, Hyde raised his foot and kicked Yanpu in the torso. The child dropped the bucket and shouted as he skidded across the grass.

Hyde sucked his teeth and walked over to Yanpu. When he saw the tears welled in his eyes, Hyde sneered.

"If you start crying, we can wrap this up and you can find your own way to deal with those bullies."

Hyde's tone was very direct, without any emotion. He squatted over and looked at the mess.

"Get up. Grab all the stones that fell and hold the bucket over your head until I tell you to stop."

"Why?" Yanpu whined, wanting to know why Hyde had knocked him down so harshly. He thought it was unfair that a big tall man was trying to fight a small kid like him.

"You're unbalanced, uncoordinated... sloppy." Hyde spat out the last part. "You've been sheltered your whole life and you don't know how to withstand shite. If you want my help, you'd better quickly understand that you've gotta change that."

Hyde stood and brushed off his pants. "I'll be back in the morning. Don't drop the bucket again."

Hyde walked back in the direction of the dojo, up the stone path. Yanpu was too stunned. Was he really going to stay out here for the entire night?

~~~

In the morning, Harper woke up sore. She stayed up half the night waiting for both Hyde and Yanpu, but they didn't return. Neither did Arnest.

She pondered for a while, asking herself if both men had taken Yanpu with them and abandoned her there. Where would they have taken him if so? She didn't know what exactly Hyde's ultimate goal was.

But that theory didn't make any sense. If they did leave, that meant that Hyde trusted her to stay put. And why would he do that so easily?

Harper made her way into the kitchen with her mind completely deep in her thoughts. Fortunately, there were still leftovers from the night before. She wouldn't go hungry again until lunch.

Before she reached the fridge, heavy knocking on the front door caught her attention. She froze for a moment and blinked.

It could've been Yanpu and Hyde coming back.

Harper rushed to the door and unlocked it. When she opened it, a deep yet silky voice with a very heavy accent spoke.

"Hyde!" A very handsome man with dirty blonde hair, and stubble on his chin flashed his white teeth at Harper, before falling into a puzzled expression. "Oh. Is this the right place?"

He stepped back and examined the door frame, trying to see if he had the correct address. "It is Pa Arnesto's," He mumbled and reverted to the Itarian language.

Harper studied the man up and down carefully. He was dressed in a soldier's uniform, navy in color with a long sword hitched against his waist. Was he looking to arrest Hyde?

No, it couldn't be. He smiled at first when calling for him.

"Miss... eh?" The man gestured, asking for her name.

"Harper."

"Yes, of course, Miss Harper. Do you know where I can find Hyde? I am sure you know him..."

"I don't know," Harper shrugged. "He left last night and he didn't come back. Who are you?"

"Oh, Aiy." The man straightened his shoulders and hummed. "I am Andreis Estonbare. I assume you are Hyde's lover,"

Harper zoned out when he mentioned his name. He was Anna's husband. What a lucky girl, scoring a very handsome and well-mannered man.

"It's nice to meet you,"

"Your accent doesn't sound like everyone else's." Harper blurted. Andreis was stunned by her observation, and it showed on his face, which caused Harper to blush at her comment.

"And you don't have an accent at all." Andreis retorted. "You're not Itarian."

"I—" Harper panicked. Was her cover blown? What if he found out that she was Westonian?

"It's fine, calm down." Andreis chimed. "It seems every year, Piccposto gets new visitors. It's the first time Hyde has ever brought anyone here though. So I guess your relationship is going extremely well." He placed his hands on his waist.

"I am not from Piccposto. I come from the Western region."

"Oh," Harper muttered.

"So, about Hyde? What time did he leave last night?"

"Are you trying to keep track of me? I swear, you and Giada are always acting like I'm a runaway." Hyde announced his presence before Harper could answer.

"Hyde!" Andreis embraced him before he could react.

"Let go, let go, let go!" Hyde fought with Andreis, trying to prevent him from getting closer while also not using his abilities that would hurt him.

"It's been so long!"

"Why are you like this?" Hyde grumbled as Andreis tried to kiss him on the cheek.

"Why are you always pushing me away?" Andreis teased.

"Because you do shite like this!"

"Poor Hyde, there's nothing wrong with a hug."

"Knowing you, you want more than a hug," Hyde growled and shoved him back. "Go kiss your wife instead!"

"We Itarians are very affectionate people." Andreis laughed, taking a glance at Harper who was staring at them very uncomfortably. "You still aren't used to our culture. We hug, we kiss, we are close. Strong bond is formed. But Hyde is a sweetheart deep down. I know it."

"When did you get back in town?" Hyde rolled his eyes.

"Me? What about you!" Andreis cackled. "You leave for 4 years and come back without telling anyone!"

4 years? Harper huffed. Had he really been in Westona for that long?

"I had to take care of something important."

"Ah. I see." Andreis nodded. "Have you finished?"

"Not yet." Hyde walked over to the door, stepping within Harper's line of sight. Before he passed her, she grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Where's Yanpu?" She whispered, so Andreis wouldn't hear.

"Where else?" Hyde snatched his arm out of her grasp. "Make me some coffee."

"Huh?"

"Don't just stand there. Go." Hyde turned her around and nudged her back inside.

Andreis walked in after them and took a seat at the coffee table, across from Hyde.

"Why did it take you 4 years to come back? What was so important that you had to leave your family for?"

"Tch. We're not related."

"That hurts." Andreis sucked his teeth, but a soft smile took over right after. "Aw, don't say that. Familia comes in all shapes. Pa Arnesto took you in as his own. We are brosos."

"There was something I needed. And you? You've been gone almost a whole year. What gives?"

"You're changing the subject."

"Looks like I am... so?" Hyde smirked. Harper watched the two converse in awe. The moment Andreis stepped into the room, Hyde's whole demeanor changed. She couldn't even remember if Hyde treated Arnest this way.

"The Western Section has been having a lot of trouble. Up north, the Grand Duke has requested extra aid. I'm not sure if you're aware, but there's a DTA—"

"Coffee," Hyde cleared his throat, not wanting Harper to hear the rest of his sentence. "Where's the coffee?"

"I just put the water to boil," Harper frowned. "It can't be whipped up in seconds."

"Cold coffee doesn't sound too bad." Hyde leaned back. "Hurry up."

"Are you serious?" Harper frowned.

"Did I stutter?"

"You and your Amora... how long have you—" Andreis observed their odd interaction with each other and tried to ask about it, but Hyde intervened.

"We've known each other for a while. But that's a story for another day. I assume you've met the baby."

"Ah, si." Andreis grinned wide. "I'm disappointed in myself for missing Anna Bella's labor, but our little bambinio is perfect. Have you held her?"

"No thanks." Hyde scoffed.

"Ah, you're still scared of children."

"It's the other way around," Hyde mumbled.

Harper poured some water into a mug before adding some instant coffee. Then she stirred it around and walked over to Hyde. Carefully, she placed the cup on the coffee table.

Rather than a thank you, Hyde raised a brow at her. "It's rude not to serve our guests."

"I figured that Andreis would like some hot coffee." Harper forced a smile. "I hope you can be patient and wait for the water to finish."

"I don't mind." Andreis laughed. Hyde watched as Harper's eyes lit up to the sound of it. Oddly, he felt something prod him. He suddenly felt irritated by Harper's presence.



~~