The Heart Five

17: How difficult is it to convey my feelings?

ON THE WAY TO A DEPARTMENT STORE FOR CLOTHES

Zorg reacts to the revelation, “No F-”

“Watch your language,” I glared at Zorg.

“But I’m a grown up now,” Zorg whines.

“Be honest with me,” I asked my children, “what was the foulest word that ever went out of your mouth?”

“Does the yell we did during the war count?” Axent says his first. “If not, the worst one I said was mother of crap.”

“The battle cry does not count,” I agreed with him.

“Holy shakes,” Azalan taps her chin. “Yeah, that’s the worst one aside from our battle cry.”

“Aside from the battle cry,” Dizane smiles at me, “I never said any foul language… I just freeze with my glaring eyes.”

“Which means… Zorg,” I patted him on his head. “For somebody like you to spit foul language, they might see it as your defense mechanism since you are Cowardice. You don’t want to hear them say that, ‘this guy is a foul-mouth because he is a coward’. Try to control your language, alright?”

“Y-yes dad,” Zorg puffs his cheeks and lowers his head. “It won’t happen again.”

“But father,” Axent puts his arm around my shoulders and grabs me. He might look different, but he still slim like when he was a child, “this is an accomplishment!”

“Yeah,” Azalan seems to convey a message to her siblings while picking some T-shirts for me. “My pick for father definitely won~”

“You were gambling with your pick?” I covered my own face with my hands. “You are so mean…”

“Anyway dad,” Dizane picks up some long-sleeves for me. “You might look good in this navy blue one, but this checkered black and white might look good on you too. What did you like about Krozel?”

“She put up with me the longest when I was so down and depressed, she uh… she was there during the war, supporting us from behind when the five of us were fighting Voix, and uh if I get to know her more… maybe I can see more of her cute side…”

“Hey, papa,” Dizane lightly taps me in the face with her palm. “Try this jeans on and uh… look at Azalan.”

“Huh,” I looked at Azalan.

“Smile~” Azalan grins.

*Camera clicks*

“I wanna die…”

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“How do I look?” I asked my children. “Hey is everything alright?”

“You look absolutely amazing,” Axent compliments my new look. “Your phthalo green jersey jacket matches with your bluish turquoise shirt.”

“You forgot to mention his burnt umber jeans, brother,” Zorg examines me top to toe, “especially those… WHAT ARE THOOOOSE?... white rubber shoes.”

“If you weren’t my father,” Azalan comments on my look, “I’d fall in love with you. However, since you are our father, let me say that I am so proud of having a father just like you… who kinda looks younger than the four of us.”

“Actually,” Dizane covers her face, “you look super handsome and charming! You have to admit, even the female customers and the salesladies are stealing glances of you. It makes me jealous.”

“Well it’s all thanks to the four of you,” I gave them a sparkling smile that unconsciously made some women faint while others started to have hallucinations of sparkles flying over me. “Now, I am ready to go.”

“Wait,” Dizane stops me in my tracks. “Let us have a vote. I’ll give dad a big yes!”

“Dad, you look absolutely awesome,” Zorg gives me a two thumbs up. “It is a wonderful yes for me.”

“Judging from your carefree and somewhat dense attitude,” Azalan critiques me, “your flaws make you perfect! You got a yes for me!”

“Dad,” Axent raises his eyebrow, “if the two of us had a showdown, I think you would win by a little margin. The thing is that, I have to make myself ugly because according to my siblings, I steal their spotlight.”

“What’s your decision, then?” Zorg impatiently waits.

“Shut up, dork,” Axent growls at him and then turns to me. “Dad, you got yourself four yeses, Congratulations!”

Azalan asks Axent, “Did you just quote?”

“Yeah, I did,” Axent grins. “He’s a good judge of character… mostly.”

“You probably have to head to the meeting place and yeah,” she tosses me a smartphone. “You probably need this. It’s got great aunt’s contacts.”

“You mean Maozter’s contact list are already in here?” I grabbed my Dizane and hugged her, “You are one amazing daughter! I’m going now!”

“Yeah, it is probably for the best to let you go, Gazbleir…”

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Smartphone Chat with Krozel (Like duh, I learn to use phones fast… I’m a god for goodness sake)

Gazbleir: I got a new fone with gps. Where will I meet all of you?

Krozel: ,oh you finally have one. Good for you. Then we can all meet at the mall’s entrance.

Gazbleir: Ah yeah, my children bought me a new fone for me.

Krozel: ,u seemed very accustomed to using that, who taught u?

Gazbleir: I learn quickly… the mall has 3 entrances, where can I find u?

Krozel: ,ur already there? I’m still on my way. I’ll ask the others.

Gazbleir: Hey… how r u this past few years?

[seen]

…

Krozel: ,i’m doing well… The others are still on their way.

Gazbleir: I see… I’m gonna wait for a while… just tell me where I can find u later.

Krozel: [sends a thumb up]

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This is awkward, I don’t know what to tell her! I started to panic as I stroll around the mall hoping that I wouldn’t get lost. I noticed a lot of people looking at me strangely. Is there something wrong with the way I dress? I checked myself in a mirror in one of the clothing stores and found nothing wrong. In fact, I looked just like them and I blended well. I’ll just have to ignore them. They wouldn’t even recognize me as the essential being of courage in this look. I wandered over to a bookstore and found some interesting books to read. Suddenly, I was alerted by a vibration followed by a ringing sound coming from my phone. Krozel is the caller, I wonder how I should answer her…

“H-hi, uh hello,” damn it, I screwed up. “Are you guys already there?”

“Yeah, where are you?”

“I’m at uh,” I read the name of the bookstore where I am at, “Libra Bookstore.”

“Alright, don’t go anywhere and we’ll head there. What is the color of your top?”

“It’s a lighter shade of green… I think.”

“Alright, bye.”

“W-wait,” I should’ve said something cool…

“Check the coffeehouse across you,” Axent chats me using the lens. “This Analysis Lens is awesome, dad! I didn’t know you can chat using your thoughts.”

I can see them, disguised perfectly as elders, “Why aren’t you at work and why is Zorg offline?”

“He is afraid because he usually says a lot of bad words with his garbage mouth,” Dizane sends an stuck-out tongue emoji.

“You should come out from that store,” Azalan sends me an alert. “They are coming.”

I returned the book I was reading and hurried out, “They are? Where are they? Are you still there?”

While I hurried out, my children are secretly talking about me.

“He looks anxious,” Dizane sighs, “and excited. I hope he does well.”

“I think dad will do well,” Zorg wipes the sweat off his forehead, “I hope…”

“Come on, let’s keep it positive,” Axent is anxious as well.

“They’re looking for him,” Azalan takes a look, “but I can’t see father. Where is he?”

Dizane chuckles, “Let’s just put our trust in him.”

Actually, I hurried back to buy the book…

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“Let’s use the lens to check them out,” Azalan observes Krozel’s companions while a few steps away from the bookstore. “Uncle Kevin is there…”

“It turns out that Suxil Zelvok, aka Kevin, aka Justice, is dating Rexie Corbez, one of Krozel’s kids, aka Doubt.” Zorg analyzes the data, “It seems that uncle has dated her previous incarnation too. Seeing it now that we are second generation, it makes me feel yucky.”

“It does,” Dizane sighs. “This one’s boobs are like melons or something just like yours Azalan. Her name is Xarulu Zeerie, aka Friendship. She is also one of the children of Krozel. She is in a complicated relationship apparently…”

“Shame,” Axent checks the next one out. “Zuien Xade, also one of her children. Incidentally, Uncle Justin Wisdom, aka Raxion Cazus, is with her and is currently wooing Ms. Xade. Do you remember the time when Krozel went to visit dad? Apparently, we interacted with them too when we were still very young.”

“That was like a long time ago,” Azalan grins. “Shall we rekindle the friendship with them to boost dad’s popularity with them?”

“I think we should let father handle this,” with eyes closed, Dizane gives off a gentle sigh. “I hope this turns out to be something good.”

“Xanina Izere, Ignorance, one of her kids, is also here,” Zorg inspects the smallest one in the group. “My girlfriend is still way prettier~”

“Whatever,” Dizane rolls her eyes.

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“Oh my god,” Rexie shakes Krozel’s arm wildly to get her to look at me, “Is that him?”

Actually, I haven’t seen them yet. I am preoccupied by the four elderly (my children in disguise) whispering about at the coffeehouse across the bookstore.

“Listen,” Kevin whispers to Krozel, “I think you should go and talk to him.”

“…”

“Krozel,” Raxion waves his hand over her face. “Are you blushing?”

“N-no,” Krozel turns away. “W-w-why would I b-b-blush?”

“Why are you stuttering?” Xarulu teases her, “Even I think he looks cool.”

“It looks like he is distracted by something,” Zuien takes a look at those at the coffeehouse. “It doesn’t seem like he is eying other women. There are only elderly across.”

“Come on, Krozel,” go and talk to him. “Are you embarrassed or something?”

“N-n-n-no, of course not…”

“Then talk to him,” Suxil calls me out. “GAZBLEIR, OVER HERE!”

When I heard somebody calling me, I snapped out of my paranoia… and… as if by fate… our eyes… met. God, she is so cute. However, the one calling me is Kevin. There, I noticed that Kevin hasn’t given up on Rexie huh…

“I didn’t know you are with them,” I high-fived Kevin and then turned to Justin. “You are also here, I see…”

“Uh yeah,” Raxion glances over at Zuien. “I’m also going to watch the movie.”

“Movie,” I scratched my head. “I didn’t know we were going to watch a movie.”

“Hey Krozel,” Xarulu pushes her to me, “say something.”

Rexie stares at her, “You invited him, remember?”

“Uh about that,” I corrected them, “I actually asked her if I could come…”

“You asked her,” Suxil leers at me, why would you ask her?”

“I… uh… uhm… I just thought she…” I tried to find another reason aside from getting to know her. Sadly, I simply can’t… “I just wanted to… you know…”

“It looks like he has choked,” Raxion grins at me while whispering to the others.

“It does seem like he is trying to reason out,” Zuien whispers back.

“Dad you i***t,” Zorg tries to alert me in the chat but he ends up yelling in his seat, “tell them about the years lost!”

“DORK!” the three other siblings grab his head altogether and slams them in the table causing a scene and got me distracted.

“What happened with the elderlies over there?” Xarulu comments.

“N-nothing,” I pushed Kevin and Justin forward. “We are wasting time…”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Suxil agrees and we press forward.

While leaving the area, I stole another glance at Krozel who seemed to be distracted by something else. I hope she isn’t thinking about that guy…

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TO BE CONTINUED

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