Masked [BXB]

Chapter 3

"Mr. Atticus, shall Miss Norkz and I handle the guests outside? Certainly, we shouldn't keep them all waiting." The head butler, Keita Yamada, asked.

He had a worried expression, wrinkles forming and brows arched upward as he placed his silver mask on the table. Simply aware of the fact invited guests were coming, he grew impatient. Impatient enough he almost raised his voice against his Master. He remained sitting in his leather chair and only took a sip of his own cup of tea he had received from the butler earlier on. Cold it was.

Distasteful.

"What do you think Hannah should do?" Mr. Atticus said, clearing his throat.

"Now that I think of it.. I suppose it is fine to have her inside to watch over her daughter. Maria is quite a handful, you know."

"At least let my son talk first, would you?"

Keita ought to have himself ahead but for that day only he went too far. Mr. Atticus was not addressing whoever the question was for and to place the blame on him was not going to make the situation any better. With the independent Miss Norkz standing tall without her own mask, it would be embarrassing to say. Neither of them would be interested in their own private lives after all their rankings were on separate levels.

His son looked up at his father, utterly confused once he referred to him as 'son'. Carter he was, his only son and child. Despite his age, he still behaved like an immature teenager.

"Father."

"Dad. Remember?"

"Dad. Why should I instead of Keita?" Mr. Atticus gave a reassuring smile as Carter answered his own questions then.

"Hannah should go out and take care of the invitations." He paused to look at his father. "I'll play with Maria."

'Problem solved' was the kind of look Mr. Atticus had. "Then that leaves you to take care of the guests. You may bring Selina with you for the extra help around."

The butler couldn't help but nod as he listened in. After he bowed down his head, he left shortly after with Miss Norkz, Hannah, aside. The room became quiet, enough to hear a speck of dust fall.

Several times before Mr. Atticus interrupted Carter while he would be reading, yet not fully consumed. He closed up his novel, without a spare marker around, he folded the corner of the page and mentally repeated the number of the page and set it aside, unable to read.

"Doesn't it seem like an infinite amount of people came? I've only sent out several dozens. Haha.." He chuckled in his seat which he turned to face the glass panes. The setting sun illuminated in his dark hazel eyes, bouncing off from his glasses. "Hopefully the masks wouldn't be too scary for my son." Both his arms were fixated behind his back as Carter gave an unsettling nervous laughter.

"Heh. I should not underestimate my successor then, son."

Carter could not bear to the odd tension. He was about to plead, 'becoming your successor wasn't what I want' along with calling him Father once again. A habit that he was aware of and it was a good habit.

Dads often play with their son, drive them to school and wave them goodbye. They would eat any other meal and celebrate holidays too. Things a father wouldn't do. Who would read a letter, one looked as if it were to be heavy business from him on holidays?

Carter let his eyes lingered around, sticking to a silver mask on the table. "Is that Keita's mask? On the table?" He asked, hoping it was the right time to ask his father while he shifted his attention.

".. I hadn't seen mine after Maria came over to my office. I suppose it is."

"I'll give it to him." He takes the silver mask off from the desk. The ticket out. His father hadn't respond until his hand was rested upon the door handle of the room.

"You needn't wear a mask. It is your birthday after all."

"Got it."

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Being late was the last thing Lucilio ever wanted to do. Having to stay and keep a watch on his own grandfather until he would sleep too. Turns out Mother wouldn't be coming over today and waiting was a complete waste of time.

Lucilio stood up and leaned in forward, both his hands had a firm grip on the handles on his bike as he pedaled even faster. He went off to a shortcut, holding on even tighter as he braced through the bumpy pathway until the huge mansion came in sight.

It wasn't a coincidence at all, how he ended up there in less than an hour but almost everybody was inside. He got off and decided to move the bike to his side as he'd walk but the only figure in sight, a servant, looked as if they were ready to head back inside.

Straightening a pile of papers, most likely the invitations. Time was running out before Lucilio knows he's locked out from the party and the last thing he remembers doing was running for his life after throwing his bike behind a bush.

"s**t! Wait!!" He yelled out, exhausted from the heavy biking brace. It alerted the figure and she turned her head, confused.

Being a gentleman was one of Lucilio's main goal, but for the maid herself witnessing him as if he were to be an i***t was embarrassing. He climbed up the stairs and gasped for air once he was close enough. "You aren't too late yourself." She said, holding out a hand, waiting "I need your invitation ticket for your information."

"Bullshit! I knew I should have.." He cursed under his breath, mumbling the last bit to himself.

"I'm so sorry but it's your own fault for leaving it," She said softly, eyeing him. "You were dressed up nicely for the occasion too. The rules here are rules."

"Can you just let me in? I'll bring it the next time I come."

"Again, I apologize. That can't work." This man wasn't going to get it at all.

"Please, Hannah?" What she heard, it was as clean as a whistle which confused her the most. From a peasant, she did not recognize.

"Pardon me? Have I met you?"

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He Is Next In Line.