Chapter 15
1242 Words
That night, Adrian went to bed very late.
The gifts Lucian had given him, big and small, were spread all over the bed, piled up in a messy way that somehow still had its own order only he could understand. The space that had once felt roomy was now almost entirely taken up, leaving just enough room for him to lie down.
The box of colored pencils sat right by his pillow, the watch still on his wrist, and the new jacket hung neatly on a hook nearby, ready for him to wear to school the next day.
He closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep, a sweet smile still lingering on his lips. He looked just like a child who had finally gotten a pair of shoes he loved, so excited that he kept them right by his bedside, just so he could see them the moment he woke up and put them on as soon as possible.
The next morning, as usual, the Draven family gathered together for breakfast.
Adrian walked into the dining room decked out in all new gear - a fresh jacket, a new watch, new shoes, and a chain accessory clinking softly with each step, drawing everyone’s attention.
Everything he wore had been picked out by Lucian, perfectly matching his style. That morning, when he looked at his reflection in the mirror, he had been more than satisfied. The feeling… was pure swag.
The kind of swag where, if someone had tossed him a mic right then, he could’ve walked straight onto a stage, stood under the spotlight, and gone off on a diss rap about Lucian for three days straight without stopping.
After finishing breakfast, Adrian stood up, said goodbye to his parents, and headed out for school. Seeing this, Lucian rose as well, casually picking up his car keys.
“Get in, I’ll drive you.”
Adrian shot him a look.
“No need. I’ve got my own ride.”
Lucian didn’t insist. Instead, he offered another suggestion,
“Then we’ll take yours. I’ll drive.”
Adrian turned to look at him, his eyes full of suspicion.
“Do you even have a license?”
Lucian fell silent for a second.
“No.”
Adrian let out a mocking laugh.
“Then forget it. Riding a motorbike is a young man’s game. An old guy like you should take it easy.”
Lucian didn’t take the bait. He simply made another suggestion,
“Then you can give me a ride. My office is on your way to school anyway.”
Adrian looked at him for a moment, then raised a brow, a teasing smile playing on his lips.
“Too bad, I’ve only got one helmet.”
With that, he smugly headed into the garage to bring out his ride, getting ready to leave for school. In his mind, he scoffed:
Trying to hit on me? Not that easy.
The corner of Adrian’s lips curved slightly, carrying a hint of childish pride mixed with undisguised smugness.
That’s right, overnight, he had managed to sort through the tangle of his emotions and fully accept the fact that his brother wanted to pursue him, wanted him to be with him.
Needless to say, someone as mentally resilient as Adrian could land anywhere and still thrive like a fish in water.
His smugness didn’t last long. The moment he rode out of the garage, he saw Lucian already waiting outside, holding a helmet. Who knew when he had prepared it.
“Baby, give me a ride to work,” he called out loudly.
Adrian stopped the bike in front of him, flipped up his visor, and narrowed his eyes.
“Seriously? So you had this planned from the start, didn’t you? What was with all that roundabout talk then?”
Lucian shrugged, his tone casual.
“A businessman always needs a backup plan.”
With that, he put on the helmet and climbed onto the back seat as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He wrapped his arms around Adrian’s waist and gave a light pat.
“Let’s go, my driver.”
Adrian stiffened for a second, then immediately shoved his hands away, frowning.
“Why are you grabbing me? That tickles like hell!”
“I’m afraid of falling,” Lucian replied.
“Then get off.”
Unhurried, Lucian said, “You’re straight, right? Then what are you worried about?”
With that, he casually wrapped his arms around Adrian again, this time even tighter.
Adrian smacked at Lucian’s stubborn hand a few more times and snapped back,
“Damn it, I’m straight, but you’re not!”
As if he hadn’t heard a thing, Lucian smoothly changed the subject,
“You look really good today, Ari. Give me a ride to work. I want a handsome guy to take me in.”
He paused slightly, a trace of sadness slipping into his voice. “These past few years… I’ve had to do everything on my own.”
Lucian’s ploy worked. The moment those words fell, Adrian felt a pang of sympathy.
An image rose in his mind: Lucian alone in a foreign land, with no family nearby, no one to keep him company. Meanwhile, he himself had been at home, cared for by their parents in every possible way, never lacking anything.
Adrian tightened his grip on the throttle slightly and said,
“Hold on tight. I’m taking off.”
With that, he revved the engine, and the bike shot forward, speeding down the road ahead.
From inside the house, Emily watched the two of them ride off together, her eyes filled with a smile. She turned to her husband and called out,
“Look at them, they’re going together now. Sooner or later, the two of them will get along like they used to.”
Damuen saw it too. His brows knit slightly, and he let out a quiet snort, unable to resist badmouthing his son,
“Lucian’s shameless. I bet he pestered his way onto that bike.”
He knew that motorcycle was his younger son’s prized possession. Normally, he wouldn’t even let his friends hop on once, let alone give someone a ride.
Emily immediately shot him a glare.
“What kind of father talks about his own son like that? Lucian cares about his brother so much, what more do you want?”
Damuen fell silent. Inwardly, he thought that if one day his wife found out that Lucian’s way of “caring” wasn’t quite what she imagined, he wondered whether she’d still be able to praise him like this.
Just the thought alone stirred an inexplicable sense of guilt in him. He cleared his throat lightly and changed the subject. “Does your spa membership still have time left? I’ll renew it for another year.”
“Three months left,” Emily replied. “If you want to extend it, go ahead.”
Damuen nodded and continued,
“Any of the new bag releases catch your eye? I’ll have my assistant order them for you.”
“I’ve already placed an order.” She looked at him suspiciously, narrowing her eyes. “Did you do something wrong? Why are you being so attentive today?”
Damuen paused, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
He turned his face away, muttering inwardly, “The one who’s done you wrong is your son, not me.”
- Writer
