After taking his bath, rionel changed into a black shirt with a white jacket on top, while wearing dark green baggy trousers with it, he goes downstairs to the huge living room where he sees his father wearing a white shirt with white shorts, a sportswear with a racket on his hand with the butler that has been serving him as long as he can remember craife, a tall muscular man with dark swept back hair that has two scars over both of his eyes standing beside him.
"I guess we're playing badminton" he says with an uninterested face.
His father with excitement written on his face says "I saw this being played on tv one time and it looked so fun that I wanted to play too, it's the perfect sport for us to bond, we'll both be playing for the first time too so we'll be learning the ropes together".
This time with a smile rion says "well, since you roped me into this it's only fair you show me the ropes."
Both his father and the butler both stare at him with widespread eyes, shock in their faces, too stunned to speak before finally his father regains his composure and asks slowly "Is... that... a pun?"
He answers in while contemplating "it should be, did I do it wrong?"
"Ah, no, it was perfect, just unexpected is all"
"Hmm, well get ready for more of the unexpected" he says smiling as he heads outside.
The father and the butler watch him as he leaves with curious faces before craife finally says
"He's certainly changed a lot since he came back hasn't he anat?"
Anat now smiling says "certainly, if he wasn't still cold most of the time I would swear that wasn't my son"
"Well let's not keep him waiting, let's go craife" as they both head outside to the west side of the villa where there's a gate opened, as they enter the place appears to be a large sport ground with space for all types of courts and other indoor sports.
Rionel stood in the badminton court already set and ready, waiting for his father at the other end of the who takes his place. Craife briefes them of the rules before they start, anat is the first to serve the ball and he serves clumsily but it manages to reach the other side, rionel picks it up sending it back to the other side as anat returns it, they go back and forth for a while with none of them conceding a point before anat says "why dont we spice things up huh? rion?"
His face is a blank canvas not showing any emotion as he replies
"how do we spice up a game any of us can't get a point?"
"By raising the stakes of course" anat replies with a rueful smile all while sending the shuttle back to rionel on the opposite side who sends it back to different parts of the court, still trying to get a point.
"Why don't we make a bet? Whoever gets the first point wins and can ask the looser to do any one thing"
Rion still exprssionless says
"bold of you to suggest that, you're not afraid I'll win and tell you to never disturb me again like you did today?"
Anat slightly anxious replies with a nervous smile "well, of course we're not going to be asking things that will last forever, but if that will be your request I'm ready to honor it if I should loose... but then you have to win first"
Rionel hums to himself with his face not showing any emotions as he says "alright then, let's bet" as he sends the shuttle over to the other side, anat sends the ball back and nods to the butler, craife then stands with a stern expression as he says "since both parties have agreed to the bet, it will be in effect starting now" just as he finishes the sentence the game takes a turn from a slow back and forth to a fast paced game, the ball streaks back and forth like lightning across the court, rion's once expressionless face has now turned into a huge grin as he keeps sending the fast shuttle coming his way back as fast as it came to his father on the other side also with a huge smile on his face.
Craife smiles from the sidelines as he watches the game saying to himself
"it seems they're both having fun" he continues watching the game like an owl as he wait to announce the winner but the game goes on shuttle still zipping back and forth in high speed just above the net between the two for minutes before finally rionel zips a ball to the other side of the net where anat appears waiting with hand swinging in the direction of the ball with great strength and speed reaching the other side at once where rionel has his racket outstretched to hit the shuttle but it doesn't hit as the shuttle bursts the strings of his racket lodging itself right into the concrete of his side of the court.
Craife stares in silence for some seconds before clearing his throat and finally announcing anat as the winner, anat pumps his hand a little in celebration of his win before finally with a smile he turns to where his son on the other side who as he looks is grinning ear to ear before finally letting out a loud hearty laugh, anat and craife once again stand stunned with expressions of shock and suprise, rionel approaches them while still smiling saying to his father "you were right... that was fun, I had a lot of fun. I didn't think loosing could be fun, but it's fun, a lot of fun", anat now out of his stunned state asks "you were so good out there, you sure you've never played this sport before?"
Rionel shrugs as he says "no... does hitting a shuttle while making sure it doesn't go past the white line or fall on your side of the court need any preparation or mastery?, I mean we both did great even though it's our first time playing".
Anat lets out a dry akward laugh as he says "yes, you're right, we're both starting out" as he continues with his akward laugh.
Rionel looks at him as he asks "so what's it going to be?"
Anat stares back at him with a confused expression, then he continues
"The bet... what's it going to be?"
Realization finally dawning on anat he speaks saying "ah, the bet... yes, well it's nothing much, I just want both of us to spend some quality time in my hometown, called grazia."
Rionel stares at him this time with his face once again exprssionless before smiling as he says "well then... to grazia it is." He turns and heads out of the room while anat and craife stare at him once again as he goes.
Craife steps up to anat saying "I've said this before but he's certainly changed a lot hasn't he?"
Anat chuckles a little as he smiles at craife and says "we just have to get used to this now" as he also starts walking out of the room leaving craife deep in thought as he says to himself
"I just wonder what has brought upon this much change."