Slurp slurp!
Jiya kept the glass back on the table after finishing her milk tea and sat awkwardly in front of her so-called brother quietly.
After Jiya stopped crying, the young guy took her to a nearby cafe, where he heard a rumble from Jiya's poor stomach, which led them to this point.
Jiya was sitting with her head down, filled with embarrassment. The brother was sitting opposite her, staring straight at Jiya, his hands across his chest, waiting for Jiya to start speaking.
But Jiya just kept sitting there, all nervous and awkward, her hands cupped together continuously fidgeting, her lips were pursed, and her eyes were restless.
"Sigh, fine I won't ask anything. " The brother finally declared after a few minutes, defeated by Jiya's silence.
He leaned towards the table and then held both of Jiya's nervous and cold hands.
"But, let me just ask one thing, do you perhaps, need my help?"
Jiya's head instinctively shot up, her pupils shaking from an unknown emotion. She stared directly at the guy's eyes, as if trying to figure something out.
"Luv...y-you.."
The young man finally heard his name from Jiya's mouth, and said teasingly, " You finally call my name? I was feeling like an old man all this time, you know."
He then placed his hand on her head affectionately and continued "I promised Mayra, I should have come to find you sooner. I am sorry," his voice filled with guilt, low and deep, barely a whisper.
Jiya's eyes widened as she heard the name 'Mayra', a name more important than her life itself for Jiya, her eyes filled with an unexplainable pain, but a small smile appeared on her face.
"It's fine, brother, at least you came back." She shook her head and spoke gently.
"Again brother? Why do you do that? You know very well I had the same feelings as her, don't you?"
"I-I..." Jiya started shuddering, her cheeks turned red despite herself.
"Hahaha, don't sweat it" Luv stood up "Come, let's go", he said as he picked up the suitcase and started walking towards the door, leisurely. Jiya stared for some time in confusion, but as Luv started to leave, she followed him.
As they stood in front of the automatic glass door, Luv put his left hand towards the payment machine attached to the door, which had a screen with a scanner attached to its right, "Please choose payment type, 1. Instant Payment 2. Payment from Account" blinking on its screen.
He chose option 1 as a hologram popped up from his wristwatch.
"Payment successful", a mechanical female voice came from the machine "Thank you, please come again".
The door automatically opened with the announcement as Luv and Jiya walked out of the cafe.
"Brother-"
"Call me Luv."
"Ah! Luv?" Jiya said hesitantly.
"Yes?" He said in a gentle tone.
"Where are we going now?"
"Where else, home?"
"Your Home?" Jiya's eyelids trembled slightly as she asked softly.
"No, the one you always wanted to live in. Although she isn't there anymore, I know she will be happy to have you."
Jiya's eyes filled with that mysterious pain filled with nostalgia again but a soft smile played on her lips.
"Our home." She whispered softly.
...
"Welcome, Professor Lee, we are so grateful that you were finally able to make it here" A middle-aged man wearing horn-rimmed glasses, dressed in a grey business suit greeted politely, but his voice was firm.
A young blonde man with blue eyes, wearing a pair of glasses and a lab coat, descended from the aircraft in a wheelchair, which was pushed by a young black haired, fair man dressed in a three-piece suit with a pair of black scrutiny glasses*, covering his eyes.
"Thank you for welcoming me in your country " The blonde guy, the so-called professor Lee, greeted the middle-aged guy in a grey suit and glasses standing in a curtsy below, as he descended.
The wind was strong on the runway, and his long golden hair tied into a low ponytail looked so beautiful that it was hard to imagine he was a professor sitting the whole day in a lab and not some actor.
"His Majesty didn't come?" Proffer Lee asked.
"Officially, he didn't ." The man smiled. The meaning behind his words, all too clear.
"Lead the way."
"Sure." He smiled as they started walking.
The middle-aged man showed the professor to a luxury Limousine, inching two centimetres above the ground.
The door slid open automatically as they reached nearby. A finger was visible in the dark inside, sitting leisurely. Surely excluding the aura of the country's strongest man.
"Help the guest in." A deep, low voice came from inside filled with authority.
"It's fine." The professor said that before anyone could help him get in. " I can still manage that much." He continued as he slowly got up with the help of his bodyguard and sat inside the Limousine adjacent to the King.
The door closed as light cream coloured lights turned on inside, illuminating the owner of that authoritative voice.
A man so handsome even in his late forties. This dark wavy hair reaching his shoulders, his smooth, tanned skin, a sharp jawline and a high nose. His eyes were deep brown, sharp towards the end, with broad brows arched above. His lips, a slight magenta. Broad shoulders and slender waist adorned by a waistbelt, he was sitting dignifiedly one leg crossed over another, his hands on his knees.
A figure appropriate for the country's strongest Hunter.
But his attire was nowhere near the battle suits generally worn by such rankers. His attire spoke of his authority and nobility, clearly stating that he wasn't just responsible for fighting otherworlders but also looking after his citizens' lives.
He was wearing a golden silken attire, a shirt-kurta* hybrid that had a V-neckline turtleneck with a shoulder cut and a diamond-shaped cut near his collar, an ochre sleeveless overcoat tied to the waist, with its neckline extending below the chest*. A golden dhoti* tied in the warrior pattern*, and a free piece of embroidered golden cloth which was simply draped around his right hand and left shoulder*.
Alongside his extravagant attire, he was adorned with jewels from head to toe as well.
A forehead jewellery that was visible beneath his bangs, his ears decorated with ear rings, his neck and chest decorated with necklaces of Kundans* set on yellow gold, similar to those handcuffs* and rings decorating his hands, his left leg had a thick bangle-like anklet of a similar making, followed by his luxurious traditional mojari shoes*.
A King indeed.
(Please read notes for better understanding of the attire and jewellery)
"I hope your travel was comfortable", King Manik Rajputa*, The King of the Orb Bearing Country*, said with a polite smile.
"It was, fine. Where is the meeting location?" The Professor jumped to the point, ignoring the pleasantries.
"The capital, " the King continued with a smile.
"Nice. The participants ?"
"Only the Elites, the current position holders of course."
"Hmm. Any updates on the subject?"
"I don't think this is an appropriate place to talk about that." King Manik still had a polite smile on his lips, but now a dangerous shadow loomed over his eyes, sending a shiver down Professor Lee's spine even though he himself was an Elite Hunter. An indication he had crossed a line.
The professor gulped in embarrassment. " I-I think you are correct, forgive my impudence, Your majesty." His speech instinctively turned polite.
The King laughed "It's fine, it's fine. No need to be so polite, Professor. We will arrive shortly, then you can ask all about the subject to your heart's content."
As their conversation continued, the black limousine zoomed through high flyovers that almost touched the skies, located at the country's most developed and populated area, the capital of Del-E*.