Kael's POV
Six days. Felt a lot like six centuries instead. And in those six days, I am yet to identify the scent I was seeking. The scent that was slowly but surely driving me wild.
And since I couldn't find it, I went straight to the source of it. I was right after all. Akira Renshi might be the doom I had never expected.
Which is why I had rounded up everything to do, shoved the rest onto Mira and boarded the car.
"The ramen shop next to the construction site"
I hurriedly barked out the order to my driver as the car zoomed off. I was fucking restless. How is it that I have survived years without this anamoly and all of a sudden, I couldn't handle a week alone.
"Shit"
In as much as the entire scenario pissed me off, I was able to analyze the reason behind my anger. I wasn't pissed that Akira's scent was something I was slowly getting addicted to. I wasn't pissed that he had thrown my entire world and being in a state of disarray.
I was only pissed that he wasn't close by. He wasn't next to me when I needed him. I tried to rein in myself as I forced my brain to function in a logical manner.
Akira barely knew who I was. Hell he didn't even know my name. And moreover…
Fuck it wasn't helping. But on the other hand, I had always been the organized one. I had never demanded anything on a whim. Or asking for someone. So it was fine for me to be demanding this time.
Yes. Yes it is. With that consolation I had the driver speed up as I felt my senses tingle. An hour drive had turned into thirty minutes as my driver had ran through every red light there was. As if a bunch of speeding tickets could stop me from meeting who I wanted to.
I was banked on this meeting. Everything fell on it. So now tell me why I walked into the Ramen shop and there is no trace of the scent I am looking for. Could my reasoning be wrong then?
Was it possible that the scent belonged to one of the customers here?
Hell fucking nah!! That couldn't be possible as the scent had remained and was even stronger when it was the both of us left. That was why I was pretty sure that it came from Akira Renshi.
Then why is my… his scent lacking in the air in the one place it should be most prominent?
I quickly glanced through the entire restaurant and spotted a silver haired lady.
Lady. Not the guy I was looking for and most definitely not the owner of the scent.
I walked up to her and it didn't take two blinks to know she was his mum. They were an exact replica except she had a mole and he didn't have one.
"Hi. How may I help you?" She was all smiles and sunshine. There wasn't a trace of malice or curiosity on her face. Albeit I had found something more casual and had thrown on last minute instead of donning the usual suit. But by far, I was still the most intimidating person in here.
"I'm looking for Renshi. Akira Renshi"
I watched the all smiley face slowly grow cold as she quietly walked past me to continue serving the others. For some reason, this place always seemed to be packed to the brim whenever I came in here.
Never in my life have I been treated like a puff of air. I hadn't been ignored all my life so this feeling was one I couldn't name. At least she was careful enough not to reveal his whereabouts.
Seeing that she was behind on the orders, I did the unthinkable. I walked up to the apron stand and picked up the one Akira had used the last time I was here. It was smaller compared to my body but it had faint traces of him so I was okay with it.
Who would have thought, that the great Kael Vixar, the strongest hunter in existence would be here, serving the Renshi family?
The answer is no one. But if I needed to question the elder Renshi to find the younger one, then I needed to be calm with her.
I took the dishes and quickly served them. Then went back to the counter and picked up the rest. Was it easy? No, considering the fact that she stood in my way both times. Nearly slapped the living daylights out of me and when that didn't work, she had stomped my feet with her shoes.
She may be small but damn did she pack a lot of strength in those legs of hers. But by the time she realized that I wasn't going to stop helping, she finally went back into the kitchen. And just like before, she cooked while I served and collected the new orders.
***
"Now I know you didn't come all the way here to help an old lady like me. Who are you and why are you looking for my son?"
Tge right answer to this question would be 'I am an S rank hunter who is purely looking for your son cause of his scent which is slowly but surely making me addicted and without it I would go feral'.
But that would be the wrong answer. She would probably chew my head off before I could even finish my statement.
So I chose a safer alternative.
"My name is Kael. I'm your son's … Co-worker." That was the safest option. I think.
"He hasn't mentioned any co workers before though"
"It must have slipped his mind. Besides we are not that close. I'm just here to deliver news from the guild"
"What did you say your name was again?"
"Kael ma'am. Kael Vixar" I have finally met someone scarier than my mother.
"If anything happens to my son, it's you I will hold responsible. Am I clear?"
On a normal instance, she would have been erased from the face of the earth. I didn't take threats that easily. But she was his mother. And we both agreed on one thing, Akira Renshi would never be in any form of danger.
"I promise you. No harm will come to him. You have my word"
"Good. You will find him in…"
***
The drive to his current location wasn't that hard to bear, considering I had his mother's approval. Or so i like to convince myself.
The car stood in front of a semi diaplated building. Seemed like I had a lot to do if the tiny human wanted to live comfortably.
'Or simply move him into your condo. That way he will be with you every day'
A tiny voice muttered in my head and a new mission filed itself in my head alongside all other classified information I had stored up there.
The scent hit me as soon as I walked into the rundown gates. And with each step I took, the stronger the scent and the more I felt the raging storm inside me slowly cool down.
And the minute my eyes fell on him, I felt peace. And a type of warmth I wasn't familiar with.
He was sweaty as he moved the dagger with moves that showed he was nothing but a novice. His half ass grunts filled the air and a mental image of how to draw out more of those grunts took place in my mind. Oh the things I would do to him behind closed doors…
I kept on watching him as he remained oblivious to my presence. That was until he turned around and let out a yelp before tumbling. No doubt startled by my presence and attention solely fixed on him.
I rushed and swiftly caught him by the waist before trapping him in my embrace. He was so small. So mine.
My head found it's way in the crook of his neck before the thought could even fathom itself. And with that one word echoed inside me;
'MINE'.