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Marbles
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2024-10-29 19:42:56When Jericho first read it, he thought he was finally losing his marbles. However, after rereading the text and confirming that nobody had hijacked his best friend’s phone, he was convinced that it was Dawn who had lost his marbles.
Of all the things that he thought Dawn would do, home tutoring wasn’t one of them. It was more understandable if his best friend asked him to be a stand-in babysitter and watchdog. He knew Aqua wasn’t from this country because she spoke and behaved weirdly. It was Jericho’s opportunity to know her better without Dawn’s overprotectiveness getting in the way. However, he wasn’t very highly educated. Unlike Dawn, he dropped out of high school and did not accept the Daniels family’s offer for home tutoring or sponsorship to attend a private boarding school.After mulling over what his best friend was thinking, Jericho decided to call Dawn instead of texting. Clarifying things over the phone was faster. ThisRelated chapters
Dear Don Tutoring Arrangements
Exhausted from walking practice, Aqua slept soundly that night. Dawn was exhausted, but he sneaked out to meet Jericho at the bar as agreed. The informant had the list of potential clients and offices prepared. More importantly, they wanted to meet and finalise Aqua’s home tutoring arrangements.“You’re finally here,” Jericho refilled the champagne glass. “I was about to prepare a bottle of your regular whisky if you didn’t show up in the next fifteen minutes.”Grunting, Dawn shrugged out of the outer coat and closed the door behind him. Dawn looked surprisingly drool-worthy for someone who did not visit the gym in a while. Jericho wondered if his best friend had a secret workout regime in that empty penthouse of his.“Busy day?” the bar owner offered Dawn a glass of champagne, but Dawn declined.He drove over tonight. Drinking wasn’t advisable, especially with Jericho’s horrible drinking hab
Dear Don Chinese Takeout
While waiting to sober, Dawn walked around the block. With his car parked near Jericho’s bar, he knew that nobody would be dumb enough to try to steal it. Even if they did, the car was equipped with anti-theft technology.The triads controlling the area weren’t far from Jericho’s bar, so Dawn decided to walk over. According to the informant, they had a Chinese restaurant that disguised their operations. It was the perfect time to order Chinese takeout.It wasn’t difficult to spot the local Chinatown in this city. If there were one place that remained consistent regardless of its location or settlement, it would be Chinatown. Dawn immediately felt at home with the red lighting and delicious smells as he walked.From human trafficking to opium dens, this place had it all. Yet, Dawn wasn’t interested in those. He was only here for one thing.Weaving his way through the busy street, Dawn kept his eyes peeled for shops with a particular s
Dear Don Guarding His Human Cave
Needless to say, Aqua was thrilled to learn that Jericho was going to become her home tutor. When Dawn told her that the bar owner was also a decent cook, Aqua wanted to know if he was good at making pizza.“You’ll have to ask him,” Dawn chuckled as Aqua gushed excitedly about all the recipes she had read up on.Patting her gently on the head and pinching a cheek lightly, Dawn smirked. Jericho and Aqua would hit off very well. Given Aqua’s puppy-like enthusiasm and Jericho’s love for amusement, Dawn had nothing to worry about. Although he was concerned about Aqua's overly trusting nature, he knew that Aqua’s forgiving nature and Jericho’s teasing wouldn’t start any conflicts. If anything, they would get along swimmingly.More importantly, Dawn wondered how he would bring up getting an office. Aqua spoke about her plans that included Dawn, but the former mafia boss wondered how he should tell her that he couldn’t be
Dear Don Tea
A few days passed, and it was finally time for Aqua to meet her home tutor officially. Dawn would leave after introducing Jericho to Aqua and laying down the ground rules.The doorbell rang, and Aqua offered to get it. She practised checking the security camera as Dawn had taught her before pressing a button to release the lock for Jericho to enter the lift lobby. What she didn’t know was how Jericho already had fingerprint access to everything in Dawn’s penthouse. The two men agreed to act like regular friends to prevent arousing suspicion, although it was part of Dawn’s plan to teach his naive mermaid about stranger danger.“Good afternoon!” Aqua gushed as she opened the door for Jericho, who had just stepped out of the lift. “We were waiting for you, teacher!”It was weird getting called a teacher. Jericho laughed awkwardly. He felt slightly out of place without the makeup and fashionable clothes he normally wore at the bar
Dear Don Sweet Tooth
The moon was already up by the time Dawn returned. The evening traffic was exhausting to navigate, but it gave him more time to sort through his thoughts and emotions before coming home.“Welcome back!” Aqua greeted excitedly from the sofa. She wasn’t wearing a skirt, so her beautiful tail slapped excitedly against the leather.Dawn offered her a smile. “Have you eaten?”Aqua shook her head. She was waiting for Dawn so they could eat sushi together. To prevent the tea from going cold when Dawn returned home, Aqua used the flask to contain the green tea she had brewed.Dawn saw the familiar sushi takeout box and smirked. It was from Ishi-san’s store again. The sushi chef had gotten used to Aqua’s voice and became more generous in his deliveries. Tonight’s freebie was an extra packet of soy sauce and two packets of instant miso soup.Dawn saved the instant miso soup packets for another day but poured the ex
Dear Don Try Telling Him That
A week flew by with Aqua, Dawn and Jericho adapting to their new schedule. After multiple trips to the property agent’s office and viewing multiple sites, Dawn finally found a location he was satisfied with. The office unit was partially furnished with all the amenities businessmen needed within walking distance. More importantly, it was only fifteen minutes by car from his penthouse.“I’ll be coming back for lunch today,” Dawn adjusted his tie and informed Aqua, who was still bleary-eyed in bed.Since confirming the location of his office, Dawn had been waking up earlier and returning later. She smelled of paint and other chemicals as he oversaw the renovation. He did not always wear his business attire whenever he left the penthouse. Aqua was slowly getting used to seeing Dawn in his ‘work clothes’. According to Jericho, humans sometimes had to dress appropriately for different occasions. The work clothes that Dawn wore were akin to ar
Dear Don Private Secretary
Lately, Aqua’s seriousness for studying was slowly consuming their precious together time. Dawn would return to find food on the table as usual, but Aqua would no longer be in the living room to greet him. It didn’t matter how late he was. The mermaid would usually sit on the sofa and watch something on the television. Sometimes, he would find her asleep while waiting for him as the television droned on in the background. It was a comforting sight that motivated him to complete his work quicker.Jericho had been coming over every weekday to tutor Aqua. The mermaid proved to be more intelligent than Dawn initially thought she would be. Even if she was only able to grasp elementary concepts for language and mathematics, her rate of learning was incredible. Aqua was not just a pretty face. She defied all dumb blonde stereotypes, even if she had questionable quirks. Dawn simply accepted Aqua’s unusual taste in food with her mermaid identity.If there was one
Dear Don Special Order
It took forever before Dawn received a phone call from the person he was waiting for. The special order in Chinatown took a few weeks before it was ready. In the meanwhile, Dawn’s new office had finished renovating. Jericho pulled some strings to help Dawn with his first few customers.“Dawn Consultancy,” the businessman answered his phone.It was nearing lunch, and he was driving back. Aqua promised to make her first chicken noodle soup. The businessman was half annoyed that work was cutting into his private time, but he understood that beggars could not be choosers. He barely covered his initial expenses for the office renovation and business setup. Dawn needed more clients.“Hello, Dawn. I believe the fortune cookie’s prediction came true — apologies for taking this long to deliver your hangover soup. It was difficult to hunt for snakes in the jungle.”The thick Asian accent over the phone made Dawn pause. He sho
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Dear Don Finally Mine
“So you’re telling me that she isn’t human and you knew about it?!”Nobody spoke. There were two patients in the room and a storm outside that rivalled Jericho’s rage.After discovering the crazy scene, Jericho dragged and tossed Ricardo’s body over the cliff while his dhampir boyfriend prevented Dawn from hurting anyone else. The gills grew on the side of Dawn’s neck and the bullet wound started closing up, so Melvin dug his nails in to remove the bullet.According to the legends, mermaid flesh was able to grant semi-immortality due to its rapid regeneration abilities. Many merfolks were hunted in the past for their flesh by humans who kept them as pets. As a result, merfolks chose to live in deeper waters, concealing their presence from everyone until they were merely a myth. Only those who lived long enough to remember those times knew about merfolks. Melvin was saved by one of Aqua’s kind long ago and knew a few secrets. Imagine his surprise when he learned how a
Dear Don Exchanging Vows
The crimson liquid oozed out of his hand, and colour left his face with his brows knitted in agony. Dawn could faintly hear Aqua running over. He made sure to shoot Ricardo somewhere vital when he saw the man look to the side. He knew he was losing blood too fast, even if the bullet missed a vital organ. The closest hospital was about an hour away from this resort. He wouldn't make it even if Jericho arrived within the next minute.“Dawn!” Aqua collapsed beside Dawn, scrapping her knees on the stony ground, but she couldn’t feel the pain.Supporting the man and bringing him away from the dangerous cliff edge, Aqua cried under the waxing moon. Why wasn’t it a new moon? She could be saving him with these tears that fell endlessly.Lying on Aqua’s lap, Dawn studied his beautiful saviour. Now that Ricardo was dead, he was finally a free man. They had to remove the evidence and body before the authorities arrived. It sucked to leave everything
Dear Don One Bullet
Looking down into the whirlpools beneath, Dawn stopped. He ran to a place without witnesses in the area deliberately. It was only a matter of time before Ricardo caught up with him, and thankfully, Aqua wasn’t around. She would have jumped off the cliff and taken their chances with the deep blue sea instead of giving him a chance with the devil.Now that his heart was out of the picture, Dawn pulled out that pistol he always hid with him. It was a customised pistol made from printed plastic that could only hold one bullet. However, that was enough. After all, there was only one man he wanted to kill. Judgement day came at the wrong time, but it might be for the best. Dawn could only truly live his life like a civilian with Aqua once Ricardo was dead.For the longest time, Dawn waited for this day. He never skipped a day at the gym and continued to polish his martial arts skills because he knew that while Jim was satisfied with the raid, Ricardo was never confirmed de
Dear Don A Familiar Face
“Stay close to me,” Dawn commanded, grabbing Aqua’s hand tightly. “We’ll make it out of here alive.”The commotion below died in a few minutes, and Dawn peeked at the lobby. Apart from the establishment staff lying on the ground with their hands behind their head, most customers fled the restaurant. It was unlikely that this was a robbery. A resort with such luxuries must also have a great security system. It would only be a matter of time before the security arrived. All Dawn had to do was buy time. The shooter came alone. He could take that person down with force if needed.“Where is he?!” the crazed gunner yelled at the head waiter. “I know he’s in here somewhere!”When they heard the voice, Dawn turned to Aqua immediately. For some reason, he knew that voice. Although it sounded much more unhinged than the refined, sleazy confidence in his memories, there was no mistaking who the shooter was.R
Dear Don A Familiar Sound
The sun and beach were not for everyone. Dawn and Melvin learnt that the hard way when they accompanied their overly enthusiastic lovers for a day out in the sand. While Aqua enjoyed the sun through her golden locks and seawater on her skin, Dawn suffered from heatstroke and a terrible sunburn that caused his skin to turn red, peeling in a few days. Likewise, Melvin spent most of his time under a shelter, wearing a copious amount of sunblock. The pale man was often sluggish, even when he hid under his umbrella. According to Jericho, the big man had some sort of allergy to the sun and heat.While the two men spent most of the day indoors, Aqua and Jericho had a blast at the beach. Thanks to the hectic and physically demanding nature of their work in the service line, they had no problems picking up physically challenging sports like jet skiing or scuba diving. Aqua was a natural, and Jericho picked up the skills quickly. They spent a lot of time surfing and eating street food to
Dear Don Road Trip Double Date
Although it wasn’t Aqua’s first time travelling to an ocean, it was her first time travelling to a beach that had sand. She was thrilled when Dawn told her about the holiday idea to travel with Jericho and Melvin. After finding out where it would be, the mermaid started marking her calendar and counting the days. It would be their one-year anniversary as a couple, making this trip more meaningful than all their other vacations.The weeks rolled by as Dawn and Jericho finalised their preparations for the holiday and proposal. Aqua remained blissfully oblivious to her boyfriend’s shifting mood as work occupied her. They had less physical contact during the period, which bothered the mermaid a little. However, Dawn prepared sweet surprises for her regularly, whether showing up during her work, sending her flowers or buying her little gifts. The colleagues around Aqua swooned with envy at the romantic gestures. Even after nearly a year together, the mermaid still
Dear Don Important Things In Life
It was nearing a year since Aqua and Dawn officially became lovers. More surprisingly, Jericho snagged himself a cute boyfriend a few months ago. Nobody knew where the bar owner picked his lover from. However, that man was rather odd. Jericho was surprisingly secretive about him as well. All they knew from the gay bartender was his name.“Melvin said this restaurant by the cliffside is famous for its seafood. Aqua likes escargots, so you should book a reservation in advance if you plan to propose. Do you need help with the rings?”Shaking his head, Dawn looked at Jericho’s tall but pale-looking boyfriend. Melvin’s hazel eyes darted to the side as he slouched a little under the ex-criminal’s gaze. It was still difficult to believe Jericho was dating such a wimpy man. Apart from his good looks, Melvin resembled a scared puppy whenever they met up. The two men had been dating for a few months now. However, Melvin had never spoken with anyone else
Dear Don Kiss Me
Dawn had finished about half the bottle of aged whisky that Jericho had brought in. However, the nerves did not disappear, and he was still very sober. Time passed very slowly when he was alone, and the tempo of the music playing did not match his heartbeat.Two almost inaudible knocks were at the door, but Dawn heard it in his hyper-vigilant state. The CEO glanced at his watch and noticed it was about time. Straightening himself, he stood up and opened the door.“Hey,” he greeted, turning into putty when he saw Aqua holding the bouquet he bought. “Did you like the flowers?”Blushing hotly, Aqua nodded. She rushed to get dressed and braided her hair for the date after the accident in the kitchen. Jericho had so many fragrances to borrow from, and Aqua picked something that smelled like flowers. It wasn’t the most original choice, but it was the safest. After all, it was probably better to choose ‘Floral Fantasy’ over ‘Bl
Dear Don Be Mine
Staring at the two words in Dawn’s chicken scrawl, Jericho inhaled deeply. He didn’t know if he should dropkick his dumb friend or strangle the life out of him. Either way, it was good that Dawn came to him before he could present this bouquet of unique flowers to Aqua.“Have you completely lost all your brain cells?” the gay man hissed. “Be mine? You couldn’t come up with better words? Are you a Neanderthal?! You’re so lucky you showed me this before giving it to Aqua. This is no way to confess to a lady!”As expected, Dawn received an earful from Jericho, who looked like he was an inch away from jumping over that counter and stabbing him with an ice pick. However, the millionaire refused to believe reciting Shakespeare’s poetry would impress the mermaid, who had just finished learning long division.“Then what else would you have me write? She can barely do elementary Math. Her reading skills are slightly a
