05: It's You!?

He stood there, dazed. 

He did not expect the spoilt girl he thought would apologize to him this easily.

No girl could ask for forgiveness this easily, or admit that she was at fault. He could proudly say that he was experienced in this department.

Seeing her embarrassed expression was an amusement for him. He wanted to see that more often in the future.

Would that be called bullying?

He realized he was still grinning. Perhaps, that was because he had come back after so many years?

He shook his head and took steps near to his haven. 

Thousands of memories came by in his mind about this place. Nothing had changed.

It was all the same. The familiar air, the familiar feeling.

It was the place where he took his first steps, the place where he learnt to go to school from; the place which he left to soar high in the sky, and it would ultimately be the place where he would bring his bride to.

As he reached closer to the entrance of the Anderson mansion, he saw his mother talking with the same girl he encountered a while ago.

She had hardly aged, but what was he seeing right now? 

He arched a brow.

Since when did his mother who was as cold as ice of glaciers with the same sex, start talking warmly with hands in hands with them?

What about the young girl? 

She looked tamed, and obedient even. She resembled a kitten. It was as if she was not accusing him without inquiring anything from him some minutes ago.

A pure sweet girl who had not done anything wrong in her life.

Yes, that would have been his first impression if he had met her just now. 

'She must be a daughter of a business colleague.' He thought.

Sensing a familiar presence, Madam Anderson turned her head in the entrance door's direction.

She gasped. 

There he stood with his smile.

A smile that had lit up her whole face.

Her son was finally back. After a wait of six years, he had finally arrived here. 

Here to meet them.

The mother and son kept looking at each other with a longing expression. Unbeknownst to both, a certain someone was staring at them intently.

Wait.

Why her aunt was smiling at him? 

He dared to make her smile and then dared to make her shed tears.

She could see her aunt's eyes glistening with the salty water which was yet to be out.

Was it true that her aunt had fallen for his young charms? 

Should I tell Uncle John about it?

Lost in her imaginary thoughts, she forgot to notice the striking resemblance between both the man and woman. 

She was still thinking about informing about this suspicious man Master Anderson, when he, by himself, appeared. 

With his head held high with an air of authority, his left hand in his suit's pocket, his right brow arched with seriousness, his frame mighty and cold, but it was for outsiders only. 

For her, he would warmly smile at her, talk with her almost on every topic, and would test her cooking skills time by time as he was himself was one of the great expertise in cooking for his wife.

He had taught Zaria cooking. Madam Anderson did not know how to cook at all. He said, 'In cooking, there is no gender involved.'

'Anyone can cook. Only a passion for food is needed.'

'They look unapproachable.' That was what Zaria initially thought when she came to their home with Madam Anderson. Much to her astonishment, she was treated differently than she thought as she were their flesh.

At first, to the outsiders, the Anderson couple did not appear to be inviting, but after getting to know them, they would feel like they belonged with them and that they were their own family. 

The difference was that only some people could have this privilege in their lives.

"So, the Young Master finally graced us with his presence?" Zaria was expecting the suspicious man to start up a conversation first, but this time it was her uncle himself! She frowned.

Her uncle had never initiated a conversation, rather it was always the others who uttered first, and then suffered in the end.

She did not understand Master Anderson's sarcastic words.

She expected he would stare upon that man like what he did with others.

What Young Master?

Was he a big shot?

"Don't scold him. He must have been tired from all that travelling." It was rare for Madam Anderson to look affectionate with someone else other than Zaria.

Zaria seemed left out. 

"How could I not scold him? He finally arrived in our humble abode. I can't be any more thankful than that." Albeit sarcastic, Uncle John's words were not cold at all, instead, they contained warmth. 

Eventually, he let out a smile and then a chuckle, shocking Zaria. She wanted to wipe her eyes and wanted to ensure if she was dreaming.

'Has the world finally reached a new revolution?'

How could John Anderson not be happy? His son had come back.

How many years had passed when he last saw his face?

Six years ago, the son in front of him standing was an immature and a young brat.

Now, six years later he had come back to his home as a man. He could not be any more proud than he already was, with this son. 

It was time for him to shoulder some of the responsibilities. 

Why it was going in a way she had not expected?

Her eyes flickered to his and she saw him smiling at her. This flared her up. 

Was he a hypnotist? 

A male seductor?

How could her aunt and uncle fall for his charms?

Yes, they must be bewitched!

Elian was enjoying it. He looked at her from the corner of his eyes and realized that she was jealous.

On the contrary, he should have been the one jealous! But, he was not petty. Such childishness would be an insult to his character if his friends from abroad had seen that. 

"Aunt, uncle, this..?" Zaria did not recognize her Elian. 

"Mom, dad, this..?" Elian did not remember Zaria's appearance either, but his insides were telling him that this girl was familiar. It all seemed nostalgic. 

"Ria, do you not recognize our Elian anymore?" Uncle John chuckled. 

"Elian, do you also not recognize our Zaria anymore?" Aunt Mia giggled with sophistication, too.

She was, after all, Elian's mother. How could she not enjoy a rather awkward moment? 

Ria as in Zaria Smith? That crybaby?

Elian as in Elian Anderson? My knight?

Elian and Zaria registered their words in their minds.

Both of them went blank for a second or two when both sides shouted at each other: 

"It's you!?" 

'The spring has come! Old friends have finally met after a long time.' 

All the Anderson mansion servants who secretly hid just to see a glimpse of Elian, their young master, was laughing, along with the Anderson couple. 

Oh, God!

The Anderson mansion had become a house full of laughter.

Someone save them!