Chapter 17: 17: Invitation to Stewart's house
The holiday for Yuki has come to an end. Starting next Monday, he will start his third-year lessons. Usually, students will feel dejected as the new semester starts but not for Yuki. He feels excited to start his 'senior' year.
Even though his high school life is not as fun as other teenagers, he feels grateful enough towards his lover for giving him a chance to learn. Plus, Alex is a very good teacher.
Even Alex himself sometimes wonders whether he is too good or Yuki is too smart. In every subject he taught, Yuki barely had any problem understanding them. At the most, Yuki will ask him for certain harder chapters but then he only needs the second explanation and nothing more. That is why he can finish first and second-year lessons with a snap of his fingers.
However, due to the peeping toms that are still snooping around the Tsujihara mansion, Kevin cannot let Alex come to the mansion for the tutoring session.
Therefore, the doting boyfriend bought a brand-new laptop for his little lover.
"Yuki, for the meantime, Alex cannot come here and you also cannot go out. So, you have to learn through video calls. I have told Alex about the circumstances and he said he is fine with it. Doesn't matter the medium, he still can teach you as always."
Yuki takes the laptop given to him and tries to touch it here and there. He turns to Kevin and frowns, "But I don't know how to use this laptop. It is too...Hi-tech."
Yuki's eyes bulged when he saw Kevin fold the laptop backward and make it a tablet. 'Wow. Technology has evolved so much.'
It's not like Yuki never saw a laptop. He even used to have it before. But his laptop from years ago is not as thin as the one Kevin gave and even the buttons, functions and software have changed.
Looking at the amused face, Kevin can't contain his smile. He pulls Yuki onto his lap. The latter is used to it and didn't flinch.
"Here. I'll teach you everything you need to know. Let's learn about the basic things first. As for others, we can figure it out later on." Yuki nods repeatedly.
Kevin teaches him how to use the latest version of Microsoft Word. And then he proceeds with Zoom, Google Meet and Skype. Next, he showed him how to answer questions that need to be answered through Google form.
Alex's style of giving tests and quizzes might be varied so Kevin just taught him all the mediums that might be used by Alex.
Yuki thought learning how to use the laptop was somehow more complicated than all of his lessons before. Can't blame him. Even before he was taken away, he was a bookworm not tech-savvy.
They started right after lunch and it is 30 minutes past six in the evening. Both of them also forgot the tea time and Aunty Emma brought the tea and snacks to the home office.
Yuki kneads the area between his eyebrows. Watching the laptop screen for too long hurt his eyes.
Kevin carries Yuki to the couch in the home office then goes down to the kitchen. A minute later, he came back with a bowl of warm water and a towel.
He takes a seat beside Yuki and pulls his head, resting it on his thighs. Kevin twirls the towel that is soaked in the warm water and then he puts it over Yuki's eyes.
Feeling the warm sensation over his eyelids, Yuki smiles faintly. He mutters, "Thank you."
Kevin's head leaned down and his lips touched the exposed lips. "Anything for my baby."
The next Monday, Kevin went to the company as usual. Around 8:45 am, Yuki already turned on his laptop and set up everything for his online class with Alex at nine.
Just like Kevin told him, despite not having face-to-face interaction, Alex still managed to teach him as well as always. Alex even took out a mini whiteboard to explain the lessons and not just read out the words on the book or lesson sheets.
Meanwhile, at the company, Kevin is having a meeting with Stewart Inc.
Stewart Inc. is a professional property management and construction management services company. Even when Kevin's father was still alive, both companies have been good business partners.
"Kevin, join me for a cup of coffee or tea?" said Douglas Stewart as soon as the meeting ended.
Kevin nods and spreads out his hand, asking Mr. Douglas Stewart to walk with him to his office room.
"How have you been doing lately, uncle?" Kevin initiates the conversation.
"Well, same as always. Somehow, being away for a vacation for over a month makes me feel lazier to start working again."
Douglas takes a sip in the coffee that Kevin's secretary just brought in. He steals a glance at the young CEO in front of him.
"Ehem. My wife has been asking about you. Ever since your parents are gone, you never come visit us again except for sending out New Year's or Christmas gifts. Why don't you come over this weekend? She kinda misses you."
The truth is not only his wife but also his daughter, April Stewart. Both mother and daughter keep insisting on marrying into the Tsujihara family.
When Kevin's mother was still alive, Maria Stewart, Douglas' wife, even managed to coax Kevin's mother into agreeing to the idea of marrying their children in the future.
However, after Kevin's mother died, Kevin seems to no longer want to continue with the marriage. Technically, he never agreed to it. It was just a mouth-to-mouth agreement, without black and white.
If April is such a sweet girl, Kevin might agree to it even though he didn't love her. He hopes one day maybe he can accept her. But too bad, a whore like April can never be his lifetime partner.
Kevin is a scum himself but he only did it when someone wants to do with him and in return, they will get money. He never forced someone to sleep with him. But April didn't mind sleeping with him for free. She did that in the hope Kevin will see her as someone who is not materialistic.
Too bad, Kevin thought otherwise.
Kevin always told his one-night stand that he will never sleep with the same person twice. Most of them agreed. But not April.
She is so desperate to show that she is special in Kevin's heart so she drugged him and they slept together for the second time.
After that, she keeps flaunting to someone who wants to try to sleep with Kevin that they are childhood sweethearts and already engaged.
Women or men who truly fell in love with Kevin mostly will back off after April threatened them not to disturb her fiance.
"Sorry uncle. This weekend I already have a plan. Tell aunty, I'm sorry." Kevin rejected the invitation politely.
Kevin admires and respects Douglas. The old man is nice and excellent in his job. That is why he keeps on doing business with Stewart Inc. despite his hate towards April. But too bad, he got such a wife and daughter.
Douglas sighs. The answer is as he expected.
"What are you busy with on the weekend? It can't be work, right? Or perhaps... a little lover?"
When Douglas mentioned "little lover", his baby's face immediately popped out of his mind. Kevin unconsciously smiles.
Douglas noticed that rare genuine smile and he was slightly taken aback. Other than towards his parents, Kevin never shows that smile to other people.
Again, he sighs. He doesn't know how to tell this to his wife and daughter. For sure, they will be hysterical just like how Kevin told them a long time ago that he didn't want to continue with the marriage.
Douglas is fine either way. He will be delighted if Kevin becomes his son-in-law. But if the other person didn't want it, he won't force the matter. He had known Kevin since the man was young.
The Tsujihara family is a good family. Well, Kevin did sleep around with a lot of people but he knows to set the boundaries. He never played around, giving promises here and there. He didn't lie to them.
Maybe by seeking pleasure is his way of venting the stress that he has to carry all alone because there is no one that he could share with.
"Kevin, even for uncle's sake, can you... stop by just for a moment? I'll try to stop them from talking about that matter."
'That matter' meant marriage.
Kevin shuts his eyes before heaves a heavy sigh. "Fine. I'll go to your house this Saturday. But I won't stay for long. And just so you know, I did it for you, uncle."
Douglas faintly smiles.
It is hard to say no when the old man is practically begging him. After his father died, Douglas is the one who helped him a lot to manage the company. Even though when his father died he already became the director, but with the sudden loss, he is mentally unprepared to take over the company.
"Please don't tell them that I'm coming. I don't want any unnecessary preparation to welcome me. I'll stay for a few minutes just to see how aunty's doing." Douglas nods, understanding.
What Kevin meant by "unnecessary preparation" is April getting dressed up and Maria Stewart prepares all kinds of dishes and desserts. He'll feel bad for them, taking their time to prepare all of that stuff when he will go back after 10 minutes.
At night before sleeping, Kevin pulls Yuki into his arms, hugging him tightly. He kisses on his forehead. "Baby, this Saturday I will go to April's house. His father, uncle Douglas, invited me. But it won't be long."
Kevin can feel the body in his arms turn stiff. "Baby? What's wrong?"
Yuki chews inside his mouth. He lifts his head and meets the worried eyes. "Why would you go to her house? Didn't you say you rejected the marriage with her?"
Kevin smiles widely. 'Ahh... My baby is jealous!'
He chuckles and pulls his little lover closer until there is no space between them. "Don't worry. I'm going there just to say hi to aunty Maria, uncle Douglas's wife. I told you before, my parents are close to April's parents. So, it's like I'm visiting on behalf of my late parents. Nothing more."
Yuki pouts and rolls his eyes. "Are you sure nothing more? It doesn't seem like that to me."
Kevin showered him with kisses all over his face. "Even if they have hidden intentions, it doesn't make any difference to me. I'll stay there for about 10 minutes. Asking their well-being and giving them gifts. Then, I will leave. Uncle Douglas also will be on my side and he'll stop his wife and daughter from mentioning the marriage. So my baby, don't be mad at me anymore, okay?"
Yuki huffs. It's not like he doesn't believe in his boyfriend but he doesn't like how the other party will keep mentioning and pestering Kevin about the marriage. They might even bring up Kevin's mother into the matter.
Yuki lowers his gaze and hugs his chest. "I'm not mad. I'm just...worried. What if you're persuaded with their words and agree to m- marry her? Will you l- leave me?" His voice trembles.
Kevin laughs but then he was hit on the chest. "Sorry. Sorry. But you're so funny. Why would you worry about something that will never happen?"
Kevin pinches Yuki's chin and pulls it until their eyes parallel to each other. "Baby, listen here. Aunty Maria and her spoiled beloved daughter have been trying to force me into marriage for more than five years. If I want to accept it, why would I wait until now? I'm immune to all of their scripts and fake tears so no matter what they did it won't change my decision. What's more, now I already have someone so pretty, cute, smart and lovable like you as my lover. That is the more reason for me to reject them."
Yuki tightens the hug on Kevin's body. ''You really won't leave me?''
Kevin lightly pecks on the pink lips in front of him. ''I won't. Even if one day you're trying to leave me, I won't let you go.''
Yuki snuggles on his lover's clavicle and muffles, ''You're the only one I have in this world. Where else would I go other than your side?''
The corner of Kevin's lip raised. ''Glad you know that.''
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