Reiss smiled on.

  Han's eyes snapped wide in apprehension.

  Yves, however, remained placid and firm.

  'This affair does not involve you, so I ask that you do not interfere.' Yves had a tendency to drawl his words so that they sounded as tired as he looked.

  Get him, Reiss. Get this vile shit off my back.

  Han could only put his full hope in his friend again.

  'Well of course it does,' piped Reiss. 'Everyone here knows Han is a dear friend of mine. Now, as his friend, I'm concerned for his obligations; I wouldn't want him to miss them, would I? I'll help any way I can if possible.'

  'This matter was sanctioned by my father,' Yves drawled. 'And you know very well we have a rightful claim. If you intervene, then I assume you have something to back yourself with? Like the will of your father, perhaps?'

  Reiss stopped smiling, and Han cursed under his breath.

  Han knew of the animosity between the great houses of Son Vilier and Son Wrightworth, and one would think that he would cling to his friendship with the Scion of the Wrightworth family like a saving grace, and he most definitely would have if not for the fact that Reiss's father did not like him very much.

  Well, that's an understatement. That 'ol geezer hates the marbles out of me.

  And that was simply because he was friends with his son.

  Wasn't even my choice! That shiny bugger came to me first!

  Indeed.

  And it all would've been a nice romantic love tragedy in other circumstances, but there was nothing of that calibre here but cursing, shitty pranks and Reiss using him as an alibi during his debauchery.

  'I don't see how my father's word is relevant here,' said Reiss.

  'It's not,' said Yves. 'Unless you plan to override my father's will, that is, then we'd have a tacky situation. So, Wrightworth, do you have a word from your father?'

  Reiss sighed and turned to ponder the trees in the courtyard and the graceful sun. 'I don't.'

  'Ah. Then... Do you see how you have no place in this affair?'

  Reiss didn't respond.

  Simon, meanwhile, after flicking his gaze between the two scions, assumed it was his signal and made a move back to Han.

  Oh shit. This bloody boar again!

  Han clenched his fists and prepared to breathe in some uncomfortable hot air.

  'Still...' It was Reiss again, back with a grin on his face. This one, however, had a little tinge of menace to it. 'I'm his friend. And I cannot help but feel affronted.'

  Simon faltered, but Yves nodded at him to continue.

  'Take another step, Son Harricks,' cooed Reiss. 'I've been meaning to try this new move I'd thought of in that dreadfully boring lecture. Say, does anyone else think we should submit a complaint about that lecturer's awful time management?'

  Simon's foot froze mid-step, and the big bastard's eyes lost all hints of cynicism.

  Yes, Reiss, you magnificent sexy bastard!

  Han could almost shed a tear from the exhilaration he felt at his friend's threat. Goodness, he might've already.

  Yves pursed his lips and took a few steps closer to Reiss in a challenging gait. 'Do you really intend to go this far for this piss-take, Reiss? I knew you to be a dead-brained rambler, but I didn't think you'd be this bloody stupid.'

  Reiss's face went flat as stone and colder than ice. 'Call me stupid one more time,' he said gently. Then he leaned in and whispered only for the two of them to hear. 'If you knew me one bit, Yves, then you'd know I have no problem bashing you and your friends' heads on this wall and breaking this whole fucking building with 'em. To hell with your father and mine, let my friend go.'

  Han had barely made out what they said, but his back prickled with excitement.

  That's right, you gorgeous beast. Tell him right!

  A moment later, Reiss warmed into his careless smile again and moved to pat Simon on the shoulder as friends would.

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  'Don't worry, Harricks. It's nothing serious, I promise. Nothing at all.' Then to the rest of the students. 'What's with you all, huh? It's just a silly spat, get a move on!'

  No one moved. They only stared on silently.

  'Come on now! Go go go before the headmaster holds us up for some nonsense.' He gently gestured them away in a friendly manner and with a light smile.

  Simon spared Han a brief glare before he took a few steps away to stand at Yves's side.

  'You'll be late if you keep dawdling about, Han.' Reiss winked and flicked him away.

  Han's path was clear, but he deliberated with his departure and keenly listened on as Yves muttered his retort: 'You're getting cocky for a single win, Reiss. Maybe you need another scar on your chest.' And with that, Yves shoved past Reiss and sauntered away with the rest of his gang. '8 PM Han!' He yelled a little down the colonnade, letting the echo do the rest.

  '8 PM!'

  ...

  Han knocked on Aunty Henriette's apartment door again.

  knock knock knock

  He was frustrated but still knocked gently. What he really wanted to do was:

  BANG BANG BANG!

  But he wasn't suicidal enough for that, so a soft knuckle touch had to suffice.

  'Aunty!' He called out.

  It's bizarre she didn't come out yet.

  Since she was his neighbour, she'd always pester him (almost instantaneously at that) over the slightest noise he would make, but here he was when he was desperate, and she was suddenly the busiest ol' hag in the world.

  'Aunty!' He called again.

  'By Heaven, she sure is taking her time,' said Reiss as he approached from down the corridor, eyeing the flaking plastered walls with distaste. Reiss had shown up anyway despite receiving a very intense call from his Lord Father's Chamberlain, which was the standard nowadays whenever Reiss got into some kind of altercation related to Han.

  But there was no guilt to be found in Han's chest. None at all. He actually felt quite vindicated over the whole drama if he was being honest. After all, he was never the biggest fan of the Empire, let alone its cogs.

  'Are you sure her hearing is still there?' Reiss mumbled, quite careful not to be heard. And that was something to be careful with. 'All that yelling and whirring in the Salon had to have taken its toll by now, no?'

  Han nodded. 'Heaven, I wish. A few nights ago, she banged the hinges out of my door cause I laughed too hard.'

  'Was it that program I told you about?' Reiss asked smugly.

  'Yes.' Han forced the confession. 'I lied and told her it was because of a stunt Eli performed, so she let me off the hook easily.'

  Suddenly, Aunty's door swung open with a little too much force, and a big old short woman with the figure of a tree stump snarled at him like a furious pitbull with a thousand wrinkles.

  Han's legs went weak.

  Oh dear...

  She must've heard him.

  Reiss was suddenly not at his side. In fact, he was nowhere to be seen.

  These bloody Graced...

  'You stinkin' rat!' She yelled in her high, grating voice. 'You used that little angel to lie?' She grabbed him by the collar, pulled him down low to her level, and slapped him hard on the nape.

  'Ow!'

  'How!' She yelled and slapped again.

  'Ow!'

  'Dare!'

  She slapped a third.

  'Ow!

  'You!'

  Han could hear the cutest little giggle in the back. It was high, gentle and the sweetest voice to his ears.

  His sister was laughing at him.

  He glimpsed her standing behind Aunty Henriette, impatient with her penguin plushie clutched to her chest, hopping repeatedly and waiting to get past.

  'Is that Princess Eli I'm hearing!' He exclaimed despite Aunty's attacks.

  She was barely three feet tall and was already wearing the cutest little dress of her favourite princess from her favourite cartoon. Her auburn hair curled around her plump, adorable face, and her beaming smile had already taken up half her face, leaving the rest to her large, green, and twinkly eyes.

  'Yes! Hani, I missed you!' She cheered and giggled again and again.

  As soon as Aunty Henriette let go of him and went to eye the corridor suspiciously for Reiss, Elissa sprang from her spot and leapt into Han's receiving hands.

  'You were late again!'

  'Oh, I'm sorry, your highness! I had to deal with some very naughty people for you!'

  Han squeezed her and pecked her face all over, feeling all his pent-up frustration, rage, and stress fading away to the sound of her melodic voice.

  The sound of his only family and biggest drive.

  The sound of his soul.

  But with that came the cost of his perpetual heavy concern and anxiety.

  'Hani! Aunty made me a princess cake! There was a LOT of sprinkles! Rainbow sprinkles!'

  'Oh yeah? And did you save some for your Knight?'

  'Aunty said you should eat your vegetables!'

  I feel like it should be the other way round.

  While listening to his sister narrate some strange-sounding scenes from her cartoon, Han snuck a peek at her bun-sized arm and exhaled a shuddering breath he struggled to hide.

  The purple and orange scars marring her body.

  What luck.

  What luck it was that his own sister happened to be the youngest Graced to ever awaken.

  Too young for her own good. Too young not to suffer for it.