Chapter Text
I hadn’t seen one bit of sunlight during the whole weekend.
The reason for such a phenomenon is my work as an illustrator for Xingqiu’s light novel, which was going to be updated with a new volume.
So, in order to get my work done on schedule, I had to sacrifice some of my sleep and well-being.
It was definitely worth it, though, because Xingqiu’s novels always got successful releases, for he had a huge fanbase that was very passionate about his stories. The money that would come from it would be very useful for my new research and just a big relief for when I had to pay my meals and bills.
Because of the stressful weekend, my only plans for Monday were eating and sleeping, which was going greatly until my phone started ringing.
“Hello, Albedo?” Jean’s voice disturbed the quietness of my apartment “I’m sorry for calling so suddenly but… Ah, I fear I have an emergency, see, the city’s cultural department… Oh no, that’s actually confidential” considering the amount of rambling and raw tiredness in her voice, I guessed her weekend was tougher than mine “Albedo, are you there?”
“Oh, good evening miss Jean, it’s no trouble, really. What do you need my help with?”
“Lisa and I will have to travel for the whole week, and I need someone to take care of Klee, I thought her older brother was the best choice. Only if you’re free, of course, I don’t mean to bring you trouble.”
“I…” that most definitely wasn’t in my plans, but I could never turn down helping mayor Jean, a person that constantly works so hard so she can make sure that the city is safe and its people have good lives, also, I missed Klee. “You can count on me, I’ll be happy to take care of her for the week.”
After the call, everything was settled: later that day, Klee would arrive at my place, and she would stay with me until Saturday. It couldn’t be so hard to take care of a seven-year-old, after all.
A few hours later, one of Jean’s guards stopped at my place holding a red suitcase with Alice’s logo on top and a very smiley Klee by their side. I’d spent the last two hours running around the apartment to try and organize everything for my sister’s arrival.
Jean messaged me some information about Klee’s routine and rules, alongside with her school’s address. It surprised me how fast she had grown, even though I still visited her and her guardians monthly, it was completely different to take care of her and truly know how her daily life works.
“Good evening, mister Albedo” the officer greeted me with great formality and respect “I’m here to deliver miss Klee, mayor Jean wishes you a good week and told me to assure you that you may message her whenever you feel the need to. These are her clothes and other items,” they handed me the suitcase “her school materials are in her backpack, I’ll take my leave now, farewell.”
“Good evening.” I answered, still a bit tired due to my lack of sleep and effort to tidy up the apartment and Klee’s temporary room.
I looked down at the little kid standing on top of my carpet, her curious eyes wandering around my apartment. “Good evening to you, Klee!” I picked her up and brought her inside after locking the door.
“You’re unusually quiet, aren’t you?”
“Albedo! Sorry big brother, that lady just creeps me out”, her response made me giggle.
“I guess you’re right, she did seem like an intimidating person.”
“I missed youuu” she hugged me tightly while still on my lap.
The two of us spent the rest of the night eating the two sandwiches I had prepared earlier that day and got to bed after changing into our pajamas and brushing our teeth. It was a nice day.
In the following morning, I woke up early so I could prepare Klee’s snack for school. Luckily, the place where she studied was pretty close to my building, so I didn’t need to get my car to take her there, nor would I have to worry about waking up super early in the morning.
After putting the sandwich ― maybe I should try to learn some new recipes ― inside the brown paper bag, I headed to her room, the one I used as storage for my sketches and books and made a big effort trying to empty, to wake her up.
To my surprise, she was already awake and wearing her uniform, toying with a dodoco mechanism she probably built by herself. I must say that I expected nothing less from Alice’s only daughter.
“Good morning, prepared to go to school today?”
“Albedo! This student is ready to learn!” she smiled at me while saying that cute little phrase Lisa probably taught her, in a cheery voice “Look! I made a new bomb! This one is waterproof!”
… Maybe this would be a bit harder than I presumed.
“Hey, Klee, you do know that you shouldn’t brings bombs to school, right?” surely Jean had taught her that much.
“Ah, is Klee in trouble? Please don’t put me in solitary confinement!”
Ok, so Jean was going a little beyond teaching her that this is wrong.
“Hey hey, you don’t have to worry about solitary confinement, just don’t bring bombs to school and most definitely don’t blow those up inside the apartment.”
“Will you help Klee make gunpowder?”
“Sure, I know some things you can use as gunpowder, but first you will have to put those somewhere safe because I’m taking you to school.”
She did as I told her and quickly ran towards me, very energetic. I forgot how much energy kids her age usually had in their bodies. I, on the other hand, was one tired and sleep deprived adult.
“Let’s go!” I forced the excitement into my voice, not because I was bored, but because I’m just not an overall excited person. “Let’s learn to turn the unknown into known” I smiled, genuinely this time, and she smiled a smile twice as big as mine.
Soon enough, we had arrived at her school, after walking a few blocks from my building. She waved at me and climbed the stairs into the school’s gate. I watched her go, making sure she arrived safely and just admiring the place.
The architecture was a bit old, maybe something built about fifty years ago, but very well preserved.
Suddenly, something caught my attention. Well, not something but someone.
He was tall, had blue hair tied in a loose, low ponytail that rested on his left shoulder, and his button up wasn’t completely buttoned, leaving some of his chest visible. Was that appropriate? This is a kid’s school after all. Maybe it wasn’t such a big deal.
His skin was bronze, almond, golden, beautiful. But the most extraordinary thing about him, something I thought I’d never seen before ― at least not outside of a fictional book about pirates ―, was his eyepatch, black and simple. It made him impossible to ignore, it made him stand out. And his eye, the only one visible, had a grey tone, like ice, but the way he looked at the children was warm, he had a smile that was contagious, and he greeted each person that passed by him.
Did he work there? Probably, he didn’t bring anybody with him and the students apparently recognized him, liked him.
Maybe he was a teacher, but he seemed very young, around my age. And if I looked at him in any other place, I would never guessed that he works in a school. Maybe he didn’t? Unlikely.
My fingers itched to sketch him. I could do it quickly. Three strokes, one for the face, one for the eyepatch string, one for the eyepatch. I could also do it slowly, study him, like an explorer studies a new species, trying to catch every single detail. But I didn’t bring my sketchbook with me, why would I bring it with me when I only went there to bring Klee to school? Why didn’t I bring it?
And then, he looked at me. I hadn’t expected him to do so. Maybe it was on me for starring for so long, so I decided to look away. But then, right when I was about to turn around and go on my way, he smirked and winked at me, simultaneously. That didn’t stop my movements, I kept going, it just gave something to think about while walking back home. Why would he do such a thing? To weird me out? To flirt? To flirt back?
Maybe it wasn’t an actual wink. But his facial muscles contracted more than a normal blink. I had no doubt it was a wink. That was one odd schoolteacher. And a hot one too.