There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)-Chapter 720: Side Story 4. Endless Journey - 3

At the beginning of summer, Kar and Asa loved it because their beloved uncles always came to play. This year, they especially loved it because the uncles stayed in their house instead of Nari’s house--because Nari’s mama was pregnant with Nari’s little brother.

Kar would be the one to find out, and he would grab his brother’s hand to run to their front porch together. At that point, the portal had usually formed, and their two most favorite people after their Dada and Baba would step through the magic donut.

Kar was so happy that Uncle Joon remembered him again, and he would cling so much to Uncle Joon that Baba became a bit jealous. But it was okay because Dada would spoil Baba in return. Win-win.

What about Asa? Asa don’t get jealous. Asa had enough love for everyone and was very generous--except when it came to snacks. While Kar was busy playing and doing interviews with Uncle Joon, Asa crept over to Uncle Dee, who seemed to be busy working even while lying on the lazy chair on the patio overlooking the sea.

"Uncle Dee, Uncle Dee...what ale you doing?" Asa asked curiously, peeking out from Uncle Dee’s side.

Dada said Asa shouldn’t disturb Uncle Dee while he was working, but Asa did not understand. Asa was a curious little boy, and Uncle Dee never pushed Asa away. That was why Asa loved hanging around Uncle Dee.

"Me? I’m giving someone a lesson."

See? Uncle Dee always replied.

"Lesson?" Asa tilted his head, staring at the three screens spreading in front of Uncle Dee. Or was it above?

"Yes. I’m going to show someone that every action has consequences."

Hmm...those words were still difficult for Asa. But if it was difficult, Asa could just ask. "What it means?"

"It means that if you do something bad, you’ll have a bad thing happen to you," Uncle Dee explained. "Conversely, if you do good, you’ll be rewarded with something good."

"Hmm..."

Asa loved that Uncle Dee talked to him as if he was a grown-up, but sometimes, it was difficult to understand what Uncle Dee said. Thankfully, Uncle Dee would explain more if Asa looked confused.

"If you break someone’s toy, won’t you be scolded by your Dada?"

Asa gasped.

Oh, that was calling out some scary memories when he broke his or Kar’s toys. Especially when the toy was gifted by someone else. Dada’s quiet stare was so, so scary that Asa would immediately apologize. Asa also had to apologize to the one gifting the toy, and since most of their toys were gifts from Uncle Dee, Uncle Dee received the most apologies from Asa.

"Also, someone else might break your toy in retaliation."

Asa gasped even more. Kar never retaliated, because Kar also loved Asa, but imagining someone else did it was terrifying.

"So, you should not do bad things or bully people, okay?" Uncle Dee warned him.

Asa nodded quickly and sincerely. "Okay!"

"And when you see someone else getting bullied, you shouldn’t turn a blind eye," Uncle Dee said again. "If you can help, you should help."

The amber eyes lit up like fireworks as Asa remembered their favorite teevee show. "Like a knight!"

"Yes, like a knight," Uncle Dee nodded, and Asa clapped his hands before promising Uncle Dee that he would help people.

"Wow," Bassena muttered from the railing. "Did Radia just give out sensible advice?"

Han Joon smirked while lifting Kar to his shoulder. "Wait for it."

The curious boy continued to stare at the three screens filled with text and pictures. Asa couldn’t read yet, but he was still intrigued. "Can Aca see Uncle Dee’s lesson?"

"Sure, come here," Uncle Dee patted his lap, and Asa climbed up happily.

See? Uncle Dee never pushed Asa away. He plopped down and leaned against Uncle Dee’s chest, staring at the screens while Uncle Dee was typing on the floating keyboards in front of Asa.

"What’s that, Uncle?" Asa asked after a while, pointing at the graphs on one screen and buildings on another.

Asa couldn’t see it, but Uncle Dee’s crimson eyes were gleaming. Uncle Dee smiled deeply before answering. "They are the bully’s precious toys," Uncle Dee said in a low tone that Baba sometimes used when talking about those terrible, colorful big donuts on the sea. "Uncle will destroy all of them."

Asa gasped again. "Why destloy? Why not take them for Uncle?"

"Oh, you’re clever, huh?" Uncle Dee chuckled and patted Asa’s head. "I’m going to take them, but you see...if I take your toy when you’re holding it so tightly, it’ll be hard, right?"

"Hmm...yeah, Aca won’t let go," Asa shook his head.

"But if the toy is broken, you’ll just throw it away, right?"

"Yes!" Asa nodded, before looking up in confusion. "But Uncle...why do you take bloken toy?"

"Because I can repair it," Uncle Dee curled his eyes. "But I’ll only repair it after it becomes mine."

"Ooh!"

Again, Asa clapped his hands in amazement. How amazing--if Asa could repair broken toys, he wouldn’t have to be scolded by Dada! Amazing!

"There’s something dangerous with that teaching," Bassena narrowed his eyes.

"See?"

"But it somehow makes sense..."

Han Joon laughed while Radia continued his risky lesson. "Doing it like that, however, need patience."

"Pesyen? Aca know pesycen! Dada say Aca shuld do thing slowly," Asa stroked his chin, remembering the difficult word.

Uncle Dee smiled. "Yes, slowly. It might take a long time, but you can get a better result than doing it in a hurry."

"Ngh--dippicut..."

It was so difficult for Asa, who had a hard time sitting around or doing things slowly. He wanted to go somewhere fast. He wanted to build the toy quickly. Asa also had no idea why doing it slowly would make things better. If he ate the snacks too slowly, someone might eat his!

Still, Uncle Dee patted his head in understanding. Indeed, it was too difficult of a concept for someone who was yet four years old. "Another thing you should remember..."

"What, Uncle?"

"When you’re doing something like this--"

"Giving lesson?"

"Yes. The only one who needs to know is the one you’re giving this lesson to," Uncle Dee said. "You don’t need other people to know, because they might not agree with you."

Asa scrunched his nose. "Mm...Aca don’t undelsten..."

"Just do it secretly," Uncle Dee whispered.

"Ciklet! Aca can do ciklet!" Asa nodded eagerly. Finally, something he could understand. "But Uncle..."

"What is it?"

Asa looked up in concern and whispered. "What about Kal? Can Aca tell Kal?"

"Of course," Radia chuckled. "You can tell people you trust."

"Okay!" Asa smiled widely in relief. It did not feel good to keep a secret from his twin. Oh, then he could tell Dada and Baba too. "Then, Aca will tell Uncle too!"

Uncle Dee paused the typing and looked down, blinking. The crimson eyes stared at Asa’s sparkling ambers. "...that’s good," Uncle Dee nodded after a while, with a subtle smile on his lips. "Uncle will help you if you do."

Asa gasped. "Leally?"

Dada and Baba said Uncle Dee was very powerful. Then, Uncle Dee would be able to help Asa with anything, right? How awesome!

"Yeah," Uncle Dee nodded again.

"Yaay!"

"What are you teaching my son?" Zein stepped onto the patio with a soda water in his hand, narrowing his eyes at his happy son.

Radia shrugged. "Real life lesson."

"Lesson!" Asa raised his arms. "Aca won’t do bad things!"

"Huh..." Zein tilted his head. "Good enough, I guess."

Asa giggled and exchanged secretive glances with Uncle Dee. He continued to watch the screens and moving graphs until he got drowsy. Zein chuckled and picked the boy to free Radia of the considerable weight. With Bassena and Zein as their parents, the boys were taller and bigger than their peers.

"How long is this long game of yours would be?" Zein asked curiously while swaying and patting his sleepy son.

"It’s a bit harder doing stuff abroad, but..." Radia tapped his fingers on the side of the lazy chair. "I think I can get it done next year."

Bassena whistled. Only Radia could say he would topple a corporation in a year so easily--and it was only a year because it wasn’t in the Eastern Federation.

"Haa...at a time like this, I wish I were still an esper," Han Joon chuckled bitterly, causing Kar to look at his uncle worriedly.

"Why? So you can make a surprise visit in the middle of the night to the Western Republic?" Bassena smirked.

"I told you," Radia turned off his commlink and glanced at his husband. "I can open the portal anytime as long as he still has the ’family heirloom’ I gave at that time. You can do whatever you want next year, mm?"

"Is that so?" Han Joon smiled and promptly covered Kar’s ears. "Then I better sharpen my wires."

He couldn’t do his stealth without his mana, but his wire skills had nothing to do with it. Some adjustment was needed to use such weapons with a civilian body, but...it shouldn’t be too hard for Han Joon.

"You better sharpen them for that lab too," Radia scoffed. "I’m going to hit them after our anniversary."

Han Joon chuckled and replied obediently. "Yes, darling."

"So, you’ll do your anniversary big this time?" Zein asked.

"A delayed wedding reception, I guess," Radia stood up to stretch out and reached for the lemon water on the patio table. "The resort will be done this summer, so it’ll be good for promotion."

Bassena snorted. "As expected."

"What? Isn’t it good if our fun becomes profitable?" Radia smiled behind his glass, before shifting his gaze to Zein. "Talking about wedding, I heard you’ll walk Senia down the aisle."

"Yeah," Zein curled his lips. "I’m training myself to have a daughter."

"Hah!"

Bassena groaned. "Honey..."

"Honee~y..." Asa cooed drowsily from Zein’s arms, prompting Zein to laugh.

"Do-tel?" Kar perked up. "Papa will have do-tel? Kal and Aca will have sistel?"

"Not yet," Zein shook his head.

"Oh..."

Han Joon smirked at Kar’s disappointed voice. "See? Even your son wants you to have a daughter."

"Shut up!"

"Language."