"Aston? Your speech was amazing!" Lana’s eyes shimred like a still lake under the moonlight. The curve of her lips, along with a cheerful smile, put a smile on teenage Aston’s face.
"Why are you here? Today was your math competition’s final." Aston’s deep, lazy voice cut through the air.
They were standing in one of the lounges, which was empty just like the hollowness in Aston’s eyes.
"I thought, ’I won’t win,’ so I decided to give your exchange program speech. It was worth it! You looked like the moon surrounded by stars!" Lana, who was no more than 12 years old, gave a huge smile.
As if she wasn’t the one lying about her competence. It was a national-level math competition she had been preparing for ages, and even though no one from the Almond family could attend due to their work, they knew the importance of it.
Even the Almond couple promised to take Lana to an exclusive dinner as long as she won a gold dal.
Lana cleared all the levels with ease, and with her speed and intelligence, she was unofficially already regarded as a champion.
Yet...
"You are here to cover for Mom and Dad?" Aston gave a bitter smile.
Lana arched her brows playfully before dramatically pouting. "Brother, your sister needs a cover! Mom and Dad will scold if they knew I ran away due to cold feet! Please save your sister! Don’t you love the most?"
"Are you done with your drama?" Aston rolled his eyes, clearly knowing about her antics.
"I am not! May God strike with thunder if I am lying!" Lana batted her eyelashes and smiled like a child. She held Aston’s hand and started to shake it. "Brother, please? Help this once, okay? Let’s go to a restaurant and celebrate your victory! I will have a perfect alibi!"
Aston’s lips slowly curved into a gentle smile before he nodded, "Only this once."
"Yeah! My second brother is the best!" Lana clung to him like a koala and had a huge smile infecting Aston, too.
.....................................
Slap!
"You are a disgrace, Lana! Did you even think about how everyone will mock us once they know that we have raised a coward?" A middle-aged man’s cold voice, laced with fury, cut through the air.
The man’s handso facial features matched Aston’s to so degree, and his deep sapphire blue eyes stared at the 12-year-old girl with beautiful black hair.
"Dad!" Aston began in an anxious voice; however, Billy Almond raised his hand and stopped him coldly.
"I will talk with you later. Let deal with this brat first."
"I would have lost anyway." Lana’s eyes were filled with tears; the angry red slap mark on her face spoke volus about her pain, yet the stubbornness in her eyes didn’t reduce at all; instead, defiance glimred in them.
"You! You haven’t learned your lesson, right? Do you know how everyone will mock ..."
"Then tell them about Aston’s brilliance!" Lana shouted back in a choked voice; tears stread down her face, and she sobbed slightly.
At her words, Billy showcased a rare trace of confusion while a bitter smile spread on Aston’s face.
But the next second, he heard Lana’s loud yet clear voice.
"Tell the dia that I had cold feet. And my third brother has been my inspiration since childhood; hence, when I was scared, I ran away to hear his exchange program speech about the spiritual energy!"
"Exchange program speech?" Billy repeated those words; a hint of calculation appeared in his eyes.
"Aston has reached Azure stage’s 2nd level at the age of 16! He is the 5000th person to do so in the entire world! It’s a huge achievent. Rather than a small national competition... his achievents matter most! For his achievent, he was awarded the chance to give an opening speech for the exchange students who had co from other countries." Lana sobbed as she finished.
Aston’s heart was moved because the next second, he stood in front of Lana and stared at his father stubbornly.
"She had gone to cheer up because you all weren’t present! So stop hitting her!"
His move stunned Billy, but the next second, he gave a low laugh, causing Aston to feel chills, yet he didn’t move away.
Seeing this, Billy smirked with pride.
"You! You will go with to tomorrow’s gala!"
Aston’s eyes widened in surprise while he heard Billy say to Lana,
"I will let you off this ti, but the next ti, don’t participate in any competition if you are sure of winning."
His cold words brought more tears to Lana’s eyes, but when she saw the straight back protecting her, a soft smile appeared on her face.
The next second, Aston turned toward and said with a huge smile,
"He invited ! He invited ! For the first ti in so many years, he is seeing other than my eldest brother..."
But midway through his sentence, he stopped. The angry red mark on Lana’s face made it seem as if soone had splashed cold water on his burning heart.
There was a price for everything in this world, and the slap mark was proof of it.
Guilt surged in his heart when he saw Lana’s red eyes, but before he could apologize, Lana pouted.
"Big brother, apply so ointnt on it! After that, let’s go and pick out clothes for your gala!"
"But your face..."
"What about it? It’s thick! Even if that dragon breathes fire on it, it would remain intact." Lana said proudly, her eyes were shimring like a mirror due to the tears.
Aston smiled softly before hugging Lana. "Thank you so much."
Lana paused before patting Aston’s arms. "Brother, what are you saying? I don’t understand! My face is burning, and we are running out of ti! Let’s go!"
"Yes! Yes." The teenage Aston pulled away, his handso smile bringing a smile to Lana’s face despite the pain.
....................................
"Aston, I heard you are going to teach at our university? Will you give so kind of special privilege?"
19-year-old Lana was like a budding flower; her mischievous eyes resembled those of a cat, beautiful and enchanting.
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