Heartstrings And Espionages

"Hi. My so-called Grandfather." We met our eyes – he wide-eyed, couldn't stop gazing at me. Lying hopelessly on the bed with an oxygen mask, struggling with his breath when he witnessed me with a smirk. I screened a chair and rested myself on it.

"Tell me, Chakan. How are you doing on this bed? Humans like you who sleep on beds of dollars – might be uncomfortable to sleep, right?" He just looked at me and turned away his face. Unbelievable, old man. He looked at the pale ceiling and then passed a grin at me. Huh? Old guy still has the nerve to do that, ah!

"Never imagined to see you here in my last times." I smiled beneath my breath and looked at him with a hand on my head. "I thought of seeing you at your funeral. Thanks to your daughter-in-law that I was able to see you before your eyes closed forever."

He chuckled hard and said, "Brilliant. You didn't even change a bit, Moon. Exactly the same as your Dad." I nodded and smiled. "If not I then who's gonna take his role further, Chakan." He nodded and tried to sit up when I just saw him struggling with his hand to sit.

"Don't expect me to help you, Chakan." In the middle, he glanced at me and smirked. "How can I expect that from you, Moon?" He finally sat up and looked at me with his breathing eyes. His eyes wandered around and reached back on to me while running across the box and bouquet I was holding slightly.

"Thinking whether these are for you or not?" I said.

"Why to think when I know that it's for me. Hand it over now." I smiled and handed over the pastry box to him. But He took the bouquet instead, smelled the flowers and chuckled. "How did you know that I love Rose Sweet Juliet?" Because you're my biological father's father. How couldn't I guess that you both have the same taste in flowers!

"I never knew they were your favourite, Chakan. I just plucked them from my villa's garden." A lie with a truth. He caressed the flowers and looked at me. "Just for these flowers you shouldn't have travelled that long, Moon." Impressed, I straight looked at him with puzzled eyes. But instead he smiled, keeping the bouquet on the table.

"I know that villa isn't nearby. And I even knew that your biological father's grave is in the middle of the Rose Sweet Juliet's garden. You even knew that both of our tastes match in flowers, don't you?" Unbelievable. I smiled beneath my breath and looked at him.

But… All of a sudden, my smile faded away when I saw him looking at me blankly without blinking. Following his sight, I looked back. "...Mom?" I whispered. She walked to me and suddenly rushed me out holding me tightly in her hands.

Ah? "What are you doing here? Alone with your Grandfather!" I shoved her hand and declared, "I never welcomed him as my Grandfather, Mom. Don't put him as someone I knew. He's nothing more than a stranger to me." I looked at my Mom but she abruptly turned her face away – grinding her teeth. I curved my forehead and moved forward to reach her hands but she abruptly moved into Chakan's room.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Mom? Your silence isn't the answer!" She shortly turned to me and gave me stern eyes. In response, I only looked at her blankly.

"Talk and come to meet me if you welcome him as your Grandfather. I'm going to stay at his place from now on."

She exclaimed, with agony.

What? …what the hell, huh? "Hey! Mom!" She didn't even turn back and walked away. I didn't go in but stood against the wall.

"Dear Lily, how have you been? Is Ren taking good care of you and Moon?" He asked with a polite and pleasing voice.

"Yes, Father. He really takes good care of us. Well, how have you been, Father?" She is more polite with him than to me. I couldn't bear the distance between us. How long does she think keeping me away can get her anything?

"Did you fight with Moon again? I told you to stop tensing her, didn't i?" He said? He could? Unbelievable, Man!

"She's been disrespectful these days. I'm just teaching her about discipline. That's all, Father. There's nothing to worry about." My Mom said. I just nodded my head in disbelief.

I was about to head back but suddenly halted to his voice. "She's a well behaved and mannered girl, Lily. Her father has taught her everything beforehand. There's nothing about discipline now. Stop arguing with your family just to stay with me. I have my men to look after me and my other family members. And for your family, you've a powerful woman your husband left for you. Your daughter itself is enough for your family, Lily. Don't worry about me."

"I am aware of my daughter, Father. But now, you need a family to stay till you. Let me stay, Father."

"Isn't my family incomplete without Moon?" …Chakan? I chuckled and walked away instead of urging to know further. Maybe I know what could be said next. Chakan just left my Mom speechless. All the way to my car I Only smiled beneath my breath 'cause I was happy somehow.

...…

"Where have you been?" I looked through my sunglasses lifting my sight from giggling coffee to the figure walking downstairs.

"To see whether Chakan is alive or not." He curved his brows in disbelief and walked to the dining table. Took a chair and answered, "You shouldn't say that, Moon. After all–"

"After all, my Grandfather. That's what you wanna say, right?"

He shook his head. Stood up and walked to the coffee maker. While grinding the coffee seeds he said, "Lilly… What about her? She hasn't come back yet." I froze.

A sudden silence covered in the thin air. A voice jolted me when I was hopelessly gazing at the coffee making little waves. I abruptly looked front but found my Dad blankly looking above my shoulders. I gradually followed his eyes and suddenly smirked when I figured her out.

"Hello, Zachary." She looked at me with her most wanted pointed eyes. No patience, no mercy. A sudden grin appeared on my lips and I gazed at her beautiful black dress passing down to her Gucci handbag. Impressible, cleaned legs shining with her black glittering pencil heels. "Got a new dog for your expenses. Wasn't Prasong enough for you?"

"I'm not here to discuss my personal life, Moon. Stop looking into my privacy." I immediately raised my hands up, refusing my head. And smiled bright, breaking up with laughter. "What? Privacy? Your privacy is skydiving in highlights of the news, Zachary." I laughed out loud making my Dad wholly puzzled.

My dad walked closer to me and whispered, "Who is this new troublemaker, Moon?" I looked at him and then to her. I smiled and replied, "Ex-member of our abandoned family, Dad. Just like a stranger." He scrutinized her from top to bottom and grabbed his attention. "Kick her out of our house immediately, Moon. I can't let stray dogs into my home." I smirked at her and responded peeking into her soul.

"Haven't you heard what my Dad said, Zachary." I stood up and walked to stand exactly in front of her soul. "Get. Out. Of. My. House. Zachary." Whispered in her ears. Stood straight and gave a bright smile to her. Pissed off, she gave me a stern look.

But suddenly… banged her fist on my chest like kids do. I suddenly dropped my heart into my heart and couldn't believe what I just experienced. Eyes-widened, looking blankly at her. Wasn't able to understand her sudden act over me. I quietly pulled down my eyes to look at her but when I found her sobbing and clenching my shirt into her fist. Oh my God! Was she brainwashed to be my partner fighting against my abandoned family? Hilarious!

"What happened, Zachary?" I asked politely without laying a single muscle of my fingers on her body. Her collar bones were clearly popping up and she seemed very skinny when closer. Am I going to hear something odd right now?

"Kylan got into an accident…Taeng and I don't have enough money for his treatment. My current husband isn't lifting any of our calls. I need your help, Moon! Please don't refuse us." Hearing her screams my Dad rushed to me and I was only able to look into his eyes. My mind was full of their traps and scars they gave me as a present. "When everyone was against us you were on the first line with smirks. There wasn't a day my Mom hadn't seen hell because of you, Zachary. When we were in need none of you came and now when you need us, you're ready to catch our legs. Do you think your sobs can melt any part of my heart? No! I won't give a single penny even if Kylan is dying on that hospital bed!" I roared and Zachary abruptly rushed backwards wide-eyed.

"Please leave before we kick you out, Zachary." With those words. He gestured to the guards to take their move. With their large hands they dashed her out of my home door. My dad closed the door gradually on her face when she was only able to put up a pale face.

Everyone was back to their work. I was brought back to the same chair in the same position with the same coffee in the same cup. When I assumed everything's exactly the same as before – the coffee cup I took to my lips, slips and slams to the floor. Now nothing's the same. Everything's a mess. She left my mind full of weary.

"What happened? Are you okay, Moon? How did you let it fall off?" Huh? 'Let it fall off'? I abruptly stood up and kept staring at the broken cup. Somehow, I was pushed into a loop once again. I don't know how to get out of it. My stares were freezed until I wasn't called by my dad for once. I blinked and looked at him as if I'm lost in my soul.

"Is anything wrong with you, Moon? You seem very off." I narrowed my eyes for a second with a tilted angle of my head. "Nah. I'm alright, Dad." I responded in a low voice and was about to walk upstairs but he held my hand so gently that I wasn't able to look into his eyes.

"Wanna help your ex-aunt?" Help her? It's not like I hate her. I mean I do but I don't do that high with hopes of one's death. This isn't me. This isn't how my parents raised me. "I don't know, Dad. I'm just confused." I said. "Do you know what my friend would've done if he was in your shoes?" He asked and I suddenly turned to him. 'Cuz it was about my biological Dad. He then smiled and replied, "He would've done what is in your mind, Moon. Think twice. You'll understand by yourself." and set my hand for free. Walked to the kitchen to make coffee for himself.

Well, what's in my mind?

"Moon! Dinners ready!" Mhm? Did I fall asleep? "Moon! Did you hear me?" I…do. Why do I feel so lazy to wake up and answer to him.? When I know that he can run upstairs to knock off my room door in seconds or if I say he already reached.

"Moon! Open the door already! Are you even alive in that room?!" Oh god. "Moon –"

"Hey. Will you kill me with that loud speaker of voice? I was taking a nap, man." I exclaimed.