Broken Bond: Between Vices and Virtues (BL)
Chapter 129: Knoa’s first scuffle

Chapter 129: Knoa’s first scuffle

Knoa waved from the kids who watched them leave. He was sad they were leaving already, but after looking at his father’s weary face, he didn’t complain and just walked back to the van. At the corner of his eyes, he saw the grumpy and scary-looking kid staring at them.

Knoa waved at the kid as well, but the boy just ignored his goodbye greeting and turned his back to him. He ran somewhere, leaving Knoa with a sad look. It was the first time he met someone who blatantly disliked him.

He couldn’t help but ask himself, ’Did I do something he dislikes?’

"Knoa, what are you doing? Why aren’t you climbing up yet? Do you need help?" Knox came from behind Knoa, peeking down at his son’s face. Knoa looked up, showing his sad face.

Worry quickly flashed in Knox’s eyes. He carried Knoa by his armpits and placed him inside the van. Then, he wiped his sweaty face with the towel he brought while he asked, "Why do you look sad? You don’t want to go home yet?"

Knoa lowered his head. He mumbled slowly, "I didn’t get to see Daddy before leaving."

Knox’s chest pounded. He glanced at the open door of the driver seat and sighed in relief that the guard in charge of driving was still outside, talking on the phone. Knox lifted the kid’s chin and guiltily commented, "We can just meet him here tomorrow again, baby."

He made sure to tell Azrael where they live and how long they will be in that province. Now, the next thing he needed to do was to get rid of his guards. Knox already had a plan in mind. He cupped the cheeks of his cute son and whispered, "Daddy will play with us tomorrow. So, don’t be sad, hm?"

"Okay..." Knoa answered, yet the vigor in his eyes wasn’t returning.

’Is he tired?’ Knox worriedly asked inside. "Why are you still sad? Is there another matter, baby? You can tell Papa."

Knoa glanced outside the back window of the van, in the direction where the older kid disappeared. He sighed and confided to his father, "Papa...I think someone doesn’t like me. I waved goodbye at him, but he ignored me. The other kid said he was rude and scary, but I thought he was just shy, so I tried to approach him, after he heard my answer, he went away with a frown. What did I do? I just wanted to play with him."

Knox had no idea what the ’answer’ was about, either way, if the kid harmed his son, he would have gone back and seen what the problem was. However, Knoa seemed fine, except for his pouty face.

He understood the kid’s confusion. No one had blatantly expressed their dislike toward the kid. Knox caressed the kid’s creased forehead and spoke, "Knoa, you didn’t do anything wrong. Sometimes, some people hate another without a valid reason. Don’t think too much about it. You can’t make anyone like you. But I’m sure, whoever that kid is, he was just envious of how cute you are. Cheer up!"

Knox smiled softly after the kid nodded and hugged him. Before they arrived at the house, Knoa was already asleep.

"Do you want me to carry him, Sir Knox?" Ragel asked, offering his arms and ready to catch Knoa.

Knox shook his head and just smiled. After that, they all went to their room and retired for the night. Before he went to bed, he called Athan and grumbled, "The kids are scampering away just from the sight of your guards. Can you tell them to not follow me at the orphanage at all? I mean, they can drop us there, or wait somewhere, so the kids won’t be scared."

"Why are you still going back? Althea said that it’s fine if you don’t visit again. Go and spend your vacation wisely," Athan answered on the phone.

Knox explained, "Knoa wanted to play with the kids. I can ask Edna’s grandson to accompany us, so you don’t have to worry."

"Haa...fine. I’ll inform them," Athan resigned. Knox punched the air in success and mumbled his gratitude to his brother.

The next morning, Alex and Franz decided to visit the island together, while Shawn insisted to stay on the house to rest. Ragel came with them, and the two guards dropped them at the orphanage before maneuvering to the parking outside.

Knox was once again received warmly by the people of the orphanage. He looked at Knoa who was carrying his favorite stuffed toy with worry. The director offered to tour them in the place as they couldn’t do so yesterday because of the event.

However, Knoa didn’t seem interested. He was glancing around the place as soon as they entered, so Knox could tell he was looking for his playmates.

Ragel noticed his troubled face and offered, "I’ll watch him."

Knox wanted to refuse; however, the director was looking at him so expectantly that he couldn’t find an excuse to do so. He forced a smile and put Knoa down. "Don’t wander alone without Ragel, okay?"

Since Azrael hadn’t come yet, Knox decided to indulge the director who was proudly showing him the development of the orphanage his family’s foundation brought. He sang praises to Knox’s family, but his phrases only went on the right and immediately came out on the left ear, since Knox’s attention was glued to the Knoa and Ragel.

He couldn’t shake off Knoa’s dejected face in his mind, so he began to wonder who was the kid who didn’t like him.

On the other hand, Ragel left Knoa when his playmates came and surrounded him. He sat on a concrete bench and watched from afar.

’The kid is like a magnet, pulling everyone in his circle unconsciously. He’s very sociable and adorable, so no wonder,’ Ragel thought to himself. His gaze moved in the opposite direction where their house guest was. A subtle smile appeared on his face after witnessing the same situation happening.

As he watched Knox talking with the director and the other staff, Ragel unconsciously mumbled, "He’s surrounded too...oh, he’s flustered."

Without realizing it, the younger alpha ended up watching the older one more, than the younger. Occasionally, he would hear the kids giggling as they played. Ragel’s attention was torn away from Knox when someone occupied the vacant space next to him.

He shifted his head and was startled when a grown man appeared beside him. The man has black hair like him, and gray eyes that watch the cheerful kids with seriousness. Any kid who would look at him will be scared by that unsmiling expression.

Ragel narrowed his eyes, raising his guard against the unknown man. Azrael felt a gaze drilling on his face. Without turning his head, his pupils moved, and glanced at the person beside him. Ragel stared back directly, digging into the intentions of the man by watching his expression.

Azrael furrowed his brows. He felt animosity from the person even though they hadn’t even met. He shrugged his shoulders and ignored the prickling gaze. He wanted to call Knoa, but he didn’t want to interrupt his play, so he just watched silently.

Glancing back at the place where Knox was, he noticed the man next to him was staring in the same direction, but he didn’t dwell on it and just prayed that Knox would turn to look at him.

At that moment, when the two older guys were busy watching the same person, an older kid went to Knoa and took his favorite stuffed toy. The kid was seven years old already. He was taller and a bit healthier than the other kid.

He flashed a smile revealing a missing tooth at Knoa and comically spoke, "Knoa! Knoa, can I have this one?"

He gave Knoa a hopeful look and added, "I like your toys! They are fluffy and smell nice! Can you give this one to me?"

Knoa sprung up from the ground and immediately shook his head, "No...that’s my favorite. I can’t give it to you. Sorry."

"But you have so many toys! I’m sure you have many favorites, so just give this one to me!" The older kid replied with a frown.

The kids surrounding them showed agreement, it’s like they all came to realize that Knoa had probably more new toys than them, so giving one wouldn’t be a big deal. They expressed their own wishes to get something as well. After all, the presents they received from the adults yesterday were all school supplies and not toys.

They all look at Knoa with anticipation.

Knoa was put in a dire spot. Their expectant looks burdened him, but that stuffed toy resembled Loki, the Samoyed dog, and was given by his Grampa to him, so he didn’t want to give it to anyone.

He shook his head and stretched out his hands, "You can’t have that. It’s from my Grampa...he gave it to Knoa—

"I’m sure your Grampa gave you many toys aside from this one!" The older kid shouted, the ends of his lips twitching because his convincing wasn’t working. He was irked and annoyingly thought, ’Why can’t he just give me this?! He has parents unlike me!’

He lowered his head and pouted, appearing pitiful in everyone’s eyes, he muttered like he was wronged, "Can’t you just give it to me? You also have a grampa, and you have a family, so just ask them to get you one like this! I really like it. This is the first time I got a toy like this. The skin is pretty and I like dogs! I want something like this too. It’s mine now, okay?"

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