Chapter 95: Bonding Session

(Two days later...)

Aiden was currently dressed in a well-pressed black suit, the youth tying his shoelaces as he got ready to head out.

As he did, he mentally tugged on his panel.

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[Aiden North] – Life Points – [5.365]

⸢Stats

› Mind — S

› Strength — C

› Stamina — C

› Agility — C

› Charm — B+

⸢Skills

› {Type Designing - A}, {Digital Illustration - I}, {Drawing - A}, {Cooking - A}, {Brewing - I}, {Singing - I}, {Dancing - I}, {Writing - N}, {Lettering - I}, {Programming - I}, {Riding - N}, {Video Editing - I}.

⸢Special Skills

› {Insight}, {Midas Touch}.

⸢Titles

› {Expand}

⸢Achievements

› {Expand}

⸢Shop

› Browse Catalogue.

⸢Daily Quests

› {Expand}

⸢Exclusive Quests

› {None}

⸢Time-limited Quests

› {Expand}

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⸢FAQ⸥

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Having decided upon it before he even pulled out the system, Aiden distributed some of his Life Points across his stats.

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[Aiden North] – Life Points – [2.365]

⸢Stats

› Mind — S

› Strength — C » C+

› Stamina — C » C+

› Agility — C » C+

› Charm — B+

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Given what he’d seen of the Achievements tab, Aiden was working towards getting all his lower stats into the next grade.

Dismissing the panel a moment after, he finished knotting his shoelaces and finally made his way out the room and downstairs.

"And there’s the man of the hour," Richard commented as his son branched into the kitchen while chuckling in response.

"I know you’re not a fan of pictures, Champ, but at least try to take a couple this time?" the man continued to which Aiden assured him, his voice slightly higher than usual due to the wall separating them;

"I will, Pops. I will."

Retrieving the gallon from the fridge, Aiden casually appraised it;

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› {Homemade Brandy}

Improved by Aiden North, this deep amber, non-alcoholic fruit infusion...

└ Quality: Great.

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"Hmm. Just a step below excellent, I presume?" he quietly muttered to himself.

Though Aiden was aware he could just utilize his ⸢FAQ⸥ function on the spot to clarify things, he figured he could do that later.

Still...

’Guess I’ll just have to do it again till I hit the mark." he mentally waved off the panel a moment after.

Casually pouring his father a glass, he then walked out the kitchen a moment after and placed it on the wooden stool next to the sofa.

"Thanks, Champ. I’ve been dying to try it out." Richard appreciated him, the man flipping his productivity book close as he picked up the glass cup.

"You’re most welcome, Pops." Aiden replied with a light smile.

Swiping the car keys from the living room table, Aiden also retrieving the bouquet of actual flowers he’d gotten earlier in the day.

As for the corsages, he’d opted to go for the synthetic kind for very, obvious reasons.

Placing his hand on the door knob a moment after, the youth informed his old man as per the required courtesy;

"I’ll see you later, Pops."

"Have fun, Champ." Richard casually waved him goodbye as he continued reading the productivity book in his palm, the man raising the cup to his lips.

Taking a sip out of it, Richard’s eyes widened in stunned disbelief a moment after.

Sure, he’d been expecting improvements, but he really hadn’t been expecting that big of an improvement.

So much that it made the previous brew feel like something that was made by an amateur.

Chuckling to himself a moment after, he quietly remarked;

"You’ve outdone yourself, Champ. You’ve well and truly outdone yourself."

As for the youth in question, he’d carefully placed the bouquet and the gallon in the backseat.

Starting the engine, Aiden then made his way out of the driveway and off to Park Slope, the premier residential area for family homes in Brooklyn.

Roughly ten minutes later, he had arrived at Clarissa’s house, the vehicle coming to a halt in front of the stately, one-story suburban stucco home.

It had a pretty elegant yet modern design with cream-colored walls and large windows, alongside a basement-level double garage seated just beneath its elevated main floor.

Then there was the beautiful green hedges and an equally well-kept garden out-front that just added that extra touch of flair to it.

Even then, despite looking so miniscule before its imposing and clearly premium frame, Aiden wasn’t the least bit perturbed by it.

A moment after, he was out the door of the Toyota Camry and was already making his way up the stairs to the main door.

Yet, before he’d even gotten the chance to knock on the door, it opened on its own, a bulky mass of a man almost occupying the entire frame.

Looking down on the youth, Clarissa’s father, Bruce Hale, folded his arms across his chest, his equally-hazel irises boring holes into Aiden’s being.

"Sergeant Hale. It’s a pleasure to see you again, Sir." Aiden remained genuinely unperturbed, a light smile on his lips as he politely greeted.

In response, the man responded, his tone gruff and slightly irritated;

"Well at least you don’t forget instructions,"

"I aim to impress, Sergeant." the youth replied, a thin smile on his lips and his tone respectful.

Even then, Bruce simply snorted in dissatisfaction, eyeing the youth like he was offended by his mere presence.

It was also why he didn’t mask his genuine skepticism as he gestured with his head a moment after;

"Come on in."

"Thank you, Sergeant." Aiden respectfully replied and walked in with a relaxed gait.

To that, Bruce couldn’t help but feel even more irritated.

It was one thing for his daughter to be completely smitten by a boy her age who just happened to look like one of those male models in the magazines she loved reading in her younger years.

It was another for that boy to not even flinch at the sight of him.

Whether it was confidence, or it was brazenness... the former marine couldn’t tell.

What he did know, was that he wouldn’t stand for it.

Was he being petty?

Clearly.

Did he care?

Not in the slightest.

The fact that whenever his daughter gushed about him to her mother, she always had those same sparkly eyes of adoration she used to have for him when she was younger was enough for him to wage war on the youth.

’I thought I’d at least have that to myself till she went to college. But no... some pretty boy just had to wiggle his way into it.’ he inwardly grumbled, a deep frown settling on his visage.

Softly letting out a deep breath, he then gestured to Aiden whom was still holding onto the bouquet of flower and corsage;

"Wait here. She’ll be down in five minutes."

Doing as he was told, Aiden stood still in the center of the well-furnished living room, simply taking in the sights.

Though there were couches to sit on, he really didn’t want to overstep his boundaries with the hulky mass than had just rounded the corner and disappeared out of his field of view.

Honestly, Aiden understood where the man was coming from.

’I’d probably be pissed as well if I was a father and some boy came to pick my daughter to take her to prom while acting all unbothered...’ he inwardly mused.

But then again, Aiden couldn’t help it. He really, just wasn’t afraid of the man.

Especially when his intentions towards his daughter was as pure as they could be.

Standing in wait for the next few seconds, the youth then watched in a mix of puzzled concern as Bruce walked back into the living room, this time with two wooden chairs--presumably from their dining table.

For perhaps the first time since he’d met the man, he also saw him smiling... but not in the friendly kind of way.

Without moving an inch from his spot, Aiden then watched him go through the motions, the man placing both chairs facing themselves in the center of the living room.

Then he retrieved a wooden stool afterwards and placed it right bang between both chairs, the man easing himself into one of them.

Only then, did he gesture for Aiden to take the other seat.

’Okay... that’s not concerning at all,’ Aiden inwardly remarked as he looked down at the flowers in his hands instead, then back to the man.

Seemingly realizing what he meant, Bruce dismissively waved and said;

"Place them on the table. Then come take a seat."

Promptly doing as he was told, Aiden found himself seated before Bruce a moment after.

Shamelessly, the man then rested his bulky arm on the stool to signify an arm wrestle as he said;

"Bonding session."

"Right...? Bonding session." Aiden skeptically replied, clearly not interested in taking the bait lest the man crippled his arm, much less his palm.

"Well, unless you never intended to take my daughter to prom in the first place..." he ’amiably’ said, and Aiden’s eyes couldn’t help but twitch at just how shameless the man was being.

That said, there was another reason for his eye twitch.

You guessed it.

The repeat offender.

His very own, backstabbing system.

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[Ding!]

[Exclusive Quests Updated!]

⸢Exclusive Quest

› David Vs. Goliath.

└ Win the arm wrestle against Clarissa’s dad. – [1 LP]

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