The Blue Eyes

Blue returned to the orphanage escorted by Kevin, but the latter just dropped her and left her since he had to go back to his laboratory for work. After they argued about the adoption idea initiated by Kris, they were no longer involved in a conversation, the car was engulfed by a silent and cold atmosphere until the vehicle stopped in front of the orphanage.

Blue didn't know how to answer Kevin's last question. She trusted Kevin wholeheartedly, but she couldn't easily trust Kris. She could trust Kevin, but would never trust Kris. Kevin and Kris were two different people, not a package, then why should she trust Kris just because she trusted Kevin?

"I know that Brother Kevin wants me to trust that mysterious man, but that's too soon for me!" Blue grumbled while walking past the orphanage gate. "Moreover, he wants me to accept that man as my new guardian, what if that mysterious man turns out to be a pedophile and wants to do bad thing to me? Didn't Brother Kevin think about that possibility?" She kept grumbling angrily when she walked past the yard.

The yard was empty since it was already afternoon. The orphanage's caretakers only let the kids playing in the yard from morning to noon. When the sun was about to set like this time, the kids were already inside the building.

"Why did Brother Kevin suddenly trust that man, anyway? Why didn't he feel any doubts toward that man when he just knew him not too long ago? Why did that scary man suddenly appear in our life? And, what is that scary man doing here now?"

Yes, the man who had annoyed Blue all along was currently chatting with the head of the orphanage on the veranda. The two people from different generations even laughing happily at each other jokes.

Blue had stopped walking after seeing the two people interacting joyfully. She was about to turn around and go away from the place, but the voice of the lady she regarded as her mother intercepted her steps.

"Are you home, Blue?"

Blue gawked at Kris for a moment with a murderous gaze, but then she turned to the old lady and smiled at her. "Yes, Mother. Today I didn't go to work at the café," she replied softly.

The lady with grey hair nodded in understanding, then motioned Blue to quickly come closer to her. Inevitably, Blue walked over to the orphanage veranda, which meant she also walked over to Kris.

She really couldn't escape now, and she really felt like punching Kris right on the face because that tall man now smiling at her like he just won a battle against her.

"Blue, you have met him before, haven't you? This is Kris. He said you guys have met thanks to Kevin," the lady excitedly opened the conversation again as Blue stopped in front of her wheelchair.

Blue glanced briefly at Kris, who was now standing next to the lady's wheelchair, then looked back at her mother and answered, "Yes, Mother. We have met before."

Blue's answer made the lady smiled brightly. "That's good," she said excitedly. "Kris is Kevin's age, but his attitude seems much more mature than Kevin's. I believe he will be able to take care of you, Blue."

The lady's words took Blue by surprise. She then turned to Kris and asked the young man, "You really want to adopt me? You even talked about that to Mother?"

The old lady was a little panicked seeing Blue's rude attitude towards Kris. Blue had always been cold towards strangers, and that was why no one wanted to adopt her. Now that Kris showed up and intended to adopt her, the lady didn't want to miss that opportunity.

The head mother wanted Blue to have a decent life outside the orphanage. It wouldn't be a good thing if Blue was forever cooped up in the orphanage. She wanted Blue to get a life like any other kids out there.

"Don't act like that, Blue," the lady warned Blue as she grabbed the girl by the wrist. "Kris came to this place with good intentions. He introduced himself politely and expressed his wishes in a good manner. I don't want you to be rude to people who are nice to you, Blue."

Earlier, it was Kevin who kept defending Kris, and now her beloved mother was also doing the same thing.

'What makes this hulk so special in the eyes of mother and Brother Kevin?' Blue couldn't help but wonder.

It felt like Kris was deliberately snatching up the people who used to be on her side. It felt like Kris wanted to make her cornered by the two people she trusted the most in the world.

'But, what is the purpose? What benefit does he get from doing it all? We just got to know each other, so there shouldn't be any grudge between us, right?' Unfortunately, those questions remained unanswered in the girl's head.

Blue's blue eyes shifted toward the mother's wrinkled hand that was holding her wrist, then turned to look at the hand's owner. "Mother, can I speak privately with Uncle Kris?" Blue asked the mother, in particular, she emphasized the word 'uncle.'

The man who was called 'uncle' was a bit startled to hear the call given by Blue.

That shocked expression was the total opposite of the lady who smiled widely. She looked up at Kris for a moment and then shifted to Blue. "Alright, I'll leave you two alone, but please behave, Blue. There are many kids here and you have to give them a good example as their oldest sister," she softly warned and then moved her wheelchair to leave Blue and Kris to talk in private.

"Why do I get called 'Uncle' when Kevin gets called 'Brother'?" Kris finally asked when it was only him and Blue on the veranda. The word 'uncle' seemed to tickle his conscience and he couldn't stand it.

"If you object to the call 'Uncle,' then I can call you 'Grandpa'." Blue ignored Kris's question as she sat down on the chair on the veranda.

Kris inwardly tried to calm himself down to be patient with the young girl. The tan-skinned man then sat on an empty chair next to the one Blue was sitting on.

For several minutes no one opened the conversation. Both Blue and Kris just stared blankly at the orphanage yard, seemingly busy with their thoughts.

Unable to stand the almost frozen atmosphere between the two, Blue finally decided to speak. "What is your real intention?" She asked the tall man.

The one who was asked the question turned to the one who just asked the question. "What intention?" He asked back.

That question irritated Blue. The girl then turned her head to Kris and glared at him. "I know you planned all this. You purposely approached Brother Kevin to get close to me, right? You have malicious intents for us, don't you?" She asked again.

When she first met Kris, she was scared and wanted to hide. But over time, that fear was replaced by resentment. Now she was not afraid of Kris at all.

Kris was a bit taken aback by Blue's accusations, but then he chuckled.

"It looks like you watched too much drama, Blue. But, some of the scenarios you made do have a point," He answered the girl's question casually. His head then turned back to the green lawn in front of him. "I do have a hidden intention. I deliberately approached Kevin so that I could be close to you, yeah that's true. But, you don't need to know what my true goal is. And one more thing, not all of your scenarios are true, Blue."

"So, it is true that you deliberately approached Brother Kevin for hidden intention?" Blue asked in disbelief. "Brother Kevin trusts you wholeheartedly, but you did it to him! I can't imagine how he would feel after knowing the truth. You will surely hurt his feelings!"

Blue's sharp words made Kris flinched. For a moment his expression altered. His eyes that had been drawn to the green yard were now fixed on his interlocked hands on his lap. Blue couldn't guess what Kris was thinking, but she could tell that the man was also thinking hard right now.

Not wanting to make small talk with the man who made her feel uncomfortable, Blue finally stood up and looked down at Kris who was still sitting on the chair.

"Okay, I'm willing to accept your intention to adopt me, but don't hurt Brother Kevin. He has suffered a lot throughout his life. He has a bitter memory that he will never forget. I don't want him to get hurt again," she said with emphasis on every word.

Kris looked up to stare at Blue, but he was unable to form any words to reply to her words. His lips opened and closed repeatedly, but no sound was generated by the thin lips. Didn't want want to wait any longer, Blue decided to leave that place and entered the building of the orphanage without saying goodbye.

After Blue's departure, Kris dropped his broad back onto the back of the chair and closed his eyes with one hand. "Why is this so difficult?" He asked no one in particular because right now he was alone at that place.