" Mr Akuma..." Dunn Smith was inside a white room, more of an ICU than a room," A demon is around him, that's the only explanation I can give..."

  Akuma, who was wearing a blue classical hospital dress, was sleeping on a white bed while a pipe was connected to his back.

  " A...demon?" Akuma said with a weak tone that his life was coming to an end.

  Dunn nodded. His usual smile was gone. Beside him stood a guy wearing an eagle mask with only one eye socket. 47.

  " He also has a diamond scar on his hand..." 47 gasped at this information.

  Akuma's eyebrow raised.

  47 questioned Dunn," Which demon do you suspect?"

  Dunn moved his eyes at 47 without moving.

  " Could be Lucifer or Yelena, but the kid said that the gender was male, so most probably Lucifer." 47 nodded with understanding. Akuma had a doubtful face.

  " Pour...your mana in him!" A struggling voice echoed throughout the room.

  Pour...my mana? He was confused by this order.

  47 wasn't sure either, but he said with a hundred per cent trust in Akuma," You should trust Akuma...there has to be some meaning behind why he is telling you to do it."

  Dunn looked at him with doubt in his face. But he decided to do it anyway.

  " At your command..." He pounded his heart with his right hand and knelt to pay his respect.

  " You can leave...47! Can you please...stay..." 47 didn't give a reply.

  Dunn turned back and exited the room, leaving 47 and Akuma alone.

  " What is it?" 47 asked with no slight emotion. Akuma slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurry.

  " I have a question...to ask," Akuma continued," Will you be the next president of Luvinia?"

  *

  Woah.

  Aldred stood frozen in the café’s expansive interior. Polished wood floors, warm lighting, the rich aroma of coffee and fresh pastries—it felt worlds away from the middle-class district outside.

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  How is he this successful yet lives so modestly?

  Indhra led the way. "This is the kitchen." He pushed open a door.

  A flurry of chefs, steam, and clanging pans. Aldred’s eyes widened. Indhra’s face paled. Shit. He yanked Aldred back and slammed the door.

  Ouch.

  "What was that about?" Aldred asked, rubbing his arm."N-nothing!" Indhra laughed nervously, sweat beading. "Promise." Aldred raised an eyebrow but let it go.

  They returned to the main dining area. Customers chatted; staff bustled.

  A few workers spotted Aldred and waved warmly. He waved back, awkward but grateful.

  "…And this," Indhra said with mock seriousness, pointing to a lone door in the wall, "is the toilet. Perfect if the family fun gets too exciting." Aldred coughed, cheeks heating.

  "Uh… where’s my room?" I need to read that book. The Seven Pillars of God Armour.

  He’d cancelled plans with Kyra after everything. The smiling man haunted him. Who was he?

  Indhra gave an awkward smile and then waved randomly.

  A burst of papers and coloured plastic appeared out of nowhere. They stuck on his hair, his body. He got startled.

  In confusion, he turned back.

  " Welcome to the family!!!" Each employee of the cafe was there who was being led by Kyra.

  She had stitches and bandages on her head, signs of surgery.

  A cake with three layers stood below her. The enormous castle of the cake had white whipped cream and a bit of yellow sauce,i.e., a pineapple cake.

  Aldred looked at each employee with no slight expression on his face.

  Indhra, from behind, wrapped his right arm around his neck to show his friendship towards him.

  " Uhh...What the hell?" Aldred was startled and, at the same time, happy.

  " Welcome to the family!" Indhra calmly said to Aldred with a charming smile.

  Fam...ily? Aldred got a glimpse of his father, who used to lift him. Then a glimpse of his mother blessed his eyes as he rubbed his hair.

  Tears ran down his cheeks as his face turned red.

  Indhra was startled. Why is he crying? He was scared until he realised that the tears were blessings from the happy angels straight from heaven. His smile grew with genuine happiness.

  Aldred smiled with the tears. In happiness, he rubbed his face to wipe the tears and then looked at Kyra with his cheeks super red. I love you... He thought to himself, trying not to reveal it.

  " I..." Tears ran again as Indhra also came near to the cake.

  The vision of his mother and father disappeared in the presence of Indhra and Kyra.

  He has no one... Indhra remembered while smiling at Aldred's joy. His parents had died when he was seven.

  A sense of relatability helped Indhra understand Aldred's feelings. His smile faded for a moment when he thought of his father.

  Are you seeing Father? Is this the same me from a year ago? Indhra thought of an image of his father.

  His smile came back as he saw his old father in Aldred. His hair brushed each atom in the air due to the breeze.

  " Thank...you!" Aldred spoke with a voice so low that the employees could only hear a bit of his words.

  Kyra shouted at him," Ayy...Speak louder!"

  Aldred chuckled while crying. He shouted," THANK YOU!!!"

  Before he could realise anything, a fist appeared in front of his wet eyes.

  I'll be better than then! Indhra thought as he offered a bro fist to Aldred.

  Aldred chuckled. He rubbed his eyes and then slowly lifted his arm.

  They met each other with a sound of *click*.

  Both of their eyes met, and a weird connection gave hope to both of them, a sense of happiness flushed in their minds, which connected their fists to a much deeper level.

  With happiness filled, they both thought at the same time. Thank You!