Under The Veil of Night

Bzzt

When the other three noticed that their listening device turned on, they poured their attention into it. It has been peaceful lately that they have completely forgotten about it. Was there any problem?

As Shiro’s voice sounded out followed by another man’s voice, they were stunned.

"Tom, are you there?"

"Tom?"

Both Kanae and Jason asked nearly at the same time. They could guess that somehow Tommy’s father had made his way to Shiro’s clinic, trying to ask about his son.

"Yeah, I’m here," Tommy’s voice was indifferent. If anything it was slightly cold. For someone who used to play around and joke all the time, the serious and cold tone didn’t suit him. It was as if he had changed into a completely different person right now.

"Do you want to listen?"

"Ok."

Tommy stood up from his voice when he heard his father-no Rod uttered the name of his two children. He had seen the boy, Lucas, before when he was young. He was around 6 years younger with an appearance similar to him. However, the boy looked very happy.

He looked at the other guards. "I’m going out for a while. It’s not my duty right now, right?"

"Got it, don’t take too long, Brat."

"I understand."

Traveling on the Black Street, it was easy for him to reach Shiro’s clinic in a matter of minutes. He still could hear Rod and Shiro talked to one another about other things. When the little girl’s voice sounded in the listening device, he could feel his heart felt pained slightly.

"As I thought, he just loves money."

"Tom..."

"I’m fine," Tommy responded in a cold tone. "I’ll just confront him for the last time in my life. The scum that leave me to fend for myself and never cares for me at all."

If that man wanted to, he already had a lot of chances to meet with him in the past. He didn’t move from his residence at all. But he never did. He just enjoyed his life with his wife that he married for her money and didn’t care for those whom he left behind.

In a matter of minutes, he had arrived in the clinic. He raised his hand to touch the door and stopped for a moment.

Rod was inside. If he wanted to, he could meet with that man.

"My wife divorced me yesterday, so I just think that I should check up on him before I leave the city," it was at this time that he heard the man’s voice coming from the listening device.

Tommy frowned and looked at the door. It took him a few seconds before he decided to open the door roughly.

Bam!

"Ah, is there a patient here?" Tommy acted nonchalantly as if he didn’t recognize the man in front of him. The similarities in their features only became clearer as time passed by. No matter how much he wanted to deny it, it was the truth that he was there, standing right before him.

Shiro looked at Tommy. "Did you get involved in fight again?"

"You know how the street works," Tommy just shrugged. Because he was fighting yesterday to practice and also doing his work, there were several bruises on his arms and face. It made him looked like a little punk, which he clearly was.

Rod stared at Tommy for a few seconds. The striking resemblance they had with each other was too clear to be ignored. He coughed for a moment as he gathered his courage to speak up.

"Tommy."

Tommy flicked a glance at the man. "How do you know my name? Do I know you?"

"I’m...." Rod wanted to say ’father’ but the word seemed to stuck in his throat. He has left this boy for over a decade. Saying that he was his father seemed to be a little unsuitable. He didn’t have the right to call Tommy his son anymore.

After he left Tommy when the boy was five years old, he had lost the right.

"I’m just a stranger passing by." Rod settled with its words. "You seem to be used to fight."

"Yeah. I live in Black Street, so I have to make do with what I can do here," Tommy replied nonchalantly.

"Are you living well?"

"I am."

Shiro looked at Tommy’s wounds and felt rather awed at the way they treated it. The medical team in Ainge Clan should be really good if they still can spare a lot of time for a small guard like him.

Well, it was possible that Alice ordered her doctors to take care of Tommy, though.

"I see."

Rod could see that Tommy didn’t want him in the boy’s life. From the way Tommy acted as a stranger to him, he could already guess that Tommy never regarded him as his father anymore.

’I’m the one who didn’t want him first, so it’s should be expected.’

He wanted the two of them to accept his decision and let him be happy, but he never cared for the two of them anymore. Turning his head to his little daughter, he called her.

"Lyna, let’s go back."

"Yes, Daddy," Lyna replied coquettishly. She ran over to her father as her large eyes looked at him with inquiry. "Are you sick too, Daddy?"

"No, I’m fine."

As Rod returned the thermometer back, Lyna shifted her attention to Tommy. Her large eyes looked at the young man as she pulled his sleeves.

"Big Brother."

Tommy froze in his place when he heard that. He looked at the young girl as he mustered his strength to reply. "What is it?"

"Band aid!" Lyna took out a band aid from her small purse. Her small left arm pointed to her cheek, at the location where there was a scratch on Tommy’s cheek. "For your wound."

"Lyna!"

Tommy was stunned to see the care this young girl gave him. It looked like she had a good life with her family. He stretched out his hand and accepted the band aid. He patted the girl’s head. "Thanks. You should be a good girl."

"Hehe," Lyna giggled and ran to her father.

Rod flashed an apologetic smile. "I’m sorry and thank you for everything, Doctor. I’ll leave the payment here."

The man picked his daughter up and walked out of the door. Tommy no longer looked at them as he focused his attention on the band aid on his hand.

"Tom, are you daydreaming?"

"I’m not," Tommy retorted. He kept the band aid in his pocket. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Even after divorce, he’s still very rich," Shiro took the wads of money on the table. He must have investigated before, so he knows that you used to come here a lot in the past."

It was not a secret that Tommy often got involved in fight and came here to tend his wounds. In Black Street, there were only a few good clinics and Shiro’s clinic was included in the list. There might not be a lot of patients, but there were still quite a handful every day.

"Why do you think so?"

"He gives his surname on purpose and mentions his children’s name," Shiro yawned. "The way he’s telling me his past shows that he’s desperately trying to find you using the newfound power and wealth he has."

"I don’t want him to," Tommy pursed his lips. "He has abandoned me once. I don’t need him to come just to abandon me again."

"I know."

Shiro patted Tommy’s head. "Since everyone is here, let’s go have some fun."

"Everyone?"