CH 1.4

“Beware of reporters or paparazzi… Why?”

John, pouring milk onto the cereal, was dumbfounded. What had Carter just said? He swallowed the banana he was chewing on and wiped his lips with a napkin.

“But I don’t know. Why should I be careful with them?”

“Ryan tends to protect his privacy, but there are some things that cannot be avoided. The public relations team will respond as proactively as possible, but there is still the possibility that he will be exposed to the media.”

“Ryan is… an actor?”

Carter couldn’t help lowering his face. He was a celebrity, so even searching for “Ryan” in the Google search box would make appear “Ryan Lindbergh” at the top of the automatic search terms.

But he’s still a kid, so maybe he doesn’t know.

Trying to make him understand his words, Carter gradually explained to John who Ryan really was. Only then did John learn that Ryan was a tycoon, much more powerful than he thought. According to Carter, the Lindbergh group, which was formed in the mid-17th century as a loan business, now wielded great influence in various fields of business, such as logistics, finance, and oil in Europe and North America. And Ryan Lindbergh, a member of the British clan, was the head of Loyal & Trust, the world’s largest media investment group. Carter explained that the L&T group currently has radio stations, newspaper magazines and movie distributors in the United States and Europe.

John was confused because he didn’t understand, so Carter tried to tell him everything again, in the vocabulary suitable for an eleven-year-old boy.

Basically, half of the movies, cartoons, news, and TV shows we watch are made through Ryan.

“Wow… really?”

“People are always curious  about Ryan’s private life. No one would miss the opportunity to tell everyone that Ryan has a son out of nowhere.”

“Now I understand. So I… what should I do?”

“You don’t have to do anything special. But never talk to anyone about your past. Especially when it’s something so private. Be it a reporter or a friend. Okay?”

John nodded, pouring some milk onto the now softened cereal. Suddenly, he had a stomach ache. It was because he felt as if he had turned into a Cinderella, instead of feeling like a crown prince. John still didn’t have the power to digest all of these changes.

John, who lost his appetite, finally ate a few spoonfuls.

Emily must have seen some of those news…

Unfortunately, Emily was not interested in the issues of society. Had she been interested in current affairs, her search for his father would have been a little different. With that thought in mind, John scratched the tip of his nose.

“We will leave when you finish eating. The car is waiting.”

“Yes, I understand.”

John nodded and got up. Then he got into the Rolls Royce Phantom, parked in front of the mansion. From the day he arrived, Carter was the only person John had seen since the first day.

It had been several days since John arrived in Richmond. On the first night, Ryan went on a business trip and Grace was still abroad. Valentine also returned to a boarding school and was unable to see him again since that time. In the absence of all, John was preparing everything necessary to live in the UK, such as tests of academic ability, and health checks. Today, it was his first day of school.

John’s grades weren’t bad, but he was only at the level of kids in public schools. John spoke no language other than English and had never practiced fencing or horse riding, so Ryan decided it would be better to hire a tutor rather than send him to a boarding school.

For John, everything was the same. However, as soon as he decided to attend school, John felt bad when he heard that Valentine was crying because he couldn’t leave the boarding school.

They traveled for thirty minutes and finally Willingham School made its appearance. The old buildings were made with red bricks and freshly trimmed lawns facing each other. The excitement and tension felt by the children who went to that school changed John’s heart.

“You should be John.”

“Hello sir.”

“Nice to meet you, John. Since they’re all good kids here, you won’t have a hard time adjusting. If you have any problems, let me know at any time.”

“Thank you.”

Fortunately, the supervisor was friendly and greeted John with warm courtesy. John, who became more determined than usual, followed him to the class to which he was assigned. It was unusual for students to transfer during the semester, so a couple of curious students turned to look at John. The teacher began to speak, while looking at all the members of the class.

“Now, you will have a new friend who will be joining you today. John, why don’t you introduce yourself?”

“Hello. I’m John Lindbergh, please be my friends and take care of me in the future.”

John’s American accent made the children’s expressions more interested. John hadn’t noticed, but the tailored uniforms the maid had arranged for him made him look like a gentleman.

“I’m Jane. Where are you from?”

The girl sitting by the window opened her mouth. John shrugged.

“I lived in Los Angeles before I came here.”

This time, the boy sitting across from Jane said excitedly. “If it’s Los Angeles, isn’t that where Hollywood is? So you must have seen a lot of celebrities?”

“My house was a bit far from there, but I did get to see some of them. Very occasionally.”

“Who have you seen?”

“Well, Ironman…”

“Cool!”

John managed to get along with the children on the first day of school. The class consisted of fifteen students, most of them were Alphas and Omegas. Very few children were Betas like John, and they received a strict education. The children didn’t discriminate against each other.

The day passed by quickly. The boarders went to their classes after school, and John prepared to say goodbye. When he left the building, he was contacted by the driver who had arrived.

“Oi.”

“…?”

“Are you John?”

Looking back, he saw a tall red-haired boy. He had clear and fierce eyes, his full lips, with a slanted line as a smile, he looked vulgar. When John nodded silently, he moved closer. Then he looked directly at John.

“You aren’t very similar.”

“What?”

“Are you Ryan Lindbergh’s son?

In response to the boy’s direct question, John rolled his eyes. At first, he did it because he didn’t know who the child in front of him was, and he also remembered what Carter had told him in the morning, and so he didn’t know how to reply. Instead of answering, John asked him.

“And who are you?”

“I’m Joseph Pierce. Like you, I’m in fifth grade.”

“Good. But Joseph, do you know who I am?”

“I don’t know anything. Anyway, you haven’t answered my question. They say you’re Ryan’s hidden son, but is that true?” Joseph asked again. Although John was tall,  Joseph was tall as well. John frowned. He didn’t know who Joseph was at all, but he was very annoying. He was practically indicating that John was not Ryan’s son.

“Joseph, what does that have to do with you?”

A calm voice came from behind him . Joseph and John turned their heads at the same time. It was Valentine, whom he hadn’t seen for a few days. Even in his uniform, he was still as charming as a young Greek god. Tap Tap. Valentine’s shoes clapped on a dust-free floor. When he reached John’s side, he looked at Joseph with cold eyes.

“I asked you. What does that have to do with you?”

As he faced Joseph, who was much taller than him, Valentine didn’t flinch at all. On the contrary, Joseph, who was a bit overwhelmed, suddenly furrowed his eyebrows, as if realizing that he was acting like a fool. John stood away and looked at the two of them.

“I was talking to that boy, why are you interrupting me?”

Joseph said to Valentine. Then Valentine smiled slightly, as if he had been told a funny joke. At first glance, it seemed like an innocent laugh, but it felt cold and sinister. Valentine kept his cool while smiling.

“You know what, Joseph? It seemed to me that you were fighting with John.”

“What?”

“Your great-grandfather wouldn’t want you to be so stupid.”

“… you’re so cheeky, Valentine. Bastard.”

Joseph disappeared, biting his lip with a defeated expression on his face and turning his back on them. Valentine looked at Joseph’s back with a cold expression. After he left, there was an eerie silence. To neutralize the heavy atmosphere, John touched Valentine’s shoulder.

“I haven’t seen you for a long time.”

And the moment their eyes met, the atmosphere was reversed. Valentine smiled brightly, with a calm face. His eyes twinkled and sparkled, and his graceful cheeks looked lively. It was such a dramatic change, as if spring came suddenly after winter.

“I missed you, John.”

Even without intending it, they became the center of attention, many passersby stopping to stare at the pair.. However, Valentine seemed as if he did not care, and pulled John into a tight hug. Being held tightly, John reflexively tried to push him away, but instead of pulling away, Valentine burrowed further  into his arms.

Were they that friendly?

He didn’t hate the fact that Valentine was so happy to see him, but he felt awkward. Wrapping his arms around Valentine’s small back, he unconsciously wondered what to say.

“It’s been a while… Thank you.”

“That bastard, I’m sure he heard it from somewhere, like a rat.”

“What?”

“Joseph. That guy’s grandfather and my father are members of the same club. That idiot can’t keep his mouth shut when he finds out about other people’s secrets. Then, John, I’ll protect you from him.”

“…”.

“Don’t worry about that, understand?”

John was suddenly overwhelmed with strange emotions. The boy who gave him  affection, tried to protect him, and even offered to do so. When John didn’t say anything, Valentine released him. He seemed surprised by John’s behavior, but didn’t notice.

“Thanks, Valentine. Um… I sure have a very strong brother.”

“Of course. I will protect you from now on.”

“…I’m really not that weak. Thanks, really.”

With his chin on John’s chest, Valentine looked up and grinned at him. While hugging him, he whispered delightedly.

“Are you tired from your first day of school? Go home soon.”

“It’s okay.”

Valentine reached out his hand, and John hesitated before holding it out. Then, the two of them linked their arms and said goodbye.

Ah, this chapter was 8 pages long *sweats* but it was fun.

Valentine protecting John was soooo cute;;;