It was already pass 9 pm when Leon arrived at the cocoa plantation village. Seventy kilometers were not far if you have a comfortable bus and wide road with smooth asphalt. The only things that made the trips were no less than two hours was because they had to take a detour to another village first.

Cocoa village were a small city size, with around seven thousand citizen cramped within the village. They had a huge cocoa plantation to take care of and more than half of the citizen were working on it. The one that couldn’t work at that plantation were people who did not have Vanskoria citizen card. Yes, there were a lot of illegal immigrant lived in this place because unlike the main city Vanskoria, this place had zero mana percentage, which means a normal human could lived here with ease. But if there were illegal immigrant, it also easily known that slumps would appear by itself.

Leon walked with half eyes closed from the bus stop and heading his home leisurely. The “front end” of this village was really lively. With wide road, maintained park and many business still doing their activity until this late of night. But with just a brisk walk to the edge of village, another view would greet them with a raised eyebrow.

He sighed hard watching the contrast environment just few blok apart. But his home was here, on a cheap apartment just few junction ahead. He had to dropped by few places before he hit home. For his uncle he brought a not so expensive liquor and for his aunty he brought a black pearl necklace. She was frowned when saw it first, but then smiled widely when he said it was from south africa. That was a lie of course, but keeping these two people happy would make his life a little bit peaceful. While now an old drunk, his uncle used to have influence in this neighbour as a high level beta core.

Leon visibly looked more tired after he visited his uncle. Their abusive words never get old, same thing repeated like a broken recorder. About how his whore mother, how he was unwanted, how they were kind enough to accept and raised him. He already ignore their words like it was air.

Few people passed him greeted him. Some hide themselves when he pass, other just ignore him. A stupid brat even dare to try pickpocketed him. A punch in the face and a threat from his dear knife was all he need to make the brat run with fear. Everyone just cheering when they saw that. It’s a common occurrence in this place.

Just in the final corner his steps slowed as he saw a familiar figure on the side of street. Cheap makeup, overly open dress and high heel that didn’t match with her overall looks.

“Sister Mo!”

The woman tilted her head and smile, or at least she tried. Leon catch her falling body with surprise.

“Oh god you have fever! Why are you working even if you are sick?”

“Umu, i had to pay the rent you know…” She answered awkwardly. Several times she tried to get up but failed. Her black hair also fell into huge mess.

“Let’s just go home now sister. Don’t worry i’ll lend you some money to pay the rent.”

She groaned. “I already pay the baldie..” her voice was getting smaller before finally she collapsed.

Leon sighed hard. He was just trying to help the woman but instead he had to take care of her. Sister Mo lived on the same building as him. Her apartment was just across his and she has been a good neighbour compared the other tenant on the floor. She used to be a pretty woman, so like any other woman who had no skill but pretty look she whoring herself. She used to work at a brothel, but now she way passed her glory days and had to sell herself on the street. Already on her 30th, even her big yet saggy breast only help her a little to get customers. There are other younger girls out there with more fresh body.

Leon carried the poor woman on his back and headed toward a bald man with red jacket that stood in the junction with few youngsters, also in red jacket. The baldie was the one who manage this junction and his name was Grim. No, it’s a street name, it was not his real name.

Grim smiled bitterly when he saw Leon.

“I’ve told her to chill the fuck out with that sick body. Wouldn’t listen to me.” Few his fellow snicker when they saw Leon. Grim smack them to made them silent. While Leon was still young, his name already on the list of people you need to be respected.

“Yeah, sister Mo could be a stubborn woman. Anyway could you help me? She said she already paid? Can i get it back?”

The baldie raised his hand. “Services that already paid cannot be returned.”

“Oh cmon, it’s not like you did not know me Grim.”

Grim looked at him with annoyed face. “I need the money kid.”

“Everyone needs the damn money.” Then remembered something. “Wait… is your boy sick again? I already gave you the antibiotics right?”

Now his face looks troubled. “Well yeah.... About that…”

Leon’s face darkened. “Please tell me the boy took it all.”

He realized it when Grim’s face changed. “Oh God…”

“H-He looks fine! S-So i thought… maybe he don't need all of them.”

“You stupid bald! It’s antibiotics! They have certain dose for a fucking reason!” Leon couldn’t held his voices. “So? How is he now? Why you didn’t call me?”

Grim now looked like a student that being lectured by his teacher.

“Doctor give him a higher dose, but it’s hard. It’s expensive. I-I barely had the money.”

Grim looked really desperate. On the outside he may like some badass gangster with tattoo and muscle. But inside he has a soft heart for his wife and child. Something that Leon saw and he always tried to keep the baldie from crossing the line too much.

“That even more reason for calling me. I already gave you half the price for the last medicine right?”

Grim scratching his head. “Well, the big boss said that you are busy…”

Leon snorted, clearly annoyed by his statement. He also started to felt the weight of older woman on his back.

“Are you stupid? It’s your son we are talking about. I already considering him like my little brother y’know. Send me the medicine recipe and let me take a look.”

“R-Really? I meant you are being busy and all…”

“Oh just shut it. Just give me sister Mo’s money back, okay?” Leon paused for a second. “Also, go to Big joe tomorrow. I think he had few toys that your boy could play with. Just say i sent you.”

It was a weird spectacles when a grown up man with manly appearance crying like hell, even more so when he hug a boy who carrying a unconscious woman on his back. Leon just stood there withstand the painful stare for around them.

Before everything got even weirder, Leon parted with Grim and continued his walk toward his apartment. Located after the junction, the building was deteriorated from age and weather. Four floor with 6 apartment on each floor, the building were moderately cheap and relatively safe from any crime. After a short trip to 2nd floor, he dropped to sister Mo’s apartment and put her on the bed. Her fridge was empty so Leon feed her with bread and milk that he bought on the mini market down on the first floor.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Finally at 10.30 pm he entered his own apartment.

“I’m home.” He said tiredly.

A brief smell of bamboo greet him, bringing a sense of relaxation and security from a small apartment he called home. It was not big, just 1 bedroom, a living room and kitchen in one room, plus another smaller room for storage. The interior was designed to be japanese style with tatami and low table as furniture. But even with all of this he need another confirmation that he was really already home. The other person that was supposed to be lived with him was nowhere to be seen.

“Alice? You here?”

His voice felt a bit hoarse when he mentioned her name, like he did not want to bother her with his question. Soon he found her sleeping peacefully on the bedroom.

“Geez, can you at least sleep with more clothes on? You and your bad habit.” He mumbled as he take a blanket from the drawer.

Alice’s small lips let out a small moan as if disagree with the boy. The petite girl squirming in delight when Leon put a blanket over her body. She was almost naked, with only a t-shirt and panties on her body. No, she not even bothered to wore a bra for her small breast. Her shoulder length platinum blonde hair was in a mess, not that they reduce the beautiful face she had. For a while Leon just sat beside her, stroking her hair in silent, enjoying the soft feeling in his hand.

He and Alice had a long and twisted relationship. They grew up as childhood friend. Even on his earliest memory he remembered Alice already with him. Her parents, workers on cocoa plantation was on raising carrier when their doom arrived from the back of their hand. They were dragged down by false corruption accusation from their envious coworker. While they could avoid prison, the prize to pay for it was too great. They were left with no money and house, with four children to fed on.

From that point the story was a lame plot that overly used by life to make someone desperate. The debt, the never ending quarrel, and the broken home. All those things dragged the family to do the unthinkable. They decide to sell their oldest daughter to the brothel.

Alice was never the same after her father said those words to her face two years ago. Her blue eyes lost their bright color as twisted agony raise from the depth of her heart. She has been trying to be a good child for them, to be a respected daughter they could proud of. But those words just torn her heart to pieces. The other family members just stood there and looked at her with a pity, no one had raised their hands to help her.

No one but him.

Leon still remembered clearly how Alice’s expression when they heard that he would buy Alice. A 13 years old boy wanted to buy 15 years old girl was a difficult tale to believe. But he stood his ground, not caring how her parents laughing at him. He put his knife to the neck of her father and stuffed the money to his mouth before dragged Alice out of that cursed family. She never say no to him, she never deny him nor she will ever betray him. From the moment her foot left that house, she was his. Her broken heart craved those words to whatever left inside of her. Something that stubbornly enforced to him even after he told her he wanted their old relationship.

It never could, her heart has been shattered too much. He was her salvation, her only reason to see the sun after the night ends.

Leon’s hand tracing the soft and tender cheek, then slowly down to her neck. There was a black choker with a heart shape - silver colored pendant on it. Another thing that she refused to budge off. He has been worried since she buy and wore it by herself, and proudly said that the choker was prove she was his.

It’s already almost 11 when he snapped out from his flashback. Stroking her hair was always bring that effect to him. A bit of reminder how far they have come to this moment, also a little push to keep moving forward, to challenge the future even if everything seems lost.

He took a quick shower, then a quick meal while looking blankly at the television show. Not that it was interesting, but the noise keep his mind from wandering away too far.

Finally he rested his tired body on the bed and hug the girl slowly. Alice responded by snuggling at his chest out of habit. Before long, Leon fell into deep sleep.

…

He know he was dreaming. How? A fucking cow has just passed him, and it was flying with it’s wings spread wide. Moo-ing in mocking tone to him and fly away with that. Damn fucking cow!

It was a weird scenery. His neighborhood was colored in fall season. Every green was replaced with dusk colored leaves, the wind was cold and the dust was high in the air. It was weird because on this part of the island fall never came. Sun was shining all year, with random rain pouring every now and then.

Yes, it was weird.

Alice playing a guitar in a chair on the streetwalk. With several familiar face, including the baldie Grim surround her and nodding to the music. Sister Mo even humming slowly, being a background tune that make the music even merrier.

Suddenly someone grap his hand. A silver haired girl dragged him and started to make a clumsy attempt to dance with him. He just looked at her with a smile. Why she is here?

From then on the people around just started dancing to the music. Someone put another guitar, others bring  trumpet and harmonica. It was a festival all of a sudden with everyone just trying to enjoying themselves.

Leon felt happiness as he dance around with the silver haired girl. It’s been a long time since he felt this free happiness like this. He laugh, he dance, he jumped around like a child enjoying festival for the first time.

The happiness kept pouring him, slowly those feeling turned into a wave of pleasure. And as fast as his dream come, it finished in few heartbeat. Slowly his consciousness faded as the dream ended.

Hmm? But why he still could feel the pleasure feeling?

Slowly he opened his eyes, with sunrays welcomed him from the window. Bustling sound of busy street bringing his sense back to the ground, or should he say, to the bottom part of his body.

“Lewonwniw owhawwyow~”

His body jerked when an intense pleasure ran into his body. Something warm warping his little brother like it was the most delicious thing in the world.

“A-Alice! W-Wait-Wha-What Ar-”

Leon swear he heard a soft giggle before her small mouth started to worked diligently. The movement of warm flesh sent pulse of pleasure that bring him closer and closer to come. The last push came when their eyes met each other. Her blue eyes looked wet and so inviting, which make her looked so cute and goddamn sexy. With that final thought he came in her mouth.

A few second passed in silent as Leon struggle to catching his breath and Alice cleaning up whatever remain on her face and mouth.

“Alice, what are you doing on the first thing in the morning?”

Tilted her head, she answered. “I’m waking you up y’know.” She smiled. “But it was your little brother that wake up, so i play with him for awhile.” She said while sticking out her tongue.

The cute behaviour were so tempting. He could feel new vigor lit up on his lower region.

“Ah, it’s wake up again!”

Those were her last words before Leon embrace her for another morning love session.

…

An hour later they already sat on the dining room. Leon slumped his head into the desk while Alice eating with sparkling face.

“Gosh, what are we doing really? My back hurt.”

Alice took a slice chicken meat and put it on his plate. “It’s already noon y’know. Leon nii must be too tired last night.”

(AN: nii is japanese term for older brother.)

Leon groaned, then decide his stomach need a fill after intense work out just now. He stared at the food on his plate, remembering something, then sighed hard.

“Well, thanks for the food.” He mumbled awkwardly.

Those words sent Alice to paralyze state. Her blue eyes widen as she couldn’t believe what she was just heard.

“D-Did Leon nii j-just now..?” She questioned with broken words.

“W-What of it? Is it that weird?

“OF COURSE IT IS!” She shouted. “Usually Leon-Nii just eat without care y’know!”

“L-Leave me alone okay! I just feel like it!”

Suddenly her instinct kicked in. She rushed to his side and took his hand to her chest. “It must be a girl isn’t? It must be, right?”

Leon sweated on his back. How the hell this girl know it?

“Ah…” Suddenly her eyes loses color. “It really is a girl!” She mumbled in annoyance. “Nee, who is the girl? Who is the girl that spoil my Leon nii. Please tell me.” she asked in smile, an eerie vacant smile.

The boy now felt his life were depend on the sentence came out from his mouth. He started to talk about his encounter with three pair candidate. As the story progress, her light starting to get back to her blue eyes and their conversation turned into the usual atmosphere.

“So yesterday Leon nii meet up with a sly silver fox girl, a useless meat idiot girl, and an annoying chopping board girl?”

Her vacant smile was back. “Which one is the one that spoiling my Leon nii?”

Or not. She still held her grudge.

“I have to choose one of them to be my pair you know? Can you be more serious on this?”

Alice snuggle into his embrace in silent. There was still hole in her heart about welcoming another girl to be his. She understand that being a Alpha-hunter her Leon would be surrounded with lots of women. She also knew that with her gamma core being the lowest of all, she did not have the right to stand beside him as a wife. Maybe just a lover that he kept around for a session of night love or two.

She groaned. Her thought about being used for her hole alone made her shiver with anticipation.

“Alice, focus!”

His stern voice bring her back to reality. “S-Sorry Leon nii…”

Leon sighed. From the beginning he did not expect Alice to be serious or anything. It was he alone tha need to make the decision. And truthfully, he already made one.

The silver haired fox…

He smiled. Somehow it fit her well. Leon patted Alice head when she was still pouting after his scolding before.

“By the way, sister Mo was sick last night.” He said.

“She drop by this morning to say thanks. She was still sick but it was better. I also gave her some breakfast. We ate here you know.”

For awhile he continued the patting session. Like last night when he stroke her hair, somehow there was this melancholy feeling that fell into his mind every time he playing with her hair. The dusty air and loud buzzing of city noise on the background were came down on him slowly. He never like this city, or village, or whatever they called it. He wanted to get out of here, ran away from all the shackle held him down on this city. His debt for buying Alice and running mana core test were on the 6 digit number. It was supposed to be enough to buy a house and started a family. But this city had a weird way to make the life even harder. For the last two years he worked like crazy breaking his bone to pay the debt.

He already planned it all. He will pay his debt, and he will escape this cursed place.

Just a little more…

His hand suddenly stopped, he remembered something. It was something she said.

“Alice, can you cut my hair? It’s time to get rid this long hair. It’s getting hot and annoyed. I want to be a little neat.”

Alice furrowed her eyebrow, annoyed.

“It was that fox again right? It was her right Leon nii?”

Leon chuckled, he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Get used to it. She will be with us for a long time.”

The petite girl let out another pout. She just hug her beloved tightly but say nothing.

Leon nii is mine, and i am his. It will always be like that forever!