Chapter Three

Doctor Artemis Hunter

All the way to the restaurant, I couldn’t help but think about what just happened. I just met Artemis’ counterpart in this world!

‘So I really am in a parallel world.’ I thought.

I was in deep thought that I didn’t notice I had already arrived in the meeting place, a Chinese restaurant in downtown Seoul.

“So a Chinese man came to South Korea and booked a Chinese restaurant.” I mumbled to myself. “What irony.”

I lightly shook my head but went inside afterwards. I immediately spotted Chen and my father.

“Lei!” Chen called and immediately hugged me the moment I got closer.

“Hey little brother.” I greeted back. “It’s been three years.”

Chen was still looked relatively the same although his hair had gottten darker and he had this mature aura around him. But it was probably the suit he was wearing.

‘I thought he hated suits?’ I thought, but then I caught glimpse of my father. I gave him a bow as acknowledgement and he nodded in return. There was only silence between us and it was becoming really awkward.

For three years, I noticed that nothing really changed about my father.

My father, Zhang Wu Fen, was someone with a youthful face. If someone didn’t know his age, that person would assume he was still in his late twenties to early thirties, but in reality he was already approaching forty-three years old. His black hair and fair skin made him look younger, but his aura was very mature.

He was wearing a dark blue suit. It looked like he was going to attend a formal business meeting. And then there I was. I was only wearing a blue-white striped polo, a pair of black denim jeans and rubber shoes. I also had a pair of sunglasses and a baseball cap.

Talk about being underdressed, but the two didn’t comment on it.

The awkward tension in our table only broke when a very familiar person suddenly stepped in my view.

My eyes widened as I looked at the foreign man who just arrived. He held a cold and calculating gaze, just like someone I knew. His black hair was swept to one side and his silver-grey eyes seemed to peer on your very soul.

“Uncle Victor?” I unconsciously called.

I suddenly felt that all eyes were on me which made me embarrassed so I looked away. They seemed not to mind what just happened since dad just greeted him casually.

“Victor, it’s been so long.” my father said in fluent English.

My father could speak a total of eight languages including English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Filipino. I inherited my language skills from my father.

“Wu Fen, it has been a long time.” the two shook hands.

‘What is he doing here?’ I thought.

Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

“These are my sons, Chen and Lei.”

Chen and I stood up straight and gave him a bow. To return our greetings, he shook our hands, with me last.

“I see. So you are Lei?” he stared at me for a few seconds. “You have an interesting gaze Lei. It’s the gaze of someone who has seen and experienced many things, including death.”

I swallowed the non-existent lump on my throat.

‘And your observant personality still scares me.’ I wanted to say, but I decided to just not say it, lest I would be sent to an asylum.

“And you seem to know me even though this is the first time we’ve met.”

I gave him a nervous laugh.

‘Even in this life and world, he’s still a bit… extreme for me to handle.’

I didn’t know how to respond to his statement, good thing father immediately changed the subject. We all sat down and started to order food.

“Your daughter seems to not be with you. I thought she and Lei are supposed to meet today.”

“Yes, that was the plan. But an emergency came up in the hospital.”

“Hospital?” Chen asked.

“Yes. She’s a three-year resident doctor in Hyun Jin University Medical Center.”

“I see. What a waste.” my father said in a low tone. “I thought they’ll finally meet today.”

“Wait a minute.” Chen interrupted. “Mister Hunter, isn’t your daughter supposed to be nineteen? How come she’s already a three-year resident in a hospital?”

“She’s a very wilful and smart kid. She skipped a few grades on a whim, but it is what she wants.” he said in a proud tone.

‘So she’s still the same; stubborn, wilful and so damn smart. Artemis sure gets whatever she wants.’ was my passing thought.

“Exactly Lei. She is just like that. You seem to know her, my daughter, Artemis.”

“I said that out loud, didn’t I?” I mumbled, but then I realized something. “Wait, the girl I’m supposed to marry is Artemis?”

“Well, she is my only daughter. How did you-“

“Ah, I met her outside.” was my immediate answer. “She seemed to be in a hurry though.”

I didn’t hear the rest of their conversation. I zoned out because my head was full of thoughts.

Thoughts like; ‘Artemis is my fiancée?’ ‘That’s amazing!’ ‘If I agree to this, it’ll only seem like I’m marrying her because of my past life, because she is the Artemis Hunter of this world.’ ‘Damn parallel worlds!’ and many more.

“I don’t agree!” I said all of a sudden and slammed my hands to the table.

“Lei!” father called in an angry tone,

“Father, I don’t want to marry her.”

They all gave me a confused look.

“And why are you refusing to marry my daughter Lei?” asked Uncle – no, Mister Hunter.

‘He’s not the same person you know.’ I reminded myself.

“For reasons I can’t tell you without sounding mad, but what I can tell you is that, I am a trainee of MM Entertainment.” I said confidently. “My current contract forbids me from having a romantic relationship for now. I haven’t even started my career yet you know?”

“Xiao Lei’er!” my father called out angrily in Mandarin.

“That is my decision father! And that is final!”

My father just sighed in disbelief and Chen was trying to make me take back my words, but I didn’t budge.

I probably sounded unreasonable to them, but I knew what I was doing. I loved the Artemis in my past life dearly, but I didn’t want to have an instant relationship with her counterpart when I still have lingering feelings for her. I didn’t want the Artemis of this world be just her replacement. I once thought that if I was going to love someone in my current life, it would be because I really did love her.

Mister Hunter looked at me in the eyes, and I didn’t back down. Then he suddenly laughed heartily.

“I like the look in your eyes kid.” he said after laughing. “I honestly do. Only a few would actually speak what’s in their mind and heart whenever I’m around.”

“Artemis is probably one of them.” I muttered.

“Wu Fen, I’m afraid we’ll have to cancel the engagement.”

“What? Victor that’s – if it’s what he said, I’ll go talk to him. I’ll get him to agree.” father insisted.

“That’s not it old friend. In fact, even my daughter is against this engagement.”

I was taken aback by his statement.

‘But then again, I am a total stranger to her.’

In the end, the engagement got cancelled with both sides in agreement. But dad and Mister Hunter were both insistent I meet Artemis and have dinner with her.

“Let’s see.” was my response.

My father gave me an earful once Mister Hunter had left, but the matter was already settled. It seemed like Mister Hunter – oh right, he asked me to call him something else – Uncle Victor was the one who gets to decide about the engagement.

“You do realize I still don’t approve of you becoming a celebrity.” he said once he had calmed down.

“I know, but please don’t stop me. This is my dream.”

“Do what you want. Let’s go Xiao Chen.”

He left the restaurant. Chen gave me a down-five and signalled to call him later before he followed our father out.

***

To be continued...