Welcome Ciaran Novel – Chapter 2
Beneaths’s streets are crowded with people gathering in the old town: tourists admire the beauty of the lights and the smell of exquisite perfumes wafting from the most expensive mall, while the locals enjoy a good time with friends or relatives. Junior, the abandoned child, is in the second category. He’s with his newfound family and appreciates the night beauty: lights on every corner, funny mascots walking the streets, runaway shows here and there, street food and so on.
As Junior’s stomach has been grumbling since they left Yuu’s apartment, Killian decides to take him to one of the old town’s top-tier restaurants. Fortunately the place serves baby food, but Junior doesn’t touch it. The child craved anything but baby food which made Killian proud. But before a potentially fatal situation occurred, Yuu stopped the other adult. He wondered how Killian could be oblivious and let a child eat their food. Does he even have the teeth to chew meat? Yuu didn’t bother to check and ordered baby food, disappointing both Killian and Junior.
After the restaurant, the three visitors walked straight to a clothes shop selling Celtic products, everything from expensive, hand-made jewellery to knitted clothes. Killian was excited by everything, especially what Yuu would identify as the ugliest outfits ever. They seem better suited to a fancy dress party rather than day-to-day wear, but Killian’s reaction indicates that he thinks differently. He fell in love with the leprechaun baby set and pyjamas covered with fairies and elves. Yuu feels ashamed to be in a shop offering ridiculous clothes and hopes to never set foot in it again.
As soon as they leave one shop, Killian finds another baby shop and rushes into it. The shop assistants were only too happy to show off the shop’s new items – always the most expensive ones – and arrivals that could be booked at a fair price for exclusive use. Killian fell for the shop’s offers, bought all their recommendations, and booked no less than thirty new arrivals so Junior can get all the new items first.
After what had seemed to be eight hours of clothes shopping, Killian calmed down. But before Yuu could catch his breath, Killian brings them into another shop. This time, it offered something different, but it wasn’t enough. Yuu’s temper finally gets the better of him.
“When you invaded my place earlier, I just thought you needed food and clothes for the little boy.”
“I did,” Killian replies.
“Then tell me, what are we doing here?!” Yuu shouts. “Traipsing around toy shops wasn’t part of the plan!!!”
Yuu’s right, and he knows it. Killian mentioned finding a place to eat and buying a few clothes for Junior, but the plan changed when he noticed the child needed more. Yuu would have appreciated discussing it beforehand, though there was very little chance he’d have accepted it.
Although it’s difficult, Yuu does his best not to kill anyone – Killian being top of his list. The proud daddy ignores Yuu’s negative energy, which only makes things worse.
“I want Junior to have fun when we’re busy studying or talking with each other. What’s better than giving him toys to play with? You said you don’t have any at home, neither do I. Let’s buy some while we’re in the city centre.”
“Do I look like I care?” Yuu asks. He’s too exhausted to raise his voice. “You’re the idiot who’s taken on a child without thinking about the consequences, not me. Deal with it alone, or call a nanny to help raise the orphan!”
“Junior was all alone when I found him,” Killian justifies. “He looked frightened, desperate that I look after him. I’m sure he’s grateful that I didn’t leave him behind.”
“How do you know? He can’t talk!”
“He can,” Killian refutes. “You just can’t understand him, but I can.”
Yuu fidgets with his fingers nervously. It’s something he does to keep himself from doing something wrong. In this case, punching Killian in the face and beating him until his rage subsides. And if Juniors dares cry, Yuu wouldn’t hesitate to throw the child out the window. Yuu isn’t an angel, and doesn’t pretend to be one.
Before he has time to make a salty comment, a female shop assistant steps closer, arms full of toys, and offers her customers her biggest smile.
I don’t like her smile… It’s suspicious.. What’s wrong with her? She couldn’t find better toys than a teddy bear, a plastic gun and a robot? They’re overpriced; there’s no way we pay for this crap!
“Thanks for waiting!”
The shop assistant’s high-pitched voice annoys Yuu, and she makes it worse by plastering a fake smile on her face. Yuu breathes in and out, nervously cracking his knuckles, trying not to let his rage explode.
Calm down, Yuu. She’s just a friendly shop assistant doing her job the way she was asked to. Don’t be mad at her; blame Killian for stopping at every kid’s shop in town. If he decides to visit another one, I’ve got no choice but to call Kayla. Whether she kills or not Killian for his decision and makes Junior disappear are nothing to do with me.
“Here are Boutique Verlinga’s best-selling products,” the shop assistant says. “Kids are dying for those toys; according to the poll launched last month, they’ve made their lives better. If you’re still not sure, I can show you our happy customers’ reviews on our website.”
“You don’t have to,” Killian answers. “We trust you and a quick look at your boutique tells me that our kids will find their happiness in your products. What are they made of?”
Who are “we”? Don’t speak on my behalf, idiot! It’s your fault that we’re trapped here. The shop assistant smelt your stupidity miles away, trapped you and is proudly spouting bullshit only you’ll believe. You trusted the other ones; you don’t have any reason not to trust that one. Please don’t spend a penny on those pricey toys, they’re so ugly! Killian’s taste for baby’s products sucks. He should let Kayla take care of that.
“Yuu Junior? Like his second daddy?” the shop assistant asks, looking at Yuu.
Yuu’s face tenses. He hopes his ears have betrayed him because what he heard can’t be real. Yuu can’t see anything that could justify the stupidity that came out of the shop assistant’s mouth.
It takes the man’s brain a couple of minutes to accept the truth but when the penny drops, Yuu’s blood starts boiling. Fists clenched, Yuu’s right hand is ready to punch the two adults who are happily talking about parenting.
What’s she implying? Just because this monster and I have some shared features, it doesn’t mean we’re from the same family. Is Killian your twin brother because you’re both idiots? Keep saying this shit and Kayla will ruin your mediocre career for the rest of your life, bitch!
“It suits my boy, doesn’t it?”, Killian says. “He looks so much like his father! Luckily, they look similar but don;t have the same personality. Otherwise, Junior would be as stingy as Daddy Yuu with smiles!”
Keep laughing, arsehole! Let’s see how your jokes affect Kayla’s mood when she comes after your balls with a sharp knife.
Yuu is ready to leave the shop when his eyes meet Junior’s. Silence falls and neither the adult nor the child dare say a word or blink. Junior’s arrogance unsettles Yuu. He notices that the child always looks at him as if he’s judging Yuu’s behaviour. Yuu can ignore what’s wrong with Junior but he won’t let a child look down at him. He can fool Killian by playing the cute little boy, but this trick won’t work on Yuu – he’s immune to those so-called cutesy methods. But Yuu’s instinct tells him Junior isn’t an ordinary child… There’s something odd about this boy, who behaves more like an adult than a kid.
“Who are you looking at?” Yuu barks. Junior offers his hand to him but Yuu looks at it with disdain. “Look elsewhere!”
“Why are you so mean?” Killian asks. He’s surprised by the aggressive tone Yuu takes with the child. “Junior just wants…”
“Shut up!” Yuu screams, losing control. “I wouldn’t say a word if I were you!”
The atmosphere is becoming tense. Some other shoppers are watching the conflict between the young parents, while the others are keeping their distance, wanting to avoid any trouble. Even the shop assistant has stopped smiling, focusing on an invisible defect on the teddy bear.
Yuu calms down, but knows this can’t last forever. He takes a deep breath before looking away from the child.
“Give the monster another name,” Yuu says. He feels Junior’s piercing eyes on him and hates how that unsettles him. “No kids who aren’t mine are allowed to bear my name.”
“Didn’t you like Yuu Junior?” Killian asks. Yuu gives him a dirty look. “As a younger version of you, the name does really suit him. So what do you suggest we call him?”
Yuu thinks. Several names come to mind, but none fit the little boy. That is, until one crossed Yuu’s mind, his face brightening. The Celtic shop they visited earlier might have played a role because Yuu had never considered the name before. Yet, it suits the child. It’s as if the boy was born with this name.
“Ciarán!” Yuu says. He notices a reaction – neither positive nor negative – from the child. “Let’s call him Ciarán!”
“Kieran?” What a pretty name!” the shop assistant says. “It suits your lovely boy! He’ll become as handsome as his second father when he is a teenager –
Yuu’s dirty look causes the shop assistant to tail off. She remembers the parent’s threats just minutes ago and doesn’t want to poke the bear. Clearing her throat, the woman looks at Killian and forces a smile. “Let me wrap up your items!”
None of us agreed to buy your shit! thinks Yuu. Why does he…? Ugh, nevermind. Killian’s wasting his money, not mind.
“Kieran?” Killian thinks. “I knew we should’ve bought the leprechaun’s outfit, Kieran looked so handsome in it!”
“Shut your mouth and pay!”
Killian does what Yuu asked for, reiterating that he was right about the Celtic shop’s baby clothes. Yuu has already left the shop, sparing himself having to listen to Killian’s long monologue. In the meantime, Killian exchanges a few words with the shop assistant who thanks him for his purchase.
The fresh air outside does Yuu good. He lasted no more than twenty minutes in Boutique Verlinga, but it felt as if he stayed there for hours.
That girl and Killian are so boring, I swear they have the power to stop time, Yuu thinks as he takes his lighter out of his pocket. Every word coming out of their cursed mouth sends a signal to the moon to bring us back into the past. I should probably pray to the fairy godmother to lift the curse. How do I come up with such nonsense?
Before Yuu can answer his own question, Killian shows up with a happy Ciarán who’s playing with his new robot toy. Yuu gives the newcomers an odd look – he has no intention of talking to them until he arrives home. Turning his back to the rest of the team, Yuu leads the way, cigarette in hand.
“You can’t smoke in front of a child!” Killian scolds. He looks at Yuu, surprised, as if the other man was doing the worst thing ever.
“Try me,” Yuu replies nonchalantly.
“You’re showing a child bad habits, Yuu”, Killian insists. He speeds up to reach Yuu, who does the same, trying to distance himself from a man with the power to control time. “What if Ciarán becomes a smoker when he grows up?”
“I’d be proud of the boy!” Yuu says sarcastically. “I might consider making him my apprentice. Who knows? My lessons could make him a useful man.”
“As long as Ciarán doesn’t break the law, I suppose I don’t have to worry.”
Without saying another word, Killian focuses on Ciarán, telling the child the fairy tales he used to read. Meanwhile, Yuu is acting as if he can’t see the people looking at him and whispering. In reality, Yuu has noticed the locals’ attitude since they left his apartment, their eyes glued on the young adults and their child while whispers exchanged. At some point, Yuu forgot about those people, distracted by Killian’s stupid decisions and Ciarán’s arrogant attitude. But as the other two are too wrapped up in their cosy bubble, Yuu remembers what annoyed him when he left his warm house.
What are they looking at? Have they never seen an adult smoke in front of a child? Don’t make me laugh! As if adults always behave as they should. The Ciarán situation proves my point: irresponsible parents who abandoned their starving son, without even a note with the boy’s name. If I were them, I’d have never abandoned my child. I would rather sell my body! I may not be an example for others, but I’m careful not to mess about with some things.
Yuu curses his lack of luck and wishes Killian would be held accountable. Among the sporty man’s various powers – sucking other people’s energy to feed his own and bending time – Yuu blames Killian for bringing others bad luck. The evening started well until Killian turned up at his place, reversing Yuu’s luck. Because of that, Yuu has been the centre of attention for hours, and it’s slowly getting on his nerves.
I should have never let them in! I should have called the police straight after seeing Killian with Ciarán, saying he kidnapped the child. If I weren’t so kind, I would already be sleeping instead of guessing what those crazy women are whispering under their breath—
Eyes wide open, Yuu freezes. Stopped in the middle of the road, Yuu is trying to get his thoughts in order, which seem to be taunting him. What just crossed Yuu’s mind can’t be real, though it would explain why people seem intrigued to see him with the other two. However, Yuu refuses to believe the reality. The tiredness must be causing some sort of hallucination
This must be a hallucination! A hallucination from a dysfunctional brain that has taken on far more than it should have. How did I even come up with this thought? Did I watch a film with ambiguous relationships recently? My brain can’t recall anything.
Desperately looking for support, Yuu looks back at Killian but the other man is highly involved in his parenting role, telling Ciarán a new fairy tale. At that very moment, Yuu understands his mistake, though the look these women are giving him are enough to send him six feet under.
His face deathly pale, Yuu is on the verge of passing out. But as if it weren’t enough, he dares meet the women’s gaze and immediately regrets it. The women around give him some sort of silent support as if they are encouraging Yuu to do something he doubts he wants to do.
Let’s do simple maths… I’m a handsome man with a supposed god according to fangirls. This idiot and I are in the company of a child who strangely looks like a younger version of me… Please don’t!
“Look at them! They’re so cute!”
“Is that okay if I grab a picture?”
“Do you think they have—”
Do they think Killian and I are TOGETHER??? No way! They can’t be crazy enough to picture me with Killian!
Yuu’s soul slowly leaves his body while the women’s whispers fill the air. Yuu feels the urge to end all misunderstandings, but he isn’t in a position to do anything. The truth that some people are suddenly interested in him, believing he’s just become a parent, is messing with Yuu. He must do something before this misunderstanding gets blown out of proportion. Otherwise, his uncle will be buying the first ticket to visit his nephew to teach him a lesson.
Why does it have to happen to me? I’m the good guy who should be granted a wish by the fairy godmother, not be the victim of her wrath. I’m sure a kind person in this city is ready to face all obstacles and lift the curse that is causing me all kinds of trouble!
“Let’s take the lane, Yuu!” Killian says. He points out a dark path leading to the end of the old town. “I often use this route to get to your place as it takes fifteen minutes.”
“Take the main street, I’ll go via the lane,” Yuu replies. He’s too embarrassed to look Killian in the eyes. “Keep Ciarán with you and—
“Why are we taking different routes?” Killian asks. He’s surprised by Yuu’s sudden decision to split up the team. “Do you need to go somewhere? If you do, we can just go together—”
“NO!” Yuu shouts. When he notices his behaviour has drawn more attention to him, he curses. “Do what I said and DON’T follow me!”
Yuu doesn’t wait for Killian’s approval before turning his back. He hurries away, getting some distance from Killian, but the other man doesn’t see it that way. Yuu has been acting strangely since they left Boutique Verlinga and he’s determined to understand what’s troubling his friend.
“Yuu, wait!” Killian says, grabbing Yuu’s wrist to stop him running away. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”
Yuu’s face has turned bright red. Physical proximity never bothered him, rather the opposite. Yuu is known to like standing close to others when he’s speaking to them, making many uncomfortable. However, no one beats Killian when it comes to defying others’ personal space, and he proves it by standing a tad too close to Yuu. The dark-haired man can hear his heart beat, scared it will blow up in seconds.
Yuu almost jumps up when the screams of a group of women remind him of the embarrassing situation he’s been facing. Some have the decency to apologise, but most prefer to lock themselves into their fictional world, expressing their happiness out loud.
“Tell him he’s the love of your life and that you’d die without him!”
“How can two men be so handsome? We were right to visit Beneath!”
“This child is the cutest baby I’ve ever seen in my life! Doesn’t he look like a younger version of the handsome dude with dark hair?”
Yuu hesitates between going after some noisy women and beating Killian to work out his frustration. He’s tempted by both solutions but they would cause Yuu to fall. In the end, the young man decides to spare everyone’s life – a misunderstanding isn’t worth jail time for the next twenty years.
“Take Ciarán for a walk!” Yuu says. He wonders how he finds the strength to pronounce a sentence that makes sense without stuttering. “Let him enjoy his first night out with his new daddy. It might help keep him from crying tonight. I don’t want to endure any more of your poor decisions.”
“You may be right!” Killian approves. “I’ll go for a long night walk with Ciarán, fresh air might make him feel better. I knew you would be a great daddy, Yuu!”
“Just go!” Yuu shouts.
“Be careful on your way home, Yuu! I’ll call you when I’m on my way to your place, so don’t fall asleep!”
Walking further away from an uncomfortable scene, Yuu has only partly heard what Killian said and doesn’t care about the missing bits. The sooner he forgets about this evening, the faster he’ll recover from embarrassment. Yuu has had similar experiences in the past, but never to the point when he wished he had never existed.
The lane is getting darker and Yuu can barely see his feet. But he’d rather walk in the dark than on the main street after all the attention. Yuu hopes nobody remembers this as the night that he argued with Killian about Ciarán’s custody. Lost in a real-time fictional world, Yuu is far from imagining being the protagonist in a crazy love story that several women are imagining.
