Welcome Ciarán preview

The sun disappeared a few hours ago, making way for the crescent moon that brightens the dark streets of a quiet residential area, away from the loud noise of the city. In one of those apartments, a young man is making the most of his day off, playing chess online while smoking his third cigarette. Yuu Hartglove – that’s what the people of Beneath call him – is in his early twenties, slender with fair skin and messy dark hair that covers his piercing blue eyes. Yuu is interested in many things that don’t always match his family’s values.

As a newly free man, Yuu’s first thought is to catch up with his uncle. The last time he visited him was at a boring family dinner that quickly became spicy, thanks to Yuu’s ability to unleash chaos. A memory that the whole family isn’t quite ready to forget, though they’ve tried hard to move on.

“That’s probably why I haven’t got a call from Uncle Jonathan since then,” Yuu thinks. He lights up his cigarette and brings it closer to his lips. “It’s time to show my dear uncle how much I love him!”

Ring, ring.

Yuu raises an eyebrow. It’s almost nine at night, and he’s not expecting anyone. Yuu wonders who could be ringing his doorbell. Neighbours? No way. They always run away from the country in autumn to avoid the constant rain and cold weather. And Yuu likes it because he has the whole floor to himself.

All of a sudden, Yuu remembers who his guest could be: Floryhan Leroy, a young woman smart enough to study at the city’s most prestigious university. As well as being intelligent, Floryhan is a devoted student, happily working extra hours for Yuu without asking for a penny in return for her hard work.

“That’s how I like employees,” Yuu smirks. He lets his online opponent move a knight. “Submissive and working til they drop, crumpling into a pile of exhaustion!”

Yuu wins the game, sending his frustrated opponent a smiley face and heart emojis before logging off.

Yuu barely has time to celebrate his victory as the loud steps come closer. When he looks up at the guest, Yuu expects to see a tiny, annoyed lady, not a giant, black man with a big grin on his face.

Read the comic version of Welcome Ciarán pt.1 and have fun following Yuu struggles. 

“Hey, Yuu! I hope I’m not bothering you?”

What is Killian doing here?! Sure, come in; it’s written somewhere on the door that the apartment is empty. Who the fuck does he thinks he is—

Yuu’s anger begins to fade as his eyes meet those of a strange, chubby creature – it’s ugly, with eyes as big as its round face. Yuu sees the strange creature Killian is holding for the first time and can feel something is wrong.

“What the heck—”

All Yuu’s senses are on high alert. He looks at the ceiling and hopes he’s dreaming. He must be. That would be the only way to explain why Killian made his way to his apartment with… A CHILD!

Blinking, Yuu looks back and forth between Killian and the little boy. His brain can’t process this. How could it be? Yuu has known Killian for years, and all of a sudden, he learns he’s a daddy. But judging by the child’s looks, it’s clear that his mother is not the woman Yuu’s thinking of, which makes the situation even more terrifying.

“What have you done?” Yuu asks. He’s so shocked he hasn’t heard a word of what Killian said.

“Do you want me to say it again?” Killian asks.

“You don’t have to!” Yuu screams. “I know you’ve cheated on your girlfriend! You’d better run before she hears the news!”

Killian laughs. “What are you talking about? I’ve never cheated and never will.”

Yuu is sceptical. He’s never met a grown man freely walking about with a child who isn’t his. Unless Killian is hiding a dark secret, and Yuu hopes he isn’t, the giant man is a daddy but refuses to admit it.

“I don’t want to be part of this,” Yuu admits. “I’d rather shoot myself than deal with your girlfriend.”

“Don’t say such silly things, Yuu! Plus, how could I manage without you?” Killian asks, concerned.

“You said once that the secret to a long lasting relationship is telling the truth. Just use your words and tell Kayla everything!”

“Can you share some tips?” Killian asks after a while.

“What for?”

Yuu raises an eyebrow. He’s trying to figure out what Killian means. Between the two of them, Killian is the brains, not Yuu. Besides, Yuu isn’t the sort of guy who helps out for free. Times are hard for everyone, and acting like a charity doesn’t pay the rent.

An evil smile appears on Yuu’s face. “Tell me how the woman you slept with forced you to raise your child?” Yuu asks.

“I haven’t slept with anyone but Kayla,” Killian answers proudly.

“Every cheater says the same!” Yuu whispers.

“That’s how it all began…

“It all started at the basketball club. I finished a game with my mates but stayed in the sports hall longer because Kayla called me. She’s on holiday with Alfie’s girlfriend, and they’re enjoying the sun on a tropical beach. As you can guess, my sweet lady missed me and couldn’t wait to hear my voice, haha! I won’t go into too much detail about our conversion because… Well, I’m not sure you’ll want to hear what we were talking about. Anyway, when we finally hung up, I headed straight to the changing rooms. After taking a shower, the magic happened. I had barely set foot in the changing room when I saw a box I was sure wasn’t there before. Curious, I stepped towards it and was shocked when I found a child. The cutie looked at me with his big, ocean-blue eyes and his messy dark hair covered his eyes. I couldn’t help but stare when the boy smiled so warmly at me. I asked everyone in the building if they’d seen the boy’s parents, but no one had. I’m a reasonable person, so I brought the child with me. With Kayla being away, I know I don’t have the skills to raise a child on my own. Then, I asked myself, ‘Is there anyone better than Yuu for this job? No!’”

Keep following the misadventure of Yuu and Killian in Welcome Ciarán – Novella.