Upp and Officer Kao

Villa

Upp stared at Earth with his mouth open.

"Co-Cousin?!" He repeated to make sure he didn't hear wrong.

Earth smiled and nodded, "Yup! You can ask him directly" he paused and looked at Kao's direction. "I remember the time when Kao figured out that Jane was her cousin. It was hilarious"

Upp didn't hear Earth's succeeding words anymore. All he had in mind was, 'So, there is a chance?' it was a fast thought before Upp shook his head, 'Why did I just think of that?!' he felt his heart beat fast.

Hearing no response from Upp, Earth turned back around to him and saw Upp's face red. With a smirk, he thought, 'I am sorry for lying, Upp.' He felt a little bad for making up a story, but seeing Upp's hopeful look, he steeled his heart and then looked at Kao, 'It is all up to you now, friend'

Patting Upp's shoulder, Earth smiled at him, "Anyway, I apologize for what Podd said earlier, his mouth is just like that whenever we are not in the office" He changed the topic as he took out two more bottles of beers from the fridge.

Since Earth is the chief finance officer of DCC, he knows how to talk to people. Now, what he is doing is putting ideas into Upp's mind so that Upp will see what he is looking for. In a sense he is manipulating Upp, but not truly manipulating and was just guiding him to what he wants to see.

"So, shall we go back now?" Earth continued giving an amicable smile.

Upp drank a mouthful of his beer before nodding and following after Earth while looking at Kao's direction. Even though he looked relaxed on the surface, his mind is actually very confused at the moment, 'So there was no relationship? I thought I heard that they are faen' then he remembered the time when he assumed that Kao and jane were together

"He might already know are relationship"

He heard Jane's voice in his head, 'She didn't say that they were together! I just assumed it!' for Upp, everything is becoming clear now.

Maybe Kao felt Upp's intense look, Kao suddenly turned around and smiled at Upp.

Looking at Kao's smile, Upp felt his heart beat faster, 'Damn! So handsome!' Upp let his thought wander for a while and smiled back at Kao. Maybe because he knows that Kao is not in any relationship now, that when he smiled at Kao, the smile looked vibrant.

Approaching Kao and Podd, Earth passed a beer to Kao, and the other to Podd.

Kao accepted the beer and replied with a smile, "thanks" then he looked at Upp who sat in front of him and smiled at him.

Podd on the other hand did not accept the beer and glared at Earth, "If we both become drunk, who would take care of Jay?" he sounded displeased. Earth didn't seem bothered by what Podd said and retracted his hand and walked to Tommy and gave him the beer.

Kao took a sip of the beer. After that, he asked Upp, "What did you guys do?" he sounded casual.

Upp took a sip of his beer, "grabbed some beer. Then talked to Earth for a little while"

Kao turned to Earth, "Did you tell him something embarrassing I did when we were in the academy?" he raised his brow.

Earth chucked, "I didn't. I just told him a story" After he said that, Jay woke up from his sleep and turned to Earth. While wiping his eyes, he said, "Papa, I am hungry"

Earth smiled at Jay and took him to the kitchen to grab some food.

Kao turned back to Upp and continued raising his brow, "What story did he tell you?" for some reason, he felt like Earth Told Kao something embarrassing because he can feel from Upp's demeanor that he is happier now.