Red Means I love you

Strokes in a canvas (1)

Minor spoiler warning; relation to names

. . .

"Hyung!"

White Star stopped what he was doing and looked at the child beside him. The pencil he had been holding to sketch was lowered

Cale, this child had surprised him in more than one way. He was both brilliant and sharp-- though it seems like his plate was a bit on the weaker side, it was wide enough to handle more than one ancient power. And...

"Hyung, your spacing out again" Cale leaned towards White Star's shoulder, his eyes was still on the sketch book White Star was holding

Not even his closest subordinate was allowed to be this close to him nor did he let his guard down this much around his 'nephew' Naru.

"Is there something on your mind?" Cale looked at him innocently,

This child seemed to be obsessed with him

White Star couldn't help but smile. How can't he? After all, his little prey had been lured to his trap nicely like this. He supposed the reports from his informants was correct;

This child had been abandoned by his father and his servants, he wasn't even close to his step-family and... he had no one close he could call friends. Doesn't that make him the best prey to entice to his plan?

"I suppose? how about you Cale? you also seemed to be bothered by something" White Star asked smoothly, it had felt odd at first saying a name that was similar to his'. But after some time, it almost felt as natural as breathing.

"Oh..." Cale mumbled, "Do I?" Cale shifted from his seating position,

White Star glanced at Cale,

Maybe he could give this kid the trial for that ancient power, he had no use for it to begin with.

He smiled a bit wider than before.

"Hey," White Star let go of the sketch pad and touched Cale's hair, "Do you want to play a little game?"

"A game?"

"Yup," White Star gave Cale a closed eyed smile, "All you have to do is to find something for me, if you manage to find it, you'll get a reward. How does that sound?"

Cale beamed when he told him about the reward, "What should I find?"

White Star hummed at the enthusiasm the child beside him emitted, "Have you ever heard of Ancient powers?"

"Yes?"

White Star swore he never smiled so much in one day, "The thing you have to find is called Dominating aura, It's an ancient power. I won't tell you the exact location since that wouldn't be fun at all. So let me give you a clue. 'Swallowed by the essence of the deceased, inside the realm of monster's' simple right?"

Any normal human would have known how hard it was to find an ancient power. And even with the clue he gave, it was obvious enough how dangerous it might be to find the dominating aura.

Especially with the mention of 'deceased' and 'monsters'

But contrary to what most would react, Cale was looking straight to White Star's eyes with no hesitation nor fear at all.

"So if I get this, I will get a reward?"

"Yes,"

"I see..." Cale looked down and pondered, "essence of the deceased, inside the realm of monster's... Monsters? a place where there are many monsters... Forest of darkness?!"