.....
"You know my little brother Shin, right?"
Alice started to panic when she heard that. Then she look at Shiella while trying to act as normal as possible. "Wha- What are you talking about Big Sis Shiella? Why can't I understand what you are saying?"
But too bad for her, she already have exposed herself with that reply.
Shiella cross her arms in front of her while releasing an intimidating look, as if she is getting ready to interrogate Alice for any information that she wants.
"Bi- Big Sis Shiella, Wha- What are you planning to do?" said Alice stutteringly while moving her body backwards and leaning on the sofa.
Shiella's smile curved even more higher when she heard that, then she said while tapping her fingers. "So you really know little Shin~."
Alice admitted the truth when she saw Shiella's actions, "A- Actually I've just saw him before..."
"Oh~♪, so you just saw him before. Then why do want to know about him?" said Shiella in a gentler tone but with knitting brows.
"Ahh... Hmm..." Alice try to find the right words to reply but for some unknown reason she can't bring herself to tell the truth.
Shiella become even more suspicious when saw Alice action, then she opened her mouth after few minutes of silence. "Are you interested on him."
"Eh!? Maybe you can put it that way." Alice is gotten off guard because of the question, so she answered with an indirect 'yes' while saying in her heart. 'I want to know if he have some connection with my Elder Sister, so I can categorized it as being interested on him right?'
But contrary on what's on her mind, her answer have a different effect on Shiella.
Because this time it is Shiella that have gotten off guard and said on herself. 'Eh!? I just said that question trying to probe something, but I didn't expect it for her to admit it just like that!'
Alice look at Shiella's startled expression and become even more nervous, so she carefully ask. "What's wrong Big Sis Shiella? Did I say something wrong?"
"Eh!?" Shiella came back to her senses when she heard Alice' voice, but she still didn't reply at Alice immediately. She asked another set questions to herself while looking at the beautiful girl in front of her. 'Didn't she said that she just only saw Shin before? Then how did it developed? Love at first sight? But that shut-in is as dense as rock, then it is another one-sided love? O.M.G., another poor little girl is added on the list of my potential sis-in-law?'
After calming herself down, Shiella look at Alice with pity while asking. "Since when?"
'Eh!? Is she asking me when did I saw that guy?' said Alice to herself before replying while knitting her brows. "Last night?"
'That Fast!? Just what did that rascal do to hook the princess of the Stuart Family that easy?' said Shiella on her heart while looking at Alice blankly. "So how much did you want to know?"
'Hmm, looks like it is fine for Big Sis Shiella to tell me about that guy's background, well it is good for me because the more I know about that guy the faster I can discover his connection with my Elder Sister Alyssa.' thought Alice before replying assuredly. "The more the better."
'Oh no! This girl has fallen too deep, she can't be save.' said Shiella while massaging her temples. Then look at Alice with pity while saying with a consoling tone. "I am sorry 'Little Al' but I can't promise you anything, or else I will be unfair to the others. I guess it is better if you ask Shin about it yourself."
'Huh!? what's with the sudden change of mind? Unfair to the others? I guess there also others that asked her about that guy's background, but she also didn't tell them either.' said Alice in her heart before saying to Shiella with a disappointed tone. "It is OK Big Sis Shiella, I understand."
Shiella release a helpless sigh when she saw Alice reaction while doing a silent encouragement in her mind. 'Don't worry girl you are not the first, but you still need to do your best to move that dumbshell's heart.'
.....
Meanwhile Shin just got back in his room after shaking off Arthur from his tail. He sit on the sofa while talking to himself.
"Auntie's event will be held tomorrow night so I still have a lot of free time to spare, too bad «Destiny's Fate» server is going to be available on the day after that." said Shin while leaning on the sofa.
Then a sudden thought enters to his mind. "Ah! I've almost forgot that 'that strange Old Fatty' gave me a 'Mentalism Training Manual' that I can practice. But I need to consult that Old Geezer first before starting to learn Mentalism."
After that Shin dialed Old Plum's number and wait for the Old man to answer the call. Then after few rings, Old Plum answer his Advance watch.
A virtual screen appeared on Shin's front showing Old Plum's face. When Old Plum see his disciple, he smirks and skeptically said. "Heh, what is it little rascal? I'm sure that you need something from me, because you are only going to look for me if you want to know something."
Shin clicked his tounge when he heard his Master's greeting and replied with displeased tone. "Tsk, I'm not going to trouble you this time Old Geezer. It's just that I've bump into a strange Old Fatty last night and he forcefully pass me a 'Mentalism Training Manual', so Im just wondering if I should practice with it or not?"
Old Plum took a quick glance at Grandmaster Benn in front of him before asking his disciple. "It is up to you kiddo. Do you want to be a Mentalist? and become a Dual-Practioner?"
Shin fall in a deep thought, trying weigh down his decision before making up his mind. Then after few moments of consideration, he look a Old Plum and said. "As long as it benefits me then I am willing."
"If you made up your mind then go! But let me tell you first, you need to find a good Mentalist Teacher to mentor you properly. After all I can't teach you about that, despite me knowing a few things about Mentalism." said Old Plum while smiling on his heart.
"Hmm... How about the Old Fatty last night?" said Shin after few seconds of thinking.
Old Plum smirks at Shin before asking. "Heh, but do you know who is he?"
"Eh!? How the hell would I know if he didn't tell me who is he. But he told me that he is going to visit you if he got some free time." said Shin awkwardly while scratching the back of his head.
"Idi*t! OK just tell me what is the name of 'Mentalism Training Manual' that he gave you." said Old Plum while laughing in his heart.
Shin take a look on his mind trying to find the name of the Manual inside his consciousness. Then after a few seconds he look at Old Plum and said. "It says that it is called 'Four Symbol Scripture'."
Old Plum look blank for a second before asking his disciple for a conformation. "Eh!? what did you say again?"
" Four Symbol Scripture " repeated Shin while knitting his brows.
Old Plum take another look at the Old Fatty in front of him before saying. "That is a good Manual, you can start practicing it after you digested the all the informations. And you can take that 'Old Fatty' as your Mentalism Teacher, he is known in the circle as Grandmaster Benn."
Shin nodded his head before thanking his Master. Then after that he ended the call and start focusing on his mind trying to digest what's written on the Manual inside his mind.
...
On the other side of the call, Old Plum look at his Old friend before putting down his Advance Watch while saying. "I didn't expect for you to give that kid your Masterpiece."
Old Benn put down his teacup before saying nonchalantly. "Didn't you also taught him your own Martial-Arts?"
"He is my disciple you know? But what I have taught him are just the fundamentals. I haven't taught him about the 'Absolute Yin' and the 'Extreme Yang' yet." rebut by Old Plum.
"You know, it is going to be a waste if there is no one that will inherit my skills and I also want to see that kid to accomplish what I have failed to do. After all, that kid have the talent that I've lack back then when I started learning about Mentalism." said Old Benn before taking a another sip on his tea.
Then after that he look at Old Plum and continue. "Aren't we the same? I want that kid to prove to the world about my ideals, while you want to see if that kid is able to do what you have failed to do."
....
Going back to Shin's hotel room.
Shin just finished digesting the Mentalism knowledge inside his head. Now he is ready to start practicing Mentalism anytime.
But he just bump into a simple but also a huge problem. He is stuck in a dilemma because he don't know where to start.
Even if the 'Four Symbol Scripture' told him how to properly train one's mind to control their Mental Energy, it didn't tell him how to start training it.
"What the hell? I thought I can start training my Mental Energy once I've done digesting that Mentalism Knowledge, but how can I train it if you didn't tell how to start practicing it?" said Shin disappointedly when he realized his main problem.
The Shin become frustrated the moment he find out that he have been tricked. "D*mn Old Fatty! Don't tell me he is the same as that Old Geezer at home, telling me the slight process but not letting me to find the main point!!! Ahhh..."
*Ding~♪ Dong~♪*
Shin is about to loose his mind when he heard a sudden sound of the doorbell of his room.
"Eh!? who could it be? I'm pretty sure that it is not my guest since I don't have a lot of friends and what's more is impossible for them to know that I am here. It is also not Arthur and Leo either, since both of them knew the password of this room. Never mind it then, maybe it is just someone that mistaken it as someone else room." said Shin and ignored the doorbell while laying down on the sofa to take a nap. After all, he didn't know how to start practicing Mentalism.
*Ding~♪ Dong~♪*
*Ding~♪ Dong~♪*
*Ding~♪ Dong~♪*
But contrary to what Shin have expected, the doorbell continue to ring and in a more hurried manner.
Shin's brows were lock on a frown when he heard the repeated ringing of the bell. Then he get up on the sofa with a dissatisfied look on his face, while getting ready to scold whoever is the one that is pressing the bell.
"What the heck is wrong with.... Eh!?" Shin is about to give an earful, the moment he open the door, but he stop immediately when he saw who is it.
It turns out Alice is the one that is ringing his doorbell. She look at him with her cold face before saying. "What took you so long to open the door?"
"You!? What are you doing here?" said Shin with a startled face while looking at his unexpected guests.
"Is that how you greet your guest? Can you at least act a little more gentlemanly and let me in?" said Alice while frowning her brows.
'But can I categorize you as my guest?' thought Shin in his mind before asking once again. "Why are you here?"
Alice look at him with cold face while saying. "Are you inviting me or not?"
The corner of Shin's mouth twitch when he heard what Alice have said and thought to his mind. 'This girl really have a 'Princess Syndrome'.
Then Shin look at her with a straight face before saying. "Do you have any idea on what is the meaning when a man invited a girl into his room?"
Alice face stiffen for a second before calming herself, then she stride towards the room ignoring what Shin have said.
Shin become speechless when he saw Alice walk pass him and entered the room. Then stared blankly at her back before saying in his heart. 'This girl really have some screw loose on her head.'(practically means crazy)
Shin closed the door before following Alice inside.
"You can sit there anywhere want, and what you like to have? Coffee, Tea, or Juice?" said Shin as he walk towards the kitchen.
"A Tea would be perfect." reply Alice almost immediately.
Shin almost stumbled on his feet when heard what Alice have said, then he look at her while saying to himself. 'What's with that tone? Do you think I'm your butler or something?'
Shin make some quick breads while preparing the tea, so that he can serve it together. Then after few moments of waiting Shin is done with it.
"Huh!?" Alice become attracted on the smell when Shin is serving the tea together with the quick breads that he made.
She stared at Shin with a surprise look before asking a less cold look on her face. "You know how to cook?"
"Yeah, why? is there something wrong with that?" said Shin while knitting his brows.
"Eh!? No it's nothing." said Alice on the outside but different in the inside. 'This guy have a Martial-Arts that is comparable with my Mentalism, but he still have a time to learn these kind of useless things?'
Shin look at her and directly asked. "So can you now tell me what is your purpose on this visit?"
Alice is taken aback at Shin's straight forward manner, then she glare at him after few moments and said. "Can you at least let me enjoy this tea and bread first, before asking me about that?"
"Eh!?" Shin is startled at Alice reply while saying to himself. 'What's with the sudden shift of attitude?'
Shin keep quiet and silently taking a sip on his tea while waiting for Alice to say something.
.....