Chapter One: A Good Grandson or a Good Hobo?

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"RISE AND SHINE SWEETHEART WE HAVE A BUSY DAY AHEAD OF US! COME ON! UP! UP! UP!" A shrill voice bellowed near his limp body as his bed bounced and creaked with the added weight. He winced as he slowly came into consciousness. Mark Tuan felt rough fingers fiddling with his nose before his eyes shot open and glared at the intruder.

Jackson gave him an innocent smile before, not so gracefully, plopped down on top of him. If it wasn't the morning then, Mark would not have mind being treated as a human bolster, so he shoved the younger off of him until there was a loud thud and a piercing groan. Jackson glared at him then it quickly dissipate into a goofy smile.

"Morning Tuan. Aren't you a ray of sunshine." Jackson pouted and stood up rubbing his . Mark finally willed himself to a sitting position and stared absentmindedly.

"What are you doing here? I thought I locked the door?" Mark's brows furrowed into confusion. He had made sure that the door was locked before he passed out last night. 

Jackson gazed at him guiltily. "When you're a crimonology major you'll learn how to pick locks." He shrugged before pacing around the room.

As if an idea struck him, Jackson pulled on a set of knobs and opened Mark's closet. Mark, still not fully awake, stared at him in confusion as he watched the latter shove his clothes in a messy pile inside a large suitcase. When Jackson scooped a huge amount of his underwear did he finally snapped out of his daze and stand up.

"What the hell are you doing?" Mark almost growled. It wasn't helping that he was rudely awakened by an annoying-pain-in-the- best friend at five in the morning when it was barely bright outside.

Jackson ignored the tone on his voice as he turned, facing him. "You need to get out of this place, Mark."

"I'm not leaving." Mark plopped back down on his bed and buried his head on his pillow.

Jackson hit his back with a pillow before sighing loudly, "You need to move on and the only way to do that is to leave this place. She's not coming back, Mark. Grow some balls and move on."

Easy for you to say. You don't know two s of what I'm feeling.

He turned his head to breathe. 

"Well, I can't help you this time," Jackson's voice came out calmer. "Your parents booked you a flight back to Taiwan to spend the next months with NaiNai. They specifically said that if you tried to chicken out and escape then they'll expect that you pack your bags and forget about your inheritance, and most especially, Alfred."

Mark shot up so fast that Jackson barely deflected Mark's head from colliding on his own.

Mark stared him down murderously. "They wouldn't...not Alfred."

Jackson shrugged. "I have no control over this situation bro. Either be a good grandson or a good hobo. Which one will it be?"

Mark ruffled his hear in a heap of mess and thrash on his bed in a tantrum. Five seconds later, he calmed down and took deep bated breaths. "How much time do I have?"

Jackson leaned on the drawer next to his bathroom with a victorious grin. "You have an hour until the plane flies."

Mark slammed his bathroom door on his face.

Mark sat on one of the chairs of the departure area, his head phones in tack and with his leg propped up resting on his other. He took a sip from his coffee while bobbing his head up and down to the beat of the music. He watched as people with business suits and fancy stilettos rush to and from departure gates. He watched as families and tourists huddled together in their respective groups.

His thoughts midlessly wander back to the events that happened just about recently. Two weeks ago. To be exact.

With a sigh, he shifted on his seat until he sees a few employees scattering about with their mouths hovering over a microphone.

A loud beep resonated.

"All passengers flying business class to Taiwan Taoyuan Airport may now proceed to the gate. Thank you."

He stands up, grab his bag, casts one last longing look around the place and sauntered towards the gate.