Meanwhile, back in Country M, someone was completely oblivious to the concern he had caused for the others.
He was, for the first time in his life, experiencing quite strong feelings of attraction towards another person. Knowing that the person you like, likes you back, made Kyle giddy with happiness.
His spouse had been a sort-of arranged marriage, in the sense that they had met via introductions by their families. They dated for a while and since they were comfortable with each other, they got married.
In time, he did develop feelings for his spouse. He did love his spouse, but it was not this sort of feeling that he was experiencing with Sari.
The uncertainty? The excitement?
He couldn't quite describe it but the intensity of the feelings was rather overwhelming.
He would be thinking of her all the time, missing her when she wasn't around, having this stupid grin on his face whenever she was … all the things he was feeling was so new.
Because of that, and coupled with the fact that he's an old soul, thinking of her as his wife was the most natural thing for him. However, he knew that if he came off that strongly right from the start, Sari was most likely to run away.
Who talks about marriage at 15 anyway?
Or even think it would last that long?
For Kyle, it was a sure thing and he was convinced that he would not feel for another person the way he felt for Sari, so why should he be looking anywhere else? For anyone else?
It may be rare, but childhood sweethearts that have lasting marriages do exist. There was even a couple who got married a week after their first date, and that marriage was happy and they had been married for over 20 years already.*
When you know, you know.
The thing is, Kyle knew already - but not Sari.
She was, after all, too young.
Kyle sighed when he thought of that.
A little meow sounded and Kyle smiled gently at the kitten that was snug as a bug in a rug, in a 'baby' sling. When he first got the kitten, it had been too small to survive on its own.
Thus, he brought her around with him everywhere. He had bought a sarong (i.e. a rectangular cloth, normally with batik patterns) and used it to wrap around his back and shoulder to create the sling.**
Those from Country Ind would use this. Although Kyle could have easily have bought the product that some companies have been making based on this design, Kyle preferred to be more low-key in this.
It was also fun, to wrap it around himself.
Practice for his future kids, maybe?
Luckily, Alia was quite supportive of this.
He could not leave the kitten back home alone, as it needed to be fed often and be taken care of. Alia found it utterly cute, too, the way Rex went about his business with that kitten in the 'baby' sling.
The kitten was a bit skittish but somehow, was very attached to Kyle.
He had initially tried to just leave it in a box, and out of the way, but it would meow pitifully, non-stop, until Kyle picked it up. In the pouch, it would just snuggle in and purr, until it fell asleep.
It was a very intelligent kitten, too.
If it was hungry, it would start kneading Kyle's chest as it looked for a mother's teat, so Kyle would plop the nursing bottle into its mouth and it would feed.
Kyle would then stimulate its bowel movements after each meal by using a wet towel and massaged its bottom. This was something the mother cat would do, until the kitten learnt to defecate on its own.
All of this were things Kyle had already learned in his previous life, so it was nothing new to him.
The kitten was now big enough to eat and drink on its own, but it still loved to be next to Kyle. It had grown up in the baby sling, thus, it took the baby sling as its home away from home.
It was far better to have it in there than walking all over his head and shoulders, after all.
Of course, it just made him more adorable to Sari.
Kyle still did not dispense with his brooding, dark grunge sort of look but whenever he was with Sari, he would act normally. He wanted Sari to know him, as Kyle, rather than the persona 'Rex'.
In other words, he talked clearly and not mumble and look at the floor - but he didn't look at her in the face either.
Sari found the new Rex, who was more assertive and confident, to be much more fascinating.
Also, she did notice that he was only like that with her, so she felt even more special.
She would drop by the store after school whenever Rex was on duty, and he would take a break then. Alia was flexible as to his break time, so he would take it only when Sari came.
It worked out pretty well.
Alia was so supportive of them for two reasons. One, she felt she was the one that brought them together and two, Rex never slacked at work despite spending time with Sari whenever he could.
Right now, Kyle was busy stroking the kitten with one hand while cleaning the store with the other.
His shift was almost over, so this was something he did before he left. Today, Sari had not come yet and he was getting slightly worried.
Where was she?
She hadn't said anything about staying back for any school curricular activities.
Did something happen?
The moment his shift was over, Kyle changed quickly and was about to dash out when Sari walked through the door.
Relief flooded into him, but he noticed that she didn't look good.
He stroked her cheek lovingly and asked, "What happened?"
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