Chapter 292: Random Skills

As Soren rushed to show her the photo of his twins, the doorbell rang. And before Cloe's eyes could fall on his phone's screen, he pulled it back asking, "Do you think she is here?"

Cloe knocked the back of his neck and shook her head, "Sometimes you really act like an idiot!"

Soren rubbed his sore neck and glared at her, "No wonder I have a friend like you."

"Sir, you have guests," announced the maid as she came to inform Soren. 

"Take them to the living room," said Soren but even before the maid could leave, both Raelle and Hyson had walked up to the kitchen to see him. "What are you doing here? Just sit in the living room."

"I'm here to see you, why should I sit there when you're here?" retorted Raelle. 

"No one can treasure their time as you do," retorted Soren. "But I'm telling you, I'm not talking any business in here!"

"Something's burning," came Cloe's voice from behind, and Soren was startled before he ran over to the stove. 

Soon, he looked up at Cloe with a hard look, "Are you trying to play me here?"

Cloe shrugged her shoulders, "Who told you to annoy my Chief?"

Hyson leaned over to Raelle saying, "They seem close."

"I have eyes," reminded Raelle. 

"Oh, you do?" Hyson's voice raised as if he was surprised to know such shocking news.

"Yes, I do," she answered.

"Then how haven't you see my feelings for you all these years?" he pretended to wipe his non-existent tears.

"Perhaps because your feelings are as non-existent as your tears right now," said Raelle.

Soren put his fist before his lips and coughed to hide his smile that was threatening to bloom. He couldn't help it. He had never seen Raelle Xiang arguing with someone in such a petty way. It was truly an eye-opener.

"Chief, look at Soren," Cloe said to Raelle. "A man who can cook is extra handsome. Don't you think he looks dashing right now?"

"I'll let you know whether a man looks handsome while cooking or not once I see my husband cook," replied Raelle. "Until then I'll keep my opinion to myself."

Cloe's lips twitched at her reply.

Hyson laughed out as he gave Cloe a sympathetic glance saying, "Drop it, sis! In her category of handsome men, only her husband exists now. As you know, she is extremely loyal."

Cloe sighed out, "But I never thought she would even refuse to acknowledge others' beauty."

"It's not that she isn't acknowledging it, it's just that in her mind Xian Ge is at the top." He took a brief pause to add, "By now you should know that once her brain registers that something is beautiful, nothing else can take its place. Even if that thing is prettier than the former one."

Cloe looked at Raelle who was standing outside the kitchen door and didn't even bother taking a step inside as if the air inside might stifle her or something. "Chief, you have my respect. You're really unique. I really want to peek inside your head to see how it works."

"As if that's an easy task," added Hyson. 

Soren called his maid and said, "Serve the refreshments and take over here. This stubborn girl isn't gonna move unless I move." With that, he directed everyone towards the living room. 

"You're planning to continue wearing that?" Hyson pointed at his apron which actually had a rabbit design making it seem cute and quite girly. 

Soren scratched his head and took off the apron telling him, "I actually forgot." Then he extended his hand towards Hyson, "You must be Hyson. I have heard a lot about you. So, even though it's my first time meeting you in person I feel like I've known you for years."

Hyson looked at his hand for a while before he extended his own to shake it, "I didn't think Miss Sora would talk so much about me." 

Soren shook his head, "It's not Sora. It's my daughter who talks about you."

"Your daughter?" repeated Hyson as he gave him a once over again. "You look quite young to me."

Soren didn't explain about his age but he continued, "My daughter is six and she is also a huge fan of yours. Since the first time she saw you on tv, she's been talking about you a lot." 

Hyson's eyes again fell on the cute apron that Soren had taken off and it suddenly struck him why he'd be willing to wearing such a thing. It seems someone really loved his daughter.

"Last year, your group held a concert in the city but my wife had taken kids out of the country at that time. When Xena learned that she missed seeing her favorite Gege on stage, she cried for a whole day and night. I bought her the new merch of yours to stop her from shedding any more tears."

Hyson was quite surprised to know that he actually had a young fan like that. For a moment, he didn't know what to say.

"Isn't she just six?" asked Raelle from the side.

"Yes, she is," answered Soren.

"Then how did she get so many tears to shed?" asked Raelle as if she was seriously curious about this fact. She was honestly thinking about such a small girl managed to keep producing tears for one day and night without getting herself drained out of energy or tears?

Hyson gave Raelle a look and punched her arm, "You really know how to ruin a moment!"

"But I just asked a logical question," retorted Raelle. 

"And no one needs those logics here," responded Hyson. Then he turned to Soren, "I'm flattered to know that your daughter thinks so highly of me. But don't you think she is too young to get into this fan culture?"

Soren was taken aback for a moment and suddenly chuckled, "You're really Raelle Xiang's best friend."

Hyson's brows knitted up in confusion. Did he say something wrong? A six-year-old was indeed too young for this toxic place called fandom! What if those toxic fans tainted her innocent mind?

Seeing his genuine worry that was clearly reflected on Hyson's face, Soren was even more amused. "I think my daughter made the right decision to follow an idol like you."

"Huh?" Hyson was dumbfounded and had no way to respond.

"Nothing," said Soren and stood up. "Can I take a picture with you? I'd like to show off before my daughter for once."

Hyson rubbed his nape and agreed. "I don't mind at all."

Then Soren passed the phone to Cloe to take a photo. When she did, Hyson took the phone to check it and frowned, "I usually don't care about how I look but do you have to make me look so fat? I even lost weight in the hospital!"

"You gained even more after getting out of the hospital," came Raelle's voice.

Hyson gave her a look and hooked his finger, "Get up and come here."

Raelle followed his instructions and went up to him shocking Soren even more. Hyson put the phone in her hand saying, "Take a photo. Make me look nice."

Raelle took the phone and got ready to take pictures, "Are you feeling cold, Hyson?" 

"No, why?"

"Because you're standing beside an ice block," said Raelle.

Soren narrowed his eyes at her for calling him an ice block.

"I know I'm pretty stop admiring me and smile a little," said Raelle. "You're ruining the whole atmosphere of the photo."

Soren could only roll his eyes and follow her instructions. Raelle didn't just take one picture but she continued to move them around to get a better light. Get a different pose. Get an even tone. If she was gonna take a photo, everything had to be perfect, no?

After all, Raelle Xiang always did things in an exceptional way.

When she was done, she tossed the phone to Soren and sat down leisurely again, reading emails on her own phone. Hyson also followed suit and didn't even check the photos this time. It showed how much faith he had in his best friend's skills. He didn't have to look to know that everything was perfect!

Meanwhile, Soren was looking through the photos on his phone while Cloe also leaned over to see. Each photo looked like it was taken with a professional camera and also by a professional. Cloe had a complicated look in her eyes as she looked at Raelle, "Chief, when did you learn photography?"

"Books," answered Raelle plainly.

Cloe almost dropped down. "Can't you stop reading random books? What's the point of reading about photography?"

"How will I capture Hyson's perfect photos if I don't even have the skills?" retorted Raelle.

Cloe was stumped for words while Hyson looked at her proudly. Of course, he was the main reason Raelle had read those books. How could he not be proud about it?