Date The CEO.com

Chapter 281: Passcode to the Heart

"You can't go in here! No one can!"

"And why the hell not, Noah?"

"This is my territory now. I conquered this land so I'm king and I make the rules."

"Sounds stupid."

"That's just because you're not smart enough."

"Guys, don't fight."

A 5-year old Eve hunched her shoulders. Her scarlet hair brushed the top of her shoulders. She usually kept it shorter than that but because of ballet lessons, Madame Isabelle told her to let it grow so that it could be styled and/or tied into a neat bun.

Andie huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. She angled her body towards Eve and glared at Noah through the corner of her eyes. "Madame Isabelle said we could play here while our parents are out. But it seems like someone wants to break the rules."

"Which part do you not understand, Andrea?" Noah rolled his eyes. He held a plastic sword and used it as a barricade against the doorway. "Maybe you should focus on studying rather than being a brat. Then, maybe you wouldn't be so dumb."

"Who you calling brat, pipsqueak?!" 

Eve immediately intervened. She lunged between her best friend and Noah, pushing Andie away with her back on the latter's front. Her lips morphed into an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Noah. We'll just play in the backyard. Have fun with your kingdom."

Andie muttered profanities as Eve dragged her by the arm. When they reached the backdoor, she yanked herself free and slammed the door open. She stomped across the back porch before spinning on her heels. 

"How could you let him win?!" Andie demanded, throwing her hands in the air. Her dirty blonde hair swung in a low ponytail. She wore a cheerleading uniform given by her aunt who coached the high school team. That was where she hung out the most while Eve had her ballet lessons.

"He lives here." Eve shrugged.

"So do we for a few hours."

"Come on, it's not that big of a deal." She positioned herself on Andie's right and hooked their arms together. "Let's cook some bugs instead. I bet Madame Isabelle will say it's okay as long as the fire is small."

Andie pursed her lips together. "Fine. But Noah can't join us if he ever changes his mind."

The girls spent the next half hour cooking bugs on dried leaves. They used a kitchen lighter they once saw Madame Isabelle used and lit up the dirty candle on the window ledge. They used thin branches that fell from the trees and stabbed it through the leaf.

Then, they hovered the leaf with ants on it over the flame.

Giggles escaped their lips as the ants ran all over the leaf.

Noah frowned from his window. 

His bejewelled violet-blue eyes narrowed. The girls had their backs turned towards him so he couldn't see what was happening. Except, their laughs sounded suspicious. They also talked in hushed voices. It could only mean that they were up to no good.

He gazed up the ceiling, debating whether to disturb his mother who was on the upper floor.

She read books at this time in the day which meant she had little attention span. A sigh flowed out of his nose. He contracted his lips to one corner and stared at nothing. Deep in thought, he didn't notice that one of the girls left the backyard. 

That same girl materialized at his doorway.

Eve waved, holding two juice boxes. "Thought you might want one. It's grape. Just like NERDS."

She held the purple one in his direction, staying outside of the room. Noah blinked his eyebrows up. He did like grape. He also liked NERDS. The juice box probably tasted just as good too. Maybe just a little sweet. Hm, what if he drank it while eating the sour bits of candy?

'No, no, no' he quietly scolded himself. 'This isn't how a king should behave!'

Noah shook his head and stuck his nose in the air. He averted his gaze, rooting himself on the spot and proving he wouldn't budge. "If you think you can bribe the king then, you are wrong."

"I wasn't" Eve mumbled. She retracted her arm and bowed her head. Her body trembled slightly like she had just been scolded. "Guess, I'll give it to Andie."

"Wait!" Noah yelled, thrusting his hand out. Eve snapped her head towards him. His cheeks  reddened from embarrassment and hid them by coughing into his fist. "There is a way for you to enter the kingdom, a visitor's pass they call it."

Eve tilted her head sideways. "There is?"

"Yes, yes! If you utter the passcode then, you can enter. I will also believe you're in good faith and accept the humble donation," he continued. "It's a simple riddle. The answer is the passcode. If you solve it then, you are smart enough for the kingdom to trade with."

"A riddle?" 

Scowling, Eve didn't understand the second half of what he just said. They sounded like what adults would say. Her brain still couldn't comprehend them. Noah noticed her struggle. He cleared his throat loudly to get her attention.

"Are you ready?" He challenged her.

Eve nodded robotically, going through the motions out of politeness.

"Here's the riddle." Noah paused. They had just tackled this in class the other day. It was the highlight of his school experience. He picked one of his favorite ones and said, "Name four days in a week that start with 'T'." 

At this, Eve broke out of her reverie. She fluttered her eyes.

"But my mom says every day starts with tea."

Noah froze in place. It only took two seconds before he realized what she meant. His shoulders shook first as laughter climbed up his throat and out of his mouth. It was peculiar. He scoffed at his classmates who didn't get the riddles yet, even when Eve was wrong, he liked her answer. 

"You pass," he decreed and gestured to her to come in. "Hand over the grape juice."

"Yay!" Eve cheered. She ducked under the sword and handed him the juice box. Her hand yanked out the straw from the back of her juice box and poked it through the sealed hole. 

"Why is yours colored pink?" Noah asked, noticing the other box for the first time. 

"This one is strawberry," she explained and lifted it up for him to see the fruit image.

He bent down to get a closer look. "Oh, it is. Why do you have a grape one then?"

"Because it's the colors my favorite doll wears."

"..." Noah was stunned speechless. Who picked food according to colors? Shouldn't it be because of the flavors? He shook his head and noticed a tiny box on a nearby table. A revelation dawned on him.

"Look! They're the same colors as this box of NERDS too!" Excited, he picked it up and showed it to Eve. Then, he read the label. "See?! It also says strawberry and grape!"

"Cool!" Eve giggled. She sipped from her straw until the juice box shrivelled up. 

When she ran out of juice, Noah tossed her a small paper bag. "Here."

She caught it in her arms and opened it. Her brown eyes lit up like stars. It contained candies wrapped in red and white swirls. She ate all the ones she had at home. Her mother also refused to buy her more.

At the time, she was devastated.

Now, her sprites were fully restored. "Monami!"

"Mother says you like it. I had some left so I'm trading it for the juice box, okay?" Noah clarified. His juice box also became empty. He took her juice box and walked towards the door. "You're an official merchant to this kingdom now."

"Yay, I'm a merchant!" Eve celebrated, following behind him.

Madame Isabelle didn't allow trash cans inside the house. Anyone who needed to use them should step out front and throw them in the large bins. It became the best solution in keeping the studio clean since she had many young students. Not all of them lasted long but, at least, they could take home a lesson in discipline.

Noah pushed the door open with his shoulder, Eve still hot on his heels. He wondered if she had forgotten about Andrea in the backyard. A smug expression appeared on his face and made sure to hide it from her. 

He had to be Eve's favorite if she shared the juice box with him.

"Aw, Jackson! It's a ballet studio! Who would have thought we'd find one here?" A woman gushed from across the street. Then, her eyes flickered towards the children. "And those kids are adorable. Look at them cleaning after themselves."

She looped her arms around her husband's and laid her head on his shoulder. 

The children in question started talking and exchanged some candies. Although she couldn't hear it, she could imagine what they said. Those grins on their faces didn't fool her! 

Her instincts were never wrong!

"I smell romance."

"Dear!" Jackson scolded. His teal eyes looked at her in disapproval. "They're too young for romance. Don't say things like that. Let children be children, alright?"

His wife pouted in his direction but he avoided her meeting her eyes. She huffed and shifted her attention back on the children. They walked up the front steps. The little girl pulled the door open and hit the young boy. 

The box of candy in his hands fell to the floor, bouncing down the stairs.

He turned around to get it.

Then, his eyes glanced across the street.

Avery choked on a gasp. Her hands tightened on Jackson's arm. Suddenly, her legs lost their strength and wobbled like jelly. She held onto him to keep herself upright. The boy only looked at her for a split second before heading back inside the studio.

But it felt much longer than that for the madam.

"Avery? Avery, what's wrong?" Jackson worried frantically.

"J-Jackson," she stuttered in between breaths. Her throat had constricted, blocking most of her air flow. "J-Jackson. Jackson!"

"What, dear? What?!"

She pointed a finger towards the ballet studio. "Ambryan I saw Ambryan!"