GONE TOO FAR

12:30. The blazing midday sun shone relentlessly and the sunlit skyscrapers pierced the hot, blue sky. The peaceful summertime was filled with the small wind and the buzzing sounds of cicadas echoing around.

It's been two days since Lyric and Leroy arrived at Francois. The temperature was scorching and the intense heat was burning their skin. The twins were outdoors working under the burning sun and the third day of their torment.

"I didn't sign up for this," Leroy complained as he pulled a bunch of weeds from Chadwick's garden. Lyric, on the other hand, trimmed the bermuda grass with hair clippers.

It would have been easy for them if Sumire had just let them use the gardener's tools at Chadwick's manor but the maiden wants to torture them. The two of them had thought that they would just watch over her, accompany and guard her wherever she roams and, as Narco said, cook her favorite cuisine. The twins ask Mort to teach them how to cook but they couldn't use what they learn when they got here.

Leroy and Lyric were pouting as they did Sumire's command. Lips twitched, mumbling in a low tone, complaining the gods watching them from above. They would rather go killing than do this. Eyes narrowed, Lyric secretly giving side-eyed the maiden who was sitting on the wooden bench under a large umbrella made out of bamboo. Mountains of sweets and fruits were on the side table. Even though she took shelter under the big umbrella, Sumire was wearing a big hat and black sunglasses while on her sipping juice.

"What are you looking at?" Sumire asked with an eyebrow raised and Lyric immediately returned his gaze to what he was doing.

"If you don't want to be here anymore you are free to go back to Klauss." She added, challenging them. Lyric and Leroy audibly gasped at what she said.

The twins were thinking about showing up to Mort, they were shaking and shrinking with fear. Their Boss might unalive them by peeling their skin off with a nail cutter.

"No, we decided to stay here with you, Miss. We truly dream of becoming gardeners." Lyric replied making Sumire raise her eyebrows.

"Oh, really? Let me ask you. How's Mort?" The maiden asked as the twins looked at each other. Together, they faced Sumire without leaving their seats and then sat as if they were going to have a long conversation. They are willing to be storytellers just to distract the maiden and make her forget the order to them.

"He is not doing well," Lyric replied in a sad tone. He blinked several times just to cry but was unsuccessful as no tears came out.

"What do you mean?" Hands placed on her tummy, Sumire asked, now worried and she immediately removed her sunglasses. She seated properly.

The concern for Mort was visible on Sumire's face. Many thoughts now invaded her mind. The twins exchanged glances and a triumphant smirk curved in their minds. They succeeded in distracting Sumire.

"Boss is losing weight because he can't eat properly. He can't take care of himself anymore. He's getting drunk every day and night. Boss is always looking for you, Young Miss." Lyric replied making Sumire about to cry. The tears are now clouding her vision.

"He misses you, Miss, to the point that he doesn't take a bath anymore. Boss unkempt his appearance. He doesn't shave his face and has a grown stubble beard. He has a dark circle beneath his eyes. He doesn't bother to cut his hair. The Boss only gets dressed once in a while. His teeth are now golden because he doesn't brush his teeth anymore. Probably, Boss failed to remove his earwax because sometimes when we call him, he doesn't answer or hear us." Leroy seconded that both of their cheeks were blushing red, holding back from laughter.

Sumire, on the other hand, shed tears as she imagined Mort's current condition. She was like a beautiful plastic doll, eyes in a daze, distant. She felt sorry for him as she have a clear image of the hunk in her mind, yet she still loved Mort whatever he had become now. The maiden was thinking that she would clean him up when they met again. She would take care of him. She doesn't want the man she loves to torture himself anymore just because of her selfish reason.

"Poor Boss Mort," Leroy added with a shake of his head while secretly elbowing Lyric on the side. With a teary eye, Sumire stare at them, couldn't believe what she just heard.

"Boss Mort has been like that until he met you, Young Miss. He fancies you. He used to never look at a woman. If he looks at the opposite sex, no interest can be seen in his eyes. Our Boss was a very boring person but he is well groomed. But when you came to his life, you put color in his dull world. You changed his life. Now, you leave him, he's getting more awful than we anticipated. He never took care of himself anymore after you left him." Lyric butted in and dramatically hold his chest, looking sad and secretly winking at Leroy. Both of them flashed mischievous grins and want to exchange high five in front of Sumire.

"I can't believe this." Head lowered, the maiden said between her sobs. Her eyes sparkled from the tears streaming down her reddened cheek. She couldn't quite imagine that this would happen to Mort.

"But don't worry, Young Miss. Boss is doing everything to get out of the Underground and be with you." Lyric said assuredly and Leroy nodded, agreeing with him.

"The question Young Miss is, will you still love Boss Mort even if he is awfully dirty and terribly reeks?" Leroy asked with a serious tone, which almost made Lyric burst laughing.

Leroy and Lyric were biting their lower lip to suppress the laughter. The twins were in tears holding back themselves from laughing and managed to keep a straight face for a minute before they will lose with a loud guffaw.

"Of course," Sumire answered quickly and rose from her seat. She turns her back on them and was about to leave when she suddenly stop from taking a step.

"I'm just going to do something," Sumire said without throwing them a glance. A victorious grin formed on the twins' lips. They stood up and did a silent high-five, assuming they had won.

"But stay here and finish your job." The maiden added and left the place, leaving the twins' jaw and shoulder dropped and defeated. Leroy and Lyric have left no choice but to obey her.

With big strides, Sumire entered the manor thinking that she would return to the Brethren city to take care of Mort. She won't allow him to stay like this because of her. He may successfully cut his ties to the Underground and leave that world behind but what's the point if he gets sick? So now, she's going home. She will return to him and stay by his side. She cares no less even if he has many enemies. She prefers to see him happy with her.

Heading to her chamber, Sumire wondered why Mort was now unhygienic when he was always with Klauss. If what the twins said is true, Klauss will be there to reprimand the hunk. But the important thing right now is that she gets back to him.

"Wait for me, Mort."

When Sumire reached her room, she started to pack all her stuff and put her clothes in the suitcase but threw them back on the bed when she saw the refrigerator. The maiden took the sweets, marshmallows, and many more from there and put them in the luggage.

Sumire then left the room in hurry wearing a simple white maternity dress, flat white shoes, and letting her hair cascade on her back with a white ribbon on. She didn't put on any makeup and went downstairs pulling the luggage. When she got on the last step, Sumire was stopped when she saw her parents with huge smiles plastered on their faces.

"Baby!" Lunaire greeted her with tears and open arms, waiting for Sumire to come down. The maiden wasted no time and immediately approached her Mom and Dad. She hugged them tightly and kissed them on the cheeks.

"How are you, sweetheart?" Chaise asked with a wide smile while fixing a few strands of Sumire's hair that covered her face. "How are my grandkids doing?" He added and put his ears on his daughter's tummy making Lunaire chuckle.

"I can't wait to see them, honeybear," Lunaire said to her husband Chaise as she gently caressed Sumire's belly.

"I'm doing well, Dad, and so are my twins. How about you and Mom?" Sumire replied with a sweet smile and look at Lunaire. She missed them so bad.

"We're fine, sweety pie. And we heard that Mort is alive. You've met but you stay away from him. Your uncle Chadwick explained everything to us." Chaise said and the three of them decided to sit in the living room since their conversation seemed to be going to last for a longer time.

"It's all true what Uncle Chadwick said. And now I'm going back to Mort again. I heard he's not doing well." Sumire said that she expected her Dad to scold her because she was going back to Mort. The maiden waited for him to say something that was not good but Chaise says nothing.

"You can do whatever you want, sweetheart. Your mommy and I are here to support you. You can ask us anything, anytime my dear. Whatever your decision is for your relationship with Mort, we will not object." Chaise gently said and smiled.

Completely astounded and eyes widened in astonishment Sumire was slightly surprised by what her father said. She stares at him in disbelief. Lunaire on his side was very proud of her husband. She held his hand tightly as their gaze met.

"You're not against our relationship anymore, Dad?" With a slight gape, the maiden asked. Chaise nodded gently in agreement.

"There's still a part of me that I'm against your relationship but you know baby there is no such thing as a perfect relationship. Even if you two live in different or similar worlds, your relationship will remain unperfect. Pain and happiness are part of life and relationships. It just so happens that Mort is a Mafia Boss, so the suffering you will go through is doubled. Though my fear will not go away I will never give up on you, sweetheart. I will support you throughout your life. And just as Mort protected you, I will do the same thing." Chaise heartily explained. Her chin trembled, Sumire started chewing on her lower lip and her eyes welled up with tears.

A few seconds pass, and her tears coursed down her cheek. Sumire embrace her Dad and buried her face in his chest. Her heart is now filled with joy. She sniffled quietly and breathed a sigh of relief after her Daddy finally accepted her relationship with Mort. The maiden thought of what would her beloved's reaction when she said informed what her father said.

"Thank you and I love you, Dad. I'm sorry if I was stubborn and I said something to you that was not nice when you objected my relationship with Mort. I understand you, Dad. I truly do. But it's just that I dearly love Mort even if the whole world is against the two of us, I will fight for him. There came a time when I suddenly got scared and left him." The maiden responded as Chaisd wiped her tears away and pat her head.

"Baby, it's okay. It is a natural thing to be scared. You can hide when you're scared but don't let Mort feel like you can leave him. Tell him what's on your heart and mind. I'm sure he'll listen and understand you." Chaise said making his daughter smile. It's been so long since they have a sincere father-and-daughter talk.

"I will remember that, Dad. Thank you for everything. I love you and Mommy very much." Sumire sincerely said and hug both of her parents.

"I love you more, baby." Chaise and Lunaire said in unison as they caged their only daughter in their warm embrace.

"I'm sorry for what I did and said to you before," Chaise added and planted a small kiss on Sumire's forehead.

The maiden's plan to go home that day to the Brethren city was thwarted. The three of them decided to stay one night in Chadwick's manor and will go home tomorrow at dawn. The night arrived, Chaise and Lunaire made their pregnant daughter have an early rest after dinner.

Midnight strikes, Sumire sleeping soundly and peacefully on her bed. From the dark shadow, a man appeared in her room and sauntered towards the bed where she was lying beautifully.

His pair of emerald orbs glinted and dawned on her face, gaze traveling to her slightly parted lips. Mort leaned and steal a kiss from her lips and planted a small kiss on Sumire's belly.

"My little dumplings, I command you to not be so hard on Mommy. Understood?" Mort said in a commanding tone, ordering his unborn children as he placed his hand on Sumire's tummy.

An adorable chuckle broke the silent place when Sumire giggled with her eyes tightly closed. Mort stares at her fondly. It seems his wife is inside her dream again. He leaned again and give her a peck on the lips once more and kiss her forehead.

"Dream of me, my sweet."

Mort came out of Sumire's room and there he was greeted by the couple. Lunaire and Chaise were waiting for him outside their daughter's chamber. Together, the three of them headed to the manor's library.

"I don't know where to start but I want to thank you for your tireless love, care, and protection of my daughter. Sumire is our only treasure. We owe you a lot. Especially me as a father who should protect his only daughter but you have done more for her even though she has been with me all her life. I still don't want you for Sumire because you are a Mafia Boss but I accept you as the man she loves and makes her happy. I accept the relationship between the two of you." Chaise long said wearing a serious demeanor. Lunaire on his side was smiling widely at Mort.

In a stiffening posture and rigid muscles, Mort who didn't know what to say from what he heard froze momentarily in his place. He just couldn't believe Chaise would finally give in. Mort thought Chaise would curse him all over again though he doesn't mind at all.

"Are you sure you don't mind? I have plans to marry your daughter." Wearing his famous stoic face, Mort declared making Chaise stunned.

Pupils dilated, Lunaire wanted to jump for joy and cheered loudly in the middle of the night. Chaise was left speechless. Words barely came out from his lips and at that very moment, he became mute and deaf at what he heard. Though Chaise expected Mort and Sumire to get married but he didn't think the hunk wants it to happen as soon as possible.

"You said you would support and accept them. What are you waiting for? Answer Mort. Give him the Go signal." Elated, Lunaire said who was now blushing with happiness and excitement. She even hugged and clings to her husband's arm.

Mort, on the other hand, in his stoic and cold demeanor felt pleased with Lunaire who was insisting her husband give him what he wished.

"When is the wedding?" Chaise asked as he shifted his gaze back to the hunk. A small smile curved on Mort's lips.

"When Sumire comes home." Mort directly replied. Chaise stride forward and tapped him on the shoulder.

"I'll give you 1 week for preparations. Congratulations."