A DIFFERENT PORTRAIT - PART 4 (Patreon)

OTHER PARTS  |  ALL STORIES

Part 4: The Past Through Aiden Chandler's Perspective (2)

“Meow!” I quickly pulled my hand back in surprise. Another failure! Today, while I was sitting idly in the ranger’s guard post, I happened to spot an adorable little wild cat. I just wanted to get closer and feel its soft fur for a moment, but, just like humans, animals didn’t seem to like me much either.

I let out a sigh and trudged back to the ranger's guard post, my mind preoccupied with thoughts of how to start a conversation with Ace Vernon. I wanted to apologize for my rude behavior over the past two days, but I just couldn’t find the words. Whenever I had the chance to be near him, I would think about striking up a conversation. Yet, because of my shyness, all I could do was clench my fists tightly, keep my head bowed low, and, of course, let my messy, shadowy hair completely obscure my face.

Ace Vernon looked awkward, forcing a faint smile before finding an excuse to leave. It wasn’t until my younger brother approached me, muttering under his breath, “Are you trying to scare my friend?!” that I realized Ace Vernon had misunderstood me yet again—this time as being angry. It made sense, though. My clenched, trembling fists probably looked like I was struggling to suppress the urge to punch someone. And so, despite this being Ace Vernon’s third day here, I still hadn’t managed to have a proper conversation with him.

What should I do today? Let’s see. Maybe I’ll start with my cooking skills, preparing another delicious meal to treat my guest. Then, I’ll send my little brother, Narek Chandler, away and have a private meal with Ace Vernon? It would be so awkward to apologize with that kid always teasing me sitting next to me! But that won’t work either! Without my brother by my side, I wouldn’t have the courage to talk to a stranger!

What should I do to get it right?! My eyes seem to be welling up. A man like me being so weak, no wonder no girl likes me. I can’t even say a simple apology, I’m truly useless. I laid down on the table, my fingers drawing aimlessly on its surface.

Just then, I heard a cat meow near my ear. Could it be that the kitten had changed its mind and wanted me to pet it after all? I immediately sat up and looked out the window. Sure enough, the kitten had returned, but it wasn’t coming to play with me. It was happily nudging its little head against the hand of a young man. How envious I felt! While I had tried my best, the animals didn’t care at all, but this guy just had to stretch out his hand and the kitten approached him on its own. What made me even more jealous was that, surrounding this young man, there wasn’t just one kitten, but a whole bunch of small animals—squirrels, birds, and rabbits.

I squinted my eyes to see who the young man was, not wanting to ruin his moment. You know, as soon as I approached, all those little creatures would scatter in a panic! The young man was sitting on the ground, his back leaning against the corner of a tree. The little four-legged friends were running all around him.

Suddenly, I saw him shiver. He slowly turned his face toward the ranger's guard post, in other words, where I was standing. Upon seeing me, he quickly nodded and stood up, making his way out. The little animals seemed confused but eventually followed him. Now I knew who the young man was, but I had no idea why he left as soon as he saw me. I should have been the one to walk away, right? Oh no, I was in the guard post, I couldn't leave. All I could do was sit back down in my chair with a heavy heart.

When I returned to prepare lunch, only my younger brother was lazily scrolling through social media. I asked him where Ace Vernon was, and he told me that his friend had gone into the forest to play. Ace Vernon had agreed to visit Narek Chandler's hometown because of that very forest. I didn't say anything else, I just quietly walked into the kitchen to start preparing the ingredients.

A little while later, I heard the sound of lively laughter and conversation from outside. Ace Vernon was telling my younger brother about the wonderful experiences he had just had in the forest. It seemed like he had never been around so many animals before. That made sense, though — the grand Luminous City probably only had a few types of pets kept at home.

Lunch was ready, and as I brought the dishes to the table, the conversation suddenly stopped. It seemed that my mere presence made the atmosphere awkward. Despite that, today, I was determined to have a meal with both of them. Little did I know, it turned out to be an even worse decision, and as usual, the cause was myself. I intended to apologize, but my mouth kept chewing quickly as if I wanted to finish my meal as fast as possible to avoid looking at them. Another failure!

And so, from the fourth day onward, Ace Vernon spent most of his time in the forest where I worked. As for me, I could only stand from afar and watch him play with the small animals. It seemed that Ace Vernon had learned from the previous time, as this time he chose more secluded spots to avoid my gaze. What he didn’t know was that just because it was hidden from him didn’t mean it was hidden from me. The ranger’s guard post had been strategically built to cover a wide area. Although I couldn’t see his face clearly anymore, I knew exactly who the young man playing with the cats over there was.

I don’t know when it started, but watching that young man pet and feed the small animals in the forest became the only joy in my otherwise dull life. The ranger’s guard post didn’t have internet, and there was nothing else for me to do except sit here day after day, guiding lost visitors or stopping poachers and mushroom thieves. Sometimes, I even imagined standing alongside Ace Vernon, both of us surrounded by the animals, who had come to like us. In those imagined moments, we would laugh and talk as if we were old friends. Yes, our bond seemed deeper and longer than the one he had with my younger brother.

Every time I snapped out of those foolish thoughts, I would blush. Why did I want that? Had I been without a friend for so long? But if that were the case, why did I feel the need for a deeper relationship with Ace Vernon? It was almost as if I was competing for a friend with my own younger brother!

On the last day that Ace Vernon was here, something unexpected happened. Just as he was leaving, an illegal poacher sneaked into the forest from another side. This man, proving himself to be an unwelcome marksman, used a slingshot to shoot a stone, hitting the small body of a wildcat. Everything happened so quickly that I didn’t have time to react.

By the time I managed to chase the poacher away, I found the cat barely alive. Though I could approach it now and gently stroke its fur, it was only the demons that would take joy in this situation. I was in a panic, unsure of what to do. This was the first time I had allowed an animal in the forest to be harmed by a human. Azure Haven Town was right next to the forest, but where could I find someone capable of saving a cat?

However, sitting still was not an option. I ran back to the ranger's guard post to grab my personal first aid kit. I knew that my efforts were probably futile, but I had to try. Normally, I was clumsy even when bandaging my own finger, so how could I possibly treat a cat? I didn't bring the cat with me because I was afraid that the jarring from running would only make its condition worse.

By the time I returned with the first aid kit, I found Ace Vernon already sitting there. With his skilled hands and a set of medical tools I had no idea where he had gotten, he was working on the cat. It wasn’t until much later that I learned Ace Vernon always carried them with him. His kit included specialized tools for treating animals. Despite his high level of expertise, the cat still showed no signs of improvement. This made me worry tenfold, but seeing Ace Vernon, the one actually treating the cat, was even more worrying. Sweat streamed down his forehead, despite the cold weather.

Finally, after much effort, the wild cat opened its eyes. Though still weak, it had enough strength to lick the hand of its savior, the one who had just saved its life. Ace Vernon lay back on the ground happily, only to suddenly notice me standing there, though he had no idea when I had appeared. He had been so focused on tending to the animal that he hadn’t even realized anyone else was around. He quickly packed up his things and left, abandoning the idea of resting. Although he didn’t say anything to me, he left behind a can of pâté, still in its wrapper, next to the cat. Clearly, it couldn’t open it itself. I could only assume that Ace Vernon had meant for me to feed it.

I did as he wished, and unexpectedly, the wild cat no longer feared me as it had before. In fact, from that point on, I was able to interact with the animals without issue. I felt a warmth in my heart. Deep down, a faint yet growing feeling began to take shape, one that was slowly developing into something more significant for the friend of my younger brother.

PART 5 >>