“It sounds even more ridiculous coming from you! You’re here to profile us.”
“I swear we’re telling the truth.” Aiden flashed eyes of help to Diane, but she remained in her comfortable position leaning against the wall in the background with an amused grin on her face.
“They’re telling the truth, He Bao.” Zhu Zhu tried to grab her brother, but he shook her off.
“I’m not profiling anyone. I’m here because I love Aiden.”
Time screeched to a halt.
Aiden whirled around to see Brendan still more focused on stopping the nosebleed than reacting to the words that fell from his mouth. Zhu Zhu and He Bao stared in fascination and disbelief, and finally feeling enough eyes, Brendan turned around and looked to Aiden—those blue eyes that hid nothing. A sea of complete calm twinkled at his bold proclamation. Aiden’s face flared with heat when Brendan nonchalantly shrugged at the others’ reactions.
“I love Aiden,” he reiterated, tentatively letting go of his nose.
A squeak fell out of Aiden’s mouth.
“Pfft.” Diane covered her mouth, thinly veiling her laughter.
“Is—is now really the best time to say something like this?” Aiden stuttered.
“Well, what else am I supposed to say?” Brendan rubbed his punched face. “It’s the truth.”
Danger screeched from the steam rising from He Bao’s head. Aiden stepped in front of Brendan. “Is this a joke?” He Bao practically screamed. He raised his fists. “Do you think this is time to be funny?”
“You listen to me, right now!” Zhu Zhu circled around He Bao, punching him in the arm. Instantly, everyone froze aside from Diane, who raised an eyebrow and continued to lean comfortably against the wall. “You are being such a child. Aiden’s not the traitor.”
“How do you know that?” He Bao glared.
“Because it wasn’t Aiden who betrayed the group. It was Hui Ye.” She stepped forward, and her brother stepped back. “You were wrong. Ma could hurt people. She did. She killed Hui Ye.”
“You’re lying. You don’t have proof.” He Bao’s eyes darted to Aiden’s and rushed back to Zhu Zhu. “They’re lying to you, Zhu Zhu. Who are you going to trust? Your family or strangers?”
“Aiden is not a stranger.”
“He is a stranger! He barely interacts with us!”
“Ma’s the one who wouldn’t let us get close to him.”
“It’s not just Ma. Admit it. He never wanted to be one of us. He runs away from his family and responsibilities at every chance he gets. Even when Hui Ye was alive, he did nothing to help out. He’s ashamed of who he is!” He Bao pointed his finger at Aiden, but his eyes betrayed what he really felt inside.
Surprised, Aiden watched He Bao. The increasingly short breaths, the sweat dripping from his forehead, the constantly straying eyes, and the legs that bounced against each other screamed of panic.He knows Zhu Zhu’s telling the truth.Aiden realized. He Bao continued to scream at Zhu Zhu.He just doesn’t want to believe it.
“You’re such a child! Accept reality for once, won’t you?!” Zhu Zhu’s shrill voice rang. She kicked at He Bao’s legs, forcing him backward, and once far enough, she shoved him into the wall. Shaking, He Bao sank to the ground, while Zhu Zhu towered over him.
“Being part of Infinite isnotwhat makes us Chinese! Ma’s the one who put that ridiculous notion in your head!” Zhu Zhu pulled at her hair. “We’remiserablebecause of her. Just let her go! We’llbothbe happier, and you know it!” The words exploded from her mouth, leaving Zhu Zhu gasping. She looked down at her brother. “Infinite and Ma do not get to define our identities.Wedo, and it’s time that we do.”
Aiden’s chest clenched. The memories of his torment in the basement resurfaced in his bones. The rationalization of what his stepmother wanted from him, his self-reassurance of his place in the family, and the sinking hopelessness that simmered below the surface, waiting for his spirit to drop below and drown. Aiden watched the same torment released from Zhu Zhu, but He Bao grab onto his own misery even harder.
Not even his sister can reach him,Aiden realized. He walked over and lowered himself to the ground to sit across from He Bao. “Your mom’s still alive.” Aiden smiled softly at him. “I know you’re angry because you think I got her killed or that I want to kill her, but it’s not true. She’s alive, and I’m relieved that she is. Let’s go find her.”
He Bao stared back warily. “Is that the truth?”
“Your mother’s an exceptional survivor,” Diane interrupted for the first time since the whole confrontation. “She made it out of that room without any wounds.”
“Then she will come looking for us,” He Bao said. “We don’t need to look for her. We can just wait here until she arrives.”
Diane tipped her head. “You really believe that?”
“She’s our mother. She would never abandon us.”
