Chapter 206: My only friend
Zenith’s straightforward question froze Barnes briefly, as he held a blank face, staring at the bright blue sky above them. His brown eyes had a hint of glum in them, and his expression gradually turned a bit solemn, as if the question had somehow made him feel a bit uncomfortable.
But Barnes didn’t try to deny or run away from his question, instead after maintaining that brief pause, he admitted with a heavy exhale, "Yes. Master Aiden was...and will always be the only family I am left with, young master Zenith."
Even though the sadness was evident in him, the sincere depth in his voice while giving the answer amazed Zenith, making him realize Barnes still cherishes Aiden from the core of his heart.
He reverted a small smirk, before urging him once again, "Then...aren’t you happy to be reunited with him once again...after all these years?"
"Yes, I am."
Barnes curtly answered with a smile, but gawking at the sadness reflected in his rolled eyes, Zenith muttered after he emitted another big puff of smoke, "Aiden has lost quite a lot of his childhood memories after countering a fatal accident. Well...does that mean—"
"Yes, Master Aiden has completely forgotten about me. He doesn’t seem to remember about my existence at all."
Before Zenith could finish his question as if Barnes could clearly see through him. He uttered in a low voice with his profound sadness engraved in his rolled orbs, but Zenith continued sneaking glances at him as if the look of despair written on his face was making him feel bad for this guy.
Slowly, lifting his gaze down from the horizon, while Barnes still kept a numb silence between them, Zenith discarded his cigarette and exhaled a big sigh, when he spoke, "Then...since you know him from childhood, you must be already aware that Aiden grew up in a dysfunctional family, kind of similar to me. It was quite clear to understand to protect him from some kind of grave trauma, he went into partial amnesia. But I never had a hunch coming that you belonged among the memories he lost, so...I feel it was quite unfair for you, Mr. Barnes. And I am sure, it must’ve hurt you to find out about this here..."