<h4>Chapter 3: A Surprising Offer</h4>


    "What the hell happened to you, man?" Vincent shouted as I entered the cafeteria. It wasn''t surprising – I looked like I had been in an ident.


    "Practice was... rough." I mumbled. I carefully lowered myself into the soft couch. "Too rough." My arms were in bandages, as was my upper body. Ms Linda had not been kind to me at all yesterday. She pulled no punches and even after we switched to our kun''s she had used the nearly two-meter-long, sturdy wooden staff to mercilessly beat me.


    "Seriously, what the hell?" Erik added as he sat beside Vincent. "Do you have any broken bones or something?" He seemed worried. He had been constantly bugging me to go to a hospital since I had arrived at campus.


    "No, just lots of bruises." I shrugged, then immediately regretted it as it sent waves of pain across my upper body. "I''ll be fine in a couple of days." I couldn''t help butugh at their horrified expressions as I finished my words.


    "This is not normal, man." Vincent mumbled. Erik vigorously nodded.


    "Wait, does that mean you don''t have practice for the next few days?" Erik suddenly asked. I nodded. It wasn''t good practice to push a battered body beyond it''s limits – it would serve no purpose and would only worsen the damage.


    "Great!" Vincent grinned. "Let''s go to your house Erik."


    "Wait what?" I tried to protest. I was nning on dedicating my newfound free time to sleeping and... Well, more sleep. "I need to rest, you guys. I can''t be running around."


    "You''ll rest, don''t worry." Erik said with a grin. "Vince, call your brother and tell him to bring the girls over too. We''re leaving now."


    "Done and done!" Vincent said as he reached for his phone. Erik grabbed my wrist and gently helped me up in the meantime. I once again tried to protest, for a different reason. "I look like someone you picked off the streets Erik. I can''t be going to your house looking like this!" It was already embarrassing to be in such massive, rich houses. I didn''t want to go there looking like I had just received a beating.


    "Now you''re just being dumb." Erik said as he dragged me along. "Don''t worry so much about such little things!"


    "It''s not ''little things'' Erik!" My shouts and protests were ignored as we drove off. After a short while, I finally gave up on arguing. They''d never understand. They''d never been in this position.


    "Well how about this?" Erik said with a huge grin. "Just introduce us to your family when you get the chance."


    I flinched. I couldn''t even imagine Vincent and mother in the same room. She''d be at his throat within seconds. In an attempt to forget that mental image, I nced outside only to see a very familiar street. As I watched, we passed the very training hall I received a beating in just yesterday.


    "Wait, why are we here?" I asked Erik. Instead of answering he slowed the car and turned to pass through the gates leading into one of the private properties in the area. "Erik?" I insisted as we passed through a thin treeline. Soon, a massive mansion entered my view.


    "No..." I whispered. I knew of this ce – and of the family who owned it. Mrs Carrie had told me about them. The CEO and founder of the leading technology firm, ''OTHERWORLD'' owned – and lived in – this ce. "Erik-"


    "Oh, you didn''t know?" Vincent tapped my shoulder. I felt his breath on my neck as he whispered. "Erik is really rich." I quickly pulled myself away from him – it was just creepy – and stared at Erik.


    "Sorry, I didn''t mean to trick you or anything." Erik said as he pulled over by the front door. "Come on." He got off the car. Helpless, I followed him. As we climbed the handful of steps leading to the front door, I looked around, my mouth agape. The whole estate was just massive!


    The gardens were filled with exotic flowers and nts. The mansion itself was huge. It was a four-story building with what seemed to be a rich history. It wasn''t a new building – I could see the weathered edges of the stones used to build it. It was, however, very well taken care of.


    "Ok, stop staring like it''s the first time you''re seeing stuff like this." Vincent said as we approached the door.


    "But it is the first time I''m seeing stuff like this!" I whispered in a panic. I looked like a beggarpared all this! "Normal people don''t ever see stuff like this!"


    "You''re exaggerating." Erikughed as the door opened before we even knocked. "Thanks us." He added as he passed by a... butler. It took every bit of willpower I had to follow him and Vincent inside.


    The interior wasvishly in decorations. I could see gold almost everywhere. It was... overwhelming. Though, it didn''t entirely look good. It wasically rich, so much that it looked almost ugly.


    "Oh, is dad home?" Erik asked the old butler.


    "He is in his study, sir." The old man gently smiled. "He''s asked not to be disturbed until dinner."


    "I see, thanks. Would you mind bringing us something to drink? We''ll be in my room."


    "Of course, young sir." us bowed before leaving us in the entrance hall and heading off somewhere. As I stared around, I felt someone grab my arm. Erik grinned and pulled me towards the stairs leading up to the second floor.


    "Come on!" He was cheerful and clearly excited. I wanted to protest again, but seeing how happy he was, I couldn''t. Wordless, I followed him to the second, then the third floor. We stopped by an oak door. Erik opened it and pushed us inside.


    "Alrighty! Make yourselves at home!"


    I looked around to see a... normal room. Well, calling it normal was a stretch. It was clearly a wealthy person''s room. The huge TV and gaming setup at the corner proved that, as well as the paintings on the walls. There was a library stretching along one of the walls. Leather-bound books rested there, along with some figures and misceneous items.


    Erik lowered himself onto the couch near therge windows. "Come on, rest for a bit." I hesitated, then relented and sank into the soft couch. "You really hadn''t noticed?" Erik asked after a short while.


    "No." I mumbled. "I''m a foreigner, remember? And you never told me yourst name either. How could I know?" I kind of wanted to crawl into a hole and stay there. I felt so embarrassed!


    "He''s right, Erik." Vincentughed. "But his expression was perfect! The girls and Josh would''ve loved to see it." He giggled as he tried to imitate my surprise.


    "Oh, shut up!" I grumbled, feeling even more embarrassed. None of this was helpful even in the slightest!


    "Ok, ok. Stop teasing him." Erik finally stopped Vincent. "The others shoulde soon, but before that – Vincent, if you want to see Clementine, you should go before the girls get here." As he said that, Erik''s smile widened. "Unless you want them to find out."


    "Oh!" Vincent sprung to his feet. "I''ll be back in a bit!" He rushed out of the room. As soon as the door closed behind him, Erik startedughing. I wanted to ask what that was all about, but before I could, he suddenly spoke.


    "Kai, would you like to stay here ''till you graduate?"