When Keith saw Francis, he smiled wryly to himself. Suddenly, he remembered a video game that Hansel recommended to him and he played before all night.
'The mini big boss has arrived.'
"Oh! Look who is here. The brat who thinks he can steal my little sister's heart. I really admire your persistence, Little Lancester." Francis said with a bright smile on his face.
"...Good afternoon, Brother. I-"
"As far as I am concerned, I only have one sibling. A beautiful and gentle little sister. Fortunately, the heavens did not give you as my sibling." Francis cut him off.
"..."
'So should I be glad that I have Calvin as my brother and not you?'
Keith seriously compared his brother with Rhianne's brother. As far as he is concerned, Francis is kind to everyone aside from him. As for his brother, Calvin is kind only to their parents, to his patients, and maybe to Rhianne also. As an older brother, maybe he is good to him for at least ten percent. But between Calvin and Francis, Keith is still a little biased toward his own brother. At least Calvin knows when to stop his teasing attitude.
Francis took a seat on the opposite sofa and looked at Keith with furrowed brows. He already knows that they will be having a guest today and it was the daughter of his new stock manager he hired recently. Rhianne and that girl seem close and Francis does not have any issues about it. In fact, he is happy that his little sister has another friend aside from this unpleasant brat in front of him.
"So what brings you here?" Francis asked.
"I am here to visit Rhianne—"
"Visit? Really? You are always with my little sister during school days. But why are you still visiting Rhianne during weekends too?"
"That... I have to give Rhianne something-"
"Good timing. Since I am already here, you can just give me that 'something' and I will give it to Rhianne later." Francis said with a smile. "Aren't you glad that I can be your delivery man for today? Don't worry. I will make sure that your small package will arrive safely in my sister's arms."
"..."
'Really... Francis's hostility towards me is too much.'
"Francis, what are you doing with our guest?" Carmie asked as she put the tray she is carrying on the table. She gives Keith a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and Keith politely received it.
"Mom, why are you still treating him like a guest? Did you know that he is always here? I almost think this brat is our new gardener or something."
Keith, who suddenly becomes a gardener in Francis's eyes: "..."
"Francis, stop it." Carmie scolded her son lightly.
Francis frowned when his mother scolded him before glaring at the young man sitting on the opposite sofa. Keith smiled wryly to himself again. Even without asking him, Keith can already see the meaning of his glares.
'Why are you blaming me if Auntie Carmie scolded you?!'
"Keith, Rhianne is currently with her friend inside her room. Do you want me to call her for you?" Carmie softly asked Keith.
"Friend?" Keith asked.
"Oh, I think you also know her. Her name is Candice. She is such a sweet girl."
"..."
"You did not know her?"
"I know her, auntie. She is such a good friend for Rhianne." Keith honestly said.
Well, even though he does not like that girl being a clingy bunny to Rhianne, Keith still cannot deny the fact that Candice is really a good friend towards Rhianne. If not, he will not let Rhianne spend more time with her. If that Candice turns out to be another person who has a bad motive towards the girl he likes, then she can never get near Rhianne ever again.
Suddenly, Francis's phone rings. He looked at the screen and saw it was a call from his secretary. When he answered it and asked what is the problem, his secretary reminded him that there is an important document on his desk that he need to sign today. After telling his secretary to wait for him in the company, he ended the call.
"You are working even on weekends?" Carmie asked her eldest child.
"Not really, mom. I just need to sign an important document in the office. After that, I can go home and spend my day off with my beautiful mother and my pretty sister."
"This sweet talker." Carmie said with a laugh. "Then why not ask your secretary to bring it here for you to sign it?"
"Not possible, mom. My secretary is already busy with his work. He will surely give me his resignation letter if I give him more work." Francis joked.
"Hmm, that's right. You should also take good care of your subordinates."
'See? He is kind to everyone aside from me!'
Though Keith is full of complaints towards Francis, he still did not dare to voice it out. Keith reminded himself that he is still pursuing Rhianne. So offending her family during his courting stage will become a huge blunder for him.
Standing up, Francis put his phone inside his pocket before giving Keith a last look.
"Then I have to go now. I hope I will not see you again once I get back home later." Francis said. "By the way, tell your crazy brother that I said hi."
After that, Francis left Keith in the living room with his mother. Though his expression is calm, but Keith secretly lets out a relieved sigh. He survived another encounter with the mini boss. Surely, his lucky stars are always guarding him.
"I apologize for my son's rudeness." Carmie softly said. "Francis is just like that because he really adores his little sister."
"You do not have to worry about it, auntie. I can understand him." Keith said with a smile.
Carmie already told Keith before that Francis became too overprotective with Rhianne ever since her accident in the pool. Though he is not admitting it, the Cartel couple knows that Francis blamed himself for neglecting his duty as a big brother. So now that Francis discovered that Keith is courting his little sister, he suddenly put his guards up against him.
"Keith, are you really determined to court my daughter?" Carmie suddenly asked.
"Of course, auntie." Keith quickly answered.
"Then always prepare yourself, young man."
"...What do you mean, auntie?"
"Well, you see. My husband is not that pleased to know that his daughter has now a suitor." Carmie explained. "Although I am not against Rhianne having you as her boyfriend, the father and son duo still has a different opinion against you."
"...Oh."
'The mini big boss and the final boss.'
Carmie patted Keith's shoulder before she stand up.
"Then Keith, I wish you good luck. I hope you can make my husband and son like you for our Rhianne."
'Auntie... Why are you acting like you are giving me a hard mission?'