Chapter 2

Chapter 2

After finishing the script their teacher had assigned for the class play, Suer stretched as he looked over the thick stack of draft pages written in English.

Don’t ask why their teacher had given them such an absurd assignment. It was a major event for the class: at this year’s primary school graduation ceremony, every one of them would be taking the stage to perform Romeo and Juliet–the children’s edition.

If he ever got the chance to return to his original world, he could probably pass that damned CET-4 English exam with his eyes shut.

Angel had not disturbed them once all afternoon. Mrs. Ellison had kept her firmly under control with one hand.

Her stated reason was that a lady and gentleman ought not to be interrupted while on a date.

Mrs. Ellison had announced this from the sitting-room doorway.

Very loudly.

As a result, Hermione’s cheeks stayed pink for the entire afternoon.

“If I ever get married, ending up with the girl in front of me wouldn’t be so bad.”

Suer smiled at bushy-haired Hermione. It was easy to imagine that she would grow into a beautiful young woman.

“Pity about those enormous front teeth.”

“Hmm?”

Hermione’s little ears twitched. Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

Oh, hell. Did I say that out loud?

Suer stared at Hermione in horror. This time, her red face probably had nothing to do with embarrassment.

“Suer Ellison!”

Hermione’s throat worked as she forced his name through clenched teeth.

“Die!”

Even Mr. and Mrs. Granger did not dare discuss Hermione’s teeth in front of her. They were strictly forbidden territory.

Angel arrived at the doorway in time to witness a scene she would remember for the rest of her life.

Her gentle, pretty Big Sis Granger had both hands around her bwother’s neck and was shaking him back and forth. She looked as terrifying as a demon in a television cartoon.

“Waaah… Bwother…”

Angel burst into tears.

Hermione froze. Now it was her turn to panic as she looked down at Suer, whom she had practically straddled while strangling him to the verge of unconsciousness.

For some reason, Hermione started wailing even louder than Angel.

That made Angel stop and stare.

Torn between laughter and tears, Suer set about comforting both girls.

After a great deal of confusion, he finally stemmed their golden tears by promising to take Angel and Hermione to the zoo the following weekend.

“Hahahaha! Isn’t that hilarious?”

At dinner, Mrs. Ellison slapped Mr. Ellison’s arm with one hand while clutching her stomach with the other.

She had been nearby all afternoon and witnessed the entire affair.

The moment Mr. Ellison came home, she began recounting it between peals of laughter.

Suer’s face was the very picture of mortification. Angel saw her mother laughing and joined in like a cheerful little fool.

Mr. Ellison looked at the three most important people in his life–one grown woman and two children–and a gentle smile touched his lips as well.

Early the next morning, Hermione waited by the roadside with her schoolbag on her back, acting as if nothing had happened.

Angel waved sweetly to her bwother and big sister.

“Bye-bye, Bwother! Bye-bye, Big Sis Granger! Angel will wait for you at home!”

She blew them both a kiss.

In high spirits, Suer blew one back.

Their primary school was not far from the neighbourhood. It took only a short walk to get there.

Hermione was not popular at school because she took everything far too seriously.

She and Suer had become friends after a small incident in their first year. With an adult soul inside him, Suer could hardly stand by while several children surrounded a little girl and picked on her.

From then on, Hermione became Suer’s little shadow. And truth be told, having a top student following him around was rather convenient.

Whenever Suer did not feel like doing his homework, he would enter into friendly negotiations with Hermione about “consulting” hers.

There was little worth saying about school life in the Muggle world. Suer spent most of his time sleeping through class. His teachers left him alone mainly because he still ranked near the top in every exam.

Every now and then, he even managed to beat Hermione.

That did not stop her from lecturing him every day. Her words went in one ear and out the other, but Hermione never seemed discouraged.

Sunday soon arrived, bright and clear.

Mr. Ellison had risen early and was out on the lawn polishing his car.

Suli bustled around the kitchen, preparing breakfast for Suer and Angel as well as a packed lunch for the outing.

The Ellisons simply could not bring themselves to let two older children take one very small child to the zoo alone, even if Suer truly was far more mature than other boys his age.

“Thank you for doing this today, Mr. Ellison.”

Mr. Granger stood on the lawn holding his daughter’s hand as he greeted Mr. Ellison.

“My wife and I should really be going with you, but we simply can’t get away. The dental practice has been terribly busy lately.”

“Don’t worry about it. It makes no difference whether we bring one child or two.” Mr. Ellison laughed heartily. “Good morning, Hermione.”

“Good morning, Mr. Ellison,” Hermione replied shyly.

The voices downstairs woke a bleary-eyed Suer. He checked the time and was about to grant himself five more minutes when a cannonball dropped from the sky.

“Bwother!”

Angel leaned over Suer’s ear and bellowed at the top of her lungs.

Now thoroughly awake, Suer glared at her, grabbed her by the back of her collar, and tossed her out of his room.

Angel was not offended in the slightest. Giggling, she jumped on the spot, hung from the door handle, and shamelessly let herself back in to continue tormenting her brother.

It was time to get up. They were going to the zoo today!

Helpless before his little sister, Suer quickly dressed, washed up, and went downstairs, where he found Hermione Granger sitting at the table.

“Morning,” he greeted lazily.

Hermione gave him a fierce glare.

“Morning, Big Sis Granger!” Angel shouted with boundless energy. Then she turned to hurry Suer along. “Bwother, eat! Eat quickly! We have to go when you’re done. Even Mr. Sun is already awake!”

“All right, all right, I know. You little taskmaster!”

“What’s a taskmasser?” Angel tilted her head adorably.

Perhaps because it was Sunday, the roads were unusually crowded.

The Ellisons’ car crawled along in fits and starts. A trip that normally took half an hour stretched to ninety minutes, giving Suer ample time for another nap.

He did not wake until they reached the zoo and Hermione pinched his nose.

“Good heavens, look at all these people.” Mr. Ellison climbed out of the car and stared in surprise at the sea of heads before him.

“Hermione, Suer, stay close to us.” Suli tightened her grip on Angel’s hand and looked back at Hermione and the still-drowsy Suer.

“Yes, Mrs. Ellison,” Hermione answered obediently.

“Let’s go!” Angel cried.

Despite the crowds, the zoo staff kept everything so orderly that the Ellisons did not miss a single animal. They also discovered why the zoo was particularly busy that day.

“It’s a big bear!”

Angel bounced excitedly behind the glass.

“It’s a giant panda,” Suer corrected her.

He gazed with emotion at the black-and-white ball of fluff on the other side. A whole lifetime away, and here he was seeing a creature unique to the East once again.

“Doesn’t it eat meat?” Hermione asked quietly. “Bears eat meat, don’t they? Why is it eating bamboo?”

“The giant panda is found only in the East. It has another name there: the iron-eating beast. Don’t let the word panda fool you–it’s a real bear, so of course it can eat meat,” Suer explained enthusiastically. “But it’s also famously lazy. Supposedly, pandas ate meat at first, but hunting was too much trouble, so over time they switched to bamboo.”

“Oh.” Hermione nodded, glanced at Suer, and muttered, “Just as lazy as you.”

“What?” Suer had not caught the last part.

“I know! I know!” Angel raised her hand and bounced in place. “Big Sis Granger said Bwother is as lazy as this big kitty!”

Angel’s voice was so loud–and she was so impossibly cute–that the people around them broke into good-natured laughter.

Three black lines might as well have appeared across Suer’s forehead.

Under his accusing stare, Hermione lowered her head as the tips of her ears slowly turned pink.