THUD!
THUD!!
THUD!!!
All the members are looking at Damian, who keeps barking at his wife to punch harder. Melody tries her best, but the longer she does the same act, the more she lacks energy. She stops and tries to catch her breath.
“We have been doing this, and I don’t even stumble backwards by your hit,” Damian commented.
“I’m sorry for being born in this weak state,” she rolls her eyes, being sarcastic.
He arches his eyebrows, “I didn’t say you’re weak. Look like you say it yourself.”
Melody glares at him and takes off the boxing gloves. She threw it away and fall on her butt. She could feel her muscles getting sore. Meanwhile, Damian keeps his gaze on her from head to toe.
“I can see that your stamina is… not good. That’s why you are so fast at getting tired,” he explains.
“Are you a doctor to judge me like that?” she looks up at him.
“No, I’m not. But I got a lot of experience,” Damian smirks, crossing his arms above his chest, “If I don’t, then my guards wouldn’t be that strong.”
She rolls her eyes. She can’t deny that since what he said is true. Without him, his fellow members wouldn’t be that good at fighting and other skills.
“I’m not born with this… this whole thing. You have to understand that,” Melody huffs, still trying to defend herself.
“What? Do you think all of these guards were born with this whole stuff? No. Some of them are just… ordinary man or a weak one,”
Damian crouches down in front of her, “Stop giving excuses, Melody. I’m doing this for you. I’m not always there for you.”
“When you say that, it sounds like you are going to leave me,” she mumbles.
“That’s not what I meant. What if something happened and I’m not there right on time?” he questioned.
Melody didn’t answer.
“That’s what I thought. We’re not doing the extreme one, trust me. I wouldn’t force you into that. We just learn the basic one,” he says, his tone laced with softness.
He pulls out his hands out for her to take, “Come on. We have to build your stamina first,”
Melody stares at his hands which are covered with black gloves, then sighs, “Fine.”
They went to the treadmill. Damian motioned her to get on, and then he set up the speed. When she felt it moving, she started to move her legs. The speed is just at a walking pace.
“Are you okay?” he asks, checking her.
“I’m fine,”
“If that so…” he made it a bit higher, and now she fastened her walking pace. “I think we should set up your training schedule.”
Melody frowns, “No! I have no time for that!”
“No… time? Are you freaking serious right now?” Damian leans on the machine and puts his arms on the railing.
“What? I’m a busy woman,” she says.
“A busy woman, huh? Please, tell me what are busy for?” he arches his eyebrows.
Melody blinks her eyes. Then, she clears her throat and looks away, not wanting to look at him.
“Uh… busy…. with some other stuff,”
He smirks, “Other stuff? Like what? Eat all the food at the pantry? Have movie night every night? Bother me while I’m working?”
She was flustered when she noticed he had been watching her and noticed all of that. She furrows her eyebrows, “Don’t expose me like that!!”
“Mel, you are the most not-busy person I ever met,” he continued.
Melody pouts. She knows he is right.
“Just say that you are lazy,” Damian slightly smirks.
“Fine! Yes, I am!” she grunts, “That kind of thing is boring. I’d rather chill and eat while watching a movie.”
Damian rolls his eyes, “I start to worry about your future,” he mumbles to himself.
He adjusts the speed, and Melody starts to run. She huffed, trying to catch her breath. When was the last time she ran? Maybe when she was still a pick-pocket person.
“How long do I have to run?” she panted.
“Until you reach your limit,” he replies deadpan.
“I already reached my limit!” she whines.
“No you are not,” he looks at her, “You are not complaining when you ran away from Matthew when he found you,”
Melody shoots him a glare, “Don’t remind me that! That was the past!”
“Still, your stamina is good that time. I’m sure you still have that kind of stamina,” he smirks and pats her shoulder.
“Damian!”
He turns around when his name is called. Matthew, standing there, motioned him to come over. Damian sighs and turns to her.
“I will be right back-don’t even think to cheat. If I see there is something different on the system, I will increase the timer,”
He firmly says before walking away. Melody just mocked him under her breath. It’s not like she knows how to use this machine. This machine looks like a brand new one and not the usual one she always sees.
Damian makes his way toward Matthew, who is waiting. “What do you want?”
“Since when did you train Melody?” he frowns.
“Since just now,” Damian shrugs his shoulder.
“That’s… unexpected,” Matthew mumbles and shakes his head slightly. “Anyway, your father asking for you,”
Damian furrows his eyebrows. He takes the phone from him and gestures to him that he can leave. Matthew smiled before going to Melody-of course, to make fun of her.
He unmute the phone call and put it on his ear, “Dad?”
“There you are. I have been calling you for a few times. Why you didn’t pick up?” Flavio questioned.
“I’m busy,” he simply says.
“Busy? You didn’t bring your phone with you. It is such a rare thing to happen,” he added with a suspicious tone.
Since he’s too busy with Melody, he doesn’t remember to bring his phone with him. Usually, he always holds his tab and phone, but after Melody comes into his life, that habit starts to subside.
“Are you that busy with your wife?” Flavio tease his son.
He rolls his eyes, “Dad, I’m not. I just forgot due to… some work,”
“Yeah, some work. I heard that you… changed a lot because of Melody,”
Damian could sense his father was smirking on the other line. He sighs deeply, knowing his parent is asking someone to keep an eye on his behaviour and update anything to them.
“Who the hell did you pay now?” Damian grumbles.
“Victor. He did a great job,” he chuckles.
That guy…
“I will talk with him. Anyway, Dad. Nothing is happened okay. I’m still the same as before,” he tries to deny it. Deep down, he wanted to say he agreed, but something was holding him back.
Flavio gets up from his seat and walks toward the framed picture, showing Damian with his twin, smiling brightly. The memories flash back inside his head.
“Angelo, you always this defensive when someone says something right,” he smiles.
“I’m not,”
“See? You never change. But what changed in your heart? As your father, I can sense it,” Flavio added. His gaze fixes on the framed picture, “Melody take care of yourself very well,”
Damian paused for a moment. He turns in Melody’s direction and scolds Matthew, who keeps making fun of him. She tries to hit him, but he keeps dodging. Did she change him? Not going to lie, but…
Sometimes, he felt like he was out of his character when with her.
“Your silence tells me that you agreed with my words,” he chuckles. “Oh well, I wouldn’t talk about it anymore. Where is Melody? I want to have a father-in-law talk with her,”
Flavio pleading.
“She busy. Maybe next time,”
“Fine. Anyway, I want to say that… I start to think that you deserve to take over this clan,” Flavio blurt out.
His eyes widen.
“W-What?”
“You heard me. I know, I made a deal after one year but… seeing you change so much, why not hand it over to you soon,” he chuckles.
Damian didn’t say anything.
“That’s all. I will inform you after I prepare the documents and set the party for those things,” Flavio continues.
Then, he hangs up. Damian slowly pulls the phone away from his ear. He finally got what he wanted. The clan. That’s mean… That means he can cancel the deal with Melody. That also means… they will divorce.
Separated.
But his heart ached when he thought of that.
“Stop it, you idiot!!”
Melody’s voice snaps him out of his deep thoughts. Matthew laughs as she can’t hit him. He let out a deep sigh and made his way towards them.
“What is going on here?” he questioned.
“Your stupid friend here keeps making fun of me!!” Melody exclaims.
He could see soaking in sweats. Some strands of hair stick on her face, and sweat drips off her chin. He went to turn off the machine since it was enough for her for today. The last thing he wants to do is make her collapse in exhaustion.
“Mat, go do your work,” he demands.
“Sure,” Matthew chuckles, “See ya, grumpy fatty kitten,”
“WHAT!?”
He laughed so hard as he ran off. Melody panting and glares at Matthew as he runs off. She puffs her cheeks and looks at her stomach, pinching it slightly.
“Am I fat?”
Damian wants to smack Matthew’s head, “No. If you think you are then you are.”
“That’s not helping,” she frowns.
“It is. Change your mindset, little one. There’s some stuff that you can be insecure about and there’s some stuff that you don’t have to,” he explains.
Melody pouts and nods her head.
“Let’s go. You stink,” he motions her to follow.
“It’s his fault,” she mumbles.