Cia looked down from sofa, her vaccum cleaner disk robot is sweeping out everything except real dust.
"Corners are still a problem for it."
"Hahaa! Of course machines cannot take people's job."
"And whose job is this papa?"
Andre had a little stroke.
Today and tomorrow I have to celebrate Cia's Birthday then go to that Rookie no.1 for mission at night huh? But I cannot just leave like this.
Andre went out to garden area and started putting celebration stuff out. CIA came out as well.
"Will you even remember this birthday?"
"Even if I don't, we will have photos and videos."
"And what if I refused to capturing those?"
Heh. I'm just teasing her. She is just 6 years old. Oh by tomorrow she will be 7. But doesn't she remembers most of the things somehow?
"If you refuse then I beleive my friends will remember."
"....?"
Does she have no confidence that she can remember her birthday?
Andre sticked strips and balloons through the trees there and attached the other end to the roof at doorway. After that he started climbing a stair and putting some fire crackers launcher.
"You are going to remember this anyway."
He smiled back at her and kept going.
Hm. This roof is kind of slippery. Why does these villas have to be like this? Every one of them has this useless lower slant. Can't even be used in rainy times.
"Dear angel, go inside and take out your cleaner robo to fix the ground here."
"Ok."
She went inside to her room and Andre sighed.
"It's good that her friends didn't came earlier today and forgot or something. I really think she would be having them work for her."
Hm?
He looked at the side villa and someone is hanging on the ropes in the tree.
"Is that a boy? A teenager maybe? He playing or something?" Andre scratched his head in pure confusion when he suddenly realises that the boy is just hanging and not moving.
"That boy. That boy is hanged up by his left leg and right arm. Hmmm.... I remember seeing something like this from last year. Should I go and check?"
Maybe not? But he is seriously in dangerous pose these.
"Hey boy! Heyy!!" Andre tried to cough a bit before screaming again.
"BoooyyyyyY!!"
"What happened, Papa?" Cia came back.
Hm? He looked down at his daughter, putting down that cleaner.
"What happened?"
"Well, see that hanging figure? Try to call that big brother."
"That thing?" She pointed at the hanged man.
Thing? Heh. "Yes dear." Andre came down and adjusted his pants.
"Big BROOoooooo!!!!!"
"Waahhh?!!" That boy squirmed in his position and scrambled more in ropes.
I knew it. Females really can scream good. My wife was the same after all. "Ok ok." He patted his hand over Cia's head and headed to that boy to help.
"Hey boy you seems to be in trouble."
"Oh yes, help please. Can you climb trees?" He asked in some panic while still moving despite being all roped.
"Well let me see. Is no one home right now?"
"Nope. My parents are out."
"I see."
"...."
"...."
"....?"
"What?"
"Uncle you gonna help me or not? You are just staring!"
"Haha wait wait." Andre started climbing the tree. It's wide on the trunk so it is somewhat easy. After climbing half the way, he gave his hand forward to the boy.
"Reach out boy."
He squirmed but nothing can happen.
"Just how did you end up there?" He climbed the whole tree and rescues the boy.
"You know you owe me?"
"Yes uncle I'm sorry about that. Thank you."
"Getting all shy huh? How old are you to get hanged up?"
"15."
"Tsk." Andre clicked his tongue while nodding. "Anyways, you need to favor us now as you owe us."
"Um, what can I do? I can't let you kidnap me by the way."
"Today is my daughter's birthday party, so join us on the evening."
"Eh? How is that favo-"
"Ok I'm going now."
"Wait we don't know each other, can I really come?"
"We are neighbours boy. And yeah come with a gift if you can."
"Um. Ok of course." He bowed to him while Andre just walked back, waving his hand as if he has become some hero now.
Helping people feels good.
He looked at CIA who is playing with the cleaner. "Does it have a name too? Is that thing and AI or something?"
"Hm? AI? Nope. I still cannot make much. It's simple if-then machine."
Dunno what she's saying but ok.
He looked back to the neighborhood and the boy is now going inside the house thinking something deeply.
Just how can someone end hanged up without knowing?
Andre just couldn't give thee answer. And he wondered the whole day.
"Papa this!"
An hour passed and he is still thinking the same thing.
"Papa that!"
Another hour.
"Papa these!"
He sat on the chair in garden and still deep in thoughts.
"Papa thoseeee!"
His whole afternoon came and left just like that.
"Papa someone came!!"
Huh?
He looked up from the chair and there stood a luxury car in front of them. What car is this? Whose in this? Why?
All kinds of questions came as he approached the gate to open the way. Then car door opened and Ark and Hailing stepped out.
"Wahhhh!! Ciaaaa!!! Happy birthday again!!!" Ark said.
"I'm sorrryyyy!!! And happy birthday!!!" Hailing said.
They both came running to her and knelt down completely, putting their heads on the ground.
"Wait wait children, don't do that."
"Ground is clean. Shiki did it."
Cia pointed at the cleaner while looking at her father and then turned to the guilty party.
"We're soory! We totally forgot!!"
They seemed to be nearly crying? Why? What will she do anyways? Is it really that big deal little boys?
"Hmph!" She looked away pouting, and Hailing and Ark nearly cried out.
Then Antonio came out from car, Magentania butler and Ark's driver.
"The birthday gift for miss Cia." He said politely and gave putted down a heavy big box wrapped as cristmas gift.
"Huh? What's that?" She finally shown the interest and Ark took the opportunity.
"It's my gift!! I made many things that will help you and something else cool too!" He said with a wide smile on his face.
"Sighs.... Ok."
"Huh? What did you say?"
"Ok I said!"
"Thankyou huhuh...." Ark laid down on the ground then and there on the spot crying.
Is my daughter cruel or something kids?
"And you?" Cia looked with horror towards Hailing.
"Uh oh.... Well haha I yes, wo I eh oh ka ka." His system failed down.
Then Crystella came out of nowhere and hugged Cia.
"I got you gift! Happy birthday Cia!"
She simple showed her small wrapped box to her. No apologies needed basically if you show her gift first.
She took it and patted Crystella as if she did a good thing. Then looked over to Hailing again. But before she could say anything, Crystella tapped on her shoulder and showed her another gift.
"This?"
"From Hailing. He wanted me to show you."
"Huh? Ok then."
Hailing finally took his long awaited breath. Looking at boys, anyone can say she is torturing them or something.
"Uh Hello?"
Everyone looked at the direction of unknown sound. There stood the neighborhood boy with a small gift box.
"Can I come?"
"Come come boy." Andre gestured him with hand and he came in. He gave putted his gift on the table there and stood beside Andre.
"I thought there would be many people."
"Not much. We don't have that much relations."
"I see."
....
Party started and they all started playing around and eating snacks for now. Those 2 other boys from class also came and dances in their own way.
"Hey Crystalla." Hailing came to her with a serious face.
"What? About gift? I got you."
"Well thanks. But why did you have two gifts?"
She tapped at his forehead, "Because I had a feeling that you will forget that. And I had one more extra thing so why not?"
"Thank you! thank you!!" He shaked her hands with tears.
Really just what would she do if they really forgot the gifts? Is Cia that cruel? I don't know. Hm?
Andre noticed that the boy isn't doing much.
"What happened?"
"Well uh I don't even know you guys names."
"You know we are neighbours and you know my face. Are names that important? Anyways, I'm Andre. She is Cia. You?"
"Oh." He looked a bit shocked by something. "My name is Shiki."