CHAPTER 6

[Mission successful!!. 300 resentment points has been deducted!]

[ Fifteen points has been successfully rewarded!]

Alan tossed the shopping bags into the car, quietly listening to the mechanic drone of the system analyzing his reward with slightly arched brows. He adjusted his shades, his hands resting on the stirring wheel; actually, he hadn't done much..... just toyed with the young master's pride a little.

He definitely wouldn't take offense.... would he?.

Either ways...!. Alan exhaled deeply, his slender fingers drumming against the stirring wheel. He could just consider that cloth as compensation, Alan relaxed, reclining into his seat.

A faint buzz caught his attention, his eyes narrowing as he picked up his phone. He swiped his fingers, watching as the once dark screen lit up almost instantly.

"A text message?", Alan mused softly, his tone filled with piqued curiosity. He was only just getting used to this new identity, not yet certain if he wanted to get involved in the previous host's past relationships.

[Host, getting used to the previous host's relationships can help smoothen out your goal of settling resentments. It's best if you tried to get accustomed to them, the earlier.....the better!!]

Alan threw his head backwards, wearing an exasperated look. *Is this another one of your missions?. I just completed one task,now i'm being burdened by another.....Cut me some slack already!!*

[Dear Host, First of all, no!. This isn't another of your tasks and secondly, i'm only giving you a piece of advice. It's up to you to take it or leave it, but it would be more beneficial if you did as i said]

Alan hissed, staring at the screen with a begrudged look. * What if i say i'm not getting myself involved?. Since it's up to me to decide*.

[Unfortunately not!]

*Didn't you just say that i had a choice?*, Alan retorted sharply, pointing his fingers at the screen.

[You never had a choice from the start. I only wanted to know your heart in the matter, so i gave you a minor selective misinformation.]

Alan scoffed angrily, his chest heaving with defiance.*Well, i stand by what i said earlier....I don't want to meddle in this nonsense!!*.

[As i said earlier, Host, you don't have a choice!!!!]

Alan felt a strong surge like current fill his body, in a few seconds....he lost absolute control over his body. He stared blankly, eyes filled with shock and a whole lot of disbelief. He couldn't move anything, except for his eyes and respiratory system - he could still breathe.

*Xena, what's going on?!. I can't.....i can't feel anything*. Alan panicked, desperately trying to move his right arm but it wouldn't budge no matter how hard he tried. Then he tried his left and then his legs, but they're all the same. *Xena, i can't move my body!!*

[I am in full control of your body, Host. Rest assured, i'll only let go once you do as i say.]

Alan felt his hands reach out for the steering wheel, he gritted his teeth - absolutely hating the fact that he was being treated as a puppet on strings. *Xena, what the hell are you trying to do?*

[What do you think, Host?!. I'm taking you to your next destination - The Gu family house.]

"The Gu family what?!" - Alan exclaimed,his tone filled with fright. *Never mind that....Xena,do you even know how to drive a car?. Why don't you let me drive instead?*

[If i were able to feel emotions, i'd have expressed my disappointment, Host. So i can only do this much, Fasten your seat belts!!]

********************************

Alan came out of the car, a wave of nausea hitting him as he rushed towards a large rosebush. He leaned over, his body retching and convulsing, he held his knees for support as he spat out a mouthful of thick gloop.

He stood up, a thin veil of sweat soaking through his shirt as he stumbled a few steps back. He didn't know if it was just him or the whole world spinning, it made him dizzy.

[You aren't as tough as you look. Spilling your guts out and i wasn't even going past it's speeding limits. We should hit the racetrack sometime.]

Alan shot the screen a dangerous glare. Hit the tracks.....?. He almost died for a second time and all this useless system had to say....was to hit the tracks?!.

Hell, no!!. He couldn't with this system anymore.

"Welcome home, your parents have been waiting for you for a while now."

Alan straightened his posture, wiping his mouth with his sleeves, his arm wrapped around his upset stomach. He stared at the well - dressed, middle aged butler, giving him a small nod in response.

"Please, follow my lead", the butler gave way, inviting Alan into the grand estate. His aged eyes lingered on Alan's unusually paled face, which made him look a bit sickly.

He pinned his lips, still maintaining the same stoic expression as he led Alan towards the sitting room. He glanced over his shoulders, barely sparing Alan a few glances just to make sure that he was trailing behind him properly.

Alan walked around, staring at the somewhat familiar surrounding with nostalgic eyes. His chest tightned, a suffocating feeling of longing clasping over him like a dark cloak. He could feel it, it wasn't a strange emotion at all.... It was more like the only emotion he had ever come to know.

Yearning.

Not just yearning..... It was desiring something that he could never have. In his case, it was his family's unyielding affection, he spent everything he had chasing after his family's love, but ended up with nothing instead.

He furrowed his brows deeply - what exactly could the previous host be yearning for?.

"Sir, Madam, the young master is home", the butler's clear voice announced, bowing politely.

"Yes,yes.... you're dismissed for now."

Alan stared at the utterly breathtaking decor of the living room, his eyes wandering to every design and art piece that decorated the grand space. The butler, bowed deeply once more before taking his leave.

"You unfilial nuisance!!"

An object came hurling towards Alan, he dodged with ease, slightly missing it by just a few inches. A sharp, piercing sound of glass shattering echoed in the halls. Alan stood by staring at the broken pieces of glass shards scattered around his feet with a soft look.