"Ah, right."
Callisto's hand went into her hoodie's pocket and pulled out sothing.
"Want so, Auntie?"
She extended her hand holding a milk candy to Karen.
"Auntie?"
The assistant gave the young lady a bewildered look.
"Oh, do you prefer being called by your na?"
The assistant shook her head.
"It's fine. Please call however you like."
"Then, Auntie it is!"
Callisto smiled cheerfully. Karen extended her own arm to accept the silver-haired girl's candy.
"They're tasty," Callisto voiced enthusiastically. "I bought them from the store over there."
Karen's gaze followed the direction Callisto's finger was pointing at. It was directed at the variety store she ran past earlier.
She realized the reason Callisto disappeared earlier was because she went inside the store while she wasn't looking.
"Then, can I eat it, Miss Callisto," she inquired.
"Of course!"
Karen unwrapped the candy and swallowed it, allowing it to slowly lt in her mouth, its taste clinging onto her tongue.
"It's good," Karen comnted.
"Right?"
Callisto helped herself with another milk candy, a brief silence between them as they savor the taste in their mouths.
Before long, Callisto breaks the silence.
"So, what brings you here, Auntie?"
From the look in her eyes and the tone in her voice. Callisto wasn't showing any hint of anticipation. She was simply giving off a calm aura. To Karen, it seed as though the young lady had already braced herself for what she's about to hear.
"Miss Adela tasked to keep an eye on you following your move to the district."
"I figured."
Callisto looked away as if to hide the look on her face from Karen. But she couldn't hide her cat ears falling flat as soon as she heard the assistant's answer.
"Mama's probably afraid that I might be plotting sothing evil," Callisto added. "Otherwise, she would have been here with instead."
Karen bobbed her head in agreent.
"Most likely, Miss Callisto."
"Hey, Auntie, when you look at , do I give off the vibe of soone who has evil intentions? That's an honest question."
"..."
For a second, Karen's gaze remained towards the silver-haired girl before drifting towards the crumpled candy wrap she received from Callisto on her right hand. She was reminded of the ti they interacted with each other for the first ti in the past.
*
*
*
One day when she visited the Mandjet house to discuss work with Adela, Karen was sitting alone in the living room while waiting for Adela to return with the docunts she gave her for review when young and small Callisto ca out of nowhere, holding a cup of warm cocoa.
"It's Miss Adela's youngest daughter," Karen thought as her gaze lingered on the approaching little girl who was walking with careful little steps.
"Uh..."
The little Callisto found herself in a dillema. Climbing onto the couch would be no problem for the three year old girl. However, her hands were occupied with holding the warm cocoa cup. Just as she had decided to risk it, raising her butt up to try and get onto the tall couch without the use of her hands...
"Let hold it for you."
Karen swiftly took the cup from Callisto's small hands.
"Ah..."
Callisto went and climbed onto the couch, sitting next to Karen.
"Here."
The assistant stretched her hand that was holding the cup to give it back to the girl. However, when Karen did, the little Callisto seed surprised.
"Is sothing the matter," Karen asked curiously.
Callisto's eyes went to the cup, then to Karen and back.
"I make for ," Calli replied. "Ah..."
Callisto shook her head. Karen watched in confusion as the little girl continued to speak.
"Not ," she said. "Uh..."
Callisto gave up searching for the words to express her mind as she stretched her hands towards Karen, offering her the cocoa. That was when Karen understood what was going on.
"You made this for ?"
Callisto's face lit up with excitent as she nodded repeatedly like a broken clock.
"Yes, yes, yes," said the little girl gleefully. "For ! It's delicious!"
Right as Karen took a sip of the hot cocoa, she noticed Adela peeking from the corner of the living room, grinning sweetly at her daughter. A soft smile played on Karen's lips.
"You're right. It's delicious."
*
*
*
That sa soft smile played on the present Karen's lips as she gave Callisto her answer.
"No," she said, a tinge of pink colored the assistant's cheeks. "You may be a bit older and wiser now, but I feel like you haven't changed much."
"I see," Callisto asked, beaming a wide grin at Karen as her cat ears went up. "I'm glad you feel that way."
Callisto beckoned Karen to give her the candy wrap to throw it along with hers.
"Thank you, Miss Callisto."
"Just call Callisto or Calli, Auntie."
"I understand."
The assistant watched as her boss's daughter walked towards a nearby trash bin. Karen then looked down, a pained expression washed over her soft smile.
"I'm sorry," Karen said to herself in thought, her voice laced with remorse. "I wish I could tell you that despite everything, Adela knows you're her daughter and loves you. But as long as Adela won't admit it herself, it would only co out of as a lie."
Callisto returned to where she stood next to Karen.
"What's your plan for today, Auntie?"
"I will continue on watching over you. That's the order Miss Adela gave , after all. However, I will make sure to keep my distance and not distract you."
"I see."
"Will you allow it?"
"Well, it's a task Mama gave you, right? And besides, I'm sure Papa also got soone to keep an eye on out there. He's probably watching us and wondering who you are."
"You're not wrong at all, Miss Cal..."
Callisto's pouty expression halted the assistant's words abruptly.
"I said just call Callisto or Calli, didn't I?"
Karen bowed remorsefully in response to the young lady's complaint.
"I'm sorry. It's a force of habit. Callisto."
The silver-haired girl bead another smile.
"That's what I'm talking about."
During this ti, a red-haired girl was walking along the street when her crimson eyes caught the sight of Karen and Callisto on the other side of the road.
Her eyes widened as she pointed a finger at the silver-haired girl.
"Ah, it's you!"
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