The Master Of Cards Chapter 20: Family

Back at the dojo, Old Ren and Alex were resting.

"Old man are you from that special department?" Alex asked.

"No. But I know those people well." Old Ren said.

At that moment, Alex received a call. His eyes raised when he saw it. "Mom?"

"Son, I heard what happened. You did a good job." Kathy said from the other line.

"How are you and dad? Why am I never able to contact you or elder bro and sis?" Alex fumed.

"This... we have work son." Kathy sighed. "We are proud of your improvement. Are you having fun at Ren's dojo?"

"Fun...? Mom, I feel like I am too weak. Too many dangerous things happened suddenly, and I am never able contact you, I can't even know if you all are safe." Alex said.

"Son... we are safe. Currently just focus about getting stronger. About this stupid cult daring to harm my kid's school, don't worry, they will all be uprooted in a few days. You don't worry about anything and just do what you wish to." Kathy said.

Alex did not respond.

"Son..?" Kathy asked.

"Am I really your son? None of you are available to talk? Now even I can guess that my family is probably not an ordinary family. But I am the only one kept in the dark? My elder brother and sister don't even seem to think I exist. My dad hasn't even spoken once to me. Is there a reason everyone treats me like an outcast?" Alex exploded.

He had been stressed by so many events lately, and whenever he tried to contact any of his family, they never responded or were never available. His mom abruptly left and never even contacted me since then and his dad hadn't even cared to talk to him.

"....Son, You are misunderstanding us." Kathy said.

Alex cut the phone.

Old Ren had been sitting beside Alex and sighed when he heard the conversation. He shook his head.

Alex's phone rang again, it was his mom calling again. Alex didn't pick up the call. Alex left the dojo and went out for a walk.

Old Ren received a call from Kathy. "Ren... what happened to my son?" She asked in a anxious tone.

Ren bitterly laughed. "He knows nothing about his family. Ever since he came to the dojo he has been calling his family with a disappointed expression and never being contacted until now. Yesterday, he went through a life and death situation which must have shaken him. After the incident he sees all the kids being surrounded and supported by their families while he comes to my decrepit dojo. He probably feels lonely and abandoned." He said.

"..." Kathy was speechless.

Old Ren sighed. "This boy, his heart is so good, his will and determination is so strong as well. Despite being a Lune, why did you all abandon him?" He asked.

"Unfortunately, he was born with an extremely poor talent. Involving him in the world of the Lunes will only lead to him suffering." Kathy sighed.

Kathy disconnected the call and called her daughter.

"Jenny, how are you?" Kathy asked.

"I'm doing well, mom. I've been making some good progress." Jenny laughed.

"Good. I just wanted to ask you, have you been in touch with Alex recently?" Kathy asked.

"Alex?" Jenny yawned. "Why would I talk to him? Haven't you banished him from the family?"

"What do you mean?" Kathy's eyes turned sharp.

"Grandma told me, you finally stopped wasting time with him and returned. I mean he didn't have any talent anyway right, so its impossible to reach the level to be included in the family again. Isn't that basically banis.h.i.+ng him?" Jenny yawned again.

When Kathy heard that she calmed down with a chill in her heart. "Don't you feel like talking to him? Isn't he your brother?"

"He is an embarra.s.sing part of our family mom. Now that he has been de facto banished, just leave him with money and let him be. I don't want to think about him. He always calls me and brother every other day, its so irritating, I put him on the block list. Brother thinks he wants to leech off treasures off of us." Jenny said. "Anyway mom, talking about him is so boring. I have to go to cla.s.s. I'll talk to you later."

Kathy disconnected the line. Her face had a little bit of sadness. She suddenly regretted trying to let Alex live a peaceful life as she thought. "His life is not peaceful, but rather he really became an outcast."

Alex's father was drinking tea when he saw his wife shed a tear.

"What happened Kat?" He asked. "Why are you crying?"

Kathy told him all that she heard from Alex, Ren and Jenny. "Did we really make him an outcast in the name of giving him a peaceful life? Even his own blood doesn't acknowledge him." She said.

The man closed his eyes. "This is the way of the Lune family. He is my son, but he didn't have the talent to be a Lune. If he wants to know the truth, let him know it. As for support, ofcourse we will always provide him whatever he needs, haven't we always done that?" He sighed.

Kathy sighed. "I won't tell him this. If you want him to know the truth, tell him something yourself for once. You keep calling him your son, but have you ever tried talking to him?"

The man sighed. "I am not a man of many words. But if it must be done, I will do it."

As Alex was walking along the paths, he saw a phone call ring. When he looked at the number, he s.h.i.+vered.

"Dad?" Alex said with a creak in his voice.

"Son." His dad sighed. "I have called you to tell you the truth. As well as the final decision."

Alex quietly heard what his father had to say to him and then finally cut the call.

Alex shook his head. "I was too stupid to think coming to a new world, that my family will be as close knit as before. I didn't realize I didn't have a family here at all."