BXBX NOVEL Chapter 704 Meeting Grandma Ok
Olivia knocked on the pine wood door. The porch light illuminated Olivia as she anxiously waited. A few seconds went by, and she listened to the shuffle of slippers coming towards the door.
"Who's coming by at this hour? Is it one of the guards? I told them I would be okay… why do they worry about an old woman like me?" Grandma Ok whispered. The door locks unlocked one by one until Grandma Ok threw the door open. "Hel—" She stopped her late-night greeting as she saw Olivia in front of her. "Olivia! Why are you here?"
Grandma embraced Olivia in a hug. Olivia chuckled and buried her face into her grandma's shoulder.
"Hi, grandma. It's been a while." Olivia greeted Grandma Ok in Korean. They pulled away and Grandma Ok checked her like any grandmother would.
"Did you get slimmer? Have you been eating well in the city? The city should have plenty of food but look at my Olivia! You're bones!" Grandma Ok clicked her tongue. Olivia kept her smile as she remembered why she was here.
"I'm fine, grandma. Thing's have been interesting. I will tell you all about it, but I need you to do me a tiny favor." Olivia pinched her fingers together while giving Grandma Ok her best pleading smile.
"What is it?" Grandma Ok asked. Her eyes immediately flicked behind her granddaughter. "Is someone with you? I thought I saw something." Grandma Ok began to naturally lean over to see who else was there.
"Hello, Grandmother." Lee Seng greeted the old woman in Korean. He stepped into the light, whispers of his friends trying to pull him back. Lee Seng came to the edge of the stairs and bowed. "Olivia's mentioned you a couple times. It's nice to finally meet you."
"Oh, you brought a boy home." Grandma Ok looked at Olivia. She beamed in excitement as she moved her granddaughter to the side and wandered over to the edge of the porch. "Hello, dear. What's your name?"
"Lee Seng. Chang Lee Seng." Lee Seng bowed, again. Grandma Ok chuckled as she looked at Olivia. Olivia was a bit shocked her Grandma had even thought of that.
"He—" Olivia began to speak in English when Grandma interjected with a question.
"What brings you here with my granddaughter so late?" Grandma Ok asked in English. "Did you run away with her? Do you want to elope or something?"
"PSSH!" Manny let out a loud and obnoxious laugh. Evan, Liz and Ritsuka shushed him as Grandma Ok's eyes moved into the darkness.
"Quiet! You were supposed to wait until Olivia introduced us!" Liz hissed.
"Ow!" Manny shouted as Liz punched him. "Why'd you do that for?"
"So much for that…" Olivia sighed. "Grandma, I actually came with my friends." Grandma Ok turned to look at her granddaughter, confused. "You guys can… Step out, I guess. So much for weaning into it." Ritsuka, Liz, Manny and Evan all stepped out of the darkness and into the light. Evan and Ritsuka gave awkward waves as Liz quietly scolded Manny for laughing.
"Olivia, who are all these people?" Grandma Ok asked in Korean. "Why are six of you at my doorstep so late? You're so far from school. Did… Did you skip school?"
"N-no, Grandma." Olivia replied in Korean. "It's a long story. My friends came here with me because…" She waddled in her spot, swinging her head left and right as she tried to find the words. "I came to see how you were doing. I'm on break."
"Oh? You're on break and you brought your friends?"
"Mmm." Olivia nodded. "We've travelled a long way here. Could we go inside? I don't want any bugs to come in."
"Sure, sure." Grandma Ok answered in English. She turned to Lee Seng and the others and smiled at all of them. "Please come in. It's so great to have Olivia's friends here!" Grandma Ok waved the highschoolers to come. Lee Seng smiled as he was the first to climb the stairs and enter the home. The others followed behind him, noticing Olivia's glances as they passed.
"So, you are all friends of my Olivia?" Grandma Ok asked as they all sat around the floor. Grandma Ok set the kettle down and motioned at it. "Coffee or tea, your choice. Please, have some."
"T-thank you, Grandma." The group spoke before helping themselves. Grandma Ok sat next to Olivia while the rest of Olivia's friends sat together around the coffee table.
"Yeah, we're all friends of Olivia, Grandma." Ritsuka answered Grandma's question. "Olivia's an exceptional Observer. Please don't worry too much about her. She's with great company."
"I do not doubt that." Grandma chuckled. She looked over at Olivia and pinched her cheek.
"Oww! Grandma!" Olivia pulled away, rubbing the spot her Grandma had just pinched. "That hurts."
"I just miss you so much! I didn't think you'd visit me until the end of the school year but here you are with all of your friends! You've made a variety of friends! Mostly boys! Who do you like?"
"Grandma!" Olivia pushed her loving Grandma away from her and turned away, catching the looks of Ritsuka, Manny and Evan chuckling. "D-d-don't take any of what she says to heart. She's just trying to… embarrass me!"
"I guess it's working." Manny chuckled.
"Hey!" Olivia shouted.
"All right, I won't tease you anymore tonight. You must've all been tired from your travels. I'll fetch some blankets and pillows so you guys can sleep. Olivia, can you help me?" Grandma Ok looked at Olivia.
"Sure." Olivia nodded. "Lee Seng, wanna help? Your power might be useful here."
"Sure." Lee Seng nodded. He downed the tea and pushed himself onto his feet.
"Oh, you don't have to help, dear. Olivia and I can do it." Grandma insisted.
"Don't worry, Grandma." Lee Seng smiled. "You could pile everything on me, and I will be fine."
"Mmm, trust me, Grandma. Lee Seng is really strong. Plus, his power makes this sort of mundane task even more mundane." Olivia pointed. "He's been itching to do something all day. Let him. Please?"
"Fine. Come with me, you two. The rest of you enjoy your drinks. We'll be back." Grandma told them. Ritsuka, Evan, Liz and Manny all nodded and watched as Grandma Ok led Olivia and Lee Seng up the stairs.
"So, Lee Seng, have you ever come this far away from the city?" Grandma Ok asked. She rounded the corner at the top of the stairs and followed it down the hall.
"Olivia said this was a couple week's journey by car… I've been maybe a week on foot away from the city before." Lee Seng answered. "It's honestly cool to see a Biohuman village like this out here. I never thought people could survive on their own like this."
"Humans are the most interesting creatures, hm?" Grandma raised an eyebrow. They came to a stop at the last room. She opened the door and flicked the light on, revealing the storage room. "Even in the worst conditions, people banded together to protect this town. It became the toughest village to ever stand the test of time thanks to the many people who decided to fight. Grab all of those. The girls will sleep together, so I hope you boys are okay with the floor in the living room."
"They'll be fine." Olivia tapped Lee Seng and folded her arms. "Get to it."
"Why're you making him do all the work? If you're going to find someone, settle down and have children, you'll need to learn to help your significant other, Olivia." Grandma Ok scolded her. "Help the young city boy."
"It's fine, Grandma. I got it." Lee Seng pointed at the blankets and pillows and watched them lift into the air.
"What do you mean?" Grandma Ok asked, turning to look. "Oh, my good Lord…" Grandma covered her mouth as Olivia gave Lee Seng a thumbs up.
"See? He's got it. Come on, Lee, you'll put one set in my room." Olivia turned and motioned for Lee Seng to follow him. Lee Seng stepped out of the doorway and looked at Grandma Ok.
"Grandma, are you all, right?" Lee Seng asked. Grandma turned to look at him, mouth agape and in disbelief of what power she was witnessing.
"I can see why Olivia asked you to come. I-is that your power?" Grandma Ok asked in Korean.
"Yes." Lee Seng answered in Korean.
"Oh!" She pointed at him. "You Korean! It sounds good. Where did you learn it?"
"Oh, my older…" Lee Seng paused for a moment before shaking it off. "My older brother taught me Korean. He and my older sister lived in Korea for a while before they moved back to Japan."
"Your siblings are Japanese?" Grandma Ok asked, stepping out of the room. Lee Seng followed after her, nodding. "I assume your family speaks Japanese and Korean, then?"
"Oh, my older siblings aren't blood siblings. They work for my father's company and my Mom noticed I took a liking to them, so my older siblings treated me as a sibling." Lee Seng explained. Grandma Ok moved across the doorframe of Olivia's opened room. "In here?"
"Yeah, just set one in here." Olivia answered. "I can't believe you kept this room so clean and dust-free, Grandma. Have you been missing me a lot?"
"Oh, that? I had plenty of time after you left. I didn't have to watch over you and your naughty ways." Grandma told her. Olivia scoffed as Lee Seng set a pillow and comforter set on the bed.
"Grandma! I wasn't that bad!" Olivia defended herself. She looked over at Lee Seng. "I don't get into trouble, and I don't stick my nose where it doesn't belong. Don't let her tell you otherwise."
"Okay." Lee Seng answered in English. "I'll take the rest downstairs, then." Lee Seng moved past Olivia and Grandma, carefully directing the pillows and comforters past them.