Chapter 187 New Phase (1/2)

Ever since then, there was a new routine amongst the Elite Five.

The breakfast table at the cafeteria now had two extra regulars: Sam and Betty. Now, one might think that it was being cruel to Beatrice as Betty did not have breakfast with her any longer, but this was at the request of Beatrice herself.

The idea came to Beatrice on the first day that Sam came to visit Betty at the dorms. She had done a lot of thinking and soul searching and felt that she spent quite a lot of time with Betty when she's not in class or at the Student Council. She had no other friends or activities.

Thus, she wanted to force herself out of her comfort zone and meet more people. The first step was to have breakfast with other people. This actually served two purposes. Betty can spend time with Sam, while she can make new friends - and at the same time, be able to get used to seeing the two of them together at a distance.

Betty no longer dropped by the Student Council after school. Instead, whenever she did not have extra-curricular activities, she would be studying in the library. Sam would be tutoring her, of course, so it was a win-win situation for them. Unlike Beatrice, Sam did not need to be at the Student Council office everyday.

There were a few other changes that Kyle needed to implement, for the sake of the future. He watched Sam and Betty, and knew that the first test of their relationship would be due to him, Kyle. Betty was a normal person and the last thing Kyle wanted was to pull her into his world - but Sam would have to enter, sooner or later.

Whether or not Sam would be able to keep it from her without feeling any guilt, remains to be seen.

So that afternoon, in class, Kyle approached Sam at his desk and spoke to him while keeping his voice down.

”Sam, you're going to have to take up self-defence,” Kyle began, ”But you can't tell anyone about it. Not even Betty. Can you do that?”

”Why?” Sam asked back, his voice also lowered.

He quickly surmised that this was something Kyle did not want to be heard by others. Still, he wondered why Kyle would approach him in class then, rather than outside or in a private room.

Unknown to him, Kyle did this because the best way to hide things, would be in plain sight. If people saw Kyle and Sam talking privately elsewhere, they might be suspicious or curious.

”Why what? The self defence or keeping it from Betty?” Kyle asked back.

”Both,” Sam replied, looking at him seriously.

”Do you trust me?” Kyle asked back.

”Yes,” Sam said without hesitation.

”Even though you know I'm keeping things from you? From the rest of the Elite Five?” Kyle continued asking.

”Of course,” Sam replied with a shrug, ”You'll either tell us one day, or continue keeping it a secret because it's not for us to know.”

”Do you think Betty would feel the same for you hiding things from her?” Kyle asked.

Sam hesitated at that and replied honestly, ”I wouldn't know. We've just started out and I'm sure there will be many tests to our relationship. I would never hide things from her that are important for her to know.”

”But I know you would never ask me to keep things from her unless it's really important, and it's not for her to know. If she starts suspecting me, or gets insecure, then it's up to me to convince her - without needing to divulge anything,” Sam continued slowly.

Kyle nodded, then made an impromptu decision.

”Come with me,” Kyle commanded, ”I have something to show you. As my PA, you have the right to know, and you'll understand why I say you'll need to take up martial arts.”

Sam nodded, noting how unusually serious Kyle was being at that moment.

”Also, the need for secrecy from everyone,” Kyle muttered under his breath even more as he looked seriously into Sam's eyes, ”And I mean, e-ve-ry-one.”

Sam's eyes widened at that.

Truth be told, he was getting a bit nervous by now. Just what sort of secret did Kyle hold?

✿✿MIB HQ (Under Shifu's House) ✿✿

Sam was flabbergasted.

He stood there, shocked senseless, as he looked all around him.

High-tech equipment lined the walls and filled up one room on his right, just like a cyberwar room from CSI* movie. The room on his left had all sorts of weapons lined up on the walls and tables, like it was from a John Wick movie.

The room he was in was the only normal one, the middle one and the first room that he entered when descending the basement from a secret door of Shifu's house.

There was another door in front of the 'conference' room but Kyle didn't show him that room, stating that it wasn't for him to know.

Sam was fine with that. This was more than enough to fry his mind.