The doorbell rang.

Misha clenched his teeth.

Then, his sister opened the door. Two teenagers were standing on their doorsteps — a boy and a girl, the boyfriend and the best friend. Since it was early in the morning, around 6:00 AM, it was still relatively cold, and the sun had just started brightening the sky.

They greeted each other and Masha introduced them to Gabriel.

With great difficulty, Misha suppressed his urge to jump on the teenager and bit him to death; his teeth felt itchy. He didn't want to put the bastard on his guard at their 'first meeting', even though he would do everything to make him drop the mask and show all that he was.

Well, that wasn't for today, though. In the first timeline, that man deserved an Oscar for his acting skills and another one for his infinite patience. Misha knew he had to shatter all of his masks in one go, or else it would be useless, and that it was easier said than done. Moreover, he also needed to do so quickly since Christmas Eve was only in a few months. But for the moment, he decided to play it low-key, trying his best to behave like a charming and innocent kid.

Thus, the child silenced his hostility and swiftly hid behind his mother, his hands tightly gripping her summer dress, and he peered at the young man with curious yet shy eyes.

The teenager crouched so their eyes could meet. Then, he tried to coax him with a gentle voice, "Hi Misha, I'm Gabriel. Did you know? Your sister talks a lot about you. Well, actually, most of the time."

The teenager earned a weak kick from Masha who had blushed a little – don't make her look like a brocon! Ah!

"Here, she told me to bring you some sweets."

Lifting his arm, Gabriel winked and shook a little white box under the boy's nose. The pleasant smell of donuts filled the air. The child's eye grew wide, and he snatched the box before hiding behind his mother's legs once more, burying his small face in her fluffy dress. He let out a simple 'hn' in acknowledgment.

Her sister's best friend, Camille, melted. "When your brother doesn't play the little devil, he is way too cute. I'm so jealous!"

"Of course he's cute! He is my brother after all," bragged Masha, proudly puffing out her c.h.e.s.t, her hands on her h.i.p.s.

Misha's mouth twitched. In the back of his mind, he wondered how they would react if they knew he was hiding not because he was timid, but because his bright blue eyes brimmed with hate and killing intent.

To top it off, Gabriel treated him like a baby. Misha was 10 years old, not 4! Well, what he didn't realize was that he did act like a 4 years old kid, shyly hiding behind his mother and expressing himself with monosyllables. But what could Misha do? He wasn't close to any child, and the only one he knew was Vanessa's daughter. Before his transmigration into the past, the little girl just turned 3, and he based his acting on her. Misha had no idea how to act like a child, after all, and needed a model, although he didn't take the best one.

As soon as the words left her mouth, they departed, took the bus, and caught their train in the nick of time. Misha sat on the soft bench by the window, beside his mother, while Masha, Camille, and Gabriel sat in front of them.

The two girls were worse than chatterboxes as they talked nonstop, oblivious to the teenager by their side. It also didn't seem like Gabriel wanted to take part in the discussion, not uttering a single word and listening to their conversation with a smile – his mother did the same.

The little boy opened the white box and started to eat the donuts slowly, deep in his thought. From Toronto to Montreal, it took a bit more than five hours by train, and he wanted to take that time to plan his moves out.

However, thinking on a full stomach was no easy feat, and the swaying motion of the train quickly rocked him to sleep.

When Misha woke up, it was already almost noon, and the train would reach the station in a few minutes.

Silently swearing inside of his head, Misha sneaked a glance at the teenagers in front of him; the two girls were still chattering while Gabriel had fallen asleep, his head resting against the window. His long eyelashes cast a faint fan-shaped shadow over his slightly tanned cheeks, and his peach-colored mouth was half-open, his lips moist — a real sleeping beauty.

'The military fade haircut suits him well,' thought Misha. It looked better than the plain haircut he had seen in the bar. Well, overall, every part of him looked better; there wasn't this overwhelming impression of tiredness pouring out of him as if he was about to collapse. No, his skin had a healthy glow, his physique was athletic, and his eyebrows weren't permanently knitted. The atmosphere surrounded him was completely different, and in a way, it deeply troubled Misha.

Why was the difference so big between the past and future Gabriel?

The little boy shook his head. 'Who cares about that?' he thought before glancing at his sister.

After a deep breath, Misha put aside his fears and finally stared at Masha, who was laughing loudly. Her crystal clear blue eyes were sparkling like thousands of stars, and her blond hair fell under her waist. Contrary to him, she didn't inherit the frail body from their mother, no, she was taller than most girls of her age and well-developed. She had just enough curves to be somehow enticing without being too alluring. She wore a lovely pale-violet dress that didn't show much of her snow-white skin and brown leather sandals.

Misha smiled. 'My sister is gorgeous… And sure enough, flies buzz around her.' He discreetly glared at a yawning Gabriel who had been awakened by the sudden stop of the train – well, his sister also elbowed him, which made the kid smirk.

His mother took his hand and led him out while his sister, Camille, and Gabriel picked up their backpacks.

Misha obediently followed behind his mother, feeling a bit sluggish. Even though he had slept for most of the trip, he was still tired, and his feet felt heavy, almost as if he was wearing iron shoes. He didn't complain, though, and kept walking at the same pace as his mother.

"Since the check-in for the hotel is at 3:00 PM, we will have to keep our backpacks with us in the meantime. We should eat something first, then head out to the Jardin Botanique," said Mrs. Brown. "So, where do you want to eat Masha? It's your birthday, so choose whatever restaurant you want."

"Hm… Then, Chinese buffet it is!"

They rode the subway and went to Chinatown in the Old-Montreal. Masha drooled at every restaurant they passed by, saying that everything looked so tasty, and Camille had to pull her off the store window now and then. The district wasn't big and mostly made of Chinese restaurants mixed with stores that sold Chinese commodities or souvenirs. Therefore, after taking a few pictures, they quickly found a Chinese buffet in a corner and went in.

It wasn't crowded, even though the restaurant was quite small – the building was old and had been build for a residential purpose, not a commercial one. The decoration was simple, and some Chinese landscape paintings, scrolls, and calligraphies hanged on the wall while a few exotic plants stood by the counter. On one side, there were tables, chairs, and benches, and on the other, a buffet brimming with food. The smell of roasted beef and different spices filled the restaurant and whetted their appetite.

As they went to a table to drop off their backpacks, Gabriel said, "Go first. I will watch our belongings."

A strange feeling twisted his belly. This time, he swore to himself that he wouldn't let his sister grow up too fast.

"Thank you, Gabriel," said his mother, drawing his attention back on the teenager.

She turned toward the buffet but waited for her son to follow, yet Misha didn't move; an idea had crossed his mind when he heard Gabriel's stomach rumble, and Misha offered, "I will bring you a plate!"

"Oh, thanks. But that's not necessary. I will go after you, guys. I can't wait, don't worry."

"But! You gave me a box of donuts! It's not fair!" pouted the child, cutely pursing his lips. "I also want to give you something! I will choose delicious food for you!" Chewing his lower lips, Misha added with a small voice, "You don't trust me?"

In the end, Gabriel couldn't resist those big round eyes and accepted his offer, not bothered by the strange logic behind the child's words. If it could make the little boys happy, then why not?

Like his sister and her best friend, Misha bolted to the buffet while his mother followed behind him, chuckling.

Misha took a plate and scanned the buffet, a devilish grin on his lips. He chose three side dishes to fill the plate: garlic mushrooms in butter sauce, caramelized onions and bell peppers, and stir-fried mushroom with chicken that had been marinating in spices. He also took a cream of mushroom soup for himself.

Afterward, the child went back to the table, a proud smile stretching his lips as he gave the plate to Gabriel. The blank expression on the teenager's face was priceless.

After discreetly gulping, Gabriel put on a smile, and answered, "No, nothing is wrong. I was just a bit surprised."

"Oh! Ok!" Misha sat in front of the teenager. "Mushrooms are so tasty! I love them!" His eyes were sparkling.

"Yeah. I see that…"

The child ate happily, glancing once in a while at Gabriel.

Misha knew he wouldn't refuse the plate as the teenager was acting as a considerate and understanding man, the perfect gentleman. No matter what, he wouldn't do anything to make his girlfriend's brother feel sad, awkward, or bad, not even the slightest bit. Moreover, he also wanted to get him on his side. Thus, Gabriel couldn't exactly tell him that he hated everything on the plate, even less when the child had carefully chosen the food for him.

The mushrooms, the onions, and then the chicken too spicy for his taste. Just looking at it made him want to throw up, and that exactly why Misha filled the plate with those dishes.

It was a petty revenge, but it still felt pretty good. After all, watching the bastard vainly trying not to frown while eating the food he hated the most was quite satisfying.

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Author's note

MC: No need. I will just cook some mushroom dishes every time you visit us.

Author: First, you will need to learn how to cook.

MC: Well. If he is the one who eats what I made, it's not really a problem if it's not edible, right?

Author: …

ML: ...