"Handsome Uncle, are you cosplaying for an event?"
Julien had first ignored little Daniel's innocent inquiry, continuing to wash his hands in silence. However, when he reached for the napkins and found the boy standing in his way, he finally realized there was no one else in the room other than himself and the boy.
"Kid, are you talking to me?"
Julien asked with a frown, supposedly intimidating but not the slightest scaring little Daniel away.
"Uh-huh."
Daniel nodded with a toothy grin, his round eyes wide and sparkling like stars as he pointed at the napkins out of his reach.
Julien understood his intention but didn't move to help the boy.
Daniel frowned, but still tried to be cute and polite, "Uncle, aren't you going to help poor little Danny?"
Julien still didn't move, crossing his arms instead in an arrogant manner. "Ordering this prince around? Kid, who do you think you are?"
Having been looked down upon, little Daniel was instantly unhappy. He dropped his obedient facade and mirrored the blindfolded man, crossing his own set of short stubby arms as he stamped his feet.
"This Uncle here," Daniel clicked his tongue, shooting the blindfolded man a disapproving look, "Cosplaying one doesn't make you a real prince. Also, Danny doesn't think Uncle is at the right age for a chunibyo disease. Grow up, will you?!"
Daniel had perfectly reenacted what he had recently seen in the tv, and after his ruthless taunt, as what was played in the plot, it was time for him to make his run.
Not bothering with the blindfolded man's response, offended or something else, he sprinted to the door behind the man, not forgetting to wipe his wet hands on the man's speckless trousers and stick out his tongue as he passed by.
"That wild kid!"
Julien gritted his teeth as he endured the mess the little troublemaker had left him with, shouting for the boy to come back but to no avail.
A mere turn of the body and gone with the wind the boy went. Julien was left speechless, cursing and trembling out of frustration.
"Y-Your Highness!
Not longer than a second after the boy made his escape, his two personal bodyguards came crashing down the restroom door in confusion.
"Is something the matter?" One of the bodyguards, evidently younger and braver, stepped out to cautiously ask. "We thought he was just a child urgently in need of the restroom and allowed him to enter without much consideration. Did the kid perhaps cause His Highness any trouble?"
It would be even more embarrassing for him if his bodyguards were to know what the kid had done to him. Thus, Julien had only dismissed the two with a short "nothing" and grumbled under his breath.
"That wild kid, who has he exactly taken after to be this insolent? What bad luck!"
…
"What good luck!"
Little Daniel wiped off the sweat forming on his forehead as he made his run. The watch on his wrist was giving a loud beeping alarm and yet, he didn't care.
He only cared about teaching the chunibyo uncle a little lesson, not forgetting to thank his luck that the man had been blindfolded, therefore allowing him to make use of the advantage and easily win.
His entire small face was red as ripe tomatoes by the time he returned, earning his mother's instant worry.
As Ruby spotted little Daniel's incoming figure, she quickly pulled the boy into the cab and motioned for the driver to start the car.
Daniel was still catching his breath when Ruby gently patted his back, not forgetting to check on his heart monitor. She nearly fainted at the frighteningly high number.
"Where have you been, you naughty boy? Can't you stop worrying your mother?"
"Mommy…" Daniel's guilt instantly surfaced once he saw the beads of tears pooling under his mother's red eyes.
"Mommy, don't cry… Danny isn't hurt… Danny just met a strange uncle in the restroom and ran away from him…"
"A strange uncle…" Ruby soon noticed the severity of the matter, her expression turning serious. She pulled Daniel to face her, warning him solemnly, "It's good that you've made your escape. Little Danny, do you still remember what Mommy taught you before?"
"If there's anyone suspicious, male or female, young or old, trying to get close and get you to talk, don't hesitate to run in the first notion. And if they successfully get a hold of you, and it happens to be a male…"
"Kick him in the balls!"
The pair of mother and son said in unison, exchanging smiles and giggles as they tossed a powerful high-five in the air.
Meanwhile, the male driver overhearing the pair's conversation couldn't help but break out into a cold sweat, feeling a certain region of him aching and tingling as if it had sensed the danger.
"But Mommy, that strange uncle wasn't anyone bad…" Daniel suddenly said after a pause of silence, "He just has a little problem in the head. But the uncle's really handsome, like Adonis! Mommy, can Danny cosplay as well?"
"Cosplay?" Ruby blinked in surprise at Daniel's sudden request. 'Why the sudden interest in cosplaying?'
Still, she couldn't find the heart in her to reject her baby's request.
"Alright, Mommy will take a close look at the cosplay events coming soon. My Baby Danny is so cute and charming. When the time comes, you will definitely become the star of the show!"
"Uh-huh. Danny will win cash prizes and buy Mommy lots of Hermez bags."
Ruby nearly choked at the boy's cheery voice. God knows where the little boy had learnt that move from. He was so good at winning hearts despite being so young.
Fortunately, the car was soon pulled to a stop, the driver turning around to inform them that they had reached the location.
Dragging their luggages behind, Ruby lowered her sunglasses and stared at the tall high-tech building before her in disbelief.
She turned to ask the driver.
"Sir, are you sure we're not in the wrong place?"