Colorful garden

[Owen]

Owen had just finished a tough meeting. The administration board didn't trust him and believed that he was unprepared for his job, but that wasn't the worst thing. There were two particular members whom wanted Owen out of the job and as far away from the tower as possible. But Owen was determined to ensure that the company his father built never strayed from the path paved by his father's sweat and blood. But before that he needed to prove to the board of administrators that he can be just as capable as his father.

Owen decided to go up to the gardens and spent some time resting and admiring the beauty of the many flowers. Sometimes here in this forest of bright colors and endless greens he was able to think about what really mattered and forget all about politics. Up there he could focus on people and life, which was ultimately what his father wanted for the company.

In the garden, Owen sat on a stone bench and looked around taking in all the colors of life. He knew that most of the world was gray, lifeless and colorless and wanted to bring this much color and life everywhere. A world that lived in harmony, using technology to help what already exist, not replace it nor recreate it. He sighed and closed his eyes picturing a machine that he had been trying to create for some time now.

[Huang Jin]

Jin went into the garden and immediately a sense of relief washed over him. It was always a calming, if not nostalgic experience to view the preserved plant specimens, some of which no longer existed in the outside world. Leaves of different shades of green, petals in varying red and pink hues, and flowing water made it an excellent place to make the mind devoid of thought and relax. Nonetheless, he was here with another objective in mind.

As he continued walking, he saw Owen, the son of his dear friend and employer Han, sitting on a bench with his eyes closed. Memories of years past returned to him and he remembered father and son playing in the garden as he trailed behind them, ever so watchful. He would've made his presence known, but he knew better than to disturb someone in meditation so he limited himself to watching the boy from afar.

[Owen]

He tried ever so hard to create the perfect robot that could make the world better, but in reality such a machine was well beyond the current technology they had. And even if he did manage to find a way to create it, he would need at least the approval of four members from his board, otherwise they wouldn't allow the project nor the funds.

He shook his head, and stood up. There was no point in feeling sad for himself. When his father was sad, depressed and lonely, he worked and so would Owen. He would go into the research center and go through the database until he found something that could help him make this machine that had been disturbing his concentration.

A strong breeze soothed everything in the garden, including his wounded heart. He breathed it in slowly, planted a small but convincing smile on his face and headed towards the elevator door. As we walked past the pink flowers he saw Huang Jin. He looked up and stared at his fateful bodyguard, somehow he felt more at ease with him, because he didn't have to impress him.

"You know you don't have to follow me around in the tower. The board may be ruthless, but I don't think they'd actually resort to violence," joked Owen with a tiny smile.

[Huang Jin]

Jin smiled as the boy acknowledged him. Owen had just assumed the position his father had held and was not accustomed to his constant vigilance. "It's my job to make sure they don't." Jin took a moment to study him; no one would've guessed that this boy with light brown hair and green eyes was Han's son. Same sense of humor though, he thought. "Ambition knows no limits."

[Owen]

"What about you? Surely you hunger for something more?" asked Owen without thinking. He immediately apologized by bowing his head. "Sorry, I shouldn't have..." he mumbled as he slowly raises his head, expecting to see anger or bitterness in Jin's eyes. He didn't know why he had said that, he just felt trapped in a world where he had no friends and couldn't trust anyone. But it was still foolish to upset his bodyguard, the only person whose job forced him to watch out for him.

[Huang Jin]

Jin chuckled softly as soon as Owen bowed his head in apology for his comment. He remembered being young once, too, and actually being imprudent. But he also knew that the comment wasn't just about the boy being rebellious, but about him trying to figure out his own purpose and the priority of things. "What I want is to stop wanting. To simply see." He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, beckoning him to raise his head, "And I leave that in your very much capable hands."

[Owen]

Owen stared puzzled at his black haired bodyguard. Owen hadn't quite understood what he meant and found himself feeling a tinge embarrassed for it. He considered himself very smart, and though he wasn't one to think he was better than others it took him by surprise the fact that for the first time in a long time he didn't understand. Slowly a grin formed on his small mouth, followed by a burst of laughter. Jin had reminded Owen that he was still a child and that he still needed to grow up and still had some more learning to do and somehow this made Owen feel happy, calmed and energized.

"Sorry Jin. I really didn't understand you... For a moment there you sounded like my grandpa with his sayings and philosophies..." stated Owen with a bright and energetic grin.

[Huang Jin]

"Haha, of course... " Jin knew he sounded old, and it didn't surprise him when Owen said it. Even though he wasn't of advanced physical age, his experiences as a child, and his latter experiences as part of the militia and as Han's bodyguard, combined with the Buddhist philosophy he had been indoctrinated in, made his voice sound old with wisdom in the young boy's mind.

With a soft pat of appreciation on the other's shoulder, he removed his hand and returned the grin, although not as energetically. "Don't feel uncomfortable with me around. I am not here to judge you or tell you what you should do. Just to make sure you are safe to follow whatever path you may choose."

[Owen]

Owen's grin faded as he pondered about what Jin said. Even before his father's death, Owen has always felt so alone, but all that time Jin was there looking out for him. Owen always thought he was just doing his job, but now his father was dead and Jin was free to do as he wished and yet he chose to remain here and devote himself to Owen.

"Thank you," murmured Owen, his face turning a slight tint of red. He never thought about Jin as anything but a family employee, but he was starting to rethink that. A friend would be nice. With so many sharks, a lifeboat would be refreshing...

[Huang Jin]

"Come now." Jin beckoned the boy to walk beside him. As fate would have it, Jin had remained as the only familiar person in the isolated environment of Owen's life after both his parents had passed away, and he understood this role. He did not pretend to be a mentor to him, to advise him, much less become a father figure, but the reality was that over the years he had felt himself become attached, and it filled the empty space in his heart as of late.

"Tell me about your meditation?

[Owen]

Owen caught up to Jin and walked next to him slowly. During their trek, he examined his bodyguard carefully. He had been around Jin for many years, but at that time he thought he hadn’t really looked at the man before. And immediately he pondered how he could’ve missed it. The man was extremely handsome. His whole frame radiated a grace and firmness that was uniquely beautiful. His careful movement reminded Owen of a strong and slender feline. There was also his face with those high cheekbones and short dark hair, but most of all he was enthralled by those diminutive brown eyes. As he stared he pondered how eyes could look both intimidating and inviting.

“I wonder if I would look better with more oriental looks, like you and father?” he said, unaware that Jin had asked him a question before.


OOC: I haven’t lost my touch….

[Huang Jin]

"Ah..." Owen's question had caught him somewhat off-guard; even though he had noticed the boy looking at him, Jin hadn't anticipated that sort of question. He looked at Owen's green eyes, so different from his own; he understood that the boy felt out of place with them, and now that his father was dead and he couldn't recognize him in his features, he was possibly distraught. "You look like your mother, and she was beautiful. You are still your father's son even if you don't see him when you look in the mirror.

[Owen]

Owen stopped and turned towards the wall, where his face was reflected off the metallic material that made up the building. Just as Jin had said he couldn’t find his father anywhere on his features. He knew that business wise it would’ve been more beneficial to have more Asiatic characteristics. The Chinese were picky about heritage and had he been blessed with his father’s looks, the emperor would be more helpful towards the company.

“I want to travel… Go somewhere where I don’t have to put a show for these people, where I can be a seventeen year old that misses his dad. Will you go with me, even if I don’t require protection?”

[Huang Jin]

Jin thought about Owen's words for a moment. He turned towards the wall to see both their reflections, and tried to understand the boy's unique despair. While he had also fretted at that age, their motivations could not have been any further apart; the loss of the father and the pressure of running a multinational corporation compared to the naive, inopportune and self-serving desire to participate in the world scenario. He couldn't help but feel that in spite of the isolation he had lived in as a child, he had been tainted with the sin of pride long before his modern counterpart.

"Your father entrusted you with the continuation of his legacy." He was careful with the wording; he didn't mean to pressure the boy, "He would understand if you needed time to reasses, but not to shirk your responsability."

"And I made a promise on my honor that I would watch over you... even if you don't require protection." He mimicked Owen's words at the end with a little smile.

[Owen]

Owen made no effort in hiding is dissatisfaction with Jin’s answer. Rationally he knew Jin was right. He just wanted to pretend and escape from his troubles, even if it was for a single moment. He also wanted a friend, someone whom would stick by his side because of friendship. All his life he had been surrounded by people that worked for his father, isolated into a life of studying, but friends were scarce. And with the loss of his father everyone seemed to either pity him or want to take his company from him.

“I guess you’re right. We’ll let’s go then. We can’t keep the hounds waiting,” he said as he headed towards the meeting room, where his father’s associates would once again try to take the company from him.