Chapter 12 Strange Rudy
After the meeting finally wrapped up and everyone filed out of the board room, I let out the breath I’d been holding and headed straight back to my room. My head felt heavy, my thoughts still tangled around the judgement I’d passed earlier. Even though I stood by it, the weight hadn’t lifted. When I entered my room, the first thing I saw was Wheezy curled comfortably near the pillows like the peaceful little menace he always was. His tail flicked once, lazy and satisfied.
I had barely taken two steps inside when I heard a knock on my door. Before I could respond, the door opened and Rudy stepped in, closing it quietly behind him. He looked a bit drained too, though he tried to hide it with that usual composed look he always wore.
He walked to the couch a few feet from my bed and sat down, immediately reaching out to pat Wheezy as the little furball strutted over as if summoned. Wheezy hopped onto the couch arm and nudged Rudy’s hand with his head. Rudy chuckled and stroked him gently.
“How’s Wheezy doing?” he asked, still petting the cat.
“He’s doing great,” I said, letting myself relax as I moved closer. “I really appreciate you giving him to me, you know.”
Rudy waved a hand dismissively. “You don’t need to thank me. I didn’t even know you’d like something like this. I just picked him up because he kept following me around.”
“Well, I’m glad you didn’t chase him away,” I replied, smiling faintly.
Rudy leaned back, observing me for a moment before his eyes softened. “Will you be going to court tomorrow?”
“Yes.” I nodded firmly. “Even though I already know the outcome, I’ll still go.”
He raised a brow. “You’re sure?”
“It doesn’t matter what I’m sure of,” I said quietly. “It’s unavoidable.”
He hummed but didn't push it further. Instead, he exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck as if trying to choose his next words carefully.
“I know Uncle Glenn is… a sketchy person,” Rudy began. “And I’m sure you’ve been aware of his personality for a long time too. But I won’t lie—I was shocked by the judgement you handed him today.” He looked at me with an unreadable expression. “When did you become so brutal?”
I couldn’t help a small chuckle. “I only handed him the right judgement. Honestly, I even went soft on him. He was supposed to be beheaded and burnt to crisp on the spot.”
Rudy stared at me, mouth slightly open. “Soft,” he repeated. “That’s your definition of soft?”
“You know it’s true,” I countered lightly.
He let out a deep sigh and looked away for a moment, his eyes distant. “You made me remember the good old days, back when our father was still alive,” he murmured. “If he were here, he really would have killed Uncle Glenn without hesitation. He warned him before. More than once.”
I nodded. I remembered too. Father had never been patient with betrayal, it didn’t matter if it came from a stranger or someone sharing our blood.
Afterwards, silence settled between us, soft but heavy. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it did make me acutely aware of the shift in the atmosphere. I studied Rudy from the corner of my eye, and that was when I noticed it, his face had turned faintly red. At first I thought it was the lighting, but no, definitely red.
Why is his face red?
I frowned slightly and sat up. “Are you feeling heat or something?” I asked.
“What? No.” He said it too quickly.
His face remained red as ever. Before I could question him further, he abruptly stood up, almost too fast for someone trying to act normal. He grabbed his jacket from the couch arm and turned toward the door. Even the way he moved seemed slightly… jittery?
He reached for the doorknob but then stopped midway. Slowly, he turned back to face me. His eyes flickered with some hesitation, nerves, something warm that made my chest tighten for no good reason.
“Would you… go out on a date with me?” he asked.
I blinked.
His words ran through my mind again, slow and surreal. A date? With Rudy?
“Huh?” I repeated, confusion hitting first, embarrassment following right after as I felt my face heat up. “A date?”
Rudy’s eyes widened immediately as if realizing how his words sounded. “Not like that! I mean, it’s just a casual date. To cheer you up. Nothing serious. Don’t worry if you’ll be busy. I just thought—well—after everything today, you might want a break.”
I stared at him, still processing. It wasn’t like Rudy to stumble over his words. In fact, this might have been the first time I’d seen him flustered like this.
But… a casual date wasn’t bad. And I really did need something to get my mind off things, even if only for a few hours.
“It’s fine,” I said finally. “I’ll go.”
A smile bloomed on Rudy’s face, wide and bright, so sudden it almost caught me off guard. It softened his whole expression, made him look younger, lighter, as if he’d been holding his breath waiting for my answer.
“Okay,” he said quietly, still smiling. “Good. Then… I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He left before I could respond, closing the door gently behind him.
The moment he was gone, I let out a long breath and fell backward onto my bed. “That was strange,” I muttered to myself. Strange didn’t even begin to describe it, but it was the only word that came to mind.
Wheezy chose that moment to hop onto my bed, letting out a small, soft meow as he curled beside me. His warmth pressed against my side, and I stroked his fur absentmindedly.
“Well,” I whispered, feeling sleep slowly creeping in.
Wheezy purred, closing his eyes.
I shifted deeper into the blankets, exhaustion finally catching up to me. With Wheezy snuggled close and the room quiet again, my thoughts drifted off as I surrendered to sleep.