NEW LIFE : A SECOND CHANCE

Once they were in their cabin, Xing Han locked the door.

Kyle went to the window, peering out. He closed it and after tapping the keypad of his phone for a while, he placed it on the window ledge.

"Okay, Phase 1 done," Kyle said with satisfaction as he turned to face them, "Now, we're going to play a game of hide-and-seek."

Little Kyle went and sat down on the bed, swinging his legs over the side as he listened to Kyle.

Kyle sat down next to him, studying the young boy.

He appeared to be Asian, so his English name was a bit of a surprise to Kyle. Then again, Xing Han's sisters all took up English name as well, so perhaps it was the same case with him? The boy looked to be about five years old and had an angelic face.

Beautiful, to be exact. With his dark hair, smooth skin and feminine features, Kyle could imagine the sort of teasing he was likely to get (if he didn't already) about his looks. In fact, he actually looked better than Kay did at that age. That said a lot about how beautiful the boy was.

So what Kyle was going to ask him to do would be a bit bad if that was so. Thus, Kyle needed to get his permission first. Hopefully, he would cooperate.

"We are on a quest to find your mum," Kyle said to Little Kyle, "But to do that, we must first hide from your stepdad and his lady friend."

Little Kyle nodded.

"The best way to do that, is to hide in plain sight," Kyle continued, "Do you know what that means?"

"Of course. I am a big boy now. I am 7 years old!" he declared in a huff, "It means that instead of hiding, I stand out in plain sight."

Kyle blinked a bit. Seven? But he looked so young and he was so small. Was he malnourished? Kyle shook his head, taking that thought out of his mind. Perhaps it was his genes, and it just would take him longer to grow.

"So, you're going to have to pretend that you're my little ... sister," Kyle said slowly.

Little Kyle didn't move, his mouth wide open. Then he looked a bit worried as he then lowered his head, staring at his feet. His mouth started quivering.

Kyle sighed and scooted over closer, "I'll dress up as a girl, too, to keep you company. Would that be okay then? It will only be while we are on the train."

Little Kyle stared at him, "You?"

"Yes, me," Kyle replied, "I'll dress up as a girl, you are my sister and Big Brother here - "

Kyle patted Xing Han's stomach, "Will be my boyfriend."

Little Kyle looked at Kyle, then at Xing Han then back at Kyle.

"How?"

Kyle smiled, tilting his head as he looked at Little Kyle, "I just happen to know a little bit of magic."

He spread his fingers, closed them and when he opened them again, there was a coin in between. Little Kyle's eyes widened as he watched those fingers closing and opening, showing more and more coins when finally, it all disappeared again.

"It's all an illusion," Kyle said, "Make-believe. I know how to do it so that you would look like a girl."

Little Kyle's mouth quivered a bit as he said, "That does not need magic. I already look like a girl."

Kyle took a deep breath and got down from the bed. He went on his knees, and took the two little hands in his, while looking up at Little Kyle's face. He put on had on Little Kyle's cheek, saying, "This does not matter. What you look like on the outside does not reflect who you are inside."

Kyle patted Little Kyle's chest, "Here is what is important. Even if you do look like a girl, does it matter? What do you feel like?"

"I am a boy!" he said vehemently, taking several deep breaths as his anger filled him up.

Kyle smiled, saying, "Then you are a boy. People can say what they want, think what they want but the one that decides is you. If you let them tell you how to feel, then you have lost."

Kyle stared at him, asking, "Do you understand what I am saying?"

Little Kyle pondered on this deeply, staring at the person who looked like the perfect example of what a man should look like. Little Kyle frowned. How could that manly man truly understand what he was going through? What he had to face all the time?

As if knowing what was going through Little Kyle's mind, Kyle smiled and said, "We all have our inner demons and expectations. When people look at me, they think I'm too young to do anything. That I do not know anything."

Xing Han nodded in agreement and chimed in, "He's the Smith Heir, and he got that position very young. People looked down on him and he had to prove himself over and over."

"I am young, but it doesn't mean I can't do it," Kyle explained, "So, no matter what they said, or how they said it, I used my abilities to prove myself. I use what I have to get what I want and do what I want."

"Just like you. You're beautiful. That's a fact," Kyle said, much to Little Kyle's consternation.

"You cannot deny that," Kyle continued, "The question is, are you going to let it ruin you, or are you going to use it to benefit you?"

Little Kyle just sat there, his face in total shock.