CHAPTER 398: BUILD A COFFIN

[FLASHBACK]

"Chacha, I think Daddy’s going to get angry. We said we were just going to play."

"But I miss Mommy," Chacha pouted. "I want to see her first."

The twins exchanged glances as they headed toward Lola’s office. They’d been busy helping their father with his plans, which also meant avoiding their mother. Since Lola had come home late the night before and they’d already been asleep, the twins missed her dearly.

But when they reached the office and pushed the door open just slightly, they froze.

"I know it’s not your obligation, but after talking to the butler, he told me the chairman could die if he has another heart attack. He’s not going to make it, Lola. And even if he survives, his condition’s worsening. He doesn’t have much time left."

The twins blinked at each other through the small gap, then peeked again at Lola. Slowly, Second closed the door and turned to his sister.

"Chacha, are they talking about Chicken Grandpa?" he whispered.

Chacha nodded solemnly. "I think he’s going to die, Second. Should we build him a coffin?"

They blinked in unison, staring up as if pondering it seriously. Knowing Lola would probably go see the chairman and leave them under Haji’s care, they silently agreed to tag along instead. Moments later, the duo found Lola’s car, sneaked into the trunk, and hid.

As expected, Lola went to the chairman’s residence right away. Once she arrived, the twins climbed out of the trunk and hid nearby. Since Lola didn’t stay long, they didn’t have to wait for long either.

*****

[Present Time]

"Grandpa~!"

The chairman, tending to his flowers near his little barn, turned at the sound of the cheerful voices. His face lit up instantly when he saw the twins skipping toward him.

"Chacha! Second!" he called, chuckling as he crouched down with a soft grunt to welcome them. "Wow... I didn’t know your mom would bring you here."

The twins only giggled. The chairman looked up, but no Lola in sight. Instead, he spotted Derek approaching from afar.

"Huh?" He frowned. "Where’s your mom?"

"She left," Second said brightly. "She didn’t know we were here."

"Grandpa, I heard that you’re dying," Chacha added innocently right as Derek arrived within earshot.

"Hey!" Derek’s face twisted. "Why would you say that?!"

But before he could say more, his grandfather’s glare cut him off.

"Derek! Don’t you raise your voice at these angels!" the chairman scolded before turning back to the twins. "Chacha, Second—what do you mean, your mom doesn’t know you’re here?"

The twins’ smiles widened, their faces glowing with pride.

*****

Derek had come to check on his grandfather—and maybe to convince him again to return to the hospital. But with Lola’s twins suddenly in the picture, all he could do was stand aside, watching bitterly as his grandfather laughed with the duo in the middle of the garden, surrounded by chickens.

"Why would she even leave her kids behind?" he muttered. "Did she forget about them?"

He clicked his tongue and pulled out his phone, searching for Lola’s number—only to realize it was the one she’d used years ago.

"Damn it," he hissed. "I never asked for her new contact."

Frustrated, he looked up again. He wasn’t far from them, close enough to hear their conversation.

"Grandpa, why don’t you want to live?" Chacha asked bluntly after a long string of random chatter.

The chairman chuckled, resting his hands on their heads. "Haha, you two... it’s not that I don’t want to live."

"But that’s what we heard," Second said. "The old uncle butler said so earlier."

The butler, who was serving snacks nearby, froze mid-step. He never told them that directly. But Chacha quickly clarified,

"We heard it while he was talking to some old aunties."

"Ah..." The chairman nodded but shot the butler a side-eye sharp enough to deliver the message: watch what you say around the kids.

"Well, Grandpa is old and not too well, but I’m not going anywhere yet."

"If Grandpa’s not well, why won’t you let the doctor check you?" Second asked. "Are you scared of hospitals too?"

The chairman smiled gently. "No, I’m not."

"Then why?" Chacha pressed. "If Grandpa won’t let the doctor fix your booboo, how will you get better?"

Derek frowned. The kids’ innocent words were too on point, and he couldn’t help agreeing with them.

"Grandpa, see?" Derek jumped in, seizing the moment. "Even this Halloween duo thinks you should be at the hospital. The doctors already told you that staying there would help your condition. Why won’t you just listen?"

"Tch." The chairman clicked his tongue quietly, but with enough force to silence Derek.

When he turned back to the twins, their eyes were wide and pleading.

"Grandpa, want to build your coffin with us?" Chacha offered cheerfully. "We’ll make it very pretty."

"But we don’t want you to use it yet!" Second added quickly.

The chairman blinked, half in disbelief, half amused.

"Our mommy will be really sad if you leave her too," Second continued softly.

"And if Mommy’s sad, Chacha and Second will be sad too," Chacha added with a pout. "We couldn’t meet Mommy’s mama, but she still has you."

When those words struck the chairman as if a hand suddenly gripped his heart.

Together, the twins went to him and placed their tiny hands on his arms. Their eyes sparkled with such earnestness that anyone watching would melt.

"Can you stay with Chacha, Second, and our Mommy longer, Grandpa?"

Derek scoffed inwardly. You think that’ll work?

He’d said the same thing last night, and the chairman hadn’t cared one bit.

The butler, however, glanced between the children and the chairman, his brows rising. Something told him that these two might just succeed where everyone else had failed.

After a long pause, the chairman sighed heavily and ruffled the twins’ hair. His smile softened. He looked toward the butler, but before he could speak, Chacha chirped,

"Don’t worry, Grandpa! Chacha and Second will always visit you!"

Second nodded eagerly. "And if we can’t, we’ll just call to see if you’re doing better!"

"Once you’re all healed, let’s play together—promise?!"

"Hahaha!" The chairman burst into a hearty laugh. Without even glancing at the butler, he said,

"Call Doctor Salvi. Tell him help this old man get better so I can play with these two."