Cedric's back stiffened upon hearing the plea of the old man. For some reason, he couldn't move from his steps as if some invisible barrier had blocked him there. He looked flabbergasted by his sudden, audacious request. If it was another time, he would have snapped at him out of rage. But today, he couldn't do it especially after he saw how he bleed from the soul sucking jade.
Turning around like a numb figure, he approached Ralph like a controlled robot without offering his arms to embrace. Ralph had to sigh internally. He was exactly the mini version of his past. Before he met Jasmine, he was exactly this emotionless to his father or other people around, cold.
Dragging himself forward, Ralph took the initiative to hug him for a few seconds which he didn't return at all. Cedric stayed stiff in his arms, clueless about how to react since he really never cared about this old man.
