They say sons resemble their fathers. Arthur Moore, except for the color of his eyes, was a spitting image of Liam Moore. His skin was slightly tanned, and his build was more robust and brimming with vitality, but in that face, there was Liam. It almost brought a sense of nostalgia.
“Arthur!”
“Herschel! My God, when did you get so old?”
“Is there anything you can’t say? Try teaching kids at Cambridge for three years and see what happens.”
Arthur Moore let out a hearty laugh, a laugh that was startlingly similar to Liam’s.
“I’m not in the habit of torturing myself.”
His witty banter was also a familiar echo.
It had been a year and a half since his son pointed at the void. Arthur Moore began to explain as they walked.
“At first, I thought it was just a child’s prank. But as days went by, it got worse. He would scare people by recounting stories about them and those around them as if he had seen everything. …Herschel. Liam is different from us. I know that. Please talk to him, and try not to get angry.”
When Herschel Hopkins finally reached the study, he was greeted by a tomb of books. Cushions and blankets were piled by the bay window, and numerous books were stacked all around. It seemed like every book had been pulled from the shelves.“Liam?”
Arthur Moore called out loudly.
“Yes, Father.”
A small head popped out from between the book stacks.
“I’ll be out soon.”
And then… and then… I almost screamed.
It was a boy with black hair covering his forehead. His cheeks were chubby, his eyes were large, and his features were delicate and pretty. Although he lacked the innocence typical of his age, he looked well-loved.
“This is a friend of your father. He’s visiting during the holidays and will stay for about a month.”
Then Herschel stepped forward.
“So you’re Liam. I haven’t seen you since you were two!”
“I’ll let Mila know you’re here. Meanwhile, could you chat a bit?”
“Spending time with a little gentleman is my pleasure. See you later.”
It was only after his father left that young Liam spoke up. He kicked the floor lightly with his small feet, showing signs of shyness.
“…You’re a professor.”
“Pardon me, what?”
Even his voice was adorable.
Sorry, Liam. Should I be seeing this? You were really cute when you were young. Watching all of this, I couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of guilt. I knew I would imagine this cute scene whenever Liam Moore caused trouble in the future.
“You, sir. You’re a professor. My father doesn’t call people he met at Eton friends. Only university people are considered friends. Since it’s the holidays and you’re here, you must be someone who teaches, so that means you’re likely a professor. Your behavior towards children isn’t quite fitting, so you’re probably used to dealing with adults rather than kids.”
Herschel and I both gaped.
“You have dogs, don’t you? One… no, two? You love them like they’re your children.”
“How did you…?”
Young Liam pointed at his trousers.
“The only good thing about being a kid is having a low line of sight. You see things adults overlook. You have dog hair on your trousers. It’s from a small dog. White. Different kinds of hair, so at least two. And if you put them on your lap, you must love them dearly. Usually, a man with a wife who adores his dogs this much doesn’t have children yet.”
Oh. That was a bit… harsh. I realized anew that the current Liam Moore had, if anything, developed some social skills.
But Herschel was more magnanimous than I had anticipated. Despite Liam’s rudeness, he showed no sign of anger.
“Little Moore, you have quite an eye. Why do people dislike you? Such a clever young person.”
Liam returned to his place, clutching a cushion. He offered Herschel one too, indicating he no longer saw him as an adversary. Herschel sat down, and I watched as the sunlight filtered through the window, casting a gentle glow on their heads.
“Shall I make a guess?”
Herschel Hopkins asked playfully. Liam’s gray eyes turned to him.
“You saw something others couldn’t, didn’t you?”
This time, it was Liam who was surprised.
* * *
Several more pages fluttered past.
Liam Moore was wary of Herschel Hopkins for a week, but after that, he opened up and started to follow him around, calling him “Uncle.”
Liam Moore saw what could not be seen. Be it secrets or habits, he noticed everything.
Herschel Hopkins taught Liam Moore many things. For instance, the necessity of concealing what he knew. That people couldn’t see things the way he did, and they would never understand his way of thinking.
Liam seemed not to fully grasp this, but considering how previous tutors had fled, he decided Herschel’s words held some truth.
“So what should I do?”
“Well, if you grow up, people might recognize your extraordinariness as a talent. They’re quite stubborn. Adults never acknowledge that a child can be superior to them. So they keep claiming the child is odd and end up stifling their uniqueness.”
“Those people need to relearn child psychology. It should be a mandatory course at universities.”
My goodness. That cynical nature was innate. What kind of advice was that from a supposed sage? I laughed, incredulous, lounging on the sofa and letting young Liam Moore’s words wash over me.
“What should you do if another tutor comes?”
“Act like a good kid.”
“Pretend not to notice secrets.”
After pondering for a moment, Liam asked with a frown.
“What if they’re really bad people?”
Herschel shrugged.
“In that case, tell me or Arthur. Arthur will certainly pay attention to your stories.”
* * *
Herschel visited Nifoisse Hall every holiday. As the years went by, Liam Moore grew.
Arthur Moore felt relieved, thinking his son’s issues had been resolved, and that Liam Moore was growing up to be a well-behaved, good child. Whenever this happened, Liam would just shrug, but he seemed glad that his parents were less worried.
He somewhat overcame his habit of staring into the void. Looking back, young Liam Moore might have been seeing ‘monsters’ or something of the sort.
Even as a teenager, one thing he couldn’t change was his habit of sleeping in. Liam Moore always slept with the curtains drawn and woke up past nine. A teenager of the British Empire struggling to get up—quite lazy for someone from a country where the sun never sets.
“That’s a bad habit. When you get married, your wife will scold you.”
“Then I’ll just get scolded… It’s all part of love, anyway…”
“But what if the person you like thinks you’re lazy?”
“…Then I’ll just pretend otherwise?”
His slightly lower voice from puberty came from under the covers. Herschel Hopkins chuckled, tapping the bundled-up cocoon of blankets lightly.
“Hey, Liam Moore.”
The cocoon answered.
“Yes, Professor Hopkins?”
“I know public school isn’t fun, but don’t think the teachers there are fools.”
The cocoon wriggled. A head with messy hair emerged. His face was a bit slimmer than when he was younger, and his almond-shaped eyes still sparkled, sharp and perceptive. But unlike now, he still had a hint of childishness—less polished.
Teenaged Liam grumbled.
“The kids are stupid, and the teachers are no better. What can I learn from that?”
“Maybe conservative customs and bureaucracy. And a sense of superiority?”
“Wow. I want to drop out.”
This brat. I suppressed the urge to give this cheeky calf a good whack. This was just a memory, something that had already happened. I had no right to interfere. It was like watching a cutscene in a game. But how could he talk about dropping out? His parents… no, I should stop this scolding.
“In society, there will be more people like that. But look. There’s always someone like you who points out the flaws in public schools. One day, such a person will break the system. To do that, you need to know it best.”
“To break the system, you must become part of it.”
Liam muttered. The morning lecture seemed to have fully awakened him. He slowly got out of bed, and… sixteen? Seventeen? He had caught up to my height and then some. Looking at his suddenly too-short sleeves, he grumbled.
“I’m growing too fast. My clothes get short after just a few nights.”
“Oh. That’s a good thing. How’s your sleep these days?”
“Don’t ask. It’s so noisy I can’t sleep.”
That?
And the flashback ended.
guys we got child Liam before gta6
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