The Author's POV

"Ren, are you listening to me?"

As I absentmindedly lifted and lowered the spoon in my hand, I heard a familiar voice tickle my ears.

"Ren!"

The voice grew louder with every passing second, and before I knew it, it was right next to my ear, startling me out of my daze.

"Ren Dover!"

"Huaa!"

I screamed as my hand reached out for the corner of the desk to stop myself from falling.

Unfortunately, my efforts proved futile as I inevitably still fell to the ground.

Bang—!

"Ugh."

With my butt feeling the cold hard ground, I slowly raised my head to see my mother's face looking down at me. She had a rather worried look on her face.

"Are you okay Ren? Did something happen?"

"No."

Pressing my hand against the ground and picking up the chair, I sat back down. Then, picking up the spoon, I took a mouthful of cereal and ate it.

"Ren?"

"Mh, I'm just..mhm, I've got a lot to think about..mh."

"Don't speak while you're chewing."

With a small rag in hand, my mother sat down next to me.

Supporting her chin with both hands, she leaned her body a bit.

"Be honest with me. I can tell that something happened. You can tell your mother, I'm all ears."

Lowering the spoon in my hand, I turned to face my mother.

My brows soon furrowed and I sighed.

'Fuck it.'

"...I'm going to leave again."

Immediately following those words, I closed my eyes expecting my mother to go bonkers.

But...

"Hm?"

To my surprise, I did not hear my mother lose it even after half a minute had passed.

Upon opening my eyes, I was surprised to see my mother smiling at me. The sight caused my brows to jump up.

"Mom?"

"See, it wasn't so hard to tell me was it?"

"...What?"

Opening and closing my mouth, my head tilted.

I was legitimately very confused at the moment.

"...Are you not angry at me for leaving again?"

"Angry?"

Cocking her head a little, her neat blonde hair gently fell over her shoulder. Plucking her lips a little, she asked.

"Why should I be angry?"

"...Ehm."

Raising my hand to scratch the back of my head, I didn't know how to respond.

'What's going on?'

This wasn't the reaction that I had expected from her. Was there something wrong with my mother?

Was she sick?

Worry instantly flashed across my face.

"Don't look at me like that."

her face,

rug from the table, she walked toward

time, neither one of us spoke as I waited for her to

know why

didn't

"Right."

turn of her body, I met my mother's eyes. They looked an awful

to you. I can no longer control you like when you were a kid as your safety was my responsibility. It still is, but

flashed across her face as she leaned

from doing whatever you

moment, my mother let

I ask is for you to tell me when you're going on such dangerous trips. Just so that I don't have to worry about where you are all the time. You can do that for me,

"...Okay."

the bowl of cereal in front

"I'll do that."

throughout the room. While putting one of the plates in the sink, my mother suddenly

"When are you leaving?"

suddenly paused. Bitterly smiling, I

"Most likely today."

we couldn't push the trip any further and therefore had

a matter of fact, I probably shouldn't be

the trip was going

problem was something

'Jin.'

in order for that to work,

"Haa..."

sigh escaped from my

to be a

my mother replaced the plate in her hand with a new one, she placed the

how long are you going to be

"I'm not too sure."

"I s—"

Clank—!

door opened and a familiar figure appeared. While rubbing her eyes with her little fists, Nola held a small teddy bear by its

her pajamas, Nola dragged the bear behind her and slowly walked toward the kitchen table, and helped herself up. It was clear that she

I got off my

"Sleepy?"

"Mhhh."

head. In spite of this, she did not

'How cute.'

once. In the blink of an

"Hey, Nola."

"Mhh..."

"Look, look."

the bear touched Nola, her mind cleared up a

"Waah!"

out

my face as soon as I noticed her reaction as I leaned my head to

it Nola? Do you

"Brother!"

with excitement. Extending both hands, she jumped toward the bear and hugged it

was almost twice Nola's

"Mhh..mhhh..mhh..mhh.."

hugged the bear tightly. The sounds persisted for a couple of seconds before

"Nola?"

out as my brows

did she stop

up from my seat, I circled around the bear to discover Nola's figure motionlessly hugging

"Hey, Nola."

my hand on her

"Nola."

set in from there as I shook her even

"Hey Nola, Nola, Nol—"

"Booo!"

"Whoa!"

my head, I was

"Hehehe."

and realizing that I had been

seriously think that you can get

Mother!

I ticked Nola's sides.

fact, she was especially ticklish. Just tickling her legs would send her crying with

"Hahaha, brother! Stop!...hhahaha..."

after ten seconds. I wasn't cruel

better have learned your

I will...never do

muttered on top of the bear on the

she had learned her lesson as she was having a

my face when I stared at Nola. Lowering my head, our eyes met and Nola

"Stinky brother."

let's go for another

"Kyaa! Noooo...ahahhahah!"