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."

on her face, my mother slowly stood

the rug from the table, she walked toward the kitchen and placed it

the entire time, neither one of us spoke as I waited for her to start speaking. In no

why I was angry last

because I didn't say

"Right."

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

do you think I'll get angry over you leaving? You're already an adult. What you do with your life is up to you. I can no longer control you like when you were a kid as your safety was my responsibility. It still is, but considering our circumstances, I can no longer

face as she

I'm never going to stop you from doing whatever you want to do.

my mother let out a gentle

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

"...Okay."

from my mother and staring at the bowl of cereal in front of me, I slowly nodded

"I'll do that."

kitchen, the sound of the water echoed throughout the room. While

"When are you leaving?"

paused. Bitterly smiling, I

"Most likely today."

trip any further and therefore had to go

matter of fact, I probably shouldn't be here right

I needed to do in order to ensure that the trip was going to be successful. I had already contacted Smallsnake about the little

problem was

'Jin.'

still on full steam. But in order for that to work, there were some things that I needed to

"Haa..."

sigh escaped from

was going to be

her hand with a new one, she placed the old

how long are you going to be

"I'm not too sure."

"I s—"

Clank—!

figure appeared. While rubbing

in her pajamas, Nola dragged the bear behind her and slowly walked toward the kitchen table, and helped herself up. It was clear that she was still sleepy as she took no

to myself, I got off my seat

"Sleepy?"

"Mhhh."

head. In spite of this, she did not react

'How cute.'

my bracelet once. In the blink of an eye, a

"Hey, Nola."

"Mhh..."

"Look, look."

bear forward, I pushed it toward Nola. When the bear touched

"Waah!"

out a startled

broad smile appeared on my face as soon as I noticed her reaction as I

Nola?

"Brother!"

eyes glowed with excitement. Extending both hands,

amusing aspect of the situation was that the bear was almost twice Nola's

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

tightly. The

"Nola?"

as my brows

she

seat, I circled around the bear to discover Nola's figure

"Hey, Nola."

I placed my hand on her back

"Nola."

response. Panic started to set in from there as I shook her even

"Hey Nola, Nola, Nol—"

"Booo!"

"Whoa!"

Raising my head, I was met with the sight of Nola extending her tongue in my

"Hehehe."

and realizing that I had been

you seriously think that you can get

Mother! Haha, hehehe,

I ticked Nola's sides.

in the world, Nola was ticklish. In fact, she was

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

I stopped after ten seconds. I wasn't cruel enough to

have

I will...never do

muttered on top of the

learned her lesson as she

look spread across my face when I stared at Nola.

"Stinky brother."

thought, let's go for

"Kyaa! Noooo...ahahhahah!"