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."

face,

table, she walked toward the kitchen and

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

why

I didn't say

"Right."

her body, I met my mother's

can no longer control you like when you were a kid as your

flashed across her face as she leaned

to stop you from doing whatever you want

for a moment, my mother let out a

trips. Just so that I don't have to worry about

"...Okay."

and staring at the bowl of cereal

"I'll do that."

of the water echoed throughout the room. While putting one of the plates in the sink,

"When are you leaving?"

suddenly paused. Bitterly smiling, I

"Most likely today."

trip any further and

fact, I probably

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

problem

'Jin.'

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

"Haa..."

escaped

going to be a busy

the plate in her hand with a new one, she placed the old

you

"I'm not too sure."

"I s—"

Clank—!

While rubbing her eyes with

walked toward the kitchen table, and helped herself up. It was clear that she was

got off my seat and sat down next

"Sleepy?"

"Mhhh."

hand, I gently stroked Nola's head. In spite of this, she did not react as she simply

'How cute.'

the blink of an eye, a large teddy bear

"Hey, Nola."

"Mhh..."

"Look, look."

the bear forward, I pushed it toward Nola. When the bear touched Nola, her mind cleared up a

"Waah!"

let out a startled

as soon as I noticed her reaction as I leaned

Nola? Do

"Brother!"

both hands, she jumped toward the bear and hugged it

aspect of the situation was that the bear was almost twice Nola's size, making it appear

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

rang out as Nola hugged the bear tightly. The sounds persisted for a couple of

"Nola?"

out as my brows

did she stop

circled around the bear to discover Nola's figure motionlessly hugging

"Hey, Nola."

immediately became startled as I placed my hand on her

"Nola."

started to set in from there

"Hey Nola, Nola, Nol—"

"Booo!"

"Whoa!"

I took a couple of steps back and almost tripped on the ground. Raising my head, I

"Hehehe."

I had been fooled, I glared in Nola's

you seriously think that you can get away with what

Mother! Haha,

I ticked Nola's sides.

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

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

stopped after ten seconds. I wasn't cruel enough to punish her for too

better have

will...never do

muttered on top of the bear on

say that she had learned her lesson as she was having a hard time

Nola. Lowering my head, our eyes met and Nola stuck her tongue

"Stinky brother."

thought, let's go

"Kyaa! Noooo...ahahhahah!"