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, my mother slowly

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

as I waited for her to start speaking. In no time, she asked

you know why I was

because I didn't

"Right."

turn of her body, I met my

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 protect

sad smile flashed across her face as she leaned

going to stop you from doing whatever

mother

so that I don't have to worry about where you are all the

"...Okay."

at the bowl of cereal in front of me, I

"I'll do that."

echoed throughout the room. While putting one of the plates in

"When are you leaving?"

paused. Bitterly

"Most likely today."

the trip any further and therefore had to

of fact, I probably shouldn't be

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

real problem was something

'Jin.'

But in order for that to

"Haa..."

escaped from my

to be a

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

how long are you

"I'm not too sure."

"I s—"

Clank—!

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

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

my

"Sleepy?"

"Mhhh."

she did not react as she simply lowered her head so that I could stroke her

'How cute.'

I tapped my bracelet once. In the blink of an eye, a large teddy bear

"Hey, Nola."

"Mhh..."

"Look, look."

it toward Nola. When the bear touched Nola, her mind cleared up a little and

"Waah!"

out a

face as soon as I noticed her reaction as I leaned

Nola?

"Brother!"

an instant, Nola's eyes glowed with excitement. Extending both hands, she jumped toward the bear and hugged

particularly amusing aspect of the situation was that the bear was almost

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

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

"Nola?"

as my brows

did she stop

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

"Hey, Nola."

my hand on her

"Nola."

with no response. Panic started to set in from there as I shook her even

"Hey Nola, Nola, Nol—"

"Booo!"

"Whoa!"

of steps back and almost tripped on the ground. Raising my head, I was met with the sight of Nola extending

"Hehehe."

and realizing that I had been fooled, I

you can get away with what you've just

No! Mother! Haha,

I ticked Nola's sides.

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

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

of mercy, I stopped after ten seconds. I wasn't

better have learned

will...never do it

of

learned her lesson as she was having a hard

face when I stared at Nola.

"Stinky brother."

second thought, let's go for

"Kyaa! Noooo...ahahhahah!"