This scene… somehow pulled me back in time.
The Flow Beasts hadn't destroyed much of Commplant—just that supermarket, a few nearby buildings, and a single park. Considering the scale of what could've happened, it was almost… merciful. Thankfully, my home wasn't near this district.
Still, when I tilted my head upward, I saw it—
The open sky.
Unfiltered. Exposed.
No soft, pinkish-white membrane cloaked the heavens anymore.
Yeah… the barrier really was gone.
"What do you mean, angle counting?!"
Lou's voice exploded beside me as he slammed a hand onto my shoulder.
"Ow!" I winced, wiggling away.
He jabbed his finger into his chest dramatically. "That was your chance to show off, got it?! To go full storm-dragon mode and awe the masses!"
He motioned with his other hand as if conjuring fireworks in the air. "I need to know how amazing of a job I did molding you into this perfect weapon of destruction! And what do you do? What do you do?! You eliminate the targets all quiet and efficient like some kind of Flow assassin!"
I clicked my tongue, giving him a light elbow to the ribs. "Too bad for you this isn't a traveling freak show. I don't kill for applause."
Lou dropped his arms in dramatic defeat, his entire posture slumping.
"…Arrogant little bug…" he mumbled.
I let out a soft sigh and glanced down. That woman—so shaken, so small now—and her son were still curled on the ground, too stunned to say a word. I couldn't exactly blame them. They'd stared death in the face. Especially the boy.
Another sip of chocolate milk slid down my throat as I landed gently in front of them. The moment my feet hit the cracked pavement, the boy flinched.
Poor kid.
I crouched to meet his eyes—big and brown, still wet with tears.
"Hey," I said softly, a smile tugging at my lips. "It's alright now, buddy. You're safe."
I reached up and gently adjusted his tilted hat, brushing dust off the brim. "Your mom's still here with you too. So take care of her, okay? Cherish her. You only get one."
He stared at me, hesitant, unsure. Trauma still lingered behind those eyes.
So I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out a small, shiny chocolate lollipop.
"Here," I said, offering it with a wink. "A little reward for being brave."
He blinked. Then, slowly, his shaky little fingers reached out and took it.
"Good job," I beamed, patting his head as he unwrapped the treat.
He popped it into his mouth and his face lit up immediately. "I like this flavor!"
"It's great, right?" I grinned, eyes twinkling.
Then, I leaned in closer, cupping a hand beside my mouth like I was sharing the world's most forbidden secret.
"Don't tell your mama I gave you something unhealthy, okay? I don't want her to hate me."
He giggled and mimicked me, putting his index finger to his lips. "It's our secret!"
We giggled together. Just a little shared silliness to help him forget what he'd just seen—even if only for a while.
I straightened up slowly.
That's when my eyes met hers.
The woman. She was still trembling, still crying. But now, there was something else in her expression—a quiet, broken gratitude. Her lips parted to speak.
"Thank—"
"You dare open that mouth after what you just did?" I cut her off, voice sharp and cold.
She flinched like I'd struck her.
"Running from your child, leaving him as bait… Pathetic," I muttered, turning away. "Remember that next time you call yourself a mother. Because you clearly aren't."
Without looking back, I kept walking, sipping on the last of my chocolate milk.
That was the problem with these things—they never lasted long enough.
I frowned at the now-empty chocolate milk packet I'd been sipping since we entered Commplant. It gave a little crinkle as I squished it in my palm.
"Hey, Lou!" I called, tossing the empty pack toward him. "Gimme another chocolate milk! This one's history!"
Lou barely glanced my way, lazily waving a hand. "Yeah, yeah. Remind me later." His eyes, though, were fixed on something else entirely. "But uh… more importantly, take a look at that guy?"
"Huh?" I raised a brow. "What guy?"
"That one," Lou said, nodding subtly toward a man standing across the wrecked plaza. "He's got two crying kids in that stroller, but he hasn't moved an inch. Just stood there staring at me. He was smiling, too."
Lou puffed out his chest, a smug grin spreading across his face. "See? That's the kind of admiration a true Sponsor deserves."
I rolled my eyes. "Says the guy who acts allergic to human interaction."
His proud posture immediately slumped. "Your arrogance knows no bounds…"
Still, I followed his gaze toward the man. And yeah… there was something off about him. He didn't look scared or panicked like everyone else—he looked calm. Warm, even. Too calm for someone in the middle of a city that had just been stomped on by Flow Beasts.
Then I realized it. My heart skipped.
No way…
"Father!" I cried out.
He gave a slow, silent nod, his smile deepening. That alone told me everything I needed to know. Words weren't necessary.
My legs moved before my mind could catch up, and I shot across the cracked pavement in a blur. No way his eyes could've tracked me at that speed.
Then—
BOOM.
I tackled him like a missile, sending him flat onto his back.
"Father!" I cried again, tears instantly pooling in my eyes as I threw my arms around him. I was practically pinning him down, but I didn't care. "It's so good to see you!"
"Oof—!" he winced with a small grunt at the sudden impact, but his arms wrapped around me instantly, warm and sure.
"It's good to see you too, Lily," he said with a soft chuckle. "Welcome back. You're so welcome back."
I buried my face against his shoulder and nodded. "I'm home."
Four years. Four long, punishing years since I last saw him… since I last saw Elza. I'd changed—hardened, sharpened, molded by pain and battle. But this warmth… this familiar heartbeat…
I would always have a soft spot for them.
Yeah… it was good to be home.
We traced our way back home, the weight of the day slowly easing from my shoulders with every familiar step. The moment we stepped inside, Bruno didn't waste a second—he called Elza.
Fifteen minutes later, the door burst open like it was kicked by a hurricane.
And there she was.
Chest heaving, eyes brimming with tears, hair tangled into a storm of its own. If I hadn't known better, I'd have sworn she sprinted all the way here.
"Lily!" she cried, her arms wide open.
I didn't hesitate—not even for a heartbeat. I launched myself from the sofa and into her embrace.
She squeezed me tightly, so tightly I started to wonder if she'd picked up some strength training while I was gone. Stronger than Bruno, maybe.
"Oh… oh, thank the stars!" she sobbed into my shoulder, hiccuping mid-sentence. "You're really here… I was worried sick all this time!"
I smiled softly, my hand gently patting her back. "I'm here now. Sorry it took me so long…"
She pulled back, her hands gripping my shoulders like she never wanted to let go. Her tear-streaked face lit up with a smile—relief, love, disbelief all mixing together.
"Look at you!" she said with a laugh, even as tears clung to her lashes. "What a mess! Your clothes are in tatters, and this coat—gods, it's huge! What are you supposed to be, a fashionable hobo?"
I snorted, reaching up to poke her on the nose. "You should check a mirror before roasting me. Since when did you start wearing glasses?"
She gave a sheepish chuckle, adjusting them with one hand. "Because someone was too stubborn to stay home and make my life easy, that's why!"
"Oh? And I'm the one to blame for your eyesight now?" I grinned. "I wasn't even around when you got them!"
We both giggled, soft and warm, like a melody we hadn't sung together in years. It felt good. Like no time had passed at all.
Then Bruno stepped closer, holding something—or rather, someone—in each arm.
Two someones.
"Lily," he said gently, "say hi to Max and Rin."
I blinked. My smile froze.
Wait…
I turned to look at the two babies, both watching me silently from their Bruno's arms. Wide eyes. Identical faces. Although… one of them had slightly wavier hair.
I slowly raised my head to Bruno, then to Elza.
"Don't tell me…"
Elza nodded, her expression trembling again, tears leaking anew.
Bruno smiled, answering for her. "They're your little brothers."
My breath hitched. My vision blurred. More tears, damn it.
I stepped forward and carefully took the baby with wavier hair into my arms. He was light—so light. Yet he carried the weight of something overwhelming.
"Hey there," I whispered, rocking him gently, "I'm your big sister. Sorry I was late."
The baby blinked at me, a small bubble of drool forming at the corner of his lip.
Still staring, but calmer now.
My gaze shifted to the other boy, still in Bruno's arms. His eyes were locked on me too, curious, quiet.
I looked up at my parents with a playful smirk. "So… you two were worried sick about me, huh? And yet you had plenty of time to make two more kids?"
Elza flushed deep crimson. "Y-you—! You're in no position to talk about things like that!" she stammered, frantically adjusting her glasses.
Bruno, of course, burst out laughing.
I chuckled, then looked back down at the little one in our arms. he was warm, fragile… new.
Don't worry, you two. No matter what, I'll protect you with everything I've got.
Definitely.
"I still can't believe you're acting all soft now, considering you slaughtered more Beasts than me when we arrived," Lou grumbled, finally breaking the comfortable silence. His face twisted in a sour grimace when I glanced his way—guess he'd been stewing in silence for a while.
I rolled my eyes. "You brayed at the worst possible moment, you know that?" I snapped, shooting him a glare sharp enough to cut steel.
His grimace only deepened, his upper lip twitching so high it looked like it wanted to abandon his face. He plopped his elbow on the table with an exaggerated sigh. "Arrogant bug… I'm seriously starting to lose interest in saying that now…"
Before I could snark back, Elza nudged me with her elbow. I turned to see her wide-eyed with sparkles, her cheeks dusted pink in… admiration…
"Is he… Is he who I think he is?" she whispered, practically sparkling even more.
Oh no.
Oh no, I completely forgot.
For reasons I could never comprehend—possibly buried deep in her chaotic DNA—Elza had the biggest crush on Lou. So much so that she occasionally forgot she was married to Bruno.
I sighed, long and deep. "Yeah… that's the Experience Sponsor. That's Lou."
She didn't even wait for me to finish. "H-Hello!" she blurted, jumping toward him like a missile of awkward energy. "I'm Lina—I mean, no! I'm Elza! Lina's my daughter! I'm her mother!" she corrected herself, waving her hands in a panic.
Lou blinked. "Y… Yeah, I got that much—"
She threw out a hand. "Handshake?"
"Huh?" Lou stared like she'd just grown a second head, but after a beat, he slowly reached forward. The moment he did, Elza clasped his hand like it was made of gold and started pumping it up and down like a hyper fan at a meet-and-greet.
"It's so good to finally meet you in real life, Mr. Lou!" she beamed. "I'm one of your biggest fans—thebiggest, actually!"
Lou awkwardly pulled his hand back. "Uh… Thanks, I guess? But don't you think this is a bit much, lady?"
She didn't respond. Instead, she just… stared at her hand. Then slowly raised it to her face with a mischievous glint in her eye.
"I'm never washing this hand again," she whispered, starry-eyed.
…
…
Elza.
Please.
I wanted to dig a hole under the carpet and bury myself alive.
"Oh, and of course!" she squeaked, rummaging through her pockets with frantic energy before producing a pen and notepad from—honestly, I didn't want to know where. "An autograph, please? If it's not too much?"
The stammering continued, dragging the moment on long enough for my soul to quietly ascend out of my body.
I turned to Bruno, lowering my voice. "Hey… Father, is she gonna be alright?"
He smiled gently, shaking his head. "Let's just say… she's living one of her dreams right now."