The afternoon sun was just right, casting a warm glow on the headquarters garden lawn.
Kael, enjoying a rare half-day of leisure, was called to the Kaslana Family courtyard by a communication from Cecilia, ostensibly to "enjoy family time."
Of course, the main task was to play with the energetic little Kiana.
He couldn't refuse; Cecilia had saved him before, and besides... little Kiana was truly adorable.
The moment the little one saw Kael, she immediately dropped her toy and charged over like a small cannonball, skillfully hugging his leg and climbing up: "Uncle Kael! Hug! Lift me up high!"
Kael bent down and easily picked her up, skillfully lifting her over his head, which elicited a string of bell-like laughter from Kiana: "Wow! I'm flying! Higher! Higher!"
Theresa, of course, had come uninvited. She was currently sitting on a nearby picnic blanket, sipping the bitter melon lemonade Kael had specially made for her, while watching Kael and Kiana play.
Although seeing Kiana monopolize Kael's embrace made her heart bubble with a bit of sourness, seeing the unclouded, relaxed smile on Kael's face made that jealousy gradually dissipate.
Hmm... as long as Kael is happy, that's all that matters.
And, this little rascal is occasionally quite cute... just kidding! She saw Kiana plant a big kiss on Kael's face again! Theresa immediately gripped her cup tightly.
Her fist hardened!
"Kael! I want to play too!" Theresa put down her cup and ran over.
So, the scene transformed into Kael holding the giggling Kiana with one arm, while his other arm had to fend off Theresa, who was trying to pull him to the other side.
"Sister Theresa is bad! Uncle belongs to Kiana!" The little one hugged Kael's neck, declaring her ownership.
"No, he doesn't! I was here first!" Theresa retorted indignantly, although her "first" referred to how long she had known Kael.
Kael was caught between these two white figures, one big and one small, feeling as if two little sparrows were chirping in his ears. Yet, it was strangely not annoying, but rather a boisterous sense of warmth.
"Alright, alright, stop arguing." Kael reluctantly played the peacemaker. He put Kiana down, then, like magic, pulled a small remote control from his pocket. "Look what Uncle brought?"
He pressed a button, and a round, mini drone with Haxxor Bunny ears buzzed to life, flying nimbly in circles in the air and projecting cute light patterns.
"Wow!" Kiana's attention was instantly captured, and she excitedly chased after the drone.
Theresa's eyes also lit up: "A new Haxxor Bunny drone? Kael, when did you buy it?"
"Mission reward, I just picked it up," Kael said casually, controlling the drone to perform various interesting maneuvers, making Kiana giggle and run around chasing its shadow.
Theresa looked at Kael's focused profile as he controlled the drone, then at the overjoyed Kiana, and suddenly had an idea.
She quietly took out her personal terminal, switched to camera mode, then leaned close to Kael and suggested loudly: "Kael! Kiana! Look here! Let's take a picture together!"
Hearing this, Kael made the drone hover nearby. Kiana also ran back curiously, squeezed next to Kael, and looked up at the terminal's camera.
"Come on, come closer! Kael, squat down a bit! Yes! Kiana, smile!"
Theresa excitedly directed them, pressing herself tightly against Kael, tilting her head towards him, and flashing a big, bright smile.
Kael cooperatively squatted slightly, allowing both girls to be in the frame.
Kiana, imitating Theresa, also showed a big, carefree smile, her small hand tightly gripping Kael's clothes.
Sunlight, lawn, the brightly smiling Theresa, the gentle and handsome Kael, and in the middle, the innocent, angelic Kiana.
Theresa extended her arm, trying her best to include all three in the shot.
"Ready! Three, two, one... Haxxor Bunny!"
Click!
The moment was captured.
Theresa eagerly checked the photo.
In the photo, the sunlight created perfect light and shadow, and the background was blurred just right.
Kael was squatting in the middle, with a rare, relaxed and gentle smile on his face.
Kiana was nestled tightly to his right, her blue eyes curved into crescent moons, her little face rosy.
And she herself was on Kael's left, smiling the happiest, almost pressing her entire body against him, with a few strands of her white hair even brushing his cheek.
Perfect! Theresa looked at the photo, her heart as sweet as if she had overturned a honey pot.
Although the person in the middle was a "little third wheel" instead of her, well... it was barely acceptable!
"I'm going to set this photo as my wallpaper!" Theresa declared, her fingers quickly operating the device.
"Kiana wants to see too! See!" The little one tugged at Theresa's arm.
Theresa, uncharacteristically generous, held the phone screen out to Kiana: "Look, this is us! Isn't it nice?"
"Mm! Nice! Uncle is nice! Kiana is nice! Sister Theresa... is also nice!" The little one evaluated seriously.
Kael also leaned over to take a look, the warm atmosphere in the photo unconsciously making the corners of his mouth curve up a bit more: "Well taken."
Receiving Kael's affirmation made Theresa even happier. She carefully backed up the photo to multiple encrypted storage devices and even set up cloud synchronization.
She absolutely had to preserve this photo well! It was a beautiful memory of her and Kael! She would cherish it for a lifetime!
After an afternoon of playing, Kiana finally ran out of energy and fell asleep in Kael's arms, her small hand still clutching the Haxxor Bunny drone.
Cecilia walked over, gently taking her daughter from Kael's arms, and smiled at Kael and Theresa: "Thank you for playing with her today, she was very happy."
"It's nothing, Kiana is very cute," Kael said softly.
Theresa also nodded. Although she occasionally felt jealous, she genuinely liked this lively little niece.
After seeing off Cecilia and the sleeping Kiana, only Kael and Theresa remained in the courtyard.
The setting sun cast their shadows long.
Theresa took out her phone again, grinning foolishly at the group photo.
"Do you like it that much?" Kael couldn't help but ask, seeing her expression.
"Of course I like it!" Theresa nodded vigorously, then looked up, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at Kael, "It proves we're together!"
She paused, suddenly a little shy, her voice dropping: "Later... later we'll take many, many more... just like before... just the two of us..."
The last few words were almost mumbled.
He didn't answer immediately, only looked up at the brilliant sunset in the sky, then gently patted her head.
"Let's go, it's getting dark."
There was no affirmation, no denial. But Theresa, from his rare lack of direct rebuttal, sensed a possibility that made her heart race.
She quickly caught up with Kael, looked at the warm group photo on her terminal screen again, her heart filled with endless aspirations for the future.
She would preserve this photo well.
Cherishing it carefully, along with her current feelings, until one day she could replace it with a sweeter version, just of the two of them.
Just wait: she, Theresa, would marry Kael sooner or later and reach the pinnacle of her life!
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