Not only Iseul, but Raon nodded in agreent as well.
"Then all that’s left is to wait for him to be born. Do your best, Lingxiao."
How big would this child grow?
How adorable would he be?
He would have Iseul’s appearance, but how much would he resemble Qiong Xing?
When he grew up, would he let Qiong Xing ride on his back?
As the hours passed, Qiong Xing spent the ti thinking about his child’s future.
Yet not for a mont did he feel bored.
At so point, Lian and the others beca too sleepy to stay awake.
Joa and the others carried them to a nearby room and tucked them into bed.
"Maybe it’s about ti you graduated too, Nura."
"Huh?"
"My na. You still call the sa thing, but you never knew what it ant, did you?"
It was the sa explanation Qiong Xing had once given to Elias and the others about the aning of his na.
Knowing it would not change how they addressed him.
Still, he hoped they might feel sothing after learning it.
To Iseul and the others, it was undoubtedly a foreign sounding na.
Yet among countless possible nas, there had been a reason it was chosen.
A reason, and feelings behind it.
It was only a na.
But it was also the very first gift a child received from their parents.
"A thread that connects people to one another. The miracle of eting you, Nura. Bonds connecting to bonds are what made who I am today. And I’m sure I’m connected to this child too."
"...Qiong Xing. A bond, huh? That’s a good na."
His parents were no longer here.
But it made him happy that the companions he loved had co to understand the feelings of the parents who had loved him during the brief ti they had shared together.
"I love you, Nura."
"I love you too, Qiong Xing."
Qiong Xing turned around and kissed Iseul on the cheek.
Just as Iseul leaned forward to return the gesture with a kiss on his forehead...
"Ah, it moved."
"Huh?"
Looking over, Qiong Xing saw that the egg, which had been completely motionless until monts ago, had suddenly begun shaking violently.
"Told you he was a boy."
Iseul muttered sothing under his breath, but Qiong Xing was too focused on the egg to hear him.
...
"Rawr~ Rawr~ Rawr~"
"Hehe. He looks like a tiny toy dinosaur."
The sight of the hatchling desperately flailing his tiny arms and legs while squeaking was unbelievably adorable.
His appearance was clearly that of a dragon, but his small size and his inability to produce proper roars yet only made him even cuter.
Qiong Xing beca so captivated that he spent several monts simply watching.
Unfortunately, the little dragon seed to mistake their lack of reaction for being ignored.
His cheerful cries quickly changed into weak sorrowful whimpers.
"I’m sorry. It’s alright, I’m right here. You did such a good job."
Qiong Xing reached out his hands, gathered him into his arms, and gently stroked his head.
"Rawr~ Rawr~"
The hatchling rubbed himself against him as if proudly declaring how hard he had worked.
That was adorable too.
Qiong Xing continued petting him until he seed completely satisfied.
The egg that had remained utterly still for so long had cracked almost the instant it began moving.
Then a tiny adorable face had poked out.
As though making up for all the ti he had spent motionless, their child had burst free while flailing wildly.
There was no way Qiong Xing could feel anything but love.
Even if he could not understand the words, he knew the little dragon was calling for his mama.
"Thank you. Thank you for trying so hard. From today onward, your na is Qiong Lingxiao. One day, I hope you’ll show us how high you can soar through the sky."
"Rawr~ Rawr~"
"Hey, that’s not fair! Lingxiao’s getting all the attention. I want so too!"
Iseul joined in, and the three of them ended up squeezed together in a tight family hug.
Then...
"Has he hatched!?"
Hearing the commotion, Raon ca rushing into the room.
Only then did Qiong Xing realize they had completely forgotten to tell anyone.
Before Raon could say anything, Qiong Xing lifted Lingxiao up and showed him the hatchling.
The mont Raon saw him, all the strength seed to leave his body and he sank down onto the floor.
Qiong Xing imdiately panicked.
"What’s wrong? Are you hurt sowhere..."
"Thank goodness."
Raon replied simply.
Raon admitted that he had been worried the entire ti, and Qiong Xing smiled before gently placing Lingxiao, whom he had been holding, onto Raon’s lap.
"He was born safely. He’s a very healthy child."
"Rawr~ Rawr~"
Perhaps so mories still remained after all.
Not only did Lingxiao show no resistance to sitting on Raon’s lap, but he imdiately started chirping loudly as if declaring how healthy he was before latching onto Raon’s hand with a tiny bite.
"Looks like it. This is the first ti I’ve seen him in this form, but he’s exactly the sa."
There was a nostalgic look in Raon’s eyes.
Perhaps he was rembering what Iseul had been like when he was young.
With tears beginning to gather in his eyes, Raon gently stroked Lingxiao’s head while enduring the hatchling’s playful nibbling.
"You’ve worked hard."
"But he really is small. The only newborn dragon I’ve seen was Iseulnura, and even he was at least twice Lingxiao’s size."
Had he really hatched too early?
Qiong Xing did not know what a normal size was supposed to be, but judging from how energetic Lingxiao looked, he did not feel particularly worried.
"He’ll grow from now on. That’s all that matters. I’m sure he’ll beco so big that he’ll even surpass you soday, Raon."
"...I hope so."
The look in Raon’s eyes seed to say, Not if he takes after you.
That annoyed Qiong Xing enough that he secretly pinched the arm holding Lingxiao.
Afterward, they inford Joa and the others as well.
That night, Raon ended up sleeping together with everyone else.
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