(Arata)
We settled at the dinner table. Mom and Aunt Huria sat on either side of . Zaylen and Stella took their seats opposite us while Baba perched on his designated head seat.
Thankfully, I wasn’t nauseated at that mont, just hungry.
I filled my plate with so rice and sauteed veggies—a bowl of stew.
Everyone threw casual glances at my plate but I knew they were ensuring I had enough. The chatter and clutter began.
Aunt Huria rubbed her hands together and cast a very subtle look towards Mom and Baba.
"It’s ti to tell the real love story of you two love birds."
Zaylen and Stella’s ears must have pricked as they exchanged glances with . I only knowingly smiled and let Aunt Huria do the deed.
Baba had a confusion reflecting ripple on his forehead while Mom busied herself in fiddling with the food on her plate.
"Go on, Aunt Huria. I want to hear it."
"So your Mom was a real daredevil. When that pathetic excuse for a human, Doran, cheated on her; I ensured she went drinking and fishing. And I hooked her with your father in the nightclub Mirage."
Zaylen’s bulging eyes swept from to Mom and Baba. Stella’s eyebrows had disappeared into her hair from the shock.
Baba loudly cleared his throat while Mom was hysterically laughing with Aunt Huria.
"This is wild. Mom, I never knew..." Zaylen’s food lay forgotten on his plate.
"Those were the days. I didn’t even fear getting caught and your father was the gentlest, the most caring man I had ever t," Mom revealed.
I already knew how special he was.
My gaze t his and I smiled at him for being so kind to Mom—to us.
"Now that we are spilling secrets, your Mom was too cute and thought I was the real Kakashi in her drunken state," Baba teased and all of us burst out laughing. "I still rember how she told she loved my Chidori."
Mom blushed at his words and both of them shared this intense emotional look with each other.
"It has almost been 35 years," she finally spoke, reaching out and placing her hand on top of his. His thumb traced hers and I felt my heart lting.
"You guys never told us this. I can’t believe you guys hid such a story from us." Zaylen was shaking his head while Stella sympathetically rubbed his arm.
"Co to for their wild stories. I know too many." Aunt Huria winked at Zaylen and he saluted her.
My heart swelled and eased. My parents had overco all obstacles and found their way to each other.
Maybe, one day I could find my way to Karsten as well.
"Don’t spill too many of our beans, Huria. You will spoil them," Baba warned, his eyes drifting to . I knew he ant , I had already betrayed his trust so brutally.
"I am their aunt. It’s my right to spoil them." Aunt Huria shrugged her shoulders.
We busied ourselves with eating.
"Yes, but nowadays n only like to take advantage and hurt others. I don’t want my kids to get hurt more than they already have."
I understood where Baba was coming from. Their love story was like straight out of so dark fairytale where Baba had erged as Mom’s saviour and hero. But, he didn’t believe n of our era were capable of doing what he did.
"Kids always find their own way. But a good example is always needed to lead them—to give them hope that they can find soone worthy."
Baba scoffed, placing his fork down.
"Worthy? No one is worthy of my daughter. And I am done standing on the sidelines and letting her get hurt. No man looking to hurt her is going to cross my threshold ever," he declared, fuming, and that relaxed vibe was suddenly replaced by a tense one.
Dead silence followed his words.
Aunt Huria squeezed my arm affectionately, telling it was all right. I just buried my eyes into my half-finished plate.
"Zy! Let’s relax. We will discuss it later. She just got ho," Mom tried to diffuse the situation and Baba didn’t speak after that.
My appetite died. Quietly picking up the napkin, I dabbed my lips and pushed my chair back.
"I want to be excused," I said in a small voice, not glancing in anyone’s direction.
"Moonshine, please, finish your food," Baba requested, his voice soft.
"I am not hungry and feel tired after the journey. I need to lay down." Getting up, I made my way back to my room. I heard footsteps behind and knew Zaylen and Stella were following .
The elders remained behind to discuss their next course of action. I knew they would be divided on Karsten, and soon, the question would be sprung towards .
"Are you alright?" Stella’s hands, I felt around my shoulders. She settled on the bed and sat down. Zaylen took his stance in front like a protector.
"I feel so disappointed in myself. I should want soone normal in my life, like Callum. But I don’t. My heart won’t fit anyone else. It hurts, especially seeing how much Baba gets disturbed even by his thoughts," I lanted, placing my head on Stella’s shoulder.
"Take your ti, Arata. You have been through so much. Dad gets overly emotional when it cos down to you. Everyone knows that. Let Mom handle him for now," Zaylen suggested but the tension in his voice didn’t go unnoticed by .
Deep down, we both knew how stubborn Baba could get especially when it ca down to his children.
"Yes, let yourself heal. We are here for you, and when the ti is right, and if you still want him, we will always back you. Rember, we have his deepest secret with us, he won’t dare hurt you."
Even without Stella’s assurance, I knew Karsten wouldn’t hurt , not anymore and my intuitions had never been wrong.
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