"You must be tired. Let's talk later, Lia. Go get some rest, your room is clean and ready for you."
Kelly had just begun questioning Natalia out of sheer curiosity when Kevin gently cut her off.
He realized just how exhausting it must have been for their daughter to endure two flights to reach them. Whatever her reasons for visiting or for coming back for good, Kevin knew the ghosts of what had driven her out of the country might return the moment she settled in. For now, a break was what she needed most.
"Thanks, Dad," Natalia said, a wave of relief washing over her.
She was running on pure adrenaline, masking her exhaustion until now. But more than the physical fatigue, she was struggling to shake off a heavy anchor of regret.
Seeing her parents so genuinely thrilled by her return only made the ache worse. She regretted leaving them in the first place, and she regretted waiting this long to come back.
Having never visited them once during her time away, she felt like a thoroughly selfish daughter. She'd had her own trials to face, of course, but the nagging voice in her head whispered that she could have tried harder.
Then, there was that omega.
Natalia had noticed immediately that someone else had been taking care of her parents in her absence. She remembered him, but she couldn't deny that he had changed. Dramatically.
It was highly amusing how he still seemed terrified of her, yet rolled his eyes when he thought she wasn't looking, clearly believing he was being smooth about it. Natalia wasn't offended at all, in fact, she found the theatricality of it incredibly interesting.
He's actually kind of cute, she thought.
He was undeniably the same quiet omega her mother had brought home years ago, but his personality had undergone a complete transformation.
Back then, he was a ghost, silent, shrinking into the background, desperate to remain invisible. Now, he was expressive, lively, and... surprisingly charming.
It was obvious her parents were never bored with him around. Within just the first hour of her arrival, Natalia could see how comfortable he had become with them. It was a good thing since it seemed he had finally learned to trust her family.
Haa... I wonder if Mom is going to cry again when I tell her I'm never leaving, Natalia mused, tying her hair back as she grabbed a change of clothes from her suitcase.
Heading into the bathroom, her mind swirled with conflicting thoughts. She had anticipated an awkward adjustment period, but surprisingly, being back felt entirely natural.
Because I'm finally home, she realized.
Sighing, Natalia threw herself onto the bed, a soft smile tugging at her lips. I really should have come back sooner. Within minutes, the residual warmth of the shower and the deep comfort of her childhood bedroom lulled her into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.
.....
"I still can't believe it. I talked to her literally two days ago, and she didn't even drop a hint that she was coming!" Kelly complained, throwing her hands up.
"Didn't she already explain why? She makes a fair point, Kelly," Kevin replied calmly.
"Okay, fine. Dad and daughter can team up against me, as usual. But Arthur, look at it from my side, she should have told me beforehand, right?"
Arthur, who had been content watching the couple bicker from the sidelines, suddenly froze. He absolutely did not want to get dragged into this.
Siding with Aunty Kelly might cost him his ice cream privileges with Uncle Kevin, but siding with Kevin would make Aunty sad... which also endangered his ice cream privileges.
This is all Natalia's fault, Arthur thought, pouting.
Hoping to blend into the wallpaper, he slipped away toward the fridge, assuming they would ignore him and return to their playful squabbling.
Unfortunately, his getaway vehicle failed him. Instead of finding a distraction, he inadvertently launched a second front in the domestic war and this time, he had no one to blame but himself.
"Arthur! I didn't let you stay home today just so you could raid the ice cream!" Kelly scolded.
"She's right, Arthur," Kevin chimed in, suddenly switching sides. "You've been coughing terribly at night. You need to cut back on the cold sweets."
"Exactly. No more ice cream for the rest of the week," Kelly declared, before narrowing her eyes at her husband. "And Kevin, if you buy him another tub, I'm kicking you out of the house!"
"Oh, come on, Kelly!"
"Hmph!" Kelly glared at Kevin, then turned her stern gaze back to Arthur.
God help me... Arthur thought, dejectedly closing the fridge door and returning to the table empty-handed.
It felt inherently wrong to walk away from the fridge without a snack in his hand as it was practically a reflex for him. What made it worse was the agonizing knowledge that the ice cream tub inside was completely full.
Arthur's signature pout deepened, throwing the couple into a sudden, guilty silence. They looked at each other, instantly softened by the dramatic display of heartbreak.
"Oh, alright," Kelly relented, nudging Arthur gently. "You can have a little bit after lunch, but that's the absolute limit."
Arthur's face instantly lit up, a bright giggle escaping him that made Kevin chuckle in response.
"Seriously, Arthur," Kevin said, shaking his head. "Are you sure your students actually take you seriously? I can't even picture you managing a room full of high schoolers."
Arthur turned to Kevin, giving him a knowing smirk.
It was a question Kevin asked often. Seeing Arthur act so child-like at home made it impossible to picture his professional persona.
Kevin had been skeptical when Arthur first chose education as a career path, but he had supported him unconditionally. Still, the curiosity remained.
High schoolers were a brutal crowd. Whether they were Alphas, Betas, or Omegas, teenagers were universally rebellious and difficult.
So, how did a grown man who sulked over ice cream run a tight ship in a classroom? Did he have a split personality?
"Well, that's a secret," Arthur said mischievously.
Kevin rolled his eyes, but his laugh was cut short when Kelly playfully smacked his arm.
A secret? From Arthur? Impossible. The boy couldn't keep a secret to save his life.
Just a few months ago, Kelly had planned a surprise birthday party for Kevin and enlisted Arthur's help. Kelly trusted him implicitly, but the boy had ruined it within days.
He had casually walked up to Kevin and asked what his favorite color was because, "I want to know what color to make the frosting on your surprise birthday cake."
He couldn't just stop at the color, the sheer excitement had caused him to spill the entire plan right then and there. At the time, Kelly had been exasperated, but now, it was a memory she and Kevin laughed about regularly.
Arthur was a child at heart, and they fiercely wanted to protect that. His early childhood hadn't been easy, so seeing his inner child thrive and enjoy life now was a blessing.
But back to the topic of secrets, the birthday cake was just the tip of the iceberg. There were dozens of incidents just like it.
"Oh, come on, what is it? Aunty really wants to know," Kelly coaxed, trying to sweet-talk the information out of him.
Arthur paused, seemingly choosing his words with immense care. "No, Aunty. A secret is a secret. Teaching is my calling, and I am highly skilled at it. Even the Alpha students in my class are terrified of me. They never act out, and honestly, everyone really likes me."
Kevin listened closely, fully expecting Arthur to get too excited and accidentally blurt out the truth. It seemed, however, that turning twenty-four had finally brought a shred of maturity to their boy. Maybe he was growing u-
"Hehe... It's actually because on my first week, an Alpha student grabbed my ass, so I ripped a handful of his hair out," Arthur giggled cheerfully. "I think they're all just terrified I'll do the same to them if they cross me. I'm basically a tyrant to them, so they're completely obedient."
...Yeah. There it was.
The secret.