Seeing how things were playing out, Chen Fan turned to Makarov. "Master, I'm going to go look for Romeo. The kid is probably in a dark place, and there's no telling what he might do if he stays in this state of mind."
"Go on then," Makarov replied. "The boy's mother is gone, and with no news of his father, he's likely off somewhere crying his eyes out."
Truth be told, the guild wasn't the best place for Chen Fan right now. He had just finished tearing into half the members, and the atmosphere had turned heavy. It was a good time to let them reflect.
Years of living in comfort had dulled their edges. In the past, even if they hadn't joined him, they never would have stopped Chen Fan from going. Macao's pride was one thing, but did Chen Fan's pride not count for anything? He was a Wizard of Fairy Tail, and a damn great one at that.
Did they really think so little of him just because he didn't use offensive magic? This was a man who could sway the Magic Council itself something even Makarov, their Master, couldn't manage.
Could an "ordinary" Wizard pull that off? They realized they had truly underestimated him. They had been fooled by his daily act the dazed, silly, and slightly mischievous Chen Fan and had committed a nearly unforgivable error in judgment.
"Chen Fan, wait a moment," Mirajane suddenly called out.
Chen Fan turned back, looking puzzled. Mirajane usually ignored him. She held out a small bundle of food.
"Mirajane, is this for me?" Chen Fan asked, touched.
"No," she said softly. "It's for Romeo. His father has been away for days, and I doubt the boy has had a decent meal. Give this to him so he doesn't go hungry."
"Oh... leave it to me!" Chen Fan struck a pose, punching his fist against his chest with a childish grin. "I'm off!" He turned and bolted out the door.
Mirajane returned to the bar and began wiping glasses. Makarov took a long sip of his beer before speaking. "Mirajane, do you dislike Chen Fan? Do you think he's weak?"
"Whatever makes you ask that, Master?" Mirajane smiled.
"I just wondered if you shared the same thoughts as the others," Makarov said, waving a hand dismissively.
"No, I don't dislike him at all. I actually quite like him," she admitted. "Even if his constant confessions and marriage proposals are just jokes to him, I can feel it... somewhere deep inside, there's a place in his heart that remains untouchable."
She seemed ready to continue, but Makarov cut her off. "Why are you talking about your feelings for him instead of his strength?"
Mirajane's face turned bright red, making her look incredibly cute. "Master!"
Makarov chuckled, pleased to see her show such emotion. Since Lisanna had passed, Mirajane had become a different person. She looked happy every day, but Makarov knew better; it pained him to see his "child" like this.
Once she composed herself, Makarov pressed on. "Seriously, what do you think of his strength?"
Mirajane turned serious. "I don't know. Truly. It's as if he has no magic power at all, yet the pressure he emits sometimes is more overwhelming than mine was back when I was at my peak. Over the years, I've felt bursts of intimidation from him that even I couldn't withstand."
"So you noticed too," Makarov whispered, leaning in close with a mysterious glint in his eye. "I'll let you in on a secret: there have been times when even I couldn't handle his pressure."
Leaving Mirajane in a state of shock, the Master turned and headed upstairs to his room.
It took a long time for Mirajane to snap out of it. She finally noticed Gray waving a hand in front of her face. "What did the Master say to you?" Gray asked, confused. "You look like you've lost your soul."
"It's nothing," Mirajane stammered, quickly regaining her professional smile. "Would you like a beer?"
True to his simple nature, Gray was instantly distracted. "Please, I'd love one."
Meanwhile, Chen Fan found Romeo. The boy was sitting on a set of stairs, his head buried in his knees, looking the picture of loneliness.
Chen Fan walked up and sat beside him, making enough noise to be noticed. Romeo looked up, recognized him, and muttered, "Big Brother Chen Fan."
"Are you wondering what kind of man your father is?" Chen Fan asked calmly.
"Yeah," Romeo said, his voice trembling. "The other kids say my dad is just a coward who loves to drink. They say he's no Wizard..."
Chen Fan raised a hand to stop him. "I don't know what you think of your father, but I know he's a great man. It has nothing to do with being a Wizard; it's about being a father."
Romeo looked confused, so Chen Fan continued. "Want to hear a story?"
Romeo nodded earnestly.
Chen Fan looked into the distance, his eyes growing misty with memory. "Once, there was a family. It wasn't a warm home. The father spent his time drinking and gambling while the mother worked herself to the bone.
The child in that family spent his days playing in the mud alone. Sometimes, the father would get drunk and hit the boy. The mother would try to protect him and get beaten herself. Eventually, she couldn't take it anymore, and the family split.
The father didn't want the boy. The mother took him, sharing every bite of food she could find and bringing him along to work. But the father? He never came to visit, not even once.
When the boy was bullied, the father wasn't there to help, and the boy never told his mother because he didn't want to break her heart..."
As he spoke, tears welled in his eyes. Romeo stared at him, stunned. In his memory, Chen Fan was always laughing, kind, and approachable. Crying was a concept that seemed lightyears away from him.
Chen Fan realized the mood had grown too heavy and wiped his eyes. He turned back with a smile. "I wandered off track. All you need to remember is that your father is a great man. Understand?"
"Yes," Romeo nodded.
Chen Fan rubbed the boy's head. "Since you're being such a good listener, I'll tell you some good news. Your father isn't dead. In fact, he's almost home."
Romeo perked up instantly. "Where? How do you know?"
"I know a bit of Prediction Magic," Chen Fan said mysteriously. "But you have to keep it a secret. It's just between us."
"I will! I promise!"
Suddenly, a voice called out from the distance. "Romeo!"
Natsu appeared, supporting a wounded Macao.
"Dad!" Romeo screamed, lunging at Macao and nearly knocking the injured man over.
Once Macao regained his balance, he looked at his son guiltily. "Sorry for making you worry, kid."
"It's okay. I'm the son of a Wizard, after all," Romeo sniffled, wiping his nose.
"Next time those punks bother you, you tell them your dad took down nineteen monsters!" Macao bragged with a smug grin.
Chen Fan walked over and pressed the food Mirajane had provided into Macao's hand. As his hand brushed Macao's arm, he subtly stimulated the man's metabolism and blood flow. The wounds began to knit together instantly.
Macao felt a surge of vitality and realized his injuries were gone. He looked at Chen Fan, knowing exactly who was responsible. "I'm sorry for the trouble again."
"Don't mention it between brothers," Chen Fan said, catching Natsu and Lucy's eyes. "Just get some rest and take good care of Romeo. He was worried sick about you."
Romeo jumped down from his father's arms and waved as the group headed back to the guild. "Big Brother Natsu, Big Sister Lucy, thank you! And Big Brother Chen Fan, I'll keep our secret!"
Chen Fan waved back without looking, his silhouette stretching long in the setting sun.
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