That day with Auntie Lunette marked the birth of his new interests: reading comics of all shapes and sizes, regardless of what they are, as long as he enjoys the story.
He has read graphic novels, comics, manhua, manga, and manhwa together with So-mang and Haoyi over at So-mang's house the next day.
He would prefer this over a novel because of how much he enjoyed the illustrations and wanted to enjoy the art alongside the narrative and dialogue of the story.
In-ah and Sena, both of So-mang's sisters, were out with their auntie on a shopping trip together, which left the three boys at home.
So-mang: "Ren has been gone for so long, huh?"
Ren: "Yeah, he has, but he is supposed to return in three days."
The Young Boy: "Ohhh."
The young boy and So-mang discuss with each other about the whole fantasy series that was read to him yesterday with Auntie Lunette.
The book that was read to him by Auntie Lunette was not actually the first book, but the third, and So-mang gave him manhwas to borrow that adapted the first book of the series.
While he read the manhwa, he was mesmerised by the art and design of the scenes of the story, which include the characters, setting, and places such as the academy, the huge dungeon the characters had to go into to obtain a treasure, and the holy church that worships the Sun Goddess.
The whole series was a fantasy series authored by two people and was still ongoing, which tells the story of someone transmigrating into another world and being gifted a cheat, which was a system that works like a cellphone that calls, navigates, and presents the protagonist's status.
The protagonist in the first book has met two sisters who both assisted him after he helped them deal with some thieves that try to cheat them both out of a deal.
The protagonist goes on to help the two sisters despite his lack of any strong powers by using his past experiences in his previous world.
He also met a swordswoman who had agreed to train all three of them until they all got to the capital.
Throughout the course of the book, the three of them went to enroll in an academy after encountering the swordswoman who appeared to be a professor in the academy teaching sword training.
They then proceeded to their first dungeon, which was the lowest rank, with the supervision of the swordswoman, and managed to clear it because of their teamwork and skills.
In the end, the protagonist managed to encounter something that was happening at the Holy Church of the Sun Goddess, at the hands of bandits who wished to steal the donations people made to the church.
From the perspective of one who has read stories with the same formula, it was kind of cliché and predictable, but for the three ten-year-old boys, it was like a masterpiece to them.
The Young Boy "Did you see how cool he was with the way he saved those girls!"
Haoyi: "Yeah, he was, but I liked how the buildings look here."
So-mang: "I like the cute girls."
Haoyi: "Of course you do."
So-mang: "Hey!"
The Young Boy: "Yeah, hahahahahaha, you would like them."
The three boys continue to have fun talking about the piece of work until....
So-Mang's Auntie: "We are home!... So-mang, come help us!"
In-ah: "So-mang hyung?!"
Sena: "So-mang!"
So-mang: "Sorry, my aunt and my sisters are calling for me. I will return"
Haoyi: "Okay!"
Sena: "So-mang!"
So-mang: "I am coming, okay, Noona!"
So-mang then left the room, leaving both the young boy and Haoyi reading alone together.
The Young Boy: "So you're excited to see what comes next, Haoyi bro."
Haoyi: "Hey, of course, my dude."
They both then turned to the door and glanced at each other.
Haoyi: "Let's read ahead of him?"
The Young Boy: "Yeah!"
Haoyi: "Yeah!"
Then they both did just that, getting the next volume off the shelf and reading it.
In-ah: "Hyung...s?"
Haoyi: "Ahhh, In-ah, welcome come in!"
Sena: "Ohhh! Hello there, Haoyi, and.....who are you?"
The young boy then smiled and introduced himself to Sena, who was the older sister of So-mang.
Sena: "Ohhh yeah, So-mang did tell us about you."
The Young Boy: "Yeah."
So-mang's Auntie: "I am Eun-hee, So-mang's aunt. Nice to meet you."
The Young Boy: "Yeah."
The young boy and Haoyi kept on reading the series ahead of So-mang, then In-ah came over to the young boy's side as he read.
In-ah: "Hey, ummm, Hyung, do you want to play with me?"
The Young Boy: Later, okay then, In-ah."
In-ah: Okay."
In-ah skipped to her room while So-mang returned, looking so mad
So-mang: "Hey, you jerks! Do not read without me!"
Haoyi: "You are taking long So-mang."
So-mang: "Haoyi!"
The young boy, Sena, and So-mang's auntie laughed, which made So-mang embarrassed and angry.
The young boy enjoyed his days with his best friends, along with their family, who treated him as if he were part of their family.
The young boy wished not to let these moments end.
Dad: "Son, we are going to a hotel for your mother's work next week for five days and four nights."
The Young Boy: "What?"
Mom: "Yeah, and we are planning to bring Lunette and Nanami with us, you know, to give them a chance to have fun."
The young boy was shocked by this, not just about going on a staycation for the summer holiday, but was also shocked about bringing in Auntie Lunette and Nanami sis with them, as it was always just the three of them.
The young boy yet again felt so uncomfortable.
The feeling inside of him, pricking at him from his sides and making him have this chill down his spine.
He felt so nervous and afraid about this new change.
He did not hate Auntie Lunette or Nanami sis.
He genuinely cherished their company, seeing them through a lens of affection that resembled family ties. Yet, a part of him held back, still hesitant to fully embrace the idea of including them in family outings or gatherings. While he felt a bond with them, he wasn't quite ready to invite them into every aspect of his life.
He did not know what to feel, what to expect, or how much this feeling was wrong.
Denying any invitation is wrong, absolutely wrong, truly and highly wrong.
The young boy wanted to complain, but he could not, after all, he did not want to make his parents mad, nor hurt the feelings of Auntie Lunette and Nanami sis, who both moved into a new environment with the father of Nanami sis not present.
"Okay!"
He decided to answer like that without complaining, after all, he is being selfish for not inviting them.
"Then it is decided, let's invite them"
His mother happily said while his father looked at him, but did not say anything. After all, he needed to be sure and avoid making any assumptions.
He needed to observe and make sure.
His mother and father are not horrible parents after all, they have not expected their son to ever have this uncomfortable feeling because the young boy has said nothing about it at all in his life.
The young boy made a smile without actually realizing anything at all. After all, what can a young boy who wishes to be the kind and good boy that he strives to be ever acknowledge any feelings of falseness in an emotion such as a happy smile?
Is there such a thing as kinds of smiles when the act is just turning the corners of your lips upside.
The young boy dealt with it, not understanding anything, and so he was not bothered by it because of his childhood brain.
With that, the next day came as it did
The Young Boy: "And so...I am not going to be greeting Ren with you guys because I am going to be going on a staycation with my mom, dad, Auntie Lunette, and Nanami sis."
Haoyi: "Ohhh....well, I am sure Ren would understand."
So-mang: "Yeah!"
Haoyi: "So, where are you going to stay?"
The Young Boy: "Mom said a hotel that seemed to be a fancy one."
So-mang: "Wow."
Haoyi: "So are you excited?"
The Young Boy: "Excited?.... I am not sure what a fancy hotel looks like."
So-mang: "You don't, huh?"
Haoyi: "Well, it can not be helped."
The Young Boy: "You think so, guys."
So-mang: "You might not be able to see Ren starting next week, though."
The Young Boy: "Why?"
Haoyi: "Well, Ren will come home after you, and little Nanami will be gone for that trip of yours."
So-mang: "Yeah, but it is fine, we can tell Ren anyway, so it will be fine."
The Young Boy: "Yeah!"
The young boy throughout the whole week spent the rest of the week playing with Haoyi and So-mang at either of their houses, playing with their siblings, and hanging out with Nanami-sis and Auntie Lunette when he is at home.
Despite Nanami-sis talking a lot with Ningyi, she still likes to hang out with the young boy without any complaints or issues, and the young boy, as well, forgot about those feelings as they never arose and were not reminded of them.
The week went by in a flash, and so they arrived at the hotel, which was far from home.
Nanami: "Whoa! Mom! Mom! Mom!....this place looks beautiful!"
Auntie Lunette: "You think so, Nanami?"
Mom: "Hey, it looks nice and fancy looking, huh, Nanami?"
The Young Boy: "Wow! This place is huge!"
The father looked on, amazed by the look, but not at all expressing too much excitement; that isn't to say he isn't, but he is keeping his emotions in control; he can not help but smile at the four's reactions, though.
They all checked into the rooms, and the rooms were separate as a single room could not house five people at the same time.
So the room placements were as follows.
Mom, Dad, and the young boy are in one room, while Auntie Lunette and Nanami are in the other room.
However, during that day, Auntie Lunette was unpacking with the help of Collette, and the young boy's mother, and his father went out to buy some take-outs for the five of them to eat.
Nanami and the young boy were alone in the room, enjoying themselves in the air-conditioned room on a floor that has the great view of the surrounding area.
They were up high, though.
The Young Boy: "Nanami, look at this!"
Nanami: "Wow....hey big bro, this all looks so amazing!"
The Young Boy: "Yeah!"
Nanami: "Hey! Let's play hide and seek!"
The Young Boy: "Okay, but in the room."
Nanami: "Of course, in the room.....I am afraid to go out without Mom."
The Young Boy: "Me too, I want to see mom and dad."
Nanami: "But they are busy, so let's wait."
The Young Boy: "Yeah."
Nanami and the young boy together played hide and seek, then after that watched TV together....but even after all of that, the young boy glances at his backpack, thinking back to the day before he left, when he went to visit So-mang alone because Haoyi was being dragged on a family outing with his family.
So-mang: "Hey, by the way, you can borrow these."
The Young Boy: "You think I can borrow them So-mang?"
So-mang: "Yeah, you can just not break them."
The Young Boy: "Okay."
The young boy then glances at the sleeping Nanami and tucked her into bed just like he did with In-ah whenever they both finished playing with each other.
So-mang taught him how to do it, seeing as how the young boy did not have any younger siblings.
The young boy seemed to get the hang of it just by doing it once, and he has done this multiple times with Nanami, Ningyi, and In-ah.
The young boy walked to his backpack, which he brought and pulled out the fifth manhwa adaptation, which adapts the first five to six chapters of the third book in the series.
He read the manhwa book on the bed beside a sleeping Nanami, who is hugging him tightly.
Later, while reading, the young boy fell asleep, and the book rested on his stomach.
Nanami then woke up and saw the book on her big brother's stomach, which she got and began to read. She became interested in it, but only until chapter two, when she got bored with it and went to watch TV after putting the book back on the young boy's stomach.
Nanami few hours into watching tv glances at her big brother sleeping peacefully and decides to wrap her arms around him and gently pat his head, which seems to make his face look happier and warmer as he begins to unconsciously wrap his arms around Nanami, to which she tightens her grip on him.
Nanami: "Big brother, please continue to keep me safe like you always do."
Later in the evening, they all ate at the table the take-outs that were bought by the young boy's father, who seemed to be resting on the couch.
The mother was not present as she went off to attend the event, which was the reason why they all were staying at the hotel during that time.
Auntie Lunette, meanwhile, was sitting between the young boy and Nanami as they ate, smiling at them.
From the perspective of others, the three of them look like a mother with her son and daughter eating together at the table.
Then they all went to bed...except for the young boy.
The young boy was so excited about tomorrow that he had difficulty sleeping, and wearing his pajamas with the fluffy slippers that came with the room in a cold air-conditioned room, walked around the room trying to sleep and watching the internet on his tablet.
Mom: "Son....why are you still awake?"
The Young Boy: "Ohhh mom you are back now."
Mom: "Yeah, it is about to be eleven o'clock, and you are still awake even till now."
The Young Boy: "Sorry mom I just could not sleep."
Mom: "Yeah, well, I will tuck you in after I take a warm bath, okay, so you at least try to sleep."
The Young Boy: "But mom I am bored of trying to sleep."
Mom: "Fine, then wait for me. I will be right back, okay?"
The Young Boy: "Okay then mom."
Mom: "Good."
His mother went to rummage in the suitcase, then disappeared into the bathroom.
His father was in bed, having fallen asleep thirty minutes ago.
His mother was also tired but decided to tuck him in.
His father was so tired of having to drive and walk so long that he fell asleep as soon as his head felt the softness of the pillow.
His mother then got out of the bathroom, wiping her wet hair with her clothes on.
His father lay there snoring lightly.
Mom: "Come to bed, son."
The Young Boy: "Okay."
The young boy obediently followed his mom as he also wished to fall asleep, but was frustrated by his excitement getting in the way of that.
The mother then held the young boy in her arms, and she started to caress his head.
The mother made a motherly and sweet smile as she kept on giving him playful touches to his cheeks and head.
The mother then began to hum some lullaby to him, to which the young boy looked at her, smiling and feeling so happy deep down as the thought of falling asleep and the events that would happen the next day seemed to overtake by the young boy's mind, complimenting his mother and childishly wishing she could keep on comforting him every night.
The young boy did sleep in his own room and bed, but that hotel room had only one bed, and so the three of them slept on the same bed. The same goes for Auntie Lunette and Nanami sis, who seemed to have already fallen asleep while wrapping their arms around each other and snoring lightly.
His eyes began to close as his mother's soothing voice brought him to sleep.
The Next Day came, and the young boy reminisce on his mother last night.
He has loved his mother deep down more than his father.
He remembered her soothing voice and the gentle pats she gave him.
He remembered how nice she smelled since she was using the soap that was provided in the room.
He remembered her warm embrace in the cold hotel room with the blanket covering not just him and his mom, but his dad as well.
He only thought about what happened last night for a few minutes.
Dad: "Yawn...ohhh good morning, son."
The Young Boy: "Hello there dad."
Dad: "yes hello to you too, son."
His father got up from his bed after he prayed, then he headed for the coffee machine, which had cups, coffee mix, cream, sugar, and even a teaspoon that was also provided by the room to make coffee.
The young boy looked at his father's calm face, then the sun shone on him through the small opening of the blinds which covered the windows.
He then approached the window, slowly opening the blinds to see the sun rising in the distance, which accompanied the beautiful view he and Nanami sis saw yesterday.
The young boy saw this and felt so enamored by the orange-yellow sun shining on the city below.
Knock Knock Knock goes the door, then his father opened it, to which Auntie Lunette and Nanami sis stood there.
Auntie Lunette: "Good morning to you, Isaac."
Dad: "Yes, good morning to you too, Lunette."
Nanami: "Is my big brother awake?"
Dad: "Yes, he is. Why don't you come in?"
Auntie Lunette: "Where is Colette, though?"
Dad: "She is still asleep."
Auntie Lunette: "Ohhh.....are you sure you want us to come in?"
Dad: "Ohhh, I am sure, plus she is fine with you both anyway."
Auntie Lunette: "Ohhh, ummmm if you say so then."
Lunette calmly walked in while Nanami sis ran ahead to the young boy, who gazed at the rising sun that continued to rise over the big city below.
Nanami: "Big brother, come play with.....wow, this looks pretty."
The Young Boy: "Yeah....it does seem like it....sis."
They were both mesmerised by the sun and did not notice the father coming to the young boy.
Dad: "Hey, let's go, son."
The Young Boy: "Go where exactly?"
Dad: "To swim.....you said you want to come with me to go for a morning swim."
The Young Boy: "Ohhh yeah, I almost forgot."
Nanami: "Can I come too?"
Dad: "Sure, you can come too."
Nanami: "Mommy....."
Auntie Lunette: "Fine, you can go, just stay close to your uncle Isaac, okay."
Nanami: "Okay!"
The three of them, having dressed in swimming attire, had gone down to the pool area, and then they all played together happily.
Nanami and the young boy spent three hours splashing and swimming together, as both of them had already learned the basic strokes and kicks for them to play around and have fun.
The father then looked at the two kids laughing, screaming, and playing together, and then he saw his own son laughing and moving around.
The Young Boy: "Come on, Nanami! let's see who can hold their breath the longest."
Nanami: "No way, I am too scared."
The Young Boy: "It is okay, you can do it, my dad and I are here."
Nanami: "Okay, just do not leave me, big bro."
The father looked on and agreed with what his wife said to him a few days ago.
Dad: "Hah, they do look like brother and sister playing and having fun."
Later, all of them had dried up, showered, and went to the buffet to eat lunch.
Mom: "I can not believe you just let Lunette and Colette in while I was sleeping....I had no make-up on me."
Dad: "Calm down, dear, you said you would be fine with them if they came in."
Mom: "I was joking, okay."
Dad: "Joking? No way you were not joking at all when you said that."
Mom: "Lies!"
Dad: "No! I told you, dear, I am..."
The five of them were standing in front of the entrance with the waitress in the front, leading them to their table.
Nanami sis and the young boy both had fun eating and drinking whatever they wanted from the buffet, while the young boy's parents continued to playfully argue with each other, and Auntie Lunette was focusing too much on her food.
The young boy was eating his food while reading the book when.....
Spill
Clink
Dribble
Auntie Lunette: "Ohhh!"
Nanami: "Sorry."
The Young Boy: "Hey!"
There was a spill at the table, accidentally done by Nanami. The voice of anger coming from the young boy was because the liquid seemed to spill over the book that So-mang had lent to him for a while.
Nanami: "I'm sorry."
Mom: "Hey... it's okay..."
The Young Boy: "Do you even realize what you did, Nanami? That was a book given to me by So-mang! Why did you spill water on it?"
Nanami: "Big brother?"
Dad: "Hey! Son! Sit down now!"
The Young Boy: "No, Dad, she started it..."
Dad: "Sit down now, or else!"
The young boy complained but remained angry at Nanami, who looked like she might cry.
Mom: "Son! Why did you shout at Nanami?"
The Young Boy: "Because, Mom, she spilled her drink on my book!"
Mom: "Well, it's not just Nanami's fault; it's yours as well."
The Young Boy: "What?"
He couldn't understand... how could it be his fault? He hadn't done anything wrong. It was all Nanami's fault for spilling the water.
Why should he take the blame for something he didn't do?
The Young Boy: "But, Mom, I didn't do anything wrong."
Mom: "You were reading at the table when you could have done it earlier or later. You're not supposed to have books on the table."
The Young Boy: "But, Mom, it's not a big deal..."
Mom: "Regardless, the dining table is for eating, not for reading or using your tablet. Listen, son, just say sorry to Nanami."
The Young Boy: "For what, Mom?"
Mom: "For yelling at her... and you'll have to say sorry to me next."
The Young Boy: "Why?!"
Mom: "Because you're yelling and talking back to me!"
Dad: "Is this how you talk to your mother, no, to your parents!"
The young boy kept on being mad while his mother and father kept on scolding him. Nanami was hugging her mother so tight repeatedly saying sorry to her.
Nanami: "Big brother, why are you yelling at me! Wah! Mom, help save me!"
Auntie Lunette: "Nanami, listen, it is okay....it was an accident, just say sorry to him for spilling on his book."
Nanami: "I am sorry, big brother, for messing with your book."
The Young Boy: "I will never forgive you....you....you.....stupid little girl!"
Dad: "Son, Forgive her now, it is not worth it."
There was a crowd of people looking at the drama happening before, but the young boy and Nanami did not notice at all.
The Young Boy: "I forgive you, Nanami."
He said it grumblingly, but without even realizing this unlocked this new fear in Nanami.....since after that day Nanami did not play with him the rest of the day or the day after, and the day after that.
The young boy was very guilty and wanted to ask Nanami to play with him again, but Auntie Lunette would not let him in.
He did not understand why.
He would not understand.
He could not understand that Nanami wanted space, but the young boy, without any shame, kept on insisting.
Auntie Lunette: "Enough! Leave her be, okay! Do not do this now!"
Auntie Lunette yelled at him, to which the young boy stared at her angry expression, then closed the door.
Auntie Lunette: "Do not worry, Nanami, everything is okay."
Nanami: "Mom....I am afraid of him being so mad at me."
Auntie Lunette: "I know it is okay, shhhh."
Nanami: "I miss him, but I am still afraid of him."
Auntie Lunette: "It is okay, you can take a break, and I am sure his mother and father will make him understand."
She was right, in the next room, which was the room of the young boy and his parents.
Dad: "Listen here, son, you got mad at Nanami and made her scared."
The Young Boy: "But I am not wrong; she is at fault."
Dad: "Even though she spilled her water on your book, you..."
The Young Boy "It was So-mang's....."
Dad: "What?"
The Young Boy: "It is my friend So-mang's book...he told me not to break it, and I was so mad at Nanami for doing such a thing and scared of So-mang being mad at me."
Dad: "Ohhh....so when you were mad at Nanami.....wouldn't she be scared of you?"
The Young Boy: "Huh....ohhh....yeah....she would be."
The father let out a sigh.
Dad: "Listen, my son, you can not let your emotions control your rationality. Be calm and forgive Nanami."
The Young Boy: "But....."
Dad: "Even though you were correct that it was Nanami sis' fault, but it was an accident, and you were at fault for reading while eating."
The Young Boy: "..."
Dad: "Now come on, let's go swimming. We can not let this trip go bad just because you made one mistake."
The Young Boy: "You sure this is fine dad."
Dad: "Yes, now come on, I am not doing this as a reward but for you to calm down and be happy, okay."
The Young Boy: "Okay."
The young said not in a happy or excited tone, but compliant and accepting of the offer because the whole situation felt painful inside.
The result of this one week trip was Nanami sis, while still being comforted by Auntie Lunette and Colette, the young boy's mother, she was still upset by the angry look on the young boy's face and the scary tone he used the same way her father did when he tried to self-justify his reasons for throwing them out and divorcing her mother for another woman.
The young boy and his father went swimming, but the young boy could not relax. After all, he missed Nanami, and they both agreed to swim together.
The young boy was not able to interact with Nanami sis throughout the whole trip.
Days come and go, and before they all knew it.
Mom: "Last day, guys, I am going to pack our things....."
The young boy's mother then glanced at him
Mom: "Go hang out with your Auntie Lunette and Nanami."
The Young Boy: "Mom, are you sure I can?"
Mom: "Just go, okay, now go before your friendship is ruined over this."
The Young Boy: "Okay."
The young boy went out of his room, nervously approached, then knocked on the door, and Nanami answered the door with her mother behind her, looking at him while crossing her arms.
Auntie Lunette: "Well, you got anything to say?"
The Young Boy: "I am very sorry for yelling at you, Nanami....I was wrong for yelling at you."
Nanami: "Big brother....I am sorry for wetting the book."
The young boy let out a sigh, then.
The Young Boy: "It is fine...if I explain it to So-mang properly, then maybe he can excuse this."
Nanami: "You think so....I hope so."
The young boy found it so easy to make up as friends by simply saying sorry with sincerity. Deep in his mind, he wondered why friendships never last over a simple mistake when it could all be solved by a sincere and meaningful apology.
During the last day of the trip, Nanami continued to play with the young boy but kept on being careful with him to not make him mad at her again.
This whole situation is like Nanami walking around with an explosive by her side, afraid that doing something wrong would trigger it to go off with a nasty, scary blast that would make their friendship even worse.
The young boy then talked about the fantasy book series he was reading, talking about how much he likes the characters fighting for what they believe in and their dreams.
The young boy talked with Nanami about the book series, which made her feel interested in it again, and read the book to her, showing the pictures and reenacting scenes using his voice, and showing it to Nanami.
They all left later that day.
The car ride home had both the kids not speaking to each other, not out of anger and hatred, but guilt and awkwardness.
For the young boy, the absence of Haoyi, So-mang, or even Ren meant he had to navigate his feelings alone. He unwittingly made a mistake, without anyone there to guide him or to intervene, before he unintentionally let his emotions spill over onto the seven-year-old Nanami.
The supposed anticipated fun and enjoyment of their hotel trip was supposed to symbolize a joyous experience for all five of them, but instead, it spiraled into a melodramatic episode the moment Nanami and the young boy began to fight.
The whole situation seemed to be resolved however despite the happy resolution this marks a turning point between Nanami sis and her big brother's relationship with each other.