Something was wrong.

  Everyone saw the shog se of two of the most fierd respected characters in the uy have aional breakdown.

  The once bustling aed atmosphere had fallen mostly silent.

  No one approached out of respect or fear, so no one knew what Nicole and Tiana had said to Jun. The amount of tears shed and the looks of distress on the faces of the two women that prided themselves at never showing weakness was incredibly unnerving to those who khem.

  Davie couldn't see what was going on since he was too busy trying to set up the reaming at. He wasn't usually mentally equipped for tasks like this, but knowing how important the event was for his bro had given him an unpreted focus. As he ehe st firmation key, he was feeling pretty good about himself as he checked the time.

  He was so happy as he was running back that he didn't notice the stramosphere till he was standing right behind his bro and spped his back. Then he froze.

  He too khe identities of the two girls that were now weeping into his bro's arms.

  'Okay, what the hell?'

  Then Jun turned around.

  “Is everything ready?”

  “Ye-ye-yes. Yeah, just say when, and drones are up.” Davie stuttered. Jun's eyes.

  “Great Davie. Thank you for that. Start it up now and start the presentation now too. I'll be inside. I'd like a few minutes for myself in there, thanks.” Jun said as he gently disengaged from a snot-nosed Nicole and Tiana, which was enough to fuck with Davie's brain except Jun's eyes...

  “What happened, bro? What's going on?” Davie had finally asked.

  “...They tell you. I think. In a bit maybe. It's a crazy story.” Jun tried to joke with a small smile, but his eyes were still....

  “We have to start now,” Jun said again, limply patting Davie on the shoulder. “Let Aunty and Uncle hear it too. They should know.”

  He walked away, nodding politely to those ed, saying the presentation was about to start. He looked back at Davie again and smiled, nodding, before disappearing around the er opposite where his Aunt and Lily were waiting with the professors. Jun's eyes...

  They were eyes that Davie would never fet.

  Eight years ago, it had been Lily that had discovered a filthy and injured child sitting in the park they had favored for after school games for its retive solitude. No one else pyed there, so it felt like their personal py heaven. Davie had been te iing with Lily at their regur pce to find her sitting quietly, f a little monster. At least that's what he thought it was at first.

  The memory still sent chills down his spine.

  Covered in filthy rags and animal furs, it was also heavily injured. Dirty bandages, dyed b dried blood, had been roughly applied, probably by itself, on almost every inch of his body.

  Its hair was long and tied into ropes like a bake that ed around its ned lower face. But the reason Davie thought it a monster was because of its eyes.

  They looked into spad at nothing and had aihat the little eight-year-old Davie had never entered. He didn't know humans could have such lifeless eyes. It terrified him. He didn't want those eyes to look at him. He was afraid of losing his own soul to fill the void in the monster.

  It was only when Lily's little voice registered that he awoke from his terror iupor.

  The eight-year-old Lily, in her little blue sundress, sat as closely as she could without toug him. Her hands were clutg her dress tightly in ay. She spoke softly and early.

  “Does it hurt? My mom said it's alright to cry when it hurts. It's not good to keep it in. I think she means the tears. I guess it's not good for your eyes to keep your tears in, so if you want to, you should. I won't tell anyone you cried, I promise.”

  It was this final plea that brought a ge.

  The monster's eyes became a little human. Lost and fused, but human.

  It slowly turo look at Lily, and after another pause, it shook. It was a little at first, but then it trembled. The little monster began to cry. Its eyes looked so lohen.

  A soft little haly reached out aed on the dirty, blood-stained hands of a mohat turned into a boy.

  To the boy, it was so warm. He remembered another hand that used to give him warmth. The hand that was lost to him twice. The boy tentatively brought his free hand and id it atop the little girls.

  Gratitude and warmth had filled a bit of the void, and he was thankful.

  This had been a private memory for Davie, Lily, and Jun that bohem more intimately than even with Danny and Desi, who had never seen Jun at his lowest. They were Jun's saviors, and he loved them and had been their fierce protector ever since.

  Danny and Desi had e home from a css trip to find that there was a new, odd addition to their family.

  The official story had been that Jun was the son of a family friend that had died in an act that left Jun with his injuries. He had nowhere else to go and out of gratitude for a past favor from Jun's mother, Mary decided Jun should live with the Guards boys. Davie and Lily never tradicted and Danny and Desi had never asked.

  Jun's transformation into a proper human was an experien itself. Davie and Lily loved their creative and over protective big brother, but they never fot those eyes.

  The eyes he had now.

  Aunt Mary and Lily were rushing over as Davie input the ands to start. The stream officially began as dozens of tiny drones arose from their tainers. Some began projeg lights and images onto the white surfaces of the giant cube, bringing it alive with vibrant colors, while others bathed the audiend surroundings with lights and music that transformed the space with a festive energy.

  As attentions were drawn to the visually and audibly impressive presentation, no one else but a few paid any attention to the gathering of emotions in the back er. So distraught were the gathered family members that they didn’t notice a few overly curious onlookers stand a little too close.

  Juan Guard had arrived in time to join his son and his best friend and her littlest daughter to hear the worst thing he'd heard since his wife left him and their children with Tony.

  He couldn't believe the things that these two daughters of S-Rank families were telling them. If they weren't so obviously distraught, he would have thought, hoped, prayed they were messing with them as some sick joke of the wealthy.

  He supported Mary, who looked like she might faint. His heart hurt for her as well. She was devastated. Her husband's betrayal had onearly destroyed her, but she bravely held on for the love of her children. Now this?

  He looked over and saw lil Davie doing the same for lil Lily, who was g into her hands as Davie rocked her fly in his arms. Even in his grief, he roud of his remaining son when he saw how he trolled his rage to be gentle. He could see it building in his eyes, but Davie had such a brave hold on it. His obvious and care for his family as he cradled Lily in his embrace was strong enough to tame even this. Good boy.

  But was he strong enough? Would he be strong enough to face Jun?