Chapter 131 :

Episode 27 : Back in Action (5)

Since the atmosphere around me and Noel was insanely awkward, we finally both agreed to having a short conversation.

And of course, I insisted on us resting on the tree while we chit chat for a short section.

But.. Even after we both seated ourselves down, we remained completely silent again after that.

"Oh my dear.." Crystal groaned.

Because Crystal was on my head, I could feel her nibbling my hair as if it was a carrot. Although it wasn't annoying as getting rudely interrupted while I jogged, I wouldn't want my hair to be randomly cut off.

I spoke before moving my hand to grab her off my head. "Cryo. My hair isn't food."

"That's what you get for not starting a conversation with Noel. Plus, your hair looks like food to me! I haven't eaten anything for a while now."

"You're a familiar. You don't need to eat."

Gurgling… Gurgling…

"Hm?"

In an instant, Crystal and I looked at each other, but we didn't seem embarrassed by the stomach rumbling, almost as if we weren't the one having an empty stomach.

‘If it's not me nor Cryo, then..?’

Growling… Gurgling!

And in the end, we discovered the one who was making that growling noise beside us. Turning our glances over there, another person that was with us, was Noel with his unfulfilled stomach.

Eventually, Noel murmured with his reddish cheeks. "Uh.."

Noel, along with his embarrassed expression was holding onto his emptied stomach, sheepishly trying to hide it from me.

"You should have told me that you were hungry, Noel." I spoke pleasantly while I was opening my inventory to check what food I got.

Seeing how I got a large amount of apples, some bread and a load of raw meat, including a couple of seasonings and dressings that I conveniently had with me, I didn't want to give them to Noel since these wouldn't be enough to replenish his hunger.

‘I want him to eat something delicious.. Not these.’ I scowled when I thought that, closing off my inventory.

After that, I was staring at Noel with my crossed arms, usually when I'm like this, I would be in deep thought, trying to figure out a way.

Before long, Lucifer asked me. ‘Why are you trying hard just to give Noel a good meal, master?’

‘My thought exactly. It is obviously Lucas' subconsciousness.’ I responded to him before opening another panel in front of me.

This time, it was the ‘Shop’. Upon checking the food's section, I figured that there wouldn't be much in there since most of the food was blacked out entirely, meaning it hasn't yet unlocked.

‘I don't want to waste coins right now.’ I thought that when I saw the prices of the food within this ‘Shop’ menu.

In the end, I quickly closed the ‘Shop’ and let out a disappointing sigh, resting my eyes on the field of plants in this garden.

"Garden of Eden, hm.." I mumbled.

From there, I got an idea once I remembered that this garden had every plant inside. And by every plant, I meant every single one without missing anything.

"Where are you going, father?" Noel asked me after seeing me leaving the spot.

"I'm harvesting some vegetables for a moment. Just wait here with Crystal while I'm gone."

"A..Alright." Noel hesitantly answered me.

When I noticed how cautious his voice sounded, I couldn't help but sense his hesitation and longing for me. Even though I had my back on him when I was walking away, his voice was filled with slight grief as if he was trying to hide his anxiety from me.

‘I wonder what his expression is if I were to turn around to look..’ Pondering that, I swiftly shook my head to get rid of those thoughts of mine.

‘Those thoughts aren't even mine to begin with.’

I let out a long sigh as I stretched my arms. "While I'm at it, why don't I make some snacks for my comrades and the others as well?"

———

In the meanwhile, Noel and Crystal waited patiently for JoonChul to finish doing the things he does.

With an opportunity to talk, Crystal attempted to convince Noel. "Noel. Can't you just speak with him? You know nothing can be good by being quiet all this time, right?"

Upon hearing that, Noel was staring at wherever JoonChul was, letting his gaze follow his father's every movement and checking whether he planned to leave Noel behind again.

Eventually, Noel frowned as he bit his lip, saying. "It's not easy without Noelle.. Just look at me, I killed him with my own two hands.. I was such a selfish spoiled brat."

"Yeah, that is a pretty bad start.."

"What am I supposed to do without Noelle? Without her, I'm just a dependent brat."

Afterwards, Noel crawled up his legs and hid his face between his knees. While he was doing that, Crystal had hopped toward him and poked her paw on Noel's leg.

She then tried to cheer him up. "You are not a brat, Noel. Please.. Don't say that.. Even if I'm not Noelle, I can tell that she would have said the same thing as I did."

"Shut up..Crystal.."

"If you shut me up, who will comfort you?"

"..."

In the end, Crystal exhaled a sigh after she wasn't able to enlighten Noel as she thought she would. It went without saying that Crystal needed another way to give ease to Noel.

She thought, staring at the grass. ‘What can I do to help Noel? Hmm.’

Sooner or later, she had spotted JoonChul collecting what seemed to be green leaves. Because of how far Crystal and JoonChul were, it was harder to tell what it was.

"Is that..? A tomato?" Crystal uttered when she saw the second vegetable that JoonChul had picked.

After that, Crystal noticed JoonChul walking back toward her location which prompted her to be more confused.

In time, she finally figured out what JoonChul was trying to do. ‘Food!!!!!!’

‘I'm curious to see what he's trying to make right now!’ Crystal pondered while imagining the possibilities of every food that JoonChul might make.

Afterwards, Crystal gasped when she saw JoonChul taking out a long slice of meat.

"Could that be bacon? Oh my.. carrots.."

Don't mind her, she's just drooling by the thoughts of food…

While JoonChul was going back, he had used his palm like it was a stove by summoning fireballs on his hand to cook the bacon easily.

"Woah… I'm very hungry already..! Noel! Aren't you curious?" Crystal drooled, nudging Noel's leg in the process.

Again and again, Crystal kept bugging Noel to take a peek at what JoonChul was making, clearly annoying Noel with her constant nudging.

"BLT! Ohhhh!!" Crystal jumped when she got her own BLT from JoonChul.

Had enough of it, Noel uttered toward Crystal, revealing his irritated face. "Stop it..! Let me have some peace and quie—"

At that moment, Noel was met with a sandwich right in front of his face, causing his stomach to growl from the smell of bacon.

"You resemble me, son." JoonChul spoke with a soft and gentle tone.

"..son…?"

When Noel heard the word ‘son’ coming out of JoonChul's lips, his tears began to well up in his eyes, surfacing all the pains and sufferings he had been through in such a long time.

"..urgh.." Noel sniffled.

And the second JoonChul witnessed how Noel was starting to cry, JoonChul's father's instinct rose up and he quickly stored away Noel's BLT in his inventory.

..Together with a hug, JoonChul gave his son a fatherly embrace, showing how much paternal love he could give to this child.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry!!!" Noel apologized with a face filled with tears.

Disheartened by how sorrowful Noel was, along with the fact that he was apologizing so much, JoonChul tightened his embrace while he endured Noel's hands that were gripping firmly onto his back.

"Son…"

JoonChul finally said, resting his hand on the child's head. "It should be me who is sorry, son. So you don't need to apologise."

He resumed on. "I'm sorry for everything that I did, son.. You don't have to forgive me if that's what you want.."

"I understand an apology isn't enough to pay back all the things I did to you.. so tell me what I should do, son."

Slightly trembling lips, JoonChul gritted his teeth while trying to sustain the massive emotions flooding his heart within this moment.

‘Goddamnit, Lucas' feelings..’ JoonChul cursed inside his head.

"Father… I.. I.." Noel sobbed.

JoonChul grinned. "I'm listening."

"I-I just want to be by your side again! Just like the good old days! The three of us together!"

"Oi! What about me?!"

In an instance, Crystal interrupted them, knowing that Noel meant three as in Noelle, himself and JoonChul.

Immediately, JoonChul looked at Crystal's direction and glared straight at her eyes to show that it wasn't her time to speak.

"Eep!" Swiftly, Crystal went back to eating the BLT that JoonChul made.

Shifting his gaze back on Noel, JoonChul nuzzled Noel affectionately. Eventually, JoonChul sincerely told Noel.

"Right.. If that's what you want, I'll make sure you'll get to experience it once again. I promise to you and Noelle."

———

After a long period of crying and talking things out with one another, one could tell that Noel had an emotional moment judging from his swollen eyes.

‘Ha..’ I scowled.

Knowing that Noel had cried his heart out, I acted like his comfort pillow that absorbed every last drop of his tears. And without a doubt, my shirt was as wet as a fish.

Despite that, I shouldn't be annoyed by it, for the reason that I didn't want to seem like a disappointing father in front of Noel.

But even if I wanted to look like a bad person, I couldn't because of Lucas’ stupid subconscious.

"Here, have some water." Taking out a bottle of water, I handed it over to Noel.

Afterwards, I watched Noel take the bottle and drink it slowly by himself. Without knowing, this scene reminded me of the time when Noel was a baby where he couldn't drink properly and had to spill some of the milk that I fed him.

Subconsciously, I smiled at the nostalgia that I felt from glancing at Noel. And as clear as daylight, Noel took notice of my gaze and asked me.

"Do I look bad after crying too much..?"

"No, you looked the same as you were a baby."

"Ha?!" Noel blushed as if he was embarrassed, causing him to toss the half-drank water bottle at me.

"..."

Spilling some of the water inside the bottle onto my head, I wasn't quick enough to catch the bottle.

Was it because my body is still restless from laying down in a coffin for too long? It must be..

Either way, with my face and hair wet with water, I gradually readjusted my hair and wiped the water off me.

"Daddy…"

Out of the sudden, Crystal gasped when she caught a glimpse of me with her sparkling eyes.

Not understanding what she meant, I furrowed my eyebrows from what Crystal was implying.

..Even Noel was staring strangely at Crystal because of what she said.

"Father, can we just get rid of this bunny?" Noel suggested to me.

I smirked, fixing my hair a bit. "Sure, why don't we?"

"Eh?! What!? Noo!" Crystal exclaimed.

Even though she was scared, she still kept her glance on me for some whatever reason.

‘Do I look weird while I'm wet or something?’ I asked myself.

All of the sudden, Lucifer sighed at me. ‘Oh.. Master.’