I Picked Up My Father Who Left Home 114
Jeshuan blinked blankly, unsure if the person he was seeing was really Lia.
He thought it might just be an illusion created by his desperate prayers.
“Jeshuan?”
Today, for some reason, Jeshuan seemed unusually spaced out, which made Lia look at him with a puzzled expression, as if wondering what was wrong.
Seeing Lia’s reaction, Jeshuan soon broke into a bright smile.
It wasn’t an illusion.
It was really Lia.
As if his wish had been granted, Lia stood right in front of him.
Jeshuan couldn’t hide his excitement at the realization.
It had only been a few days since he last saw Lia.
He hadn’t expected to see her today.
After all, their arrangement was to meet only once a week.
Yet, Lia had come to see him before the week was even over.
The unexpected visit filled Jeshuan with overwhelming happiness, as though his heart would burst.
It was the greatest joy and the most precious gift of his life.
Meanwhile, Lia, who initially worried that Jeshuan might be unwell, felt reassured seeing the smile spreading across his face.
But still, she couldn’t completely set her worries aside.
With concern in her voice, she asked.
“Are you feeling alright?”
“I’m fine,”
Jeshuan replied with a brighter smile than ever.
How could things get any better than this? He had longed desperately to see her, and here she was.
That alone gave him life.
As if he had been holding his breath and withering away, waiting for this moment.
From the beginning, he had felt an inexplicable fondness toward Lia. That feeling deepened with each encounter, gradually opening his heart, which had been filled with distrust toward people.
He had come to truly accept her.
Then, after the demon attack a few days ago, the emotions that had been quietly budding suddenly flourished, blooming entirely.
How could he forget that day?
The day when he nearly hurt her with his own hands and yet was truly saved by her.
That day remained vividly clear.
Even in the face of his uncontrollable rage, Lia did not run away. She stayed by his side until the end.
He remembered her struggling to take step after step toward him, braving the oppressive pressure of his wild energy.
She wasn’t afraid of him.
She didn’t avoid him.
Even after witnessing his rampage firsthand, she came to see him today.
Looking just as radiant and bright as always.
Her warm concern, reflected in the question about his health, along with the affection woven into her worry, constantly struck a chord in Jeshuan’s heart.
Maybe that was why the past few days had been so difficult for him.
Even though he trusted her, even though he trusted her promise to meet him, he couldn’t help but feel a little scared and anxious.
“You haven’t been sick lately, have you?”
Lia asked worriedly, although she felt reassured seeing how cheerful Jeshuan seemed today.
“Not at all,”
“That’s such a relief.”
She had been very worried, knowing that he had gone completely berserk.
Even though his rampage was suppressed, she couldn’t entirely resolve the aftermath.
“Thank you, Lia,”
Jeshuan said in an incomparably gentle voice, feeling her affection directed solely at him.
He no longer needed to fake kindness.
He no longer needed to work hard to win her favor.
Instinctively, his body had already responded in that way.
“We’re friends, aren’t we?”
Jeshuan couldn’t quite pinpoint what exactly he was thankful for.
Was it for what happened a few days ago, or was it something else entirely?
Whatever it was, Lia simply stayed by his side as a friend, offering him support.
“That’s right, we are.”
For now.
Jeshuan muttered the latter part so quietly that Lia couldn’t hear it.
Now he was certain.
He finally understood what had caused the sense of lack and frustration he had been feeling.
Why he felt a mysterious restlessness and yearning every time Lia mentioned the word ‘friend.’
From the start, he and Lia were never meant to just be friends.
Of course, if that was what she wanted, he could play along as her friend.
But what Jeshuan truly desired wasn’t a ‘friendship.’
He wanted something deeper.
A unique bond where they would be everything to each other.
He wanted to be her ‘lover.’
To make a lifelong promise to her, to share a lifetime together.
However, for now, he decided not to reveal his desires. Both of them were still young.
For the time being, he would take things slowly, getting closer to her bit by bit, naturally securing his place in her heart.
Like how a drizzle slowly soaks through clothes, he intended to gradually seep into her life, making it impossible for her to imagine a time without him.
“First… come in. You must be tired from standing so long.”
Realizing he had kept Lia standing for too long, Jeshuan stepped aside to let her in.
Lia naturally entered the room and sat down on the guest sofa, while Jeshuan, as if it were the most natural thing to do, took a seat beside her.
“How have you been, Lia?”
Though she had brought him peace during their time apart, he couldn’t be sure if Lia herself had been alright.
It was possible that she had suffered because of being caught up in his rampage.
Even though he had managed to calm it, he couldn’t guarantee that it hadn’t left any lingering effects.
“I’ve been well.”
Though she had spent her days buried in work and grappling with new concerns.
“You didn’t feel unwell? Didn’t catch a cold or anything?”
“Not at all! I’m healthier and stronger than I look, you know.”
Lia responded cheerfully, her voice bright and exaggerated, as if to ease Jeshuan’s worries.
“That’s a relief, truly.”
How much he had worried.
Even if she hadn’t been physically hurt, what happened wouldn’t simply disappear from her memory.
Not just because of the rampage; that day’s events weren’t something that could be easily forgotten.
And yet, Lia was the same as ever.
As if nothing had happened a few days ago, she remained bright and radiant.
It was as if such an incident couldn’t shake her.
She dazzled him.
Her confidence, her unyielding strength against anything, was so admirable and radiant.
“Meeting Lia is the greatest gift and blessing of my life.”
Yes, how could it not be?
It wasn’t just because she had helped him escape his hellish existence.
Her very presence, her brilliant light, had been guiding him.
She had reignited hope and desire within someone who had given up and let everything go.
In his lifeless, pitch-black void, she brought color and vitality.
It was something only Lia could do.
“You’re the same for me.”
Jeshuan wasn’t the only one who considered the other precious.
Now, Jeshuan had become an equally important presence in Lia’s life.
She couldn’t stop noticing him. She couldn’t stop caring about him.
Even if everything he had shown her so far was calculated, Lia didn’t misunderstand his intentions.
Jeshuan was merely expressing his feelings in his own way.
Hearing Lia’s words, the smile on Jeshuan’s face deepened.
What had once been a one-sided feeling was now transforming into a mutual connection.
As much as he thought about her, she too was beginning to think about him, even if just a little.
That realization filled him with joy. It was thrilling and heartwarming.
“But why are you here?”
Trying to suppress his excitement, Jeshuan asked, with a hint of hopeful curiosity in his voice.
Could it be that she came to see him because she missed him? He couldn’t help but hold on to that hope.
“…Well, actually, I came to see His Majesty and thought I’d stop by to see you, too,”
Lia admitted, her voice tinged with guilt as she noticed the small glimmer of expectation in his sparkling eyes.
Jeshuan felt a pang of disappointment at her response.
Of course, he had expected as much. Even now, though she might think of him during the time they were apart, to her, he was still just a friend.
The depth of her feelings didn’t match his.
But there was nothing he could do about that.
Feelings didn’t always progress at the same pace or flow in the same direction.
So, Jeshuan concealed his disappointment and forced a smile.
“Still, I’m glad I got to see you, Jeshuan.”
As if trying to soothe his unspoken disappointment, Lia spoke those words.
But it wasn’t just a hollow consolation.
She genuinely meant it.
After worrying about how he was doing since his rampage, seeing him in person eased her concerns.
She even felt a bit glad.
“Me too. So… I welcome your visits anytime, Lia. You don’t have to come just to see me. Even if it’s just a quick stop on your way somewhere, I’d still be happy.”
As long as he could see her, that would be enough.
To Jeshuan, Lia was like the only joy in his life.
“Well, I don’t think that’ll happen anymore, though….”
“…What? Why?”
Jeshuan’s expression turned into one of shock, as if her words were entirely unexpected.
“Today, I met with His Majesty to give him my response to his request from a few days ago.”
“……….”
Jeshuan fell silent.
He had guessed as much when Lia mentioned visiting the palace to meet the Emperor. Yet, he hadn’t asked on purpose.
Even his smallest hopes might have felt like a burden to her.
But now… her words seemed to suggest….
“I’ve decided to accept His Majesty’s request.”
Sensing Jeshuan’s slight tension, Lia spoke calmly in an even tone, her voice steady as she explained her decision.
