Morning arrived with a gentle breeze and the rich aroma of coffee drifting from the main dining hall.
It was Tuesday, and for the second time in weeks, Harun, the head butler, knocked politely on Al's bedroom door.
"Young Master Al, the family has requested your presence for breakfast this morning."
A few minutes later, Al appeared in the dining room, his hair still slightly messy but his expression calm as usual.
The rest of the family was already seated in their respective spots. Aurielle was reading a report on her tablet. Sarah was using a silver spoon to check her reflection. Lysha was absorbed in her phone.
Edward, the father, spoke up first.
"Al… David told me you actually enrolled at HIHS?"
Al sat down, pouring tea into his cup.
"Yes, Father. Didn't I already mention that before?"
His tone was flat. But somehow, his answer made Edward seem annoyed… although he quickly masked it with a thin smile.
"Hm… Forgive me. I didn't believe it back then. But I heard you got a scholarship from the Alasia Group Foundation?"
Al nodded slowly.
"Yes. It's a scholarship for selected orphans. I suppose I was lucky enough to be chosen."
Edward let out a long sigh—relieved. Perhaps because Al wouldn't be a "burden," or maybe because his status could now be leveraged for business purposes.
"Told you," Sarah scoffed, flipping her hair. "No way an orphan gets into an elite school without pure luck."
Al simply scoffed.
"Since when did you say that?"
Sarah glared at him, slapping the table lightly with her right hand, which still held a fork.
"You—!"
But Al only yawned, waving his hand dismissively, as if bored and unwilling to continue such a pointless argument.
Sarah was fuming, but after glancing at their father and mother, she held herself back.
Al remained silent and focused on finishing his breakfast.
His gaze then happened to catch David sitting beside Nayala. Their aura was close and cozy, like always. David looked rather cheerful, while Nayala gave a nervous smile as she sipped her juice.
And Al... decided to have a little fun.
"Father," he said casually. "Is it allowed in this house for minors to engage in... hmm... more adult activities?"
The entire table froze. Forks stopped midair. Vianna nearly dropped her spoon.
David choked, coughing violently as if trying to eject his lungs.
Nayala panicked, her eyes darting to Al in absolute shock.
The expressions around the table turned sharp. Almost everyone assumed Al was asking permission to do something inappropriate. Think that the sexual predator was now openly asking for permission to do something immoral.
Aurielle: "What do you mean by that, Al?!"
Sarah: "Oh my God... you still haven't dropped that lewd— I mean, wild streak of yours?!"
Vianna: "You don't even have a girlfriend, do you?"
Lysha: "Al… your question is... sudden?"
Edward: "Al… explain yourself!"
"Wow, look at your expressions," Al said, glancing at all of them with a confused look.
"Relax, relax. I was just asking. There's no hidden meaning! I'm not asking for permission or anything."
In his mind, he only meant to have a little fun by making David uncomfortable. But instead... the backlash turned on him.
"Besides..." he continued, "you already think I'm a pervert, don't you? So isn't it normal for a question like this to come from someone like me?"
"So you're admitting you're a pervert?" Lysha asked.
"Of course not. I just can't change what you think of me right now," Al replied.
"That's because you really are that kind of person," Sarah said.
Al shot Sarah a sharp glare.
"I don't know about that, but my original reason for asking... was out of curiosity."
He then shifted his gaze toward David.
"...if I was punished just for almost harassing a girl, what kind of punishment should someone get if they've already gone much further? Especially if the one who did it is still underage."
Everyone was confused by what Al meant. His tone was casual, but it felt like he was hinting at something much bigger. They were all smart and capable of analyzing situations—but once again, their bias clouded their judgment. They eliminated David from the equation when analyzing a potential crime, yet kept Al firmly in the spotlight.
In the end, no one could guess the truth, because the idea that David could be the culprit never even crossed their minds.
Meanwhile, David looked down, his face still flushed.
Anxiety crept into his thoughts:
Did Al... see me and Nayala last night?
But he quickly dismissed the thought.
No way. Al's room is far. My guards didn't report anything. No movement. Besides, my room is heavily protected by shadow guards… There's no way Al knows…
And yet… that small smirk on Al's face—
—it unnerved him. Like Al did know everything.
The air at the table remained tense, like everyone had swallowed a heavy lump in their throat.
Al quietly enjoyed his breakfast, observing the chain reaction spreading through the entire family—from narrowed eyes to heavy sighs.
He realized the situation was too much for their minds to handle. Let alone hints—even if the truth were right in front of their eyes, they would still deny it.
With an innocent and slightly confused expression, Al raised his hand, his voice soft and tinged with regret.
"Ah, sorry. Maybe I said something I shouldn't have..." He scratched the back of his head. "I was... just curious. Haha."
Everyone stared sharply, waiting to hear what else Al had to say. Then he continued—saying something that left them feeling even more unsettled.
"I thought conversations like this were normal in elite families. At school... my friends often talk about scandals in rich households. There's even a rumor about a wealthy student getting his maid pregnant..." Al looked down, seemingly awkward.
"So I figured... that kind of talk was normal? I was just trying to make small talk... I don't get to chat with you guys very often. It's been 17 years, after all—we've never really had a proper conversation... sorry."
Those words—and the way Al said them, gently but sincerely—were enough to calm the anger and confusion that had flared up.
A long silence followed.
The faces that had just been burning with anger now turned into a mix of confusion, awkwardness, and a hint of guilt.
Because after 17 years apart, and finally reunited, they still hadn't truly interacted as a family.
Aurielle leaned back in her chair and sighed. Vianna shook her head, covering her face with one hand.
Sarah raised her eyebrows in disbelief.
But… the strongest reaction came from David, who let out a deep breath and wiped the cold sweat off his forehead.
Al's explanation might've been ridiculous—but it saved him from disaster.
David quickly stood up and grabbed his bag.
"I'll… head to school early."
Without waiting for any response, he made a hasty exit.
"Bye, everyone."
His footsteps were the signal that defused the explosive atmosphere in the room.
Edward and Sandra exchanged glances. For a brief moment, there was something like guilt in their eyes.
Al also stood up, wiping his mouth with a napkin.
"Well then, I'll return to my room," he said, walking away slowly.
But just before leaving, he turned and asked:
"Oh, by the way, Father, Mother… can I not be woken up early starting tomorrow?"
Edward frowned. "Why?"
"Actually, I attend afternoon classes. So… being woken up in the morning isn't necessary."
Sandra narrowed her eyes. "Why are you only saying this now, Al?"
Al looked at his mother for a moment, then lowered his gaze. His voice was soft.
"I wanted to say this from the beginning, but it's been so hard to get a chance to meet you all. And even when I do... haven't you always refused to believe me?"
He gave a small smile—not mocking, just honest.
Sandra fell silent. So did Edward.
Al gave a polite nod. "Then I'll be heading back now."
He walked away, leaving the dining hall now empty… but not silent.
There was something lingering in the hearts of his parents—a slow but steady sense of guilt, realizing that all this time, they had never truly listened to Al.
And maybe now… it was time they finally did.
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