Back at the Vester home, a modest two-story building, a family of three was having an important discussion.
The father, Aryan Vester, looked serious as he looked at the mother and daughter pair. "Today is Mike's final chance," he said, and the other two had the same expression too.
Aryan was a middle-aged man with black hair and green eyes, while Amelia Vester was blonde with blue eyes. Their daughter inherited her mother's hair and her father's eyes, while in Mike's case it was the father's hair and mother's eyes.
Misty Vester, Mike's sister, was 5 years old this year, as she sat with her parents while they tried to make sense of the situation.
"They do say awakening at 18 has just a 1% chance," Aryan sighed as the mother nodded slowly and worriedly. "So… If Mike has awakened, it is a good thing; however, if he has not awakened, he will be heartbroken"
"He will be devastated," he sighed as he remembered his own days—after he failed all three awakening attempts, he lost his appetite for a whole month.
"So when he returns home, we will not say anything weird. We will just act normally, okay?" he said, and all nodded. It wasn't a bad idea—Mike had been a fan of the Battle of Rulers. If he ended up non-awakened, it would break his heart into a million pieces.
Misty said sadly, tears in her eyes as she imagined the worst, "If he doesn't awaken… will he be alright?"
Aryan pulled them both into a hug. "What are you two crying for? If you two cry, who will pacify Mike?" He said, knocking their foreheads lightly.
Both glared at him for the knock but wiped their tears.
"Don't worry, Father. Even if Brother Mike does not get awakened, I will surely awaken and get him a legendary item that will give him some talent in the path of Knight or Mage so that he can fight in that prestigious tournament," she said, clenching her fists determinedly—though with teary eyes it only made her look adorable.
Seeing this, Aryan smiled, "Ah yes, such a wonderful mindset indeed… You must have taken after me," he said, rubbing her head as she shouted, "Father, you are making me bald!"
"Sigh, my beautiful Misty… She used to hug my legs and ask for candies, yet now she scolds her own father," he sighed dramatically and hunched his shoulders, while Misty just snorted and turned away, not falling for his guilty tricks.
Amelia simply laughed, and soon everyone burst into laughter.
Ding.
The doorbell rang as they all looked toward the entrance.
"He is back quickly. Each of you go back to your rooms and don't ask anything," Aryan said as he stood up, taking a deep breath as he calmed himself. He walked downstairs toward the door, muttering out of habit, "Welcome home, Mike. How was school—"
Then instantly regretted it. Fuck, what's wrong with me?!
"Father, let me in the house first," Mike said, holding two big boxes.
"What is this?" his father asked.
Mike smiled. "Cake to celebrate my Awakening."
Aryan took the boxes absentmindedly, while two blonde heads popped out—one from the kitchen and one from behind the stairs. Misty shouted first, "YES! My brother awakened!"
Aryan too then shouted happily as Mike closed the door behind him, saying, "Father, please calm down… What if neighbors complain?"
"Hahah! Let them! My son awakened!" He shouted while holding the boxes like a young boy showing off a trophy.
"Father, you're acting like a kid," Misty said as Aryan stood proud like a victorious hero.
"I can't help it! My son awakened!" he said again.
"Ugh, I knew it—you can't control yourself," Misty muttered as she quickly grabbed the boxes from Aryan and opened them. Inside the first one was a big strawberry cake, which she ignored, and opened the next one. Inside it was a small flower-crown bunny plush.
Misty squealed as she hugged it.
Then Mike and Aryan looked at her—who had now vanished upstairs with her plush.
"Did you buy it for little Misty?" Amelia asked after hugging and congratulating him for the awakening.
"I still remember her pinky promise to buy her this specific one if I awakened successfully," Mike said as Amelia smiled, happy that he awakened.
Aryan then sighed loudly, "Oh, I must have edited my mental dictionary wrong. My daughter, who just scolded me, is now acting cute again."
Amelia and Mike laughed at his drama, but he was not done yet.
Aryan shook his head dramatically. "No consistency at all. At this rate, I'll go bald before she does."
Mike couldn't help but roll his eyes in response. "Father, you're already halfway there—don't blame Misty."
Aryan froze. "Honey, is that right?!"
But then he looked at laughing Mike and understood he had been duped.
Amelia burst out laughing again, covering her mouth, while Aryan clutched his chest like he'd been betrayed. "This household has no respect for elders… no fear… no discipline…"
Mike rolled his eyes but smiled. "Father, I brought cake. Isn't that enough to show respect?"
Instant mood shift.
Aryan straightened up immediately. "Ah yes, respect confirmed. Good son. Excellent, son."
Mike and Amelia stared at him flatly.
"You are absolutely shameless," Amelia said, shaking her head.
"Shameless? No, no. This is the art of flexible parenting," Aryan declared proudly, placing the cake on the table like holy treasure.
Before Mike could comment, Misty's voice echoed from upstairs:
"DON'T START WITHOUT ME!"
Followed by rapid footsteps—like a tiny stampede.
She burst into the living room holding her bunny plush like a war trophy. "I'm here!"
Aryan sighed. "There goes our peaceful atmosphere."
Mike smiled helplessly. "She's too excited."
Misty pointed at him with narrowed eyes. "Of course I'm excited. My useless brother finally awakened. I had prepared a whole speech of encouragement for the 'failure arc.' Now it's wasted!"
Mike choked. "Could you not call it useless so casually?!"
A proud grin spread on Misty's face. "I can call you anything now. You can't get mad at me on your awakening day."
Amelia clapped her hands gently. "Alright, alright. Let's sit down and eat together."
Misty was the first to jump into her seat. Aryan followed—after rescuing the cake from her greedy hands.