"Yes, and my name is not 'the girl,' it's Mary Kleine. Also, why did you leave the park without telling me?" she yelled at Ren. Mary's voice echoed through the room, and her adorable pout accentuated her frustration. On the other side, Ren stood frozen in place, like a statue struck by the sudden turn of events.
"Do you know Ren, Mary?" the older lady accompanying Mary asked, giving the impression that she was Mary's elder sister.
"Remember when I told you about meeting a handsome boy this afternoon in the park?" Mary spoke, trying to clarify the situation.
"What about it?" Mary's sister remained confused, struggling to grasp Mary's intended message.
"He is the one I met in the park," Mary explained, and her sister nodded, finally understanding.
'She told her sister about me? That's unexpected. But before that,' Ren pondered, his mind preoccupied with something Mary had asked.
"A pretty boy? Who? Ren remembered meeting Mary at the park, but he couldn't recall encountering any handsome boys there.
Silence filled the room as Ren posed his question, and everyone turned their gaze toward him, letting out synchronized sighs. The notion of this rumored "pretty boy" left Ren even more perplexed. Ignoring his confusion, Mary's sister said,
"So,Ren was the same boy you met in the park, right, sweetheart?" Mary's sister asked, seeking confirmation.
"Yes, Mom! He's the same guy," Mary affirmed, dropping yet another surprise bomb on Ren.
"Mom? Isn't she your elder sister?" Ren asked, stunned by this revelation.
Silence again enveloped the room as everyone turned to look at Ren, but this time, his parents burst into laughter.
"Pfff," laughter erupted from their parents as they found amusement in the situation. "Chris Rose, you've raised your son perfectly. He's such a gentleman," Mary's mom commented, covering her mouth with one hand to suppress her giggles. Her eyes sparkled with an unknown glint.
"No, Ren isn't always like this. It's also your fault for looking so young at this age," Ren's mom replied, smiling.
"I think she's happy because Mary's mom praised me," Ren thought to himself, trying to decipher his mother's expression.
"Hi Ren, my name is Marilyn Kleine, and I am a former colleague of your parents," Mrs. Marilyn introduced herself, explaining her relationship with Ren's parents and their shared adventures over the past two decades. From their teenage years to when Ren's father, Chris, and his mother, Rose, decided to marry and open an antique shop in the city of Sephra.
After the party disbanded, Mrs. Marilyn returned to her hometown, got married, and gave birth to Mary there. However, tragedy struck when Mary's father, also a swordsman, went to subjugate a monster in the backwaters and never returned, presumed dead. Now, Mrs. Marilyn had returned to Sephra to open a flower shop and become a florist.
"But I didn't expect Mary to meet Ren even before me," Marylin expressed her surprise, realizing her daughter had encountered Ren before their official meeting.
"Mom, that's not important. Hey, Ren, why did you leave without telling me?" Mary interrupted the small talk, getting straight to the point. She was genuinely upset with Ren's behavior earlier in the park.
Silence fell once again, with all eyes in the room fixated on Ren, awaiting his response. Mary pushed him, demanding an answer.
"I was embarrassed to talk to you," Ren finally confessed after a long pause.
Ren's answer sparked curiosity in everyone's eyes as they continued to observe him.
"And why is that?" Mary's questions seemed unending.
Ren fell silent, unwilling to answer that question.
"Hey, don't just stand there and answer me!" Mary's persistence grew, her impatience palpable.
"Mary, please stop now; you're scaring him," Marylin attempted to intervene, trying to put an end to her daughter's relentless questioning.
"I'm not scaring him; I'm just asking a question," Mary persisted, her tone demanding, while her mother attempted to restrain her.
"Because you're too cute!" Ren exclaimed, summoning all his courage before hastily retreating to his room on the second floor.
Mary and the others were left dumbfounded. Ren's response had caught them off guard, and both he and Mary blushed with embarrassment.
"Aww! He's so cute, your son Ren," Marylin exclaimed, charmed by Ren's adorable words despite his young age.
"Haha! Now I understand why he locked himself in his room after coming back from the park," Rose remarked, finally comprehending the reason behind her son's peculiar behavior earlier that afternoon.
While the two mothers engaged in conversation, Ren sat listlessly, feeling the weight of embarrassment on his beet-red face. Mary, in her own world, touched her beet red face as if confirming her cuteness.
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After Mrs. Marilyn and Mary returned to their new house in the same neighborhood, Ren found himself back in his room, curled up in a blanket, lost in his thoughts. Suddenly, the door to his room creaked open.
Tip tap.
An attractive woman with long dark hair, fair skin, and dark eyes entered the room. It was Rose Hilton, Ren's mother, who noticed her son's restlessness.
"Can't sleep, sweetheart?" Rose approached Ren, who remained hidden beneath the blanket.
Nod nod.
Ren nodded but didn't emerge from his cozy hiding place.
Sigh.
Rose let out a sigh, understanding the reason behind Ren's behavior.
"Is it because of Mary?" Rose asked, though she already knew the answer deep down.
Nod.
This time, Ren hesitated before nodding his head slowly from beneath the blanket.
"Hehe," Rose couldn't help but giggle, finding her son's timidness towards a girl his age endearing.
"Ruu, do you know the reason?" Rose inquired, delving into her son's affairs.
Shake shake.
This time, Ren shook his head, denying any knowledge of the reason.
"Maybe I can help you understand, but first, you have to show me your face," Rose proposed, ready to unravel the mystery.
Rustle.
Ren poked his head out of the blanket, resembling a curious hamster peering out of its hole.
'So cute,' Rose thought, marveling at her adorable son.
"Really?" Ren eagerly asked.
"Yes, but you have to tell me how you feel when you see her," Rose encouraged, enjoying the embarrassment-inducing questions.
Silence.
Ren remained silent for a moment before finally answering, "No, I won't because you will laugh at me." He immediately retreated back into the safety of his blanket.
"I won't laugh; how could I laugh at my Ruu?" Rose reassured him, promising not to tease.
"Pinky promise?" Ren requested, considering the Pinky Promise the most sacred contract.
"Yep, pinky promise," Rose agreed, extending her pinky finger, which Ren reciprocated while still concealed within the blanket.
Grip.
And so, the promise was made.
"Now show me your face and tell me honestly," Rose instructed. Ren uncovered himself completely, sitting up and hugging his pillow tightly.
"Whenever I see her, my heart races so fast, and my face feels hot," Ren confessed.
"Why is that?" Rose playfully probed, thoroughly enjoying the intimate conversation.
"I don't know. I just can't look directly into her eyes, and whenever I talk to her, my mind goes blank," Ren explained, clutching his head to emphasize his point.
"Oh, that happens?" Rose continued to have fun listening to her son's heartfelt descriptions.
"Mom, please tell me why this is happening to me. Am I ill? Is this some kind of disease?" Ren's worried tone, even in the dimly lit room, brought tears to Rose's eyes.
'Aww, he's so smitten. Should I tell him?' Rose pondered but decided to hold back. She lifted Ren into her arms, hugging him close to her chest.
"Ruu, what you're experiencing is perfectly normal. It's not a disease or an illness. It's something everyone goes through at least once in their life. You're just fine," Rose reassured him, enveloping him in her warmth.
"Really, Mom? Am I fine?" Ren sought confirmation.
"Yes, you're more than fine," Rose affirmed, patting his back gently.
Silence.
Once again, Ren fell silent, lost in his thoughts. It was his habit to become quiet when contemplating something.
"If you say so, I'll believe you," Ren surrendered to his mother's words.
"Now, I think it's time for you to sleep," Rose indicated that it was time to rest.
'Sorry again, since I can't tell you that you're in love, you have to realize it yourself,' Rose thought to herself. She got up from the bed, ready to leave, but as she was about to depart, Ren grabbed the hem of her dress, halting her movement.
"What is it, dear?" Rose asked, amused by her son's behavior. She playfully teased, expecting something unexpected.
"I love you, Mom. Good night," Ren expressed his love for his mother before diving back into his blanket, shutting his eyes tightly.
"I love you too, dear," Rose responded with delight. She left Ren's room, heading downstairs to share what happened with her husband.
"Honey, our son is in love," she informed her husband, relaying the events that transpired in the room.
Meanwhile, inside Ren's room, he made a determined expression, bringing his small fists to his chest. "I am going to find the reason behind this 'illness.' I still can't believe I'm not sick for sure."
And so, the night continued with Ren's curiosity driving him to seek answers, while his parents reveled in the sweet innocence of their son's first love.