The small bell above the door of the bookstore chimed softly, signaling the arrival of new customers. Seren, who was organizing a stack of books behind the counter, looked up to see his grandparents walking in. His heart warmed at the sight of them, especially when he saw Olivier, his seven-year-old son, holding his grandmother's hand and looking around with wide, curious eyes.
"Grandma! Grandpa!" Seren greeted with a bright smile, stepping out from behind the counter. "What brings you here today?"
Olivier let go of his grandmother's hand and ran to his father, his face lighting up with excitement. "Dad! Look at the book I got from school!" he exclaimed, holding up a colorful picture book.
Seren knelt to his son's level, ruffling his hair affectionately. "Wow, that looks amazing, Oli! You'll have to show me all the pictures later, okay?"
As Seren spoke with Olivier, Draven watched from a distance, a look of surprise and confusion crossing his face. He had been browsing a nearby shelf when he saw the older couple and the little boy enter the store, but he hadn't expected to see them approach Seren with such familiarity. And then there was the boy—their son?
Draven approached slowly, his heart pounding in his chest. "Seren," he began, his voice hesitant, "is this... your son?"
Seren looked up, his expression softening as he nodded. "Yes, this is Olivier. Oli, this is my friend, Ven," Seren said, introducing his son to Draven with the alias he had come to know.
Olivier smiled shyly, waving at Draven. "Hi, Ven!" he said cheerfully.
Draven managed a smile in return, though his mind was racing. "Hello, Olivier," he replied gently before turning back to Seren, his eyes searching. "I... didn't know you had a child."
Before Seren could respond, his grandmother interjected, her tone cheerful but filled with a certain knowing. "Oh, so this is the man?" she asked, looking directly at Draven.
Draven blinked, confusion deepening. "The man?" he repeated, looking between Seren and his grandparents. "I'm sorry, I don't quite understand."
Seren's grandfather chuckled, placing a hand on Draven's shoulder. "Don't play coy, young man," he said with a warm smile. "We're just glad to finally meet the father of our great-grandchild."
The words hung in the air, heavy and unexpected. Draven's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat. "What... what are you talking about?" he stammered, glancing at Seren, whose face had gone pale.
Seren opened his mouth to speak, but his grandmother spoke first, her voice softening. "We always wondered when we'd get to meet you," she said, her eyes kind but firm. "Seren told us about how things ended between you two, but we never stopped hoping you'd come around eventually."
Draven felt like the ground had shifted beneath his feet. "Seren... is this true?" he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper. "Is Olivier... my son?"
Seren swallowed hard, his gaze dropping to the floor. This was not how he had imagined this moment happening—if he had imagined it at all. "I... I was going to tell you," he admitted quietly. "I just... didn't know how. And then, after everything that happened... I thought it was better if you didn't know."
"Better if I didn't know?" Draven echoed, his voice filled with a mix of disbelief and hurt. "Seren, I've been searching for you for seven years, and all this time, I had a son? Why didn't you tell me?"
Tears welled up in Seren's eyes, the weight of his choices pressing down on him. "I didn't want to burden you," he confessed, his voice breaking. "You were so busy, so successful, and I... I didn't want to complicate your life. And then, after I got fired, I thought it was best to just... disappear."
Draven ran a hand through his hair, struggling to process everything. "Complicate my life?" he repeated, his tone incredulous. "Seren, you and Olivier are my life. I would have done anything for you—for both of you. I would have been there if you had just told me."
Olivier, sensing the tension, tugged on Seren's sleeve. "Dad? Why is Ven upset?" he asked innocently, his eyes wide with concern.
Seren knelt down, pulling his son into a gentle hug. "It's okay, Oli," he murmured softly. "Ven is just... surprised. It's a lot for him to take in right now."
Draven watched them, his heart aching. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "I want to be a part of his life, Seren," he said quietly, his eyes filled with determination. "I want to be there for him, and for you. If you'll let me."
Seren looked up at Draven, his heart torn between fear and hope. He knew this moment would come eventually, but he hadn't expected it to happen like this. Still, there was no denying the sincerity in Draven's eyes, the love that had never faded, even after all these years.
"We have a lot to talk about," Seren said finally, his voice shaky but resolute. "But if you're serious, if you really want to be a part of his life... then we can figure it out. Together."
Draven nodded, relief washing over him. "Thank you," he whispered, a small, hopeful smile tugging at his lips.
As they stood there, the weight of the past still heavy but the promise of a new beginning glimmering in the distance, Seren felt a sense of cautious optimism. Maybe, just maybe, they could find a way to make this work. For themselves, and for Olivier.