Chapter Seventeen: A Grandmother's Worry
The training hall was quiet, save for the rhythmic sound of Daniel's breathing. He wiped the sweat from his brow, exhausted but satisfied. His progress in Bone Refining had been steady, and after his performance in the tournament, he felt more confident than ever.
Yet, as he sat cross-legged to rest, something nagged at him—a feeling that he had forgotten something important. He patted his robes, searching for his phone. When he finally found it buried deep in his bag, his heart sank.
99+ missed calls
His grandmother's name filled the screen over and over again.
Daniel's chest tightened. He had been so caught up in cultivation, the tournament, and the Sūn Family's guidance that he hadn't even thought to check his phone. He swallowed hard and immediately called her back.
The phone barely rang once before she picked up.
"Daniel Rivera!" Her voice was sharp with worry. "Where have you been?! I've been calling for days! Do you have any idea how worried I was?"
Daniel flinched at the panic in her voice. "Grammy, I—"
"Don't you 'Grammy' me! You disappeared without a word! I thought—" Her voice caught, and for a moment, Daniel could hear the fear beneath her anger. "I thought something had happened to you."
Guilt weighed heavy on him. He had never wanted to make her worry. "I'm coming home now," he said quickly. "I'll explain everything. I promise."
There was silence on the other end before she finally muttered, "You'd better."
_____
Daniel waved at the car that had dropped him off - the Sūn Family Head had felt bad for him and drove him all the way back.
The familiar sight of his grandmother's small house in Los Marcos brought both relief and apprehension. As he stepped onto the porch, the front door swung open.
His grandmother stood there, arms crossed, her expression a mix of worry and anger. She looked more tired than he remembered. Had his disappearance done this to her?
The moment he stepped inside, she pulled him into a fierce hug. "Don't you ever do that to me again, Daniel," she whispered.
Daniel hesitated before hugging her back. "I won't."
She pulled away, studying his face. "Now, talk. Where the hell have you been?"
Daniel took a deep breath. He had been preparing for this conversation on the way home, but now that he was here, it was harder than he thought. He couldn't exactly tell her the full truth—not yet.
"I... got caught up with some new friends," he said carefully. "We've started practicing martial arts. And then there was a tournament…"
His grandmother's eyes narrowed. "Martial arts? A tournament? You sound crazy, Daniel!"
"It's not crazy," he said quickly. "I can't fully explain it. But, I'm learning a lot, and I promise, it's good for me."
His grandmother sighed and shook her head. "And you couldn't pick up the phone even once?"
"I was… really focused." He hesitated before adding, "I didn't mean to worry you."
She exhaled slowly, rubbing her temples. "Danny, I just need to know you're safe. You can't just disappear like this. I don't care what you're doing, at least call me."
Daniel nodded. "I will. I promise."
She studied him for a long moment before finally relaxing a little. "Come eat. You look like you haven't had a proper meal in days."
Daniel smiled sheepishly and followed her into the kitchen. He had faced powerful opponents, endured grueling training, and pushed himself past his limits.
But nothing compared to facing his grandmother's disappointment.