The Way of the Househusband

IV

When they  arrived in the Capital, he was informed that Ron would be gone for no more than two years. Of course, he wanted to come, but he understood what his father was up to by abandoning him by the Young Lord's side. 

He is not a child or a teenager who needs to be protected. He is already thirty, but no matter how old he is, a father's instinct to protect his child will always be his priority. 

"I... Understand..."

If something were to happen to them, Ron advises him to live comfortably and normally. His father is quietly telling him that the young lord is a trustworthy man who can keep him safe. 

“Vicross.”

"Yes, Father."

"I told you before not to do anything, not to say anything, and to simply wait until the young lord needed you." 

He agreed with a nod. 

"I am regretting my words before Vicross," Ron said, smiling and holding his shoulder. "You should do what you want, what you are needed to do, and what he wants to do."

We are too late, father. If we are going to trust him, we should have done so from the beginning. 

Right now, the young master in front of him and the one before him are two different people. 

Despite this, he remains silent. 

He was taught to do all of his work without saying anything. 

"We have no right to act based on emotions, father," he said, "that boy was ready to let us go when he woke up differently one morning."

He can tell Cale is preparing for their departure, but Vicross really does not want to leave. 

"It is up to you then," Ron said before departing to assist the young lord. 

But—

"Why are all the children being thrown at me?" he asked, looking at the ten wolf children sent to him by his lord. There are times when he wants to beat that trash or pinch his sides because he can not be bothered with things, but he ended up taking care of them. 

If only they were not so adorable.

He grudgingly agreed and, of course, prepared his lord's food with the assistance of the children. 

.

.

He sluggishly placed the dishes in front of Cale. 

The wolf pack seemed to like Cale because they talked to him the same way they talked to their older brothers. 

When he looks at Cale, he can not help but notice his flowery aura. 

This cretin is clearly laughing at me. 

He just stood by the side, exhausted. He should not have made grapevine soda with lemon if he knew this jerk enjoys bullying him. 

Cale's moves to keep him away from him were clearly intended to bully him. 

"You look good with children," Cale said before leaving to look after the kids. 

"I am not," he replied, "but if I were, I would have saved and comforted a child from ten years ago." 

Cale remained deafeningly quiet. 

"If you happen to meet that child, you should apologize to him."

You are the child in question. 

He can not possibly apologize. He was far too late to do so. 

“Vicross.”

“Yes, Young Lord.”

“I planned on going on an excursion tomorrow. Do you want to come?”

“Yes, Young Master. Thank you for your grace.” He bowed slightly and watched the boy in front of him. 

He really is a different person than before. 

He felt like an apology to this person would be improper. 

It’s like he’s not the Young Cale he used to watch over and protect silently for years. 

He is a very different person. 

Have you ever watched a leaf leave a tree? It falls upward first, and then it drifts toward the ground, just as how Vicross finds himself drifting towards Cale.

He knew that Cale changed for the better. 

It’s like, the higher he builds walls around his heart, the harder he falls when someone tears them down.

But Cale closed his heart entirely, treating everyone the same while being true to himself. 

Cale seems tired of everything happening to him, but he had no choice but to act. 

He has no choice but to continue with his facade, because it’s the only thing that’s keeping him intact after all those years of loneliness. 

He’s gathering people who creates what he lost from a long time ago. 

“It would be the best, if you could smile from the bottom of your heart. “

He steps out of the room, leaving Cale alone. 

.

.

He didn’t know that Cale heard him before he left. 

If I could control my heart, I would stop it from trusting everyone around me right now. 

If only Vicross came to Cale’s rescue before, he would have treated him differently. 

“But you were far too late.”

It’s not his memories, but Cale’s heart is beating loudly.

The sadness of this body. 

The expression of this face. 

You adored this man too much, Cale. 

To the point your heart is beating out of control. 

"I am not the child you should apologize to, Vicross." 

Nor he is the right person to answer to this late affection. 

TBC