Another Passing Day ＊ REVISED ＊

Chapter Twentythree ＊ REVISED ＊

＊ REVISED ＊

3rd POV
「〒〒・〒〒」

The woman with blonde hair walked into a store with big red letters on the front, 'Hop In Cafe'. Inside the employees all wore caps and shirts that have a frog and the name of the cafe on it.

"May I help you hop to your seat?" An enthusiastic young woman with black hair helped a handicap old lady to her table, receiving a smile from the old woman after she left.

"Uhm... Excuse me! Can I be seated?" She asked just with slight irritation. No one had bothered to help Arietta find a table since everyone was now watching the black-haired girl.

"Y-Yes! Right away, ma'am!" A tall boy with short green hair replied nearly immediately, and, realizing something, paused and spoke in annoyance, "Ribbit."

He seated her and then she saw the familiar blonde hair. Being Arietta, who follows what she sees, she jumped up and ran to the table. Her eyes widened in surprise and a slight bit of happiness. She hadn't seen him in a long time, and this was a good opportunity to talk.

"Oh. Arietta. Good afternoon." Pariston sat right in front of her, not really seeming to care that the woman whom he thought was his sister was standing right in front of him.

Arietta embraced him in a tight hug, and once she released him, she realized that she should probably speak too. It was a little weird, seeing as he was playing his voice in monotone.

"Well... Hi?"

The blonde gave him a genuine smile and another hug-this time a shorter one. Her eyes searched his and tried to see what he was up to, but nothing could be seen aside from his lonely smile. It's hard trying to read someone you haven't seen in a while, or at least that's what she thought.

"Yes, actually, your father is here with me today, if you haven't noticed." Clearly she hasn't, Pariston thought to himself, he was much younger than Arietta, but acted much older than her. Considering he is a genius, it's not hard to fathom.

"Oh! Who are you?" Arietta hadn't let Pariston's words sink in and so she just heard, 'with me today' and looked around quick.

"Your father." Pariston repeated, slightly annoyed.

"Hello..." The man with light blue eyes and faded blonde hair spoke, his face was covered in wrinkles, and it crossed Arietta's mind that her mother got with someone way too old for herself.

"I'm Arietta Hill. It's... Nice to finally meet you...?" The blonde woman wasn't sure how to talk to him. He hadn't been around for 30 years of her life, so how was she supposed to just let him into her life? It was not even possible! Or at least not for her.

"I'm Jakta Hill. I'm glad to finally meet my daughter. Oh, and I heard you have a sister."

The word sister hit Arietta like a ton of bricks. It's like, 'Remember your evil sister that you were forced to killed all those years ago? Yeah? Just wanted to remind you!'.

"No. I don't have a sister." I denied, though I noticed his surprised face.

"But your mother told me all about how you two got together so well!"

My eyes stung, but I forced the tears back, "Maybe you've found the wrong daughter. Your missing daughter probably would know better than me."

"Arietta! You are my daughter!" His pleading eyes were something she couldn't stand for much longer. They held regret, affection, and fear. Fear of what, she did not know, but she assumed it was of losing his family.