Yuna Inspired: Our Virtual Family

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Right before Hana entered her house, she quickly turned around to face the following Logan. "Shouldn't you head home?"

He sent her a surprised look. "I give you a ride home, and you won't let me in?"

She rolled her eyes. "You begged for it." He was about to take a step forward, but she placed a hand out to stop him. "Logan..."

"What?"

"I-I'm not comfortable...with you here," she finally said, looking away, too scared to see his reaction.

But he didn't give any. "I know."

"Then go home." She was still not looking at him.

"Can't I rest inside?"

"Mom!" Lucas rushed out from the hallway. "Can I paint my room?"

"Do your homework first," Hana said, glancing back.

"I only have to read."

She entered her house. "Let's read first, and then we can paint." She heard the door locked behind her and remembered that she had a "visitor." To Logan, she said, "Y-you're not leaving?"

Logan ignored her and went to the young boy and asked him, "You painting a room? Whose?"

Lucas hopped up and down. "My room! My room!"

"Oh, can I see?"

"Yeah!" Lucas's eyes lit up, and he sprinted to his room.

Logan turned to Hana and whispered, "I can't leave now, can I?" He chuckled at his victory, took her hand, and dragged her with him. "Let's go see."

She pouted to hide her laughter.

"Uncle," said Lucas. He stood in the center of a slightly crowded room with a huge white office desk by the door and a glazed oakwood five-drawer dresser at the back and next to a black full-sized bed with two blankets—both that were white. "We're painting it all blue! And, and Mom's going to add a surprise!"

"A surprise?" Logan gasped, and the little boy nodded. "What is it?"

Lucas puckered. "She won't tell me." He skipped to Logan and nudged his leg, and Logan bent down, knowing that the little boy wanted to say something to him, and lent an ear. "Can you ask her what it is?" whispered Lucas. He had asked his "Daddy Hugo" before, but "Daddy Hugo" apologetically said that he had promised to keep his mouth shut. His only chance now was to receive the help of his new "Uncle." "I won't tell her you told me."

Thanks to Lucas's failed attempt to whisper, Hana overheard the conversation and smiled at the bonding scene between her friend and her son. Seeing how happily—and comfortable—the two boys were with each other, she became remorse. She couldn't help but be hurt when she caught the sincere smile from her ex-virtual-husband as he cheerfully talked to his ex-virtual-son. Seeing this, she realized something. He's relaxed around Lucas now. Back then, he'd be such a baby around babies.

"Got it!" chirped Logan, and his words made her flinch, and she snapped back to reality. "You can leave it to me," he whispered and winked at Lucas, and the two shook hands. "I'll start my mission now." He stood up and gave the room another good look. "Lucas, you sleep by yourself? In this big room?"

Lucas shook his head. "Sometimes, my dad sleeps over."

Hana's eyes widened. The fact that Hugo slept over every other weekend had become such a norm that she didn't mind until Logan came along—again—into their lives. Even though Lucas may have said these words innocently, she knew it could ignite something in Logan. But what could she say when it was the truth?