Tangled Hearts And Classroom Smiles

Us

Returning home felt like stepping into a new chapter of his life. Fourth barely had time to set his bags down before Nan ran over, throwing her little arms around him with a squeal. He knelt down to hug her, pressing a kiss to her forehead, his chest filling with warmth and relief.

"Did you have fun with Phi Dunk?" he asked, ruffling her hair.

Nan's face lit up, nodding enthusiastically. "Yes! Mama made me pancakes, and we watched cartoons!"

Fourth blinked, a bit taken aback. "Mama?"

At that, Dunk laughed sheepishly from the kitchen doorway, where he'd been watching the reunion. "She started calling me that out of nowhere," he explained. "I told her she could just call me Dunk, but she insisted."

Fourth felt a pang of surprise but also a rush of warmth. Seeing Dunk and Nan together, it made sense—Dunk had stepped in seamlessly, taking care of her like his own. And if she saw him as her mama... well, maybe there was more truth in that than Fourth had realized.

"Well, I don't mind," he said, giving Dunk a small smile. "You took great care of her, Mama Dunk."

Dunk chuckled, cheeks pink, but there was pride in his expression. "Lunch is ready, by the way. I wanted to have everything set up for you when you got back."

They sat together at the table, sharing stories between bites, Nan eagerly showing off all the things she'd learned while Fourth was gone. She laughed and babbled, all bright eyes and big smiles, and Fourth couldn't help but feel grateful. Dunk, ever attentive, filled Fourth in on every detail, reassuring him that things had gone smoothly, even sharing a few cute stories about Nan's antics.

When lunch was finished, it was time for Dunk and Phuwin to leave. Nan clung to Dunk's leg, her eyes welling up as she tried to hold back her tears.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, sweetheart," Dunk cooed, crouching down to her level. "I'll be back soon, I promise."

Nan sniffled, wiping her face with her tiny hands. "Promise?"

Dunk nodded, giving her a soft smile and hugging her close. "Promise."

With a few more hugs and a lot of reassurance, Fourth finally managed to convince her to let Dunk go. He watched as Dunk and Phuwin headed out, Dunk giving a small wave as they disappeared down the hall.

Later that evening, back at the mansion, Phuwin gathered everyone in the living room, his voice filled with an almost reverent excitement. "Fourth accepted our proposal," he said, the words carrying a warmth that spread through the room. "He doesn't want to rush anything, and he wants to take things slow. But he's with us."

A ripple of joy went through the group, smiles lighting up their faces, and a few cheers echoing in the room. Pond raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "We'd better be on our best behavior, then."

"Speak for yourself," Joong muttered with a smirk. "I'm ready to celebrate."

Even Gemini, who often kept his cool, couldn't stop the smile spreading across his face. "Guess we'll have to work on our charm. Make sure he knows exactly what he's signed up for."

The happiness was infectious, the room practically buzzing with it. They all knew this was a big step for Fourth—a huge one, actually—and they were ready to support him every step of the way. For them, Fourth wasn't just someone they cared about; he was someone they wanted to protect, to love, to make feel at home.

That night, each of them found themselves thinking about Fourth and what the future held. He was a part of them now, in every sense of the word. And they were determined to make sure he never felt alone again.