Golden Melody (Editing)

Chapter 112

Chapter 112

They ended up on the rooftop restaurant.
Open sky above them.
Soft wind.
The city glowing in the distance.
Miexha took another bite of her food, eyes soft.
“…Riel,” she admitted, “your cooking is still better than anything five-star.”
Zatariel leaned in slightly, smiling.
“I know,” he said.
“You fell in love with my pork adobo all over again back in Green Garden.”
He leaned closer.
“Come here—”
—
ZZZAP.
A sharp spark snapped between them.
Zatariel jerked back.
“OW—what the—?!”
Blue static danced across his fingers.
He stared at it, offended.
“…Is this Jayson’s doing?” he muttered.
“He coded jealousy into the air now?!”
Miexha burst out laughing.
“Maybe it’s… nano-field husband protection?”
She reached out—
And patted his head.
No shock.
Zatariel froze.
Then narrowed his eyes.
“…So I can’t hug you, but you can pat me like a dog?”
“Golden retriever,” she corrected with a grin.
“Very important distinction.”
He sighed dramatically.
“Unfair universe.”
They went back to eating.
Comfortable.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
“…I’m curious,” Miexha said after a moment, poking at her food.
“Your wife.”
Zatariel paused.
“My son has red hair,” she added, glancing at him.
“So… is she a Sebastian?”
He choked.
Actually choked.
Coughed.
Then immediately looked away.
“Oh—uh…” He laughed awkwardly.
His spoon slipped from his hand, clinking softly against the table.
“You’ll meet her later,” he said quickly. “At home.”
Miexha blinked.
“…Wait.”
Her brain caught up.
“You’re staying at our house?”
Zatariel shrugged, like it was obvious.
“I manage the household,” he said.
“Take care of the kids.”
A beat.
“Jayson’s buried in work. Asha’s busy saving the country.”
He glanced at her.
“And you were in a coma.”
Miexha exhaled slowly.
“…You’ve had a difficult few years.”
Zatariel immediately leaned back, putting on the most pitiful expression he could manage.
“I have suffered greatly,” he said solemnly.
A pause.
Then softer—
Quieter.
“…But I stayed.”
Miexha looked at him.
Really looked.
At the tiredness behind the humor.
At the way he never actually left her world—
Even when he wasn’t part of it anymore.
And for a moment—
The future didn’t feel exciting.
It felt…
Heavy.

-------

That afternoon, they returned to Domus to pick up the kids.

Leon walked out first—red handprint on his cheek.
“Ow.”

Liana trailed behind, smirking.
“He deserved it.”

Zatariel raised an eyebrow. “Kyla?”

“He smiled too much at another girl,” Liana said, deadpan.
“She saw.”

Leon groaned. “I was asking for a pen!”

Then came Ariel—flying down the hall like a missile and latching onto Zatariel’s waist.
“Zazaaaaa! I missed you every second! Stay forever!”

Shellie followed next, flanked by two boys carrying her books and bag.

“Do you pay them?” Zatariel asked.

“They’re interns,” Shellie said, flipping her hair like a CEO.

Then the storm hit—Xiejay sprinted past, shirt torn, one shoe missing, his bag halfway exploded.

“What happened—how—?” Miexha stuttered.

“This is his normal,” Zatariel said dryly.
“I gave up asking.”

The kids proudly held out their quiz papers.

Five sheets.
Five perfect 100s.

Zatariel’s annoyed sigh transformed into a proud, smug smirk.