As the group arrived at the eastern conglomerate, Haechan's emotions were mixed. However, in the presence of his parents and Aunt Aria, he pushed aside his inner turmoil, embracing the joy of reuniting with his family.
"Hello, my king and queen, how are you?" Haechan greeted his parents warmly, enveloping them in a tight hug, his heart filled with the longing for their presence.
"We're fine, my son," his father replied. "And who are these handsome and beautiful visitors?"
"They're the alphas and my friends," Haechan introduced proudly.
"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Lee, nice meeting you," Jaemin greeted warmly.
"And by the way, this is Aunt Aria, Ryujin's mother," Haechan added, the group offering her warm smiles.
"Ryujin's mother is beautiful, just like her," Yeji complimented.
"Oh, thank you, my dear," Aunt Aria responded graciously.
"Did you eat already?" Haechan's mother inquired, her maternal concern evident.
"Yes, mom. Actually, we're here because the council told us to visit the five lands, and our homeland is our last destination," Haechan explained.
"Oh, is that so? Where do you plan to go now?" she asked.
"I still don't know, maybe I'll just ask them," Haechan said, glancing at the others for their input.
"I want to play some games on one of those arenas, just like what Hae—" Yangyang started, but Haechan quickly interrupted.
"We're going to the roses field first, okay?" Haechan redirected, conscious of keeping certain aspects of his activities away from his parents' knowledge. He caught Ryujin's smirk, a silent acknowledgement of her understanding his secret.
"You naughty kid," Renjun teased through their shared connection, eliciting a bittersweet smile from Haechan.
"Okay, I think you should go now because your time is running," Haechan's father intervened.
"Yes, we'll go now. Bye, Mom, Dad, and bye, Aunt Aria," Haechan bid farewell, the group preparing to depart for their next destination, leaving behind the warmth of family to continue their journey through the lands.
As the group prepared to leave Haechan's house, bidding farewell to his parents and Aunt Aria, the goodbyes flowed naturally.
"Bye, Mom," Ryujin said softly, expressing her departure.
"Goodbye, Mr. and Mrs. Lee. Till we meet again," Jeno bid his farewell respectfully.
However, just as they were about to leave, Haechan realized he had forgotten something crucial.
"Wait, I forgot something. I'll just go get it," he announced, swiftly re-entering the house to retrieve a particular book given to him by his mother.
"Make it fast," Yiren called out playfully.
In a rush, Haechan scurried to his room, rummaging through his drawers until he found the treasured book. Hastily, he rejoined the group.
"Did you forget something?" his father inquired.
"Yeah, I got the book Mom gave me a few years ago," Haechan replied, displaying the book to them.
"The book about the eastern land?" his mother asked, recognizing the significance.
"Yes, bye again, we have to go," Haechan bid a swift farewell, eager to continue their journey.
"Take care!" His mother's voice echoed as they exited the house and made their way to the field of roses.
