Locket of Hope, Seoul.

“Your what?” Currently, an open-mouthed Fran was sitting with her eyes wide open as she talked to Cristopher.

“My daughter.” Cristopher once again repeated himself as he smiled awkwardly. “Evandel’s my daughter.”

It all started moments ago when he called her to a room that was designed for the main caretaker of the place. There, both Evandel and Cristopher sat in front of Fran’s desk.

All the way to the office, Fran was completely silent. After all, something popped up in her mind the moment she saw Evandel walking through the orphanage’s door.

And as such, the first thing she asked was who Evandel was, a question Cristopher answered truthfully.

“But! How!?” Fran asked, her initial doubt proving to be correct. 

She first hoped that the little girl would be a somewhat lost sister he found roaming around the world. 

“I guess things just happened like that...” Cristopher said with an awkward smile.

“Like hell they did! Just tell me what happened. She looks to be around 4 years old, when did you get to have a daughter that old? In your thirteenth?”

“Well...” Cristopher said as he scratched the back of his head.

“And you really think that I’ll believe that?” Fran said with a frown.

All the while, Evandel was fidgeting with her small hands as she sat beside Cristopher in silence.

Cristopher let out a deep sigh.

“No, of course not.” He said as he patted Evandel’s head. “But it’s true that she’s my daughter. It’s just that she was born different.”

Fran looked at him before she glanced at the nervous Evandel. After a little while, she let out a deep sigh.

“Go on, I’m still really curious about how you became a father so soon.”

“Evandel was born from a seed. She’s like a fairy in that regard.”

“A fairy, huh.” Fran nodded as she turned to pick a jar of cookies that was behind her. She then took out a couple of cookies and gave them to Evandel. “Here sweetheart, this is for you. I’m sorry, I may seem like I’m angry, but this is just so confusing. If anything, you’re not at fault here.”

“...Nn.” Evandel nodded as she received the cookies.

Fran looked at her with a soft smile and then turned to Cristopher.

“So, a fairy?”

“Yeah.” Cristopher said with a shrug as he looked at Evandel eating the chocolate chip cookies with stars in her eyes. “A fairy.”

“And… Does she have a mother?”

At her words, Evandel flinched and turned to look up at Cristopher, who smiled awkwardly.

“Yes. She has a mother too.” He said before he let out a sigh. “But for the moment, she can’t meet her. And her mom, too, can’t know about Evandel.”

Evandel looked down with a somewhat sad face.

“Mm? I'm not even going to ask how what you're implying is possible, but I do want to know why can't they meet each other?” Fran asked as she looked at Evandel.

“Because things will get complicated.” Cristopher sighed. “It’s not like I don’t want her to meet her mother, but not just yet. In due time, she will meet her.”

Evandel just looked up at him, a slight glint of hope present in her eyes.

“Oh well.” Fran said as she shrugged with a smile. “Now! What’s the official story?” She said as she quoted with her fingers.

“Well...” Cristopher smiled awkwardly as he scratched the back of his head. “Let’s just say that Evandel’s mother lived in South America and that after she died, she asked someone close to her to bring her to me? Does it sound plausible?”

“Well, if you’re asking me if the story of a thirteenth or fourteenth-year-old kid impregnating a mature woman that he somehow seduced only to find out he had a child four years later when this woman mysteriously died and a stranger took the child to him is a plausible story. I would say no, and then ask you if you were doubting my intelligence.”

“You just had to say no, you know?” Cristopher said as he rolled his eyes.

“Yes, but then it wouldn't be fun!” Fran said with a smile. “Anyways, while I don’t think it’s a plausible story, it’s not like people will doubt it too much.”

“Mm? Why do you say so?” He tilted his head.

“Well, I’ve heard the rumors that are going through Cube, you know~?” She said with a smirk. “Last semester when I went to watch the midterms, I kind of caught some people talking about you constantly going out of Cube to visit brothels and whatnot.”

“Oh, right.” He nodded. “There were those rumors too.”

“It seems you don’t care about them?”

“Not really.” Cristopher shrugged.

“Well, not that I expected you to.” Fran smiled. “Anyways, we’ll just go with that theory.”

“Excellent.” Cristopher smiled. “Also, I kind of came here so Evandel can play with the other kids.”

“I supposed. Otherwise, I would really doubt you bringing her here just to let me meet her!” Fran chuckled as she stood up. “Come on, the kids will be happy to meet her! They’re also at the garden training haha~ I swear that since you started to train them, they never slack off a single day.”

“Oh well, that’s good.” Cristopher smirked as he stood up alongside Evandel. “Slacking off will not help them increase their chances of a better future.”

“I know~.” Fran said as she started to walk out of her office, Cristopher and Evandel following her. “It’s just that I sometimes miss them just playing around!”

Cristopher chuckled as they all walked towards the garden.

“By the way!” Fran said as she tapped her chin with her finger. “Where’s Olivia? It’s weird that she didn’t come to play today~.”

“She’s with Hajin, they’re in a Dungeon.” Cristopher said as he shrugged.

“Mm~ Is that so!?” She tilted her head while smirking. “Such a coincidence. So… What will you tell her about Evandel~?”

“The same thing I told you.” Cristopher shrugged.

“The lie or the truth?”

“Probably the lie.”

“And will she buy it?”

“Probably? I don’t know. Let’s wait and see.” Cristopher chuckled.

Once they reached the garden, they saw the group of children training, especially Antonio, who looked as if he has been training for a while.

{Mm?} Cristopher lifted an eyebrow as he watched Antonio train. It was minimal, but he was still able to see the changes around the kid’s surroundings.

“Ho… Interesting.” He smiled.

“Mm? What!?” Fran asked as she tilted her head.

“Nothing much.” Cristopher shrugged, not telling her what he just detected.

Fran pouted at his unresponsiveness.

“You and your secrets...”

“Oh, come on. Let’s just call them, Ev brought some food for everyone.” Cristopher said as he rolled his eyes.

“Sure~!” She said before clapping. “Kids! Cristopher’s here!”

“Oppa!” The first one to rush towards him was the little Anne. Just to suddenly stop in front of them, eyes locked on Evandel.

“...”

“...”

A somewhat strange stare contest started between both girls, one that was interrupted by Laura.

“Anne, it’s rude to stare at people like that.” She said as she let out a deep sigh.

“But she’s just so pretty!” Anne said as she rushed towards Evandel. “Hi! My name’s Anne Paige! What’s yours?”

“...I’m Evandel.” Evandel muttered shyly. “Evandel Lamas...”

At her words, both Anne and Laura, as well as the rest of the kids that got close enough to hear her, opened their eyes wide.

“Lamas… like hyung?” Gabriel asked as he looked up at Cristopher.

"Is she perhaps a lost sister oppa?" Laura asked with her head tilted. "Did you manage to find your parents somehow?"

“Yeah... and no...” He smiled awkwardly as he scratched the back of his head. “Kids… This is Evandel. She’s my daughter.”

“...Your… What?” Anne opened her mouth wide.

“Daughter.”

They all turned to look at Evandel, who stepped back and hid behind Cristopher’s leg.

“She does have oppa’s weird hair...” Laura muttered, while the rest of the kids just looked at Evandel with a dazed face.

“I...” Evandel spoke after the silence extended for a little while. “I brought food...”

“Food?” Josh tilted his head.

“What food!?” Anne asked as she got close and grabbed Evandel’s shoulders.

“Um…” Evandel opened her eyes wide in surprise, as she started to list the food she bought with her dad. “Fried chicken, hamburgers, pizza, fried pork, steak, fries...”

One by one, she listed the food, her little fingers extending as if she was counting in her head until a shout woke her up.

“Say no more!” Anne said, eyes opened wide with stars shining in them and saliva dropping from the corner of her mouth. “Aunty! Prepare the table!”

“This kid...” Fran glared at Anne with twitching eyebrows. “That I’m not an aunty!”

“Auch!”

After slightly punching Anne in the head, Fran let out a deep sigh.

“Come on. Let’s go to the dining room.”

The rest of the day was pretty hectic for Evandel who, after brib… sharing her food with the rest of the kids, went to play with them.

She got to know everyone, and they in turn got to know her.

“So? How old are you!?” Anne asked as she guided Evandel towards the garden. “You look younger than me!”

“Um, I’m four years old.” Evandel said as she looked at the hand of Anne that was pulling her.

“...Four!?” Laura, who was following behind them, unconsciously shouted.

“Does this mean that… Hyung had her while he was only 13 years old...?” Josh, who was in charge of guiding the kids out after the meal, spoke.

Beside him, Gabriel had his mouth wide open as he held a bag with a lot of stuff inside. Things that Evandel bought for them as a bri- gifts.

“Just what was he thinking...” Laura frowned before she let out a deep sigh.

Without paying attention to the group behind them, Anne just kept talking excitedly.

“So that means I’m older than you!” She said to Evandel, turning with a smirk. “You have to call me unni!”

“U-Unni...?” Evandel tilted her head.

“Yes! Unni! Because I’m older than you! So I’m like your older sister.” Anne said as she nodded with a serious face.

“Older sister.” Evandel nodded with a smile. “Okay, unni.”

“Great! Now let’s go. We’re going to play a lot today! Do you know how to play tag?”

“...Tag?” Evandel tilted her head. “No, I don’t.”

At her words, Anne stopped and turned to look at her with a shocked face.

“What!? How don’t you know how to play tag!?” She shouted as she grabbed her head. “This can’t continue. Let’s go!”

With haste, she once again grabbed Evandel’s hand and pulled her towards the garden.

“Hey!” Laura shouted. “Anne, don’t run!”

She ran behind the two kids.

“Haha.” With such a scene in front of them, Josh chuckled. “It seems like things are going to get funnier.”

“Yeah.” Gabriel also chuckled.

“Oh well, I guess she’s not guilty of hyung being a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” Josh said as he shook his head.

“Yo.” Suddenly a hand fell on Josh’s head. “Care to tell me who’s this wolf in sheep’s clothing you’re talking about?”

Frozen on the spot, Josh felt how his back was quickly covered in a cold sweat. Beside him, Gabriel’s eyes went wide as he turned pale.

“H-H-H-Hyung!” Josh stuttered. “I-I was talking about Ryan hyung! Yes! Ryan!”

“Ho...” Cristopher said as he stood behind him with a twitching smile. “Is that so?”

“...Y-Y-Yes”

“I guess that’s true. He does seem like a womanizer.” Cristopher said as he took his hand off his head, which made Josh let out a relieved sigh.

But it seems like his relief left as quick as it came from Cristopher’s next words.

“Anyways, Josh. You’re the oldest of the kids, right? You know, there’s this new training I was thinking about that will fit you perfectly.”

“H-H-Hyung-” He tried to protest as he looked at Cristopher's deepening smirk, but out of nowhere someone else spoke.

“Evandel’s cute.” Antonio, who was walking behind them, spoke with a pensive face.

Cristopher, Josh, and Gabriel froze and quickly turned to Antonio, who didn’t even perceive them as he walked through the door towards the garden.

“Maybe the womanizer will be someone else?” Gabriel muttered in surprise.

“Heh? Look at this kid go. He sure wants his days to end quickly.” While Cristopher spoke with a twitching eye.

“Um… Hyung. Antonio is just a kid.” Josh, who was still slightly afraid, spoke to Cristopher as he saw some blackish-red mana-like thing flowing out from him. “Please control yourself.”

***

After they got to the garden, Anne taught Evandel how to play tag, hide and seek, and some other games together with the rest of the kids. The older ones making sure that no one got hurt.

Antonio, after playing for a little while, decided to go by himself to train, even when the rest of the kids told him to stay and play for today.

“He’s becoming addicted to training!” Anne shouted while puffing her cheeks as she looked at Antonio, who has been working out all the while they played.

“Why?” Evandel asked as she looked at Antonio with her head tilted.

Both of them were currently resting, while the other kids were looking at the things that Evandel bought for them in the United States.

“He wants to be a Hero, and oppa is helping him train.” Anne said with her arms crossed as she shook her head. “We all started to train with him too, but he’s just too obsessed over it! I can’t even take a rest because of it!”

“Mm? Why?” Evandel frowned as she tilted her head the other way. “Do you have to train like him?”

“No!” Anne quickly denied it. “But I can’t be losing to him!”

“Oh.” Evandel nodded.

“Anyways! Thanks for the gifts! Must be great to go out of the country, right?”

“Yeah.” Evandel nodded with a smile. “It’s fun.”

“Ah! I wish I could go out to other countries like!” Anne said while grabbing her head.

“You can’t?” Evandel asked with a puzzled look.

“Nope! Not without a parent at least!” Anne said as she shook her head.

“Oh.” Evandel nodded. “What happened to them? To your parents.”

“Mm?” Anne was the one to tilt her head this time but quickly shook her head as she shrugged “I don’t know. I never met them. I think no one here has met their parents.”

“And you’re not sad because of that?”

“Sad? No! Why would I!?” Anne smiled. “I have so many brothers and sisters! And aunty is good with us too. And things are getting better every day now!”

“Really?”

“Yes! Look!” Anne said as she pointed towards a corner of the garden that had some materials on it. “There’s even people reconstructing our home! It will look prettier!”

“Oh!” Evandel nodded.

“Now! Let’s go! We still have a lot of things to play!” Anne said as she took Evandel’s hand and pulled her up. “First! Let’s go take some toys to play with!”

“Yes, unni!” Evandel smiled and quickly stood up.

As they walked towards the rest of the kids, Laura looked up at them.

"Great, here Anne, you have your pick too." She said as she showed Anne the bag with toys that Evandel brought. "Almost everyone picked something already, so pick one and then we'll try to divide the rest between everyone."

"Thanks!" Anne said as she grabbed the bag.

"Don't thank me. Thank Evandel, she's the one that brought the toys after all." Laura said with a smile.

"I already did!" Anne answered without even taking her head out of the bag as she looked through the different toys.

"It's not a problem..." Evandel muttered. "I just wanted to bring something to everyone..."

"And that's why we're thankful, Evandel." Laura said with a smile. "You have to make sure to always say thank you when someone does something good for you or helps you. Even if they didn't do it to receive something in exchange."

"Nn." Evandel nodded with blushed cheeks.

"Oww..." Laura's eyes shined as she quickly embraced her. "You're so cute!"

"Woah!" Evandel shouted as she looked everywhere.

"Huh? Laura noona, it's weird to see you so excited." Roger, a kid slightly older than Antonio, said.

"I can't help it..." Laura said with Evandel in her arms. "She's just so cute~"

Anne, who had a toy from a movie in her hands, looked intently at Laura who was frotting her cheek against Evandel's

"But you never do that with me?" Anne tilted her head.

"It's because I saw you growing, and did this plenty of times when you were a baby." Laura quickly said.

"Huh? But why are you looking away, unni?" Anne asked again.

"I just saw something around there, Anne." She said, before letting Evandel go. "Anyways! Have you picked your toy?"

"Yes!" Anne shouted excitedly after staring at Laura for a couple of seconds. "This one!"

"Okay." Laura nodded, before turning to the rest of the kids. "Now~! Everyone! Let's distribute the rest of the toys!"

"Yes!" Everyone shouted excitedly.

"But before that." Laura raised a finger in front of her. "Let's give a big thank you to Evandel!"

"Thank you! Evandel!" Once again, the excited shout of the kids was heard in the garden.

Meanwhile, Evandel just fidgeted around with her hands. With her face getting red all the way from her chin to the tip of her ears.

"It was nothing..." Evandel muttered in a barely audible whisper as she looked down.

Laura, Josh, and Gabriel looked at her with soft smiles, while the rest of the kids rushed to her with the toys they grabbed, trying to show them to her and saying thank you once again.

"How does someone as cute as her, ends up being the daughter of someone like hyung?" Josh commented after a little while.

Gabriel nodded.

"Well, to be honest, it's not that oppa is that ugly. He's more average, maybe?" Laura said as she tilted her head. "Though for some reason, that weird hair looks better on her than on him."

"Indeed..." Josh muttered as he nodded. "It's probably because of the blond hair."

"Yeah, that must be." Laura nodded.

And just like that, without knowing it, the trio of older kids sealed their fate for the upcoming weekends.