With the warm afternoon sun casting long shadows on the walkway, Luna hugged Kana tightly.
"Call me when you need help or when you're ready to be whisked away like princesses to shop like goddesses," Luna teased with a grin, flipping her keys in one hand like a wand.
Kana grinned deviously. "Oh, I'll take you up on that. When you least expect it. I believe in suspense."
Luna mock-shuddered. "Noted. I'll keep an emergency tiara in my bag."
Mary laughed gently, her arms wrapping around Luna in a soft hug. "Thank you for visiting, Luna. As tempting as that princess treatment sounds… I'd rather you just visit more often."
Luna's smile softened, touched. "You got it. I'll be back before you can miss me properly."
Kana rolled her eyes. "We already miss you and you're still standing here."
They all laughed again, warm and full.
_________________________________________________
The grand estate was quiet but never empty. Staff moved soundlessly through halls, and the familiar hush wrapped around Luna like a favorite blanket.
She stepped through the front door, the scent of the garden and waxed wood floors welcoming her back. A soft ding from her phone pulled her attention.
[Dad]: Welcome back home, sweetheart.
Luna's lips curved upward as she typed back.
[Luna]: Thanks, Dad. Don't worry about me, focus on your meetings. I'll wait up so we can have dinner together — even if it's late.
[Dad]: I'll do my best not to be too late. Promise.
Luna tucked her phone away, her heart a little lighter despite the fatigue tugging at her bones.
As she entered her room, Milo gave a single greeting meow — regal and brief — before plopping back down on his velvet cushion while his personal feline butler combed through his luxurious fur with great precision.
Luna shook her head, grinning. "Living your best life, I see."
Milo didn't even dignify her with a second glance.
She kicked off her shoes, tugged on a soft hoodie, and settled into the couch by her window. The familiar scent of home, the quiet hum of evening life, and the knowledge that her father would be joining her later soothed her.
"I'll just nap a bit," she murmured to herself, wrapping a throw blanket around her and sinking into the cushions.
Outside, the sky shifted to soft peach and lavender. And inside, with the soft rustling of curtains and the distant patter of servants preparing for dinner, Luna drifted off — the image of Mary's soft smile and Kana's teasing echoing in her thoughts, grounding her in everything that mattered.
The dream swallowed Luna whole.
In a vast underground arena, harsh white lights beat down upon a cold metallic floor. A crowd murmured from behind reinforced glass, and Luna found herself among them, separated by a force field. She pressed against it, heart pounding, unsure how she got there—but unable to look away.
At the center of the arena stood a young girl, barely ten. Wavy, short light-brown hair clung to her bloodied forehead. Her hazelnut eyes, bruised but unyielding, stared up at the adult opponent towering over her. In her trembling hand, she gripped a curved karambit knife.
The clash resumed.
Steel rang against steel. The girl darted in, ducking low, only to be thrown back by a brutal counter. She rolled, gasping. Her busted lip oozed fresh blood. One eye had swollen shut. Still… she rose again, knees shaking but eyes blazing.
"No, stop!" Luna screamed, pounding the glass. "Enough! Just surrender—please!"
The girl didn't flinch at her plea. She only adjusted her stance, blood dripping from her chin. Her gaze locked on her opponent—and something inside her screamed to keep going. Not for victory. But because giving up was never an option.
Then—a tug.
Luna turned, startled.
A boy stood beside her in the dream, maybe five or six, with vibrant red hair and warm eyes. His small hand clung to her sleeve, tugging gently.
"Mom…?"
Her breath caught.
"Mom, is that… is that you?"
Luna's heart thudded.
But before she could respond—
the dream shattered.
Luna's eyes blinked open to the quiet of her room. A damp patch of drool stained her sleeve. She groaned softly and wiped it with a sheepish laugh. "Figures."
The images were already slipping away—the arena, the fight, the children. She could barely hold onto the sense of urgency and sorrow pulsing in her chest. Just a dream... but it felt like more than that.
She pulled herself upright and padded to the bathroom to wash her face. Cool water grounded her. The past hour fogged in memory, but her limbs remembered tension, her eyes prickled from phantom tears.
Back in her room, her phone buzzed.
[Dad, 10:03 PM]: On my way home now. Don't wait up unless you're hungry.
Luna smiled.
[Luna]: Already told the maids to prep supper. Hurry before I eat your share.
She slipped her slippers on and made her way downstairs.
The hall was dimly lit, quiet and still, but the kitchen lights glowed warm and golden. Delicious smells wafted faintly from within. She passed the dining room, gave a quick glance at the polished table being set, and then turned toward the main door.
Pulling open the heavy oak double doors, Luna stepped onto the front step, the cool night air brushing her cheeks.
Above her, stars glittered like distant answers she hadn't yet earned.
She wrapped her arms around herself and waited—
grateful, anxious, and filled with questions she couldn't yet name.
The gentle hum of the approaching car made Luna perk up under the moonlight, her arms folded for warmth. As the sleek black vehicle slowed to a stop and the door opened, Emmerich stepped out, his movements precise as always—but slower, weighed.
His sharp eyes softened the moment they landed on her.
"Welcome home, Dad," Luna said, stepping forward, voice warm with affection.
He exhaled a sigh that wasn't quite tiredness—more like relief. "Luna."
She hugged him tightly, and he returned it, silent for a beat longer than usual. Luna felt it—the rare heaviness in his shoulders.
"You look like you've been through a full-blown siege," she murmured teasingly as they pulled apart.
Emmerich gave a weary chuckle. "You're not far off."
"Come on," she said, linking her arm with his. "Let's skip the formal dining tonight. You're sitting somewhere with pillows, not politics."
She led him to the common room where warm lighting, plush seats, and a low coffee table awaited them. The maids soon arrived with trays—supper laid out in a more intimate, comforting setting.
They ate quietly at first, the sound of soft jazz humming in the background.
"I visited Kana and Mary," Luna began. "Mary's weaker now, but she's in good spirits. Kana's holding strong, though I stayed to help her vent it all out."
Emmerich nodded. "Good. You were always... gentle with grief. Even when it wasn't yours to carry."
Luna shrugged a little. "They're important to me."
She picked up a small piece of shrimp tempura, paused, then looked at him curiously.
"By the way... do we have any beach villa nearby? Kana and I are planning something for Mary. Her request."
Emmerich raised a brow. "Villa? No. But we do have a beach resort."
Luna blinked. "...We do?"
He gave a faint smile. "Ever heard of Silver Bell?"
Luna's chopsticks nearly clattered. "That five-star? The one that's booked years in advance? That Silver Bell?"
"That one," Emmerich confirmed, amused.
"You own that?"
"I funded it," he corrected gently. "Edward runs the day-to-day operations."
Luna's jaw fell open.
"I—it takes three years to get a reservation, Dad."
"Well, I can get you three rooms this weekend, if you'd like."
She gawked, then suddenly narrowed her eyes. "Wait. Is this one of those rich-people things I wasn't supposed to know about until I turned thirty?"
Emmerich chuckled. "I built it with you and Lin in mind," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "A sanctuary for when we finally found each other again. A place for us to be... normal. Safe. Happy."
The warmth in Luna's chest turned bittersweet. She set her bowl down and reached across to gently take his hand.
"Then you should come with us when we go."
He looked at her for a long moment, the sadness in his eyes well-hidden—but not invisible.
"I'd like that," he said at last.
They finished their meal with soft conversation, the pace easy and comforting.
Later, at the hallway, Luna gave him one more hug. "Rest well, Dad. And thank you—for everything."
Emmerich kissed her forehead. "Good night, Luna."
__________________________________________
Emmerich sat on the edge of his bed in his room. The lights dimmed low. The silence stretched.
On his desk, a photo frame—empty. One he had left open for more than two decades. For a family photo that never had the chance to be taken.
Ten years ago, when he funded Silver Bell, it wasn't just a resort.
It was a promise. A signal to the universe that he was waiting. Hoping. Searching.
A haven with every detail chosen for Lin's love of the sea. For his joy of open skies.
And now, his daughter was home.
But Lin...
He rested a hand over his eyes for a moment.
"You would've loved how she turned out, Lin."
Strong. Compassionate. Stubborn.
Yours and mine, completely.
He laid back at last, letting the shadows take him. The sea breeze of memory echoing quietly in his thoughts.