Biron was overjoyed at her words. He nearly jumped up but stopped himself—he knew that calling her that was already pushing his luck.
Mirelia shook her head in exasperation, silently hoping she hadn't just made a mistake.
She walked ahead with a serious expression, which left Biron wondering: was this how she always acted, or had her issues with her parents changed her?
"Say, Mirelia, what do you do when you're not in school?"
Mirelia huffed, as if reluctant to answer at first, then shrugged. After a moment of thought, she replied.
"Read, study, and… eat. Just the normal stuff."
Biron stopped and looked at her like she was some kind of rare creature.
"Normal? You call that normal? Where's the fun in that? Don't tell me it's reading."
Mirelia slowly nodded, almost unsure whether he was teasing or genuinely confused by her daily life.
"Yeah, no… if that's what you call fun, then let's go back to my house. I'll tell my family I fell into a river or something and had to run back. But I'm definitely going to show you what normal is. We can leave the shop for another time."
Biron, determined to shift her perspective a little, suddenly led her toward his home.
If there was one thing he was thankful for, it was having a mother like Wendy—even if she was only his adoptive parent. She had helped him move past the loneliness he once carried. And if he didn't have a way to help heal this girl, then maybe Wendy did.
"Wait—why? I don't want to barge in..."
But Biron didn't stop this time. He grabbed her arm to guide her along.
He also wanted to see if she could become friends with his sister. Lately, Tessa had been a bit more talkative around him, and maybe this could help her open up, too. Find the newest release on NoveI★Fire.net
Mirelia resisted at first, surprised by his sudden pushiness. But then, after a few steps, she followed of her own will. A few more, and she was even running, wondering why Biron was suddenly so insistent.
It wasn't long before they arrived.
Biron checked his pants and noticed they were still damp, but at least they wouldn't dirty the floor.
His mother was the one to open the door. She looked at him and was about to greet him—until she noticed Mirelia standing behind.
"Hey, uhm… Mom, this is a friend from school. She, uh... wanted to meet you and sis. Can she come inside?"
Biron tried to play it cool.
His plan was to have Mirelia meet his sister while he explained things to his mother.
"Ah, sure! Come in, come in. And why are your pants wet? Did you fall in a sewer or something? Go take a shower if that's the case…"
"No, I just… fell into a puddle. It wasn't dirty water, don't worry!"
Wendy gave him a stern look but decided to let it slide.
She turned to Mirelia, who stood there a little confused.
"Come in, dear. Just place anything you need on that shelf by the door. We were just setting the table for dinner—feel free to join us if you'd like."
Wendy was always welcoming, and Biron was relieved she caught on quickly.
"Uh, no, I just came… to—"
Before Mirelia could finish, Biron cut in and winked at her.
"Yes, Mom, we'll be eating. I think she hasn't eaten since noon, so it should be fine to add another portion, right?"
Wendy nodded and led them to the dining table.
His father sat there, reading what looked like a work report, while the twins were caught in a small argument.
"Oh? A young lady," Harris said, setting his paper down. "Hello there—take a seat. We've got plenty of space."
Harris had once been hesitant about Biron joining the family, but now he acted warmly toward him.
He liked the boy's attitude toward the twins and his wife.
Biron was also a hard worker, and had even asked Harris for advice about girls once.
Still, Harris hadn't expected the boy to bring someone home so soon. Maybe in a few years, not days.
"Thanks. I will be… partaking in the meal you… provide, then…"
One of the twins, Terry, stopped messing around. He clearly wanted to say something about the way she spoke.
"Ha! What, did my translations glitch? I don't remember anyone in the market talking like that. Don't tell me that's how girls speak in this world."
His sister immediately smacked his shoulder.
"What do you know about girls? All you do is ogle them from afar. Now shut up."
Everyone turned to look at him as his face turned bright red. He shot his sister a glare, but everyone already knew he liked the girl next door.
"Don't mind him," Tessa said kindly. "Here—sit next to me. I'm Tessa. I like your ears, by the way."
She pulled out the chair beside her and smiled. Mirelia glanced at Biron, who simply shrugged and nodded for her to go ahead.
"Thanks… but they aren't too special. Just a little pointy."
For some reason, Mirelia seemed unusually shy, but Biron hoped his family could ease her discomfort, just like they had done for him.
The meal passed quickly. The Marron family was naturally talkative, which had rubbed off on Biron over time. Mirelia, though quiet at first, eventually picked up their rhythm and even joined in occasionally.
After dinner, everyone began moving off to their usual routines. Mirelia and Tessa had hit it off better than expected, just like Biron had hoped. Before long, the red-haired girl was pulled away to chat privately in Tessa's room.
Terry leaned over and whispered to Biron.
"Hey, bro… nice girl. If I didn't have feelings for Murai, I'd be jealous. I hope you really do become her boyfriend."
Biron chuckled, amused by the idea.
"How about I help you with your girl, then? Tomorrow I'll talk to her and let her know you want to get to know her. Sound good?"
Terry quickly raised both hands and shook his head.
"No way. I can handle this myself. No offense, Biron, but you're already too cool—I don't need extra competition, haha."
Biron laughed with him.
"Fair enough. Just let me know if you ever need help."
With that, the two boys went to their rooms. Biron figured the girls wouldn't be leaving their room anytime soon, so he gave up on talking with Mirelia until the next day.