Chapter 29

Morning came, but it felt different. The usual chaos of the office, Win's loud complaining, Dew's tired sighs, Prim's quiet scolding was dulled by exhaustion. After weeks of holding down the fort, everyone had accepted their fate: Nani was still gone, and they were doomed.

Win slumped in his chair, dramatically clutching his chest. "If this goes on any longer, I'm seriously going to....."

"I didn't know you guys would fall apart so easily."

The familiar voice cut through the air like lightning.

Win's eyes shot open. His head snapped toward the door, and when he saw who was standing there, calm, composed, and very much alive, his soul nearly left his body.

"NANI?!"

Dew, who had been sipping his morning coffee, choked so hard he almost sent himself to the hospital.

Meanwhile, Win's reaction was far less dignified. He let out a dramatic gasp, clutched his chest again, and staggered backward like he was about to faint. "No way. No way—are you a ghost? Is this real? Am I dreaming?!"

Nani raised an eyebrow. "If you were dreaming, I'd be a lot nicer to you."

Win didn't even care about the insult. He launched himself at Nani, gripping his shoulders and shaking him. "You, you absolute heartless man! You didn't tell anyone you were coming back?! Do you know how much we suffered?! I was about to die from overwork! I even considered...."

"Helping me?" Nani cut in, smirking.

Win froze, then scowled. "Okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves."

Dew, still recovering from his near-death coffee incident, wiped his mouth and sighed. "I hate to say this, but... I actually missed you."

Prim nodded, arms crossed. "Me too. But I'm still mad at you for not telling us."

Nani shrugged, completely unfazed. "I didn't want to make a big deal out of it."

Win scoffed. "Not a big deal?! Do you know how close I was to ascending to heaven from all this stress?!"

Nani smirked, leaning against the desk. "Well, guess that means you'll appreciate me more now."

Win groaned dramatically, throwing his hands in the air. "Ugh! I hate that you're right."

But as much as he complained, the truth was clear, everyone was relieved. The storm had passed. Their leader was back.

But their leader's heart was anything but whole.

Nani kept up his usual confidence masking the weight in his chest. On the outside, he was the same composed, sharp, untouchable. But inside, every second away from Sky felt like a fresh wound reopening, a dull ache that refused to fade.

His mind kept replaying the image of Sky's sleeping face that morning, the soft rise and fall of his breaths, the warmth of his body curled under the covers. Nani had kissed him goodbye so gently, afraid that even the slightest pressure might wake him. He had traced the ring on Sky's finger with his thumb, memorizing the sight of it, as if that alone could anchor him through the distance.

But now, standing here, surrounded by laughter and relief, all he felt was the cold, crushing weight of absence.

His innocent kid. His sunshine. Left behind once again.

And Nani could do nothing but bear it.

Before Nani could sink any deeper into his thoughts, a sharp gasp pulled him back to reality.

"Wait a minute" Prim's eyes widened as she grabbed Nani's hand, lifting it up to inspect it closely. "P'Nani... what is this?"

Win and Dew, who had been celebrating Nani's return with exaggerated sighs of relief, immediately snapped to attention. Win practically lunged forward, grabbing Nani's wrist. "Holy, is that a ring?!"

Dew let out a low whistle. "Wow. Didn't see that coming."

Nani tensed for half a second before rolling his eyes. "I asked you to help Win only for two weeks, and now you're turning dramatic just like him." He tried to pull his hand back, but Prim held on with surprising strength, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"Dramatic? Excuse me, but when and how did you get engaged and why am I only finding out now?!" she demanded.

Win gasped "You, you traitor! You left us to suffer for weeks and came back secretly engaged?! Where's the loyalty, Nani? Where's the love?"

Nani let out a slow sigh, rubbing his temple. "It's a promise ring, not an engagement ring."

"A promise ring?" Prim echoed, eyes sparkling with excitement. "Even it is not an engagements one but this is still so romantic P' Nani!"

Dew smirked, shaking his head. "Man, you've got it bad."

"Nani, don't tell me... You were so scared that Sky might forget you, you actually flew all the way to Italy just to slap a ring on his finger."

Nani's eyes flicked up, cold and razor-sharp. He snapped the file shut with a quiet thud, the sound somehow more threatening than if he had slammed it. "And what is wrong with that, Win?" His voice was dangerously soft, laced with something that made the air in the room drop a few degrees.

Win immediately straightened up, sensing danger. "N-nothing at all! In fact, I think it's very romantic. Great idea, really."

Dew smirked. "Wow. That survival instinct kicked in real fast."

He turned to Dew and whispered "Shit. Before he went to see Sky, he was losing all his heartless energy because he missed him so much. But now? Full power restored. Heartless CEO mode: activated."

Dew snorted, patting Win's shoulder "Forget heartless. Bro flew across the world just to put a ring on his boyfriend like he's some mafia boss claiming his territory. We should be scared."

Prim giggled, eyes sparkling with mischief. "You better watch out, P' Win. If Sky finds out, you'll be the first one on his hit list for messing with P'Nani."

Win gasped, placing a hand over his heart. "Betrayed by my own people. Is there no loyalty left in this world?!"

Dew smirked. "Yeah, yeah. Cry about it after we survive today."

--

The university campus was bustling as students moved between classes, but Sky wasn't expecting today to be any different until he turned a corner and nearly walked straight into a well-dressed, elegant woman who looked oddly familiar.

"Sky." she smiled, tilting her head.

Sky blinked. Once. Twice. His brain took a full three seconds to catch up before he stammered.

"Nani's mother" she finished smoothly, watching his reaction with clear amusement. Nani's mother took a trip to Italy with her friends and used the opportunity to visit Sky.

"I happened to be visiting an old friend here, and I thought, why not take the chance to see the boy my son has been hiding from me?" Since Nani's mom has a friend who is a professor there, it wasn't difficult for her to find out Sky's class schedule.

Even though Nani had taken Sky to meet his family, he still worried that his mother might scare Sky off, which is why he had never told her about Sky anymore. Nani knew that when his mother teased, it wasn't just playful, there was always something serious behind it. That's why he always had to be prepared before she acted. but his mother didn't see it that way. She admitted that at first, she had some reservations, but she doesn't feel that way anymore.

Sky gulped. Hiding? He wasn't sure if that word made things better or worse. Sky started to think carefully, unsure if he needed to defend Nani or himself. Nani's mother chuckled knowingly.

Nani is smart, but his mother is even sharper. She's the one who raised him to be clever, and no matter how much he tried to hide Sky, she could see right through him. After all, how could Nani fool someone who knew him better than anyone else? She even knew, thanks to Prim, that Nani still hated saying goodbye at the airport. There was no hiding anything from the woman who made him who he was.

She smiled, patting his arm. "Don't worry, dear. I only wanted to meet you. Though, I did hear something interesting from Prim on my way here." Sky blinked.

"She mentioned that Nani still hates goodbyes at airports. He doesn't talk about it, does he?"

Sky's breath caught. No, he didn't. But Sky had seen it, felt it, every time Nani left. Sky finally understood. His gaze softened as he looked at Nani's mother. "So that's why he always avoids me when he has to leave." he murmured, realization dawning on him.

"I'll help him overcome it," Sky said, his voice soft but determined. "I don't want him to be scared anymore."

His hands, soft but firm, balled into fists, as if making a promise to Nani's mother, and to himself. "He deserves to feel safe... with me." The sincerity in his voice was almost too much to bear, and Nani's mother couldn't help but chuckle, charmed by how much Sky cared.

For the first time, Nani's mother truly laughed, a full, warm laugh that made Sky relax just a little. "How adorable" she mused. "No wonder my son couldn't escape you."

Sky's face burned, but he didn't back down. "I'm serious."

"I know" she said, smiling. "And that's exactly why I have nothing to worry about."

Nani's mother smiled fondly at Sky, a twinkle in her eye. "Alright, I think it's time we give you a little tour of the city." She linked her arm with his, already leading him out before Sky could protest.

Sky started, his cheeks still flushed from the earlier conversation. "But..."

Nani's mother winked. "Trust me."

And see, Sky did. She took him to the best shopping streets, dragging him from one shop to the next, picking out clothes that made him look even cuter, if that was even possible. She insisted he try on things that made him laugh and blush, all the while making sure he wasn't uncomfortable. Nani's mother knew how to make someone feel at ease, and Sky found himself enjoying the day, feeling like a prince being pampered by a queen.

After a long day of sightseeing, from visiting iconic landmarks to sampling local delicacies, Nani's mother turned to Sky with a mischievous smile.

"I think Nani should see just how much fun we had today," she said, already pulling out her phone. Before Sky could even respond, she snapped a picture of him with a soft ice cream cone in his hand, his face glowing from the day's adventures.

"You're going to send that to him, aren't you?" Sky asked, his voice a little nervous, but there was no stopping Nani's mother.

"I absolutely am" she said, sending the photo without another word. Then she looked at Sky, her expression softening. "I want him to know you're taken care of. He doesn't have to worry so much. I trust you with him, I can see how much you care for him. You make him feel things I couldn't even reach, and that... means a lot to me. Take care of him. He's always been my biggest worry, but with you, I can finally breathe easy. I know he's in good hands."

Sky felt his heart warm, overwhelmed by the sincerity in her voice. He had never imagined Nani's mother would say something like that to him.

but before he could say anything, Nani's mother grinned and nudged him gently. "Let's just hope he doesn't get jealous seeing how much fun we had without him."

Back in Nani office, Nani stared at his phone in disbelief as the photo from his mother popped up on the screen. It was almost as if they'd known each other for years, and Nani's heart twisted at the sight.

Prim, who had been quietly ,narrowed her eyes as she walked over to her brother's desk, taking a look at the photo. Her expression shifted to one of surprise. "Well, seems like the more you try to hide Sky, the more determined she is to find him," she commented, teasing but with a hint of curiosity.

Win, who had been napping on the couch, suddenly sat up at the mention of Sky's name. He rubbed his eyes and moved toward the desk, eager to know what was going on.

Nani didn't answer. Instead, he quickly dialed his mother's number, his nerves beginning to fray.

The first call went unanswered, but after a few moments, the phone rang again. When the call was picked up, it wasn't his mother's voice on the other end. It was Sky's.

"Hello?" Sky's voice came through, light yet carrying a hint of amusement.

"Nani, why are you with my mom? Did something happen? Did she do something to you?" Nani asked, his tone laced with worry.

"Nani, why would I do anything to your boyfriend?" Nani's mom replied, laughing softly.

"Mom!" Nani exclaimed "What exactly are you doing there?"

"Nani, stop being so dramatic. I'm just at his university. Your boyfriend is perfectly safe and sound." His mom's voice softened, but there was a teasing edge to it.

Nani let out a sigh, but the knot in his stomach didn't loosen. "Mom, can I talk to Sky alone for a minute?"

"Of course" Nani's mom replied with a laugh. "It's cute how much you worry about him."

With that, Nani's mom handed the phone to Sky, leaving them alone. Sky's laughter echoed through the phone, and Nani's heart skipped a beat at the sound.

"Idiot, why would you agree to go with my mom without telling me first?" Nani asked, a mix of frustration and relief in his voice.

Sky's voice came through softly, teasing, "Nani, don't be like that. Nothing happened. We got along just fine. Don't worry."

Nani let out a small sigh "Only because she finally accepted that if she really didn't want to play nice, you wouldn't be standing there laughing at me like that."

Sky chuckled again, the sound so warm that it made Nani's chest tighten. "Really? Seems like she can't escape me, just like you can't escape my charm."

"Who says I can't escape your cuteness?" Nani replied, rolling his eyes even though a small smile tugged at his lips.

"Your mom did" Sky said, his voice full of amusement. The way he said it made Nani laugh softly, his earlier stress melting away.

"Don't pull something like that again, alright? I'm already stressed enough with work that Win causing."

His voice softened at the end, and that small change didn't go unnoticed by Prim and Win, who exchanged a look, raising their eyebrows.

As Nani finally put down the phone, he let out a deep breath, trying to compose himself. But before he could fully relax, he caught the way Prim and Win were eyeing him. Prim with a knowing smirk, and Win practically vibrating with excitement, ready to tease him.

Nani shot them both a sharp glare and raised a hand, signaling them to stop before they could even begin. His expression was calm, but the silent warning was clear.

Prim huffed, crossing her arms. "Tch, boring."

Win groaned dramatically and flopped back onto the couch. "Man, let me have some fun!"

Nani, unfazed, simply waved them off, silently signaling for them to get back to whatever they were doing before. Win sighed in defeat, while Prim shook her head, still smirking to herself.

Even though Nani managed to shut them up, he knew this wasn't the end of it. They were definitely going to bring this up again later.