Cale Henituse's expectation failed him. His plan was to go on an adventure with Alver and the others. He should be at the Northern Lake with them right now. He also wished he had finished his meal instead of running away fuming like a spoiled brat. But it was too late. His realization came late. He was now being carried like a child by his enemy, the White Star. Rotten luck, right? Cale couldn't help but laugh internally.

"What do you say? Do you want to come with me?" the White Star asked once again.

Ha! Who would come with you? He asked angrily in his mind. He had to suppress his emotions so he wouldn't be found out. His body was still trembling as memories from the future kept playing in his mind. He timidly shook his head which made White Star frown. Cale flinched seeing the White Star's expression but the latter smiled right away to ease him. The White Star was about to say something when he saw one of his subordinates coming towards him.

"My liege," a manly voice said, hearing this made Cale instinctively hide his face from the additional person. He unintentionally burrowed his face onto the White Star's shoulder, which made the latter chuckle at his gesture. The White Star also noticed how bad the child was trembling after hearing the voice of the Lion King, Dorph. The White Star patted Cale's back in an attempt to comfort him, unknowingly they were the reason for his fear.

"My liege, who's that child? Is he your son?" Dorph asked. The White Star faced him with his stoic expression under his mask.

"No, he is from the slums. Though I want to take him with me," the White Star answered.

Shit! He hasn't given up yet! Cale thought as he kept his head hidden. He doesn't want to risk any more enemies seeing his face. It's already bad that the final boss saw his face.

"I see, but we need to go now, my liege," Dorph reminded. White Star sighed and put the redhead down. It's too bad he couldn't take the young child with him since the place they were going was too dangerous for the child. White Star couldn't risk someone he took fancy of.

"Child, I'll come back for you later on. I have some matters I need to attend to," White Star crouched down and said while patting Cale's head.

The White Star took off his robe and wrapped Cale with it, he tightly tied the ribbons of the cloak so it won't fall off. The robe was black and there was a white star crest on its chest. Cale stood there unmoving and not saying any single word. The White Star smiled at him once more and waved his hand.

Cale watched them walk away until he could no longer see them. After ensuring the White Star and his subordinates were gone, his legs gave out—making him slump on the dirty ground. His eyes were fixed on the place where the White Star had gone. Then, all his suppressed emotions burst like a dam. His heart was still beating loud, too loud as if the whole world could hear his heart. He was starting to get out of breath, his breathing couldn't keep up with his heart's pace. His tears started to drop from his eyes as all the tension was starting to ease up. As he was trying to calm himself, his [Records] started to play. All the memories he tried to not think about were playing on his mind.

Cale couldn't suppress the sadness, anguish, anger, loneliness he was feeling anymore. He hugged his body and muffled his cries with his palm, but his screams could still be heard. Covered by the cloak with the mark of the enemy, touched by his most hated person, and the memories being played inside his head made him unable to move. All he could do was cry his agony in hopes of making him forget momentarily. Cale couldn't even hear the ancient powers who kept calling for him.

Meanwhile, Youna and Vicross who went after Cale frantically looked for him everywhere but to no avail.

"Where did you go, Cale? Why can't I sense you?" Youna asked as he kept looking for him.

That Young Master of ours is truly troublesome! Vicross clicked his tongue.

Youna and Vicross proceeded to look for him in the slums, since that was the only place they hadn't searched for. There, they could hear a muffled cry. They both looked at each other as they recognized that voice. They rushed towards the place where the sound was coming from and then they saw Cale Henituse, covered with black cloak as he slumped on the ground while muffling his cries.

Youna instantly told everyone through a communication device that they found Cale and they needed assistance. Vicross approached his crying Young Master and took him to his arms; even though he was filthy, the chef endured. He took the robe and his eyes immediately went wide when he saw a familiar crest on the robe. Vicross stood and looked around, he was about to step away when a hand stopped him. He looked down and saw Cale's hand tightly gripping on his clothes. Coughs and hiccups could be heard from Cale as he continued to cry.

"Youna-nim, it will be better if we go back to where our carriage is. Tell the others to meet us there," Vicross said as he lifted Cale in his arms. The redhead grabbed onto his shoulders, his body was shaking and his skin was cold. Vicross frowned from this.

Just what happened to you, Young Master? He said as he gritted his teeth. After Youna told the others to meet them in their carriage, they immediately teleported back.

Ron instantly assisted his Young Master as soon as they saw them. Vicross took the black cloak, Ron hasn't seen it. Cale was having a panic attack. The older dragons immediately helped the redhead to calm down. Olienne casted a soothing spell to ease his breathing and pain. Cale continued to gasp for air, his body and mind became numb. His vision was getting blurry but his breathing started to ease a little which made his body give out. Finally, he fell asleep.

Alver and Eruhaben went to find an inn in the city and they went back to their group when they found one. Alver was surprised to see the relaxed and always happy child, crying like he had seen something scary. He then realized that Cale was still a child and just like anyone else, he doesn't just smile or cheerful all the time. They settled in one of the biggest rooms in the inn and Ron proceeded to clean the redhead. After he cleaned him up, Ron laid Cale down on the bed and let him rest. He went out of the bedroom and met his son and Youna who found the Young Master first. Alver was left alone inside the bedroom to look after Cale.

"Vicross, what happened earlier? Why is the Young Master like that?" Ron asked as he recalled the state Cale was in earlier. Vicross frowned and handed his father the cloak Cale was covered from.

Ron received the cloak and his expression turned dark and he looked at his son coldly. His stares were asking Vicross.

"We found Young Master in the slums and he was covered by that cloak," Vicross answered. The dragons looked at the crest and they weren't familiar with it.

"I see," Ron coldly replied.

"Let's just wait for the Young Master to wake up and ask him some questions. Seeing how panicked he was, maybe he knew who they were," Ron added.

Vicross went down to borrow the kitchen so he could prepare their food. Ron and the dragons waited inside the bedroom.

Cale woke up after two hours of rest and he was met by his companions' worried gaze. He sat up and Ron assisted him. Cale examined his body and noticed that he was cleaned.

"Young Master, may I ask what happened to you earlier?" Ron asked, his usual benign smile was nowhere to be found. Cale clenched the blanket as he knew Ron and Vicross saw the crest on the cloak he was wearing earlier.

Upon seeing his expression, Ron eased up as he controlled his emotions so his Young Master won't be frightened.

"Uhm ...," Cale mumbled and he tightly closed his eyes since his [Records] were involuntarily playing in his mind. His body shook as a physiological response to those awful memories.

"Cale ..." Alver softly called as he placed his palm on Cale's forehead which made him look at the prince. It was the first time Alver had seen Cale with wavering eyes.

The redhead always appeared strong and cheerful. He was always smiling and was like a ball of sunshine. At first, Alver thought of him as a star that shone in the night but as he spent his time with him he realized that he wasn't just a star but a sun. He frowned and sighed as he ruffled Cale's head. He wasn't used to seeing Cale like this.

"It's alright, Young Master. We are here, you don't have to worry," Ron coaxed Cale as the latter turned his head towards his butler and nodded. The dragons and Alver went out to give them space, since Cale was very reluctant in telling them information. They just let the Young Master and his servants talk.

Once the others were out, Cale finally faced the father and son duo who were patiently waiting for him. He knew they had a lot of questions regarding the cloak he had. However, he cannot fully disclose what he knows as it might lead his butler and chef to their deaths. He didn't want any more deaths from his family. He looked at them and he was met by their vicious gazes.

Are they suspecting me of being a member of that organization? Cale sadly thought. He shook that thought aside and started to speak. Even if he cannot say the whole truth, he could just make it like he felt something dangerous. After all, he was good at acting.

"When I was walking earlier, I didn't notice I was in the slums already and as I rushed back I bumped into someone there which made me fall to the ground."

Ron and Vicross listened to him carefully and intently.

"He helped me earlier, I don't know why but I couldn't help getting a bad feeling about the man. He sounded nice, he smiled and yet my body trembled when I was in his presence," Cale thought as he hugged himself to stop shivering. The butler noticed this and frowned, he scooped up his Young Master and gently patted his back to keep him calm. Cale wrapped his arms around Ron's neck and buried his face on his shoulder.

Cale felt guilty acting out and telling a lie but he will regret it more if something happened to Ron and Vicross if he told them the truth.

"They said he wanted to take me, I got scared and speechless. I was weak and couldn't even utter a word. I was mortified when he carried me, I was frightened of the thought that they might really take me there. He said he would come back to take me," Cale sobbed. Unbeknownst to him, Ron and Vicross' expressions turned cold.

A bastard from ARM wanted the Young Master? Ron thought as continued patting his Young Master's back. Slowly, without realizing, Ron and Vicross' anger subsided. Seeing their Young Master's broken state made them forget their own anger towards the organization.

"I said I wanted to get stronger but I am weak. When I needed strength, my body trembled. I am pathetically weak," Cale's hug tightened as he finally said his true feelings. He felt weak in front of his enemy, he had all the natural attributes of ancient power plus his gift yet he couldn't do anything.

Ron sat on the bed and embraced the redhead in his arms as he gently patted Cale's head. Cale was currently sitting on Ron's lap as he clung to his butler's neck. The butler somehow sympathized with his Young Master as he knew the feeling of fearing something and being unable to do anything despite your strength. Vicross rubbed Cale's back to let the redhead feel that he wasn't alone.

"You don't have to be scared, Young Master. We are here," Ron coaxed the child in his arms.

"Really? You won't go anywhere and leave me?" Cale asked as he peeked to see his butler's face.

"Of course, where will we go when you need us?" Ron smiled benignly and nodded.

I won't get my hopes up, they might leave me once they meet Choi Han. I won't get my hopes up, Cale carefully noted in his mind as he nuzzled closer to his butler. Ron chuckled, then Cale's stomach growled which made the redhead blush.

"What do you want to eat, Young Master?" Vicross asked and Cale looked at him.

"I want some pasta," Cale timidly responded and smiled.

"Alright," Vicross let out a small laugh and ruffled Cale's head before heading out the room.

Cale was still clinging onto Ron and he doesn't have any intention on getting off. Even when the butler let out a fake cough, he clung even more, his legs also wrapped around Ron's waist.

"Young Master's really ..." Ron said as he laughed at his puppy's gesture. He could see Cale's red ears yet the child doesn't have any intention on letting go.

Ron then hugged Cale affectionately, forgetting a little about who he was and acted like a doting uncle towards his nephew, which earned a heartful laugh from the redhead. Cale then kissed Ron's cheeks which surprises the butler.

"Thank you, Ron!" Cale smiled with glee. The butler just looked at the redhead fondly as he ruffled his head. He stood and gently placed Cale down.

"You are most welcome, Young Master," Ron replied as he kissed Cale's forehead, the latter just smiled and the old butler swear if his young master had tails, it would be wagging by now.

"You should see the others since they're worried for you as well," Ron added as he fixed Cale's appearance and cleaned his face.

"Okay!" Cale cheerfully responded and he went out of his room. The old butler could hear the voice of the red dragon.

"Ha, I wonder when Young Master have become this lovable," Ron thought as he laughed to himself.

Cale felt better now, he went out and was met by an affectionate red dragon who immediately hugged him. Youna was taller and bigger than him. Olienne and Eruhaben just sighed on how the red dragon was acting. Well, they won't admit it but they were also worried. They got used to the mischievous, yet cheerful child. Cale patted Youna's back to calm him down.

"I guess, I made you worry," Cale shyly admitted.

"It's alright, Cale. I'll destroy everything that makes you sad!" Youna cried and lifted Cale. The redhead just hugged Youna's head.

"Is that so? That would be bad, being sad is also a part of being a human," Cale replied.

"Just stay still, Cale. You might get into dangerous situations if you keep slipping out of our watch," Olienne reminded as he ruffled Cale's head. Eruhaben just sighed and shook his head yet he looked at the redhead fondly.

Alver just watched the interaction between a young master and his seemingly guards. Cale was too close to them as if they were not his guards at all. They seem like a real family to him, though he doesn't know what a real family is. Cale turned to Alver and walked over to him.

"I'm sorry, Prince. I ruined our adventure," Cale said as he held both Alver's hand which earned a little blush on the prince's cheeks. Of course, in a manner of seconds, he regained his composure which made his grip tightened. But it didn't go unnoticed to the dragons and a certain butler.

"It's alright. All well, ends well," Alver replied.

"Ah~ hyung's so understanding!" Cale commented.

"Hyung?"

"Yes, since Youna, you and I are pretending to be siblings, you are my hyung!" Cale smiled.

"I see, alright," Alver also smiled.

A moment later, Vicross finally came back with a trolley filled with food and a large serving of pasta which Cale had requested. The redhead darted towards the young chef.

"Vicross-hyung! They all looked great! Thank you," Cale said as he hugged the chef. Vicross couldn't help but hug him back as well. 'Coz you know, one cannot help it when they see something cute, people tend to squeeze or hug them.

"Cale, that's unfair! Why do you only hug your butler and your chef? How about me?" Youna protested which made the other dragons ... flabbergasted.

This dumbass, Eruhaben and Olienne thought. Cale laughed and opened his arms wide, welcoming anyone who would come to him to hug.

Of course, Youna was the first one to hug Cale and the latter returned the hug. Then, Cale was about to sit down when he noticed Eruhaben, Olienne, and Alver's stare at him.

"What about me?"

"And me?"

"How about me?"

All three of them asked at the same time and they looked at each other.

"Ha! You should've been honest from the start, my dear gramps!" Youna laughed and nitpicked on the dragons' fickle mindedness.

Because of this both adult dragons pinched Youna and Cale, along with the others just watched them. Ron and Vicross shook their heads. Then, they heard a snicker from the redhead. He was holding back his laugh. Little by little, vines started to appear on the pillars and edges of the room. Cale laughed wholeheartedly which made his inherited ability to grow vines and flowers around the room. Alver was surprised as it was the first time he'd seen this. Then he looked at the laughing Cale. There were also flower crowns on top of his head, then it started appearing on their heads too.

"Sorry! They always appear when I'm overflowing with emotions," Cale said as he wiped his tears from laughing too hard. He immediately hugged the green and golden dragons, of course the dragons returned his hug.

Dragons weren't supposed to be affectionate creatures like other beasts but they couldn't help but be fond of Cale. They ruffled his hair and Cale turned to the Prince. Alver flinched as he suddenly got nervous from the thought of hugging Cale.

What's with me?! It's just a hug, why am I getting flustered over this?! Alver internally screamed and before he could process his thoughts, a warm, soft and fragrant body wrapped around him.

"I didn't know the Prince wanted one too," Cale teased as he peeked up towards the prince. His cheeks squished from Alver's chest. The prince instantly returned the hug and buried his face unto Cale's shoulder as he tried to hide his embarrassment. His heart was beating so fast and he felt his face become hot.

"Shut up," Alver responded under his breath. Cale chuckled and patted the prince's back.

"Ahem, it's time to eat, Young Master, as the food might get cold," Vicross interrupted. Cale immediately broke off their embrace and sat on the table while calling out for the others to sit too.

Cale didn't see it, Ron smiled viciously at the Prince which made the young royal to flinch.

I swear, I'll make these people pay, Alver internally cried.

They then ate their meal heartily and took a plentiful rest as they will embark on another journey of Cale's misadventures.

//TBC ...

Extra:

As the White Star and Dorph walked away from the redhead child, the White Star couldn't hide his delight. It was the first time he felt good meeting someone. He was someone who couldn't keep the people he cherished, they would eventually die since he was hit by a powerful curse. He didn't mind that, but today was a strange occurrence for him. That was the first time he was elated meeting that child, like his existence was waiting for the child.

"What about that child, my liege?" Dorph asked.

"Of course, I need to go back there to take him. I cannot take him by force since I don't want to scare him, I'll make him like me," the White Star replied, his smile still hasn't left his face. The child was certainly unforgettable. He was too adorable to be living in the slums, and he has a strange aura around him.

"I'll make that child my son, send someone to watch over that redhead. Once I'm done with our business, I'll come back to take him," the White Star added. Dorph immediately adhered to his liege's orders.

The White Star rushed the things he needed to do so he could be graced by that child's presence once again.

***

A/N: Senamin here! I was supposed to update much earlier but I got sick and couldn't do so. I apologize. Here's a new chapter and I hope you enjoyed this one. Thank you for your patience and keep safe! °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

Also I am currently working on a new fanfiction about og!Cale, still hehe. I am still finalizing it before I post it. See ya next time. (♡'౪'♡)