Chapter 336 Love and Loss

Olivia leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a mock-serious whisper that conveyed genuine curiosity.

"I’ve never had the luxury of experiencing a cozy family home. My idea of ‘home’ was more of a training ground and a series of cold missions. I guess you could say I’m curious. I’ve heard about such things - warm dinners, bedtime stories, and hugs. But I never thought I’d get to see it firsthand.”

“But seriously, if your parents are as warm and welcoming as you say, I might be tempted to stay and become their new favorite. Who knows? Maybe I’ll even outshine you in their eyes.”

Olivia’s gaze softened as she looked at Suzuka’s home, her facade of confidence wavering just a fraction.

“It’s strange, you know. I’ve never really had a place like this. It’s… comforting. Maybe I’ll get to experience what it’s like to be part of something more than just a tool of war."

“Wow, what a way to dampen the mood,” Suzuka said with a playful smile.

“Why so serious all of a sudden? Cheer up! You’re going to love them, trust me. They’re a lively bunch. You might even end up stealing their hearts. Who knows, you might end up being their favorite guest! Come on, let's get inside.”

As she spoke, Suzuka’s gaze drifted through the wrought-iron gates of her childhood home, catching sight of a tiny baby playing joyfully on the ground near the stairs. His little legs kicked in the air as he squealed with delight, his face a picture of pure, unfiltered joy. Her heart softened at the sight, and she couldn’t resist. With a playful smirk, she moved through the gates, her steps light and eager.

She knelt beside the baby, her voice adopting a sing-song tone.

“Well, well, what do we have here? A little bundle of energy! And who might you be, hmm? Did you just sprout up from the ground, tiny one? Or am I at the wrong house? Who lost this precious little baby, hmm? Do you want a tickle, little one? A good lady is here to give you a tickle on that cheek. Tickles for the cheek now, here it comes! Tickle, tickle!”

Just as she leaned in to give the baby a gentle tickle, a man burst through the door, his face twisted with anger.

“Hey! Step away from my son! Don’t you dare lay a finger on him! Who are you? I don’t recognize you! You’re not from around here! What do you want?”

Suzuka looked up, her heart nearly stopping as she saw the man standing in the doorway. Her eyes welled up with tears as a flood of emotions surged. Memories of childhood, warmth and security, love, and laughter came rushing back like a tidal wave. But despite her emotional outpouring, the man before her did not recognize her. She was a stranger to him now, changed beyond recognition, her appearance and voice alien to the man who had once known her as his little girl.

“Whoa there! Easy, I was just saying hello. I didn’t mean any harm. Just got a bit carried away with the cuteness.” She raised her hands in a mock gesture of surrender.

Her father drew his sword and walked up close, the glint of the blade catching the sunlight as he shouted, “Leave my son be! I won’t warn you again! I lost one child, but never again! Not even over my dead body! State your business or get out before I make good on my threat!”

Suzuka's heart ached as she heard the anger and fear in his voice. She stood up and with a swift, graceful movement, she leaped toward her father, wrapping her arms around him in a tight, heartfelt embrace.

“Oh, Daddy dearest! No need to worry, you haven’t lost any of your children. I’m back, I’m Suzuka, Dad!”

The man froze, the sword almost slipping from his grasp as he felt the familiar embrace - a warmth, a sensation he hadn’t felt in years. His eyes widened, confusion and disbelief warring with the stirring hope in his chest. But he shook his head vehemently, his voice trembling with anger and frustration.

“What kind of cruel joke is this? She’s gone! You look and sound nothing like her! Stop this nonsense or I’ll have you arrested and thrown into a cell! Do you know who you’re dealing with? I’m the chief of the city guards!”

Suzuka held tighter, her eyes shining with tears as she looked at her father.

“It’s me, Dad. I’ve changed, but it’s still me.”

As Suzuka clung to her father, she whispered softly, her voice trembling with emotion, “Do you remember, Dad? Remember how you used to read me that old bedtime story about the brave knight and the dragon? You always made it sound so real, I could almost see the fire-breathing beast in my dreams.”

She took a deep breath, her tears mingling with her words.

“And what about the time I tried to bake cookies for you and ended up burning them so badly that the entire kitchen smelled like charcoal? You laughed and said it was the worst cooking you’d ever seen but the best attempt at making something special just for you.”

She pressed closer, her voice a whisper.

“Remember how you used to hum that silly tune whenever you were fixing something around the house, and you’d always make up the words on the spot? It was so off-key and ridiculous, but it was our little song.”

“Daddy,” she continued, her voice quivering with emotion, “remember when we used to go on those walks by the river? You would always let me pick the wildflowers, and I’d try to make a bouquet as colorful as the sunset. And that time when you tried to teach me how to fish, but I ended up getting tangled in the line and you just laughed and said I was your little mermaid caught in the net?”

Her father’s grip on his sword faltered, slipping out from his hand, his face twitching with confusion and a hint of softening emotion. 

Suzuka continued, her tone filled with a nostalgic ache, “I used to sneak into your study and read your old war journals when I thought you weren’t looking. I even found the secret stash of sweets you kept hidden, and I’d always bring them to share with you, just the two of us. I remember how you used to ruffle my hair and call me your ‘little explorer.’”

Suzuka’s father, his stern demeanor wavering, closed his eyes for a moment as if trying to shut out the flood of memories. The warmth of the embrace, the familiar stories, and the personal touches she mentioned seemed to pierce through the confusion and doubt. The hardness in his eyes softened, a tremor of recognition flickering in his expression.

“Daddy,” she whispered one last time, “please, I’m still your little girl, no matter how much I’ve changed. I know I look nothing as I used to but it's me, your daughter.”

Tears of disbelief welled up in his eyes as he looked at Suzuka, the years of pain and heartache visibly lifting from his shoulders. His voice quivered with a mix of hope and desperation.

“How? How can this be? Is it really you?” His fingers trembled as they lightly touched her face as if to verify that she was real, that this wasn’t some cruel dream. Tears began to roll down his face as he asked, “Please, tell me it’s really you. Tell me this isn’t some cruel joke. You... you’re my little girl? Are you really Suzuka, my daughter?”

Suzuka, her own emotions simmering beneath a surface of restrained joy, couldn't help but tease gently as she saw the recognition dawning in her father’s eyes.

“Oh come on, Dad, you know it’s me. I’m your daughter. Or should I go inside and reveal the little secret stash of tequila you kept hidden under your workbench from Mom? Yeah, I knew about that stash too. You may fool Mom but not me.”

Her father gasped, his eyes widening in astonishment as the reality of Suzuka’s return began to sink in.

“Oh gods, it really is you! My little girl! You’re back!" He clutched her tightly, his sobs mingling with the joy of the reunion.

"I missed you so much, I love you so much!”

But their touching moment was abruptly shattered by a harsh, accusatory shout coming from the doorway.

“Love her!? Who the hell is that bitch, Steven Garner!” a voice yelled.

“You’ve got some nerve to flirt and smooch with some slut right in front of our house, and having your wife by your side! Stop hugging her and you better have a damn good explanation!”

Steven turned to find his wife, Megan, standing there with an expression of betrayal and anger.

“Love! It's not what you think! It’s Suzuka, Megan!” he shouted back, his voice breaking with relief and desperation.

“It’s our little girl! She’s back, she’s alive! She’s really here! Our daughter, she's come home to us! After all this time she is finally back!”

Megan, her face a storm of conflicting emotions, stood frozen for a moment, her eyes darting between Steven and Suzuka. The anger in her expression slowly softened as his words sank in. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and she took a hesitant step forward, her voice trembling.

“Suzu? My little girl, is it really you? After all this time? I can't believe it. We thought... when you disappeared. We assumed the worst.”

Suzuka nodded, her own eyes filling with tears as she reached out toward her mother.

“Yes, Mom, it’s me. Not some slut trying to snatch your husband and it is not a prank or a joke. I'm your daughter. I’m really here. I’m home, finally. Or should I tell you some embarrassing moments only two of us know to convince you?”

Megan’s stern facade crumbled, and with a choked sob, she rushed forward, enveloping Suzuka in a tight, tearful embrace. The three of them reunited at last, clung to each other within the noise of emotions, the love and loss of years past melting away in the warmth of their long-awaited reunion.