Ethan was sitting on a swing, watching the other children play with each other. They were loud and annoying and stupid. But he preferred to be alone, with his thoughts and his notebook.

"Why are you not joining those children?" A voice interrupted his solitude. Ethan turned and saw Gorgon, the man who had brought him to this place.

"I find it bothering." Ethan said bluntly, hoping the man would leave him alone.

"You should try to mix with others. You only get one childhood and you should try to live it happily." Gorgon said, as if he knew anything about happiness.

"Forget that. Tell me. Since you all are done with the gate break here, when are we going to go back to base?" Ethan asked, changing the subject.

"We will, but first we should help them in repairing their city and check for any potential threat." Gorgon said, gesturing at the buildings around them. They were damaged and in ruins, a result of the gate break.

"Anyways, I've heard that there is a beautiful lake nearby. Let's go." Gorgon said, trying to sound enthusiastic.

"No. It's okay." Ethan rejected.

"Come on, little boy, you should come." Gorgon insisted, grabbing his arm and pulling him off the swing.

"Okay. Let's go." Ethan said, giving in. He knew it was useless to argue.

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They reached a beautiful lake. The water was clear and blue, reflecting the sky and the trees. The sun was shining, creating sparkles on the surface. The air was fresh and cool, filled with the sounds of birds and insects. It was a peaceful and serene scene, but Ethan felt nothing.

"It is really beautiful, right?" Gorgon said, looking at the lake with admiration.

"Yes." Ethan nodded, lying.

"Let's take a photo." Gorgon said, instructing one of his members to take out a camera.

"Okay." Ethan said, reluctantly. He stood next to the man, facing the camera. He felt a flash of light, and then it was over.

"You should try to smile." Gorgon said, as he looked at the picture.

"Is it necessary?" Ethan asked, defiantly.

"Yes. It would make the photo more beautiful." Gorgon said, as if a smile could change anything.

They took the photo again. Ethan tried to smile, but it didn't looked like a smile.

"So, did he smile?" Emily asked.

"No. Instead of smiling, he just showed his teeth." Gorgon said in amused tone.

"It must have looked funny." Emily said, imagining little Ethan with such an expression.

"Well, it kind of was." Gorgon agreed.

"Anyways, sir, when did you manage to make boss come out of his shell?" Leo asked, joining the conversation.

"To be honest, I wasn't the one who managed to do that." Gorgon said, modestly.

"Then who?" Leo asked, curiously.

"It was Mark." Norman intervened.

"Little boss?" Leo exclaimed, surprised.

"Yes. His little brother was the one who managed to get him out of his shell." Gorgon said, smiling.

--‐--------

[Gradion City-Central hospital]

Ethan stood by the hospital bed, gazing at the tiny bundle of life that lay in the crib. He felt a strange mix of curiosity and indifference. He didn't know what to make of this baby, this new addition to his family.

"What is his name?" He asked.

"We have decided to name him Mark. What do you think?" Norman asked for his opinion.

"It is a good name." Ethan said.

"If you want, you can touch him." Wanda said, her voice gentle.

"No. It's okay." Ethan said.

"It's okay. He is your little brother, after all." Gorgon said, his voice encouraging.

Ethan slowly and carefully tried to touch the face of the sleeping baby, but before he could withdraw his finger, the baby grabbed onto it. The baby's soft palm wrapped around Ethan's finger, not wanting to let go.

"Bubu.." The baby tried to call him.

Ethan looked at the baby and felt a surge of warmth and softness. His face changed, without his knowledge. His eyes widened, his brows lifted, his lips curved. He did something he hadn't done in a long time. He smiled.

Wanda, Norman, and Gorgon were surprised to see this. They saw Ethan smiling and his eyes filled with warmth.