There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL) novel Chapter 696

Chapter 696: Side Story 3. Stellar Blossom - 31

Since Han Joon had been deemed to be physically fine, Laurel decided to bring him to the Peak right away.

Entering an extremely comfortable and luxurious car, Han Joon could only describe the experience he had--on top of other things before--as bizarre. The clothes he wore after changing from the hospital gown were overly comfortable. Certainly, he never wore something that nice before.

When the car passed through Mortix Hill and entered the gate to the Peak, Han Joon almost thought they were going to a historical site or a museum. It was that huge.

His house, equipped with a training ground, was big enough for his father to never see his children unless he specifically called for him. And yet, when he entered the Peak, Han Joon felt his house was small.

There was not just one building; there were several of them, and each one looked like a castle--at least for him. The gate itself was highly secured and manned by a group of guards, and from one building to another, there was a park and river as decoration. And the car, naturally, rolled to the most beautiful of them all; the biggest house located at the ’peak’.

Ah, so that’s why it’s called the Peak--Han Joon thought getting down from the car after a uniformed house staff opened the door for him.

Honestly, looking at the building was dizzying. It was big and dazzling and Han Joon had no idea a place like this could be someone’s home. And this was where he would stay?

Was he still in a dream?

When he was still standing in a daze, the huge double door opened and a red-haired middle-aged man came out. Oh, that must be Dee’s fath--before Han Joon could finish his thought, the man had already come down the steps and hugged him tightly. Dazed, Han Joon could only blink as he was enveloped by the man’s warmth and felt the strong stroke at his back.

Not a belt whip or a stick. A warm hand patting gently.

"Welcome back," the man pulled away and smiled, patting his shoulder this time. "You can treat me as your father if you want, okay?"

"This is my husband," Laurel said.

"Ah, yes."

Han Joon bowed slightly at the man, but Calix patted his shoulder and said there was no need for that between family. "Just take your time to get used to the situation, okay? No one will hurry you."

"Yes...Sir."

There was a forlorn smile on Calix’s face before he walked past Han Joon, and gave his second hug to his son. "It’s okay, you’ll get through this," he whispered. "We’ll get through this."

Han Joon stared at them, touching the front of his stomach. He could still feel the warmth of the hug Calix had given him earlier. Such a nice hug. Laurel’s hug was just like his mother’s, but...Joon had never known what it felt like to be hugged by his father. To be stroked gently at the back and given encouragement.

A father...so that was what a father was supposed to feel like?

"Joon," Laurel called out to him softly, and Joon was reminded that they were still outside and had somewhere to be.

Hurriedly, he followed Laurel inside, following a house staff toward a place that looked like a living room. At any rate, it had a lot of plush-looking chairs. But Joon couldn’t stop to admire the room because he saw the owner of the whole property--who the house staff called ’matriarch’.

Han Joon didn’t know much, but he had learned etiquette before. Well, even if he didn’t, he knew that he had to be polite to the master of the house. So he did what he usually does when greeting his father; politely put his hands on his stomach and bent his waist to bow ninety degrees.

"Greeting...Matriarch," he said, not sure what he should say.

There was a heavy silence that made him wonder if he had done something wrong, so Joon did not dare to raise his head. Well, he would only raise his head once his father allowed him anyway.

"Are you trying to make it easier for me to pat your head?" a light, older voice could be heard, and Han Joon flinched.

That certainly wasn’t what he was doing, but in the next second, he felt a hand stroking his head, patting it. Surprised and confused, he raised his head slightly, and met a pair of crimson eyes that were almost similar to Dee’s.

"Good child," the matriarch kept stroking his head for a while. "You’re a good child, Joon."

Han Joon blinked once, before lowering his head again as his eyes suddenly felt hot. He wanted to say thank you, but his jaw was trembling, so he had to clench it. Only when Laurel told him that it was enough, did Joon straighten his back.

It was weird; this warmth he kept receiving from people he didn’t know. Although...it seemed like he was supposed to know them. He felt guilty about forgetting such kind people, and even more because they didn’t seem to be angry about him forgetting them.

He stood there, taller than anyone in the room. And yet, he felt like a child. Like he was small and curled up and they embraced him gently, wrapping him in a warm cocoon.

It was weird, and overwhelming, and Joon had no idea how to process all of this.