How Much of This Act Was Real?

"Who!!!"

Billy Butcher reacted incredibly quickly, his gun aimed dead-on at the end of the bridge where the noise had come from.

If Becca hadn't been behind him, and the situation weren't still unclear, he would have taken the initiative and dealt with the trouble himself.

Behind the tree, Ryan adjusted his expression slightly.

What was it like to get caught in the act by your own son?

How was his mother Becca feeling? Was she embarrassed?

He didn't bother thinking about any of that. He only wanted to figure out how an eight-year-old child should react to seeing something like this.

And he also wanted to let his mother Becca know a few things, preferably while making Billy angry.

So he knew what he had to say.

"Oh my God, i-it's Ryan..."

Becca was distraught.

The person who had stepped out from behind the tree was her son, Ryan. She'd never imagined this would happen.

The moment she heard the noise, she'd even prepared for the worst: facing Homelander!

"Ryan, y-you have to let me explain."

Ryan looked utterly confused. First, he gave Butcher a startled, bewildered glance, then turned to his mother, Becca.

"Mom, who is he?"

"Why are you doing this? Dad will be sad."

They all knew what he meant by "Dad will be sad"—and it certainly wasn't Billy Butcher.

Butcher was instantly shattered.

Becca's panic turned to sorrow.

Then she grabbed Billy and said painfully to her son, "Ryan, it's not what you think. Homelander, he..."

It was all too humiliating. Becca choked up and couldn't go on.

Ryan looked astonished. "Homelander isn't my dad?"

"He is."

"Then shouldn't Mom and Dad be together? That's what happens in the movies I watch."

"Listen, kid!"

At that, Billy stepped forward.

He patted his crying wife's shoulder as if to comfort her, then said, "Ryan, your mother and I are the ones who are legally married. Your father, Homelander, is nothing but an evil, despicable, hypocritical good-for-nothing."

"No, calling him a villain would be a compliment. He's a piece of shit who belongs in hell."

Ryan furrowed his brow, putting on a thoughtful expression.

In the meantime, Billy kindly picked up the shirt that had fallen to the ground and draped it over his wife.

Becca got dressed and came over. She crouched in front of her son. "Ryan, I don't want to lie to you. Homelander really is your father, but he's also a bad person."

"He isn't the person you think he is."

"But, Mom, Dad is nice to me."

Becca's tears started flowing again. She shook her head. "That's just what he wants you to see. Believe me, Mom would never lie to you."

Ryan pressed his lips together and said nothing.

Billy came over too and stood beside them with his arms folded. "Ryan, listen to your mom. Homelander did something very bad to her a long time ago. You'll understand when you're older."

"Yes, Ryan. You'll understand when you're older."

Becca composed herself. "All right. Now that Ryan's here, we need to leave at once. Homelander will notice if we're gone too long."

"I'll get the car."

Billy turned to leave.

Becca thought she'd persuaded her son, so she stood up at the same time and tried to lead Ryan along.

But Ryan remained rooted to the spot, not moving an inch.

"Ryan?"

Ryan lifted his head and looked straight at his mother, Becca. He spoke slowly and clearly. "But, Mom, you've been lying to me this whole time!"

"What?!"

"I said you've been lying to me this whole time!"

There was no hostility in Ryan's gaze. He was simply acting like the naturally intelligent child he was, no longer hiding it.

He calmly explained, "Mom, I used to think this was just how the world was supposed to be. I thought I was supposed to do the same things and see the same people every day, get a shot and have my blood drawn every month, and spend every year repeating the same routine."

"But after Dad came, I realized the world wasn't like that."

"I saw the real world."

"No, that's not true!!"

Becca completely broke down. This was exactly what she'd feared.

She hadn't even had a chance to tell her son, and Ryan had already figured out the truth on his own.

"Ryan, I..."

"Mom!"

Ryan cut her off. "I know you were protecting me. You always knew I was actually smart. I understand."

Then he turned to Billy Butcher. "You say this man is your husband, but he isn't my dad. I can't leave with you."

"My dad is Homelander!"

"And, Mom, you both keep saying Homelander is bad, but what I've seen is a good dad who loves and cares for me, just like you do—even if he sometimes says things he doesn't mean."

"If..."

Ryan's expression turned serious. "If Dad really is doing bad things, then I'll stop him. But I still believe that the real him isn't like that."

"No, Ryan, don't try to stop him. He'll hurt you. He isn't worth it! Listen to your mom. We can leave together."

"Mom!"

Ryan looked disappointed and confused. "You once told me that when you do something wrong, you have to correct it right away."

"As long as I change, I can still be a good kid."

"But... why won't you let Dad change?"

Homelander's greatest tragedy was that no one had ever taught him what was right and what was wrong.

Even his superpowers had awakened and developed on their own through brutal experiments.

Becca staggered backward as if she'd been struck.

She wanted to tell Ryan that Homelander didn't need to be changed or saved. He was a terrifying monster, utterly inhuman, selfish, and ice-cold.

But at that moment, she realized clearly that she could no longer persuade Ryan with words.

So she turned and looked at Billy, pleading with her eyes.

Butcher understood. He strode forward and grabbed for Ryan. "Kid, all that bullshit you're saying makes no sense. You're too young to understand the adult world."

"Just do as you're told and come with us...??"

"Bang—"

The air gave a faint pop. Just as Billy Butcher's hand was about to reach him, Ryan shot up into the air.

Billy stared at him in shock. "Right, I should've realized. How could Homelander's son not have his powers?"

"Ryan!!"

Ryan slowly rose higher. "Mom, Dad is actually really pitiful. He's all alone. If I leave with you, he'll be sad."

"You still have your husband with you, Mom. And I'll always love you. But I want to give this a try!"

Try what?

Billy and Becca understood.

Ryan meant that if Homelander really was a bad person, he'd try to change him.

But there was still someone present who hadn't understood what he'd left unsaid.