The visit to pay respects to Grandpa Hoffen was actually very brief. Kallen did not say much, but it was still considerably more than he had said to his family.
After all, Kallen had never actually shown himself to speak to his family. He had merely made breakfast. Even facing Dis lying in bed, Kallen had barely said anything.
Ultimately, he still felt that now was not the time to talk. At least, it was not the atmosphere Kallen wanted.
Just as Puer had said, it felt like a dream, all stemming from an uncontrollable accident.
Three hours, watching the clock, worrying that a pair of eyes somewhere might "see" this place-how was this coming home? It was more like a prison visit.
In truth, he was a rat now. It was only because of Dis that a rat like him possessed any dignity.
But put another way, before an Orthodox Order God Church, what individual was not a rat? Most probably did not even qualify as ants.
Thus, his overly restrained expression was not because he did not love them enough. Precisely because that love ran so deep, because he cherished it from the heart, he wanted to welcome and face it at his best.
What Kallen wanted was a cool autumn evening, preparing dinner in the kitchen while his uncle and aunt complained about some stingy client. Mina, Lunt, and the others would come home from school, talking about the amusing things that had happened that day. He would ring the bell, and expectant smiles would appear on everyone's faces as they gathered in the dining room, looking at the day's meal as though opening a present.
Even the momentary stillness in the family atmosphere when Dis came downstairs, and the relief from that oppressive feeling when Dis