Notes, nooses, and noise

Kael sat at his desk, deep in concentration as he and Aurora continued piecing together the finer details of their Heaven and Hell War project. Sean, still lounging on Kael's bed, had started dozing off, his phone dangling precariously from his hand. The room was quiet except for the occasional scratching of pencils and the rustling of papers.

Suddenly, the faint sound of paper sliding across the floor caught Kael's attention. He looked down to see a folded note had been slipped under the door.

Curious, he picked it up and unfolded it. In elegant handwriting, the note read:

**"Dinner is ready. Love, Mom."**

Kael stared at the note for a moment before crumpling it into a ball and tossing it into the trash. "We'll eat later," he muttered, turning back to the project.

Aurora glanced at the trash can, then at Kael, but said nothing. She wasn't about to question his family dynamics, especially not after everything she'd already seen today.

A few minutes later, the door swung open, and Kikidori poked his head in. "Hey, Kael, I have a question—"

"Shut up and get out," Kael interrupted without even looking up from his work.

For a moment, the room was silent, tension thick in the air. Aurora froze, her eyes wide, while Sean, now fully awake, looked like he was about to fall off the bed in shock.

But to everyone's surprise, Kikidori just nodded. "Fair enough," he said, closing the door behind him and walking away like nothing had happened.

Sean sat up, staring at the door. "What the hell, dude? He just… left?"

Kael shrugged, flipping through his notes. "Yeah. He's used to it."

Aurora blinked. "I-I don't think I'll ever understand your family," she whispered.

"You're better off that way," Kael replied, smirking slightly.

Meanwhile, Kikidori made his way downstairs, stretching his arms above his head. "Man, I'm bored," he muttered to himself. "I'm going to Earth."

Without waiting for anyone's input, Kikidori opened a fiery portal and stepped through. He emerged in a familiar spot—a loud building surrounded by other towering buildings, the same place where he and Ere'ana used to meet back when they first met.

He stood there for a moment, staring at the scenery. "Huh," he muttered, kicking a rock absentmindedly. After a few minutes of reflection—or boredom—he opened another portal and returned to Hell.

Back at the castle, Ere'ana was in the dining room, humming softly as she prepared dinner. When Kikidori entered, she suddenly broke into song, belting out a cheerful tune about the Bible.

Kikidori froze mid-step, groaning audibly. "Nope. Not doing this again." He grabbed a length of rope and started tying a noose.

Ere'ana immediately grabbed the rope from him. "Stop being dramatic."

Kikidori sighed, slumping into a chair. "Can't a guy get some peace around here?"

Just as this chaotic exchange unfolded, Aurora and Sean, who were leaving the castle, paused at the door. They exchanged confused looks, listening to the muffled singing and Kikidori's groans from inside.

"…Is this what having parents is like?" Sean asked, scratching the back of his head.

"I don't think so," Aurora replied, clutching her notebook tightly.

Sean shrugged. "Weird."

The two of them left, still perplexed by the bizarre family dynamic.

A few minutes later, Kael finally came downstairs, his expression flat as he joined the chaos in the dining room. He didn't say anything, but the moment he sat down, Kikidori pointed at him.

"Your mom made me listen to Bible karaoke," Kikidori said, glaring.

Kael sighed, rubbing his temples. "This family is exhausting."

End of Chapter 49