Chapter 26: A Morning of Mischief

The first rays of the morning sun streamed through the windows as Yu knocked softly on his mother's door. Hearing her gentle "Come in," he stepped inside with an eager smile.

"Good morning, Mom!" Yu greeted, his voice cheerful.

His mother, sitting by the window, turned to him with a warm smile. "Good morning, Yu. What's the occasion? You're up so early today."

Yu grinned sheepishly. "Now that you're here, I couldn't sleep anymore. I wanted to see you!"

Her heart melted at his words, and she pulled him into a hug. "Now that I've seen my precious son, I feel so much better already."

Yu beamed. "Let's go outside, Mom. I want to show you everything!"

Before she could respond, Yu's father entered the room, his expression stern. "Yu, how many times have I told you not to trouble your mother? Let her rest! And you—shouldn't you be studying right now?"

Yu's mother chuckled softly. "Let it be. I've missed Yu so much. Let him stay with me for a while. He can study later."

Yu smirked at his father. "See, Mom is way better than you."

His father sighed, shaking his head. "You've spoiled him too much. Do you know how much trouble he's caused me while you were away?"

She laughed. "He's your son, after all. Isn't he just like you when you were his age?"

"I wasn't this mischievous," his father grumbled.

Yu couldn't resist teasing. "Mom, he's just saying that because he's gotten old. Back when he was young, I'm sure he caused even more trouble than me!"

His mother burst into laughter, but his father's patience wore thin. In a swift motion, he picked Yu up and carried him to the door.

"Let's see how mischievous you are now," he muttered before tossing Yu gently outside and shutting the door.

Yu stood up, dusting himself off with a grin. "Old man's still got some strength left," he muttered before walking away.

As he wandered, Yu heard the sound of sword practice nearby. Curious, he followed the sound and spotted Zian practicing his moves, his expression focused. A mischievous smile spread across Yu's face as he crept up behind him.

"BOO!" Yu shouted suddenly.

Zian jumped, startled, and his foot slipped on the grass. He stumbled, nearly falling, but Yu caught him just in time.

"Careful there," Yu said with a teasing grin. "You looked scared for a moment. But don't worry—I'm here. No need to be afraid of anything."

Zian's face turned red as he steadied himself. "Why do you always do this, Yu? You're the only one I'm scared of around here."

Yu laughed. "I like how your face gets all red when I tease you. It's cute."

Zian glared at him but didn't reply.

Yu leaned closer, smirking. "You've never told me to stop teasing you, have you? So why should I stop? Be honest, Zian—you like it when I mess with you, don't you?"

Zian's cheeks flushed even more. After a long pause, he finally blurted out, "Fine! Can you stop teasing me like this?"

Yu froze, the playful grin vanishing from his face. For a moment, he just stared at Zian, then turned and walked away silently.

Zian's heart sank as he watched Yu leave. "I shouldn't have said that," he murmured to himself. He opened his mouth to call out to Yu but couldn't find the words. Instead, he stood there in silence, regretting the way the moment had unfolded.