He thought she always did this.
Every.
Single.
Time.
She gave him a haircut.
At first, like any normal kid, he had simply gone along with it. He played the part, smiled at her little tricks, and acted like an ordinary child.
He didn't want to seem too mature.
Too… ML.
Mentally Large?
Whatever.
It wasn't like he wanted her to find out the truth, anyway.
That he was, in fact, a full-grown man trapped inside a kid's body.
But over time, he had gotten used to it.
Even when he knew she was faking it—putting on that ridiculous, over-the-top act—he still somehow fell for it.
It had become a tradition.
A weird one.
Annoying.
And, strangely enough… comforting.
But not today.
Today, he had decided something.
He would not give in.
His mother slowly rose from her knees, one hand clenched into a fist as she stared at him like a villain preparing for the final act of a soap opera.
She narrowed her eyes.
Took a deep breath.
Then, with a voice soaked in theatrical heartbreak, she sighed.
"I guess… you're all grown up now."
She lowered her head slightly.
"You're not my little baby anymore. You won't fall for my silly act anymore."
Draven stood tall and proud, like he had just conquered puberty in a single afternoon.
He smirked.
"Yeah. It's good you know that now, Mom."
For a moment, everything was quiet.
Draven relaxed.
*Finally. It's over.*
Or so he thought.
Her eyes suddenly lit up.
She straightened to her full—and still rather unimpressive—height.
Then, with all the dramatic force of a full-blown stage performance, she raised her voice.
"AND THAT'S WHY…"
She paused.
A long, painfully dramatic pause.
Draven stared at her.
She pointed at him.
"…I'M CHALLENGING YOU TO A DUEL!!"
Draven's eyes widened.
*What the hell?!*
*I thought she already gave up!*
His mother immediately burst into laughter.
"Ha! Ha ha ha! I can see you're surprised! You didn't expect it, did you?!"
Draven just stared at her.
Frozen.
He slowly narrowed his eyes.
*I guess I have no other choice…*
He still had one card left to play.
Looking at his mother, who was smiling like she had just won the world's weirdest trophy, Draven answered in the flattest, most emotionless voice he could manage.
"I decline."
Her smile cracked.
She blinked.
Once.
Twice.
"…What?"
"I decline."
Her expression twitched.
"You can't decline my challenge!"
"Why not?!" Draven snapped back.
"Because I say so!"
She puffed out her cheeks like a furious pufferfish, crossed her arms, and stood there with the confidence of someone who had just established the most undeniable law in existence.
"And I am the mother here!"