Sensing Mira's less-than-friendly tone, Chen Fan immediately deflated, like a flower losing its bloom. Seeing Mira and Lucy engrossed in conversation, their laughter filling the Guild hall like a cheerful melody, he decided not to intrude. With leisurely steps, hiding his small disappointment, he turned towards Natsu and Gray, greeting Natsu, "Yo, Natsu! You're back, huh?"
Natsu instinctively tensed, his body stiff, wanting to flee, yet he held himself back. The childhood trauma Chen Fan had inflicted upon him seemed incredibly potent, even stronger than the fiercest kick of the Fire Dragon's Iron Fist. Gray, however, was much calmer. He no longer feared Chen Fan. In the past two years, Chen Fan had pursued the girls in the guild with a... unique approach, and Gray had come to understand that Chen Fan's preferences were still relatively normal. Moreover, having matured, he knew what he should know and understood what he should comprehend. In short, they were all mature enough to face Chen Fan's eccentricities.
Natsu, of course, was no exception. After Lisanna's disappearance, Natsu seemed to have grown up in an instant. He didn't blame Elfman, Lisanna's brother, but instead supported Elfman when the young man was at his most broken, helping him rise again. Coupled with his experiences over the past few years outside, his mindset had also progressed rapidly, like a fire burning brighter after a storm.
Natsu hadn't even had a chance to speak when Happy floated in front of him, his big eyes twinkling. "Hey, Chen Fan, how are you, Aye?"
Chen Fan lifted Happy with both hands, twirling him slightly in the air. "Oh, it's Happy. Why haven't you grown taller? If you keep this up, you won't find a girlfriend, you know?"
Hearing Chen Fan's words, Happy truly flinched nervously, flapping his limbs frantically in the air, as if he could already envision his lonely future. "AYE?!"
"Don't scare Happy, you bastard!" Natsu snatched Happy from Chen Fan's hands with a swift motion. "There's no other Exceed like Happy in this world!"
Chen Fan said casually, as if by accident, while looking at the ceiling, "LIAR...!!"
This time, it wasn't just Natsu, Happy, and Gray who reacted. The other people nearby also said in unison, pointing their fingers at him, "When have we ever seen you lie?!"
Seeing them so united in "attacking" him, Chen Fan jumped, his eyes wide. He pointed dramatically around, his voice rising. "When have I ever lied?! Don't slander my upright character and pure soul, you bullies!"
"Oh, let's go, let's go. Don't talk to this guy, or you'll get infected with 'weirdness'!" Gray waved his hand, signaling everyone to disperse. They scattered as if Chen Fan were a plague to be avoided. Some even pretended to cough.
"Alright, all of you just wait and see!" Chen Fan shouted, stomping his foot.
"We've been waiting until the flowers withered!" they all said in unison again, their voices echoing throughout the hall.
The guild members began tidying up the items damaged by Natsu's ruckus, and Natsu himself immediately headed to the bulletin board, his eyes alight with excitement, wanting to see if there were any good quests to take. Happy also helped him search for suitable quests.
At this moment, Lucy already had the Fairy Tail Guild Mark stamped on the back of her left hand by Mira—a newly acquired symbol of belonging—and she excitedly ran behind Natsu, saying to him, "Hey, Natsu, quick look! I got the Fairy Tail emblem!"
Natsu didn't even turn his head, his voice faint, as if unconcerned. "Oh, congratulations, Lucy. Cool."
"It's Lucy!" Lucy shouted in annoyance, puffing out her cheeks.
"This one has a higher reward, hey!" Happy pointed to a quest with his paw. "Oh... Bandit extermination, 160,000 Jewel!"
Natsu was somewhat excited, clenching his fists, small flames flickering in his eyes. "Let's take this one!" Happy nodded in agreement, his eyes shining.
Seeing Mira was alone behind the counter, Chen Fan immediately rushed over and sat in front of her, his expression somewhat sad, as if he had just lost a fight. He said to Mira, "Mira, they all don't believe me. My heart is severely wounded. Can you comfort my injured soul?"
After speaking, he looked at Mira with hopeful eyes, awaiting her answer.
"No," Mira replied, her smile remaining gentle but her voice firm.
"BANG...!" Chen Fan slammed his head on the counter, playing dead, like a comedic character who had just been rejected.
Just then, a soft voice spoke, full of longing, "Has my father not returned yet?"
Hearing this, Chen Fan remembered that this part was at the beginning of Fairy Tail. He had been here for so many years that he had almost forgotten the plot, only having vague ideas. He also blamed the 'author' (in his mind) for the lack of precise timing, not even marking the exact time and date.
At this moment, Makarov's voice sounded, slightly annoyed, "Hmm? So noisy, Romeo. As a Mage's child, you should wait patiently at home."
"But he said he'd be back in three days, and it's already been a week!" Romeo told Makarov with some anxiety, his eyes welling up, almost crying. Natsu and Lucy were also drawn by this conversation, watching the Master and Romeo talk, the atmosphere around them tightening.
"I remember he went to Mount Hakobe, right?" Makarov murmured, stroking his beard. "It's not too far. Let's go look for him." Then, his tone changed to a harsher one, as if scolding. "Your old man is a Mage, isn't he? If he can't even handle his own affairs, can he still be called a Mage?!"
"BASTARD...!" Romeo yelled loudly at Makarov, then punched Makarov in the jaw with a surprising "BANG!", an unexpected force from a small child.
Then he actually ran towards Chen Fan.
Chen Fan recalled, 'That's not right, he should have run out of the Guild!' His mind raced, trying to adjust to this plot anomaly.
Then Romeo told Chen Fan, with pleading, teary eyes, "Brother Chen Fan, you're the only good person in this Guild. Please help me find my father!"
Because Chen Fan had a good relationship with Macao, that perverted uncle, they had always played together and had gone to Macao's house several times to drink and chat. Coincidentally, Chen Fan had bought a lot of good food for Romeo, so young Romeo was deceived by Chen Fan, and he only considered Chen Fan a good person in his heart.
Initially, Chen Fan didn't want to get involved in this matter, as he knew Natsu would go with Lucy to save Macao, that old bastard, in a bit. But as soon as he heard Romeo say that he was the only good person in this Guild, all of Chen Fan's previously wounded and shattered 'hearts' were completely healed, as if the power of Healing Magic had been activated, restoring his soul in an instant.