{FIRST PERSON POV}
{JAUNE ARC'S POV}
After what happened last night, it feels wonderful that the whole family is going to the park.
Well, not the whole family, I guess. Dad got a mission that would take him out of Orleans for a week... something about the Headmaster of Beacon needing his help tracking down someone or something.
I think it would be best for him not to go on that mission and just stay with us, to take his mind off whatever is plaguing him enough to make him cry.
Even Mom thinks the same as me. She tried to convince him to refuse the mission, but he insisted that he had to go.
He then leaned in to whisper in Mom's ear, but because of how close I was to them at the time, I could hear Dad talking about a Maiden being missing.
So, it's a missing girl that Dad has to track down, then. Maybe it's one of the councilmen's or a politician's daughter, because Dad is pretty high-ranking in the Huntsman hierarchy, so there's no way he'd be given a mission that isn't important.
Dad is ranked S on his Huntsman license... there are only a handful of S-ranked Huntsmen, and each Headmaster at a Huntsman Academy has to be S-ranked, or at least A+ at minimum, because if the worst-case scenario happens, the Headmaster must be the first and last line of defense for the school.
I want to be S-ranked too. It would make Dad and the others proud.
But with how highly ranked Dad is, then this mission must be really hard and important...
After we eat breakfast, Dad grabs his backpack, and we're currently seeing him off.
"Stay safe, okay, honey. Make sure to take care of yourself! And whatever happens, listen to Qrow!" Mom told him as they hugged.
"Yeah, Dad! Stay safe and come home soon! I want to go to the mall next time, okay!?" Noir shouted, jumping up and down and making Dad chuckle.
The rest of the family each said some parting words to Dad, and as usual... Mordred was the most quick with her words. What she said was basically, "Don't die, or I'll kill you." If you translate it into normal-people speech, it's basically, "Stay safe, or I'll be sad." But it's Mordred, so it's going to be unique, to say the least.
The most shocking thing that happened while seeing Dad off was his interaction with me.
"Jaune, come here," Dad told me, which made my eyes dart around in confusion, because this never happened before... not in years. Even the others looked confused, except for Mom, who looked as if she was expecting this.
What happened last night? Because when the rest of us came to the dining room, Dad had already finished crying. None of us except Mom actually knows what happened... does this have something to do with me?
At first, I wanted to ask Dad what was wrong when we were eating last night, but I stayed silent because seeing Dad like that made me want to cry too.
And when I came back for dinner, I panicked and asked Mom about Artoria. I think my heart stopped beating for a few seconds, because I didn't think something could happen to Artoria. What if she was hurt, or hospitalized? I'm such a bad brother for not thinking of that.
Thankfully, Mom said that nothing had happened to Artoria, and as much as I love that nothing happened to her, it still doesn't change the fact that something did happen to make Dad cry.
When I came closer to Dad, his next action made some of us take a few steps back.
He hugged me.
Dad hugged me.
I looked around and saw my sisters in a similar state of shock.
Saphron's eyes widened as she tightened her hold on Olivia.
Mordred took a step back, and her hands slackened at her sides. I thought I saw her eyes water and her lips quiver.
The younger ones were still too young to fully understand, but they could feel the atmosphere Dad had created.
My eyes were as wide as plates before I hugged Dad back, even tighter.
I don't think Dad has hugged me since... since before the end of my training...
The most physical contact Dad had given me after that was just a pat on the back at best.
His next action shocked us even more. Dad leaned in and kissed my forehead.
"Whatever happens, Jaune, you have to know that I love you, and I will always love you," Dad said, and I started to shake as a sob slipped out. I buried my face against his chest.
" I-I love you too, Dad," I said, hugging him tighter.
After a few more moments, we pulled away. I sniffed and wiped at my eyes.
Dad then said his goodbyes to the others before he left.
Hopefully, nothing bad will happen, I thought to myself as Mordred tried to comfort me.
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