In the dining room, the atmosphere is very quiet for the three of them. For the past 5 minutes, Yena had look between her mother and Hounder, confuse on what to do in a situation like this.

"Yena?" She flinches at the sound of her name. "Would you mind preparing dinner? I like to see if your cooking can calm this young man." With a nervous nod, Yena did as she was told; surprised her mom didn't chide her instead. When she's out of the room and in the kitchen whilst closing the door, Yena's mom instantly gives him a look that surprises him.

"So, your name is Hounder?" The Houndoom nods slowly. After a moment or two, the mother smiles. "Ah. I see. It's been a while since I see Yena befriending one of the Hounder species. Especially a male. No Dark-type would friend with her due to a certain personality of hers."

"Um…Miss…uh…" The woman laughs at how nervous the boy was and waves her hand.

"Just call me Liana. Calling me by my last name would only upset Yena…" Liana smiles sadly, making the Hounder confuse. "You see…Yena was quite young but even she knew how difficult it was losing her loved ones…She had an older brother, Lio." She laughs a small but bitter laugh. "But I'm sure you don't want to listen. Most people would find Yena uninteresting." Hounder shakes his head and leans against the table a little.

"No, no. I wish to hear anything about Yena." The Liepard was shock at first but she smiles, happy to see someone interested in her daughter.

"How nice…" She mumbles before she closes her eyes. "You see…When she turned 6, people close to her started…disappearing…" Liana sighs and leans against her chair. "First was one of her friends, next was a teacher who grew fond of her, then one of her uncles who loves her like his own daughter…" She sighs and shakes her head a little. "They all met with different yet similar accidents…Her friend got robbed and stabbed at the back, the teacher got his private organs ripped out by some crazy lunatic and her uncle was murdered by a Lopunny prostitute." Hounder stares in shock, seeing the mother is calmly talking as if she's talking about her usual day.

"So…What's so similar about them?" When Liana opens one of her eyes, Hounder could feel a deadly chill up his spine.

"The first was after they befriended my daughter. They had a nightmare…about how they will die. They try to change it or dismiss it as hogwash but they all end up the same way. But not only that…It all occurred on the day that a new or full moon appear…" She stands up and walks to the living room. After a few minutes, she came back with a large book and she places it on the table. "She never befriended anyone after that…She did the only thing that could drive them away: By becoming cruel and heartless…" Liana sits down and sighs. "But it was hard for her…Every cruel thing she did was giving her a stab in the heart…She had put up this façade until…until…" She trails off, her ghostly sad smile placed on her lips.

"Until what…?" Hounder asks quietly, listening closely.

"Until she met him…" She laughs a little bit. "She got into a fight at school, you see." When she notices the shocking look on his face, she tries to contain her laugh. "Haha. Unexpected? Don't think she can't fight. Anyways, she felt bad for causing me trouble and decided to give me some time to myself. She went to one of the town's lake." Liana opens the book and points to one of the pictures. "She picked the oldest lake in town. Old Cupid. Every time she goes there, she swears she can hear the Goddess of Emotion saying hello. Crazy, I know but you may never know…She met a boy there too. She was a shy girl and she tried to get away but somehow, she end up befriended with the boy. Her first Dark-type friend." Her eyes suddenly turn half lid, holding deep sadness. "But then…one day, my husband came home with our daughter on his shoulder, kicking and screaming to let her go…He shouted at her 'You are not allowed to see that boy again!' and she end up saying 'I hate you!' to him…I was watching over our son that time. He was 6 years older than his little sister. I gave birth to him when I was 18." Hounder suddenly blushes by the images in his head and thought if Yena would give birth at that young age. The mother notices and giggles. "Young kids these days…He was only 14 but he and Yena were like two peas in a pot. She loves her brother very much and vice versa…He was always there for Yena, to laugh, to cry, to cheer her on, to make her feel special…He would be 22 if it wasn't for the incident 8 years ago…" Hounder remembers the red letter and looks at the pictures on the book, keeping his ears open for the mother.

"What happened to him, actually…?" He asks politely, knowing that he reached a delicate line…

"Yena was 8 when she got kidnapped on her way home…She tried fighting back but she only manage to get one out of four men to pass out long enough for Lio to interrogate him. For a young boy, he won many fights. He was a prodigy and a great fighter. Yena idolized him and his skills. Because of that, Yena learns her enemies' weakness and strength. But she could never beat her brother. Only one person can defeat him." Liana laughs softly and her eyes suddenly gotten watery. "But while he was trying to save Yena, one of those thieves set the building on fire…Because of that, Lio risked his life into saving Yena by throwing her out of the building, burning himself alive…" For a while, everything went silent. Hounder tries to find a happy picture in the book of Yena but he stop when he notices a picture of Yena in her Poochyena days, smiling with a child-like grin. She was next to someone but the picture is ripped, taking the form of the person with it.

"That picture was when she took her first photo with that new Dark-type friend I told you. She said his name was-"

"I'm back with the rice and boiled egg!" Just before Yena sees the table, Liana quickly flips to a page full of Yena's baby pictures.

"And here is when she was taking her first bath."

"W-What the hell?!" Hounder blushes at the sight of Yena's baby pictures. Liana has changed her demeanor in a blink of an eye! The color on Yena's face could have won a beet contest.

"M-Mom! Stop showing him my baby pictures! It's embarrassing!" She places the plates on the table. The mother only laughs at her reaction.

"Come on, dear. He's a friend, isn't he?" Yena sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose.

"Mom, he's not a friend, he's a-"

"boyfriend." Hounder interjects, causing Yena to look at him fearfully while the mother looks shock.

"…That explains the closet hiding incident." Liana mumbles and stares at Yena. "Why didn't you tell me he's your boyfriend?! So rude." She pouts like a child while Yena starts feeling hot under her clothes, blushing all the same.

"H-He is not!" She grits her teeth, her hands clenching to fists. "Mom, I thought I told you I won't date anymore guys!" Liana grows silent for a while before she places a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"Now, now. You shouldn't say something like that…" Yena didn't answer. "Yena, you know you can-"

"I am NOT going for other guys! I'm done with dating other people! Never again!" Yena stares at her mom, her eyes filled with anger. Liana stares back at her daughter.

"Yena…" Her voice turns slightly serious, causing the Houndoom to swallow his fear, feeling a chill in the atmosphere. "Is it because of that day…?" Yena's expressions change. Her voice stuck in her throat, her eyes widen, and her hands froze at her side. "Yena…are you-"

"Stop. Just…Just stop talking about him!" Yena stresses over the words in her sentence and looks away from her mother's eyes. "I'm going to my room!" She storms out of the dining room and goes up the stairs, slamming the door. Hounder stays up but Liana grabs his wrist. He turns to her and notices the look in her eyes is unusual for a kind woman like her…

There was something that fit that look…but Hounder can't seem to find the word…

"Leave her alone…" She slowly turns to him, her eyes softening. "I think you should go home…It has been a rough day for her…" He wants to reject the offer but, knowing this is between mother and daughter (and he might be mauled for interjecting), he nods softly and bows a little.

"Thank you for dinner, Liana." "Even though I didn't eat any." He feels the hand releasing his wrist, allowing him to walk towards the door. He grabs the handle but before he could open the door, he feels the mother's eyes on the back of his head.

"Do you truly love my daughter that much…?"

Hounder stares at the doorknob for a moment, his eyes half-lid and dark. He closes his eyes and remembers that feeling…that regretful, painful feeling…

"More than you will ever know…" He opens the door and walks out but before he closes the door, he looks at Liana. "Take care, Liana…"

"You too…" With a click sound from Hounder closing the door, Liana closes her eyes, hearing the soft, sad sounds from her daughter's room…

With Yena, After she slam the door.

Yena leans against the door, slowly sliding down to the door, tilting her head back while hugging her knees, closing her eyes as she reminisce the dreadful memories…

"You lied to me! Why…Why, after all we been through?! Am I just someone for you to toy?!"

She lets out a choked sob, biting her lower lip.

"Yena…I thought I could trust you…"

"You can…You can…" she covers her mouth with her right hand, sobbing a little more as tears appear in her eyes. "You can always trust me…"

"Go away! Just leave me alone! I don't want to see you again, you traitor!"

She looks up and opens one of her drawers, pulling out a photo before going back to her spot at the door, leaning against it. The picture holds a boy, no younger than 9 years old, grinning while making a victory sign, his black, spiky hair looked like the wind is blowing on it while his eyes are shut in content. He lays his chin on a younger version of Yena's head, her grin practically matching his, expect it's like she's laughing with glee. Yena grips on the picture and pulls it to her chest, her sobs muffled by her hand and her tears flowing freely to the ground. "Ho…Holter…I'm so sorry…Please…I want to see you again…Even if it's just once…" She pulls her knees to her chest, clutching on the picture as she releases her hidden tears…

No one can make her hurt this way…

No one can make her feel this much pain…

No one can make her cry so easily…

But that is the difference between her Holter and the people she considers as family or friends…

Only he can make her release so many tears from such a strong pain…