We left you where Mako and Shangao discuss if Mako spends time with Max and we get to see it fulfilled!

Chapter 24: Bonding

By the next day, Mako and his kids came back to the orphanage to do some more volunteer work and while they're around, they thought it was better to spend some time with Max and as they came in Max's room, the white tiger cub was a little surprised to see them come back and he asked, "You came back?"

Tae Kwan Do nodded his head in response and he said, "Yeah, we did. Our dad said we had so much fun with you yesterday that we want to play again."

"Really?" asked Max.

"Uh-huh." Tae Kwan replied.

Soon enough, all the kids were playing with Max, mostly mahjong and duck, duck goose and Tae Kwan Do, Logan and Bang were telling each other jokes and Max started laughing at every single one of them and they pretty much brightened up Max's day very well and when Mako came in the mix, he tells a few jokes here and there and Max started laughing loudly at this guys' jokes and rolled around the ground doing it.

It was then noticed that Mako completely made Max's day brighter and from all of the dark times of his past, he saw past through them and just saw a boy who needs a really good day.

Within that time, Max and all of Mako's kids went outside to play with him and Mako watched them do so and he smiled at the fact that the cub's getting along with them so well and he hopes that he'll have the chance to add him to the family soon.

Later that day, Mako sits down with Max on the picnic table as the rest of the kids were volunteering to help brighten up every orphan's day and the two started talking with each other about families and things of that detail and Max asked, "You've adopted that much kids?"

"Yeah, I did. My goal is to adopt 50 kids." Mako added.

Max widened his eyes at this and he seemed deeply impressed that he would hit that goal and he said, "Wow...that's a whole lot of kids."

"Yes, you see...9 of them are my own kids and the rest of them have been adopted from other places; not only here, but in Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and Korea. Every kid had been through a lot in their lives and they needed love and a place they can call home. That's what I've always been destined to do...is to bring hope to a child and raise them like they were my own." Mako explained.

For Max, seeing Mako like this is just really amazing to see how he could raise all these kids and adopt them and he hopes the same would happen to him, but with the memories of his birth mo still in his mind, he sorta wasn't sure if he was ready to take the chance yet.

"So...have they been treating you okay here?" asked Mako.

"I guess. Shangao and Ms. Faye have been treating me well since I've been here." Max answered.

Mako nods his head with that and he asked, "Any friends you got?"

"No. I'm usually in my room all alone all day, every day because no one likes me here. No one wants to be my friend." Max said, sadly.

Mako couldn't bear to see Max looking so sad and he saw beyond the lonely cub and just said, "Why not?"

Max shows him his black and white stripes all over him and with the fact that he's been teased a lot because of him being a white tiger, Mako couldn't understand why they'd do that and he said, "What's wrong with those?"

"Kids call me ugly and that no family would ever want me." Max said, lowering his head down.

Mako completely disagreed with every jab they put on Max and he said, "You couldn't be. Listen to me...you're extra special."

"No, I'm not." Max said.

Mako puts his paw on Max's shoulder and he said, "Max...everyone's born with a lot of things and many reasons, people tend to take advantage of your uniqueness just to make you feel like you're not worth anything. But they're wrong. You are worth a lot more than anything else in the world and I believe that any family would want what you have. I would."

Max slowly rose up his head after Mako said those last two words and he turned to Mako and asked, "Honest?"

"As honest as a true warrior. Max, I do believe you will be a part of something special and you have the potential to go with it. Shanghao told me about what had happened in your past; going through heavy burdens with your birth parents to being hurt by those wolves. It really hurt me when you went through that and I said to myself, 'No child could suffer through that and live through it'. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make sure you'll be loved and cared for." Mako stated.

Max was pretty surprised that Mako knew about what happened before, but the fact that he'll shine a light on his life made Max think that he's got a bright future in his hands and he gained a lot of trust in him and said, "You promise?"

"Scout's honor." Mako replied.

"I guess I was afraid of getting adopted because what if the parents don't like me and they want to send me back? That's a very scary thought." Max said.

Mako could see that worry in his face and he asked, "Have you been thinking about that a lot?"

"I try not to, but every kid always talks about it. And I always wonder, 'would that be me?' Like if I'm not good enough for them." Max explained.

Mako just wanted to reach out and just hug him tightly after hearing Max's fears and he told him, "I do think you're good enough. You just have to believe it in yourself. It's right in here."

Max saw that Mako was pointing at Max's chest and he asked, "In my heart, right?"

"Exactly. I have faith in you." Mako added.

That part definitely helped Max feel better and he's fully starting to like Mako a lot and he smiled at him and said, "I wish you were my dad."

"Me too." Mako agreed.

As the two continued talking with each other, Shangao could tell that Mako's giving Max the definite help to make his day brighter with lots of encouraging words and a chance to believe in himself and he was deeply impressed with this and it brought him to a point where Max finally find the father figure he's always wanted to have.

Sounds like Mako's gonna make a great dad for Max! Will he be adopted? Let's see!