Kento stood in front of his family's restaurant. He started to fidget a bit. Kento was nervous about going inside. He waited a couple of days after he and Sana returned from China. The news of his marriage to Sana didn't go well with his parents or friends. Kento remembered watching the live feed from here. He figured they are watching back at the mansion. But when he glanced around, he couldn't see any cameras.

Kento turned his attention back to the door. He noticed the closed for renovations sign. Kento and his parents talked about the possibility of going through with it a while ago. 'Looks like they started to renovate. Well, I better get this over with.' He took a deep breath and entered. "Hello? Pa!"

Mr. Rei Faun glanced up from the blueprints and saw Kento standing at the entrance. "Are you going to come in, or are you going to stand there like a bouncer all day?" He asked as he looked back down at the plans.

Kento raised a brow at him and then shook it off. He walked inside the restaurant and shut the door behind him. "So, you started."

His father kept his head down, "Yes."

Kento frowned a bit, and a small sigh escaped his lips. He figured it was going to be one of those types of conversations. "Where's Ma?"

"Home."

"Pa, are you going to keep answering me with only one word?"

"Maybe."

Kento growled a bit but kept himself in check. He didn't care much for these types of one-sided conversations. "I know you're still angry with me about my marriage to Sana. But we're not going to get anywhere with the way you're answering."

"Kaye was helping us with the project when you were gone." Mr. Rei Faun didn't see Kento's reaction. "She has an excellent eye for detail, and creative too."

Kento's voice was quiet, "She mentioned wanting to become a designer someday."

His father glanced up from the plans. "She would have been a good one. But I don't believe you came to talk about Kaye's dreams. So, what's the real reason?"

"Sana and I are having a housewarming party soon. I figured it would be better if I came in person to deliver the invitation to you and Ma." Kento responded as he reached into his pocket and pulled it out. He walked to his father and presented it to him.

Mr. Rei Faun raised a brow at his son. He noticed Kento's hand was a bit shaky. He reached out and took it from him. "Thank you."

Kento felt himself relax a little as he lowered his hand. But then he clenched his fists when he saw his father toss the invitation into a fire. "What the hell?"

Mr. Rei Faun was not at all phased by his son's outburst. He turned his back on him and brought his arms behind his back. "Language."

"You're scolding me because I swore? Come on, Pa, I'm an adult."

"Then, my son, act like one. Because your decision to marry Sana was immature at best."

"I waited a couple of days before talking with you again. I thought, if I gave you time, you wouldn't be angry anymore."

"I'm not angry. I'm more towards being deceived. I never thought I would see the day I'd feel this way towards my son."

Kento opened his hands and let them drop to his sides.

"Your Ma and I were so proud when you and Kaye announced your intentions of becoming more sincere with the relationship. We were so pleased to see how happy the two of you were with one another. We believed you found the one, your significant other, the one to whom you would commit to one day. Your Ma and I could see the reasons why you two designed for one another. True, there were differences. But it was those differences to have balanced the two of you. Kaye also had a giving heart and a beautiful soul. But, after all, was said and done maybe, your Ma and I were wrong."

Kento tried to say something, anything to tell him they weren't wrong. But nothing came out, no words, no sound of objection. His father was right in what he said. He and Kaye balanced one another. Kento knew if Kaye needed him, he would have been at her side without a second thought. She would have done the same for him as well.

Right then and there, Kento wanted to tell his father everything. But he couldn't. Keeping his family and friends in the dark was starting to take its toll on him. It was the only way he could protect them at the moment.

Kento's father glanced back at his son to make sure he was still standing behind him. It was not normal for his son to be so quiet. The older Rei Faun started to say something but stopped when he heard his wife enter from the back entrance.

"Pa, I found more supplies."

"Hi, Ma." Kento greeted in a quiet tone.

Mrs. Rei Faun blinked in surprise when she saw him there. "Kento. What are you doing here? I thought you'd be living it up with your new wife."

Kento was taken back in complete surprise. "Ma!"

His father whirled around and narrowed his eyes at him. "Do not raise your voice to her!"

Kento narrowed his eyes in return, "I was surprised. I wasn't raising my voice to Ma."

Kento's mom glanced between her son and her husband. "Please, the two of you, there's no need to fight."

"Apologize!" Mr. Rei Faun snapped.

Kento growled low in his throat. His fists clenched at his sides once again. "I did nothing wrong! So, I don't need to apologize! There you go again, treating me like I'm a child!"

During the years of Kento growing up, Mrs. Rei Faun has seen way more fighting between her husband and her son to last a lifetime. The Rei Faun men have a problem with being stubborn. "Alright! Enough! Both of you! This fight between you two needs to end! Now, knock it off before I knock some sense into you!"

The two Rei Faun men blinked in surprise. They didn't expect her to respond as she did. They recognized right then and there she's a scary woman. "Ma..." Kento started to say.

Kento's mother glared at him, "Don't Ma me!" She raised her hand and rubbed her eyes. Then brought her hand down as she sighed. "Kento, your Pa and I, we love you so much. We want the best for you."

His eyes became soft when he looked over at his mother, "I know you and Pa do. I love you both too, and I appreciate everything the two of you did for me. But I'm my own man now. All I want is for the two of you to accept my marriage to Sana."

"Then help us to understand. Kento, did something happen between you and Kaye to marry Sana? Was there a fight or something before you left for China?"

Kento shook his head, "No, Ma, we didn't fight."

"Then tell us what happened. You're hiding something. Why won't you tell us the whole story?"

Kento closed his eyes and sighed. He was struggling with telling them. But how? He knew Sana would find out one way or another. He couldn't. The risk was extreme. How could he let them know? There had to be some way. Wait, maybe it was going to be a long shot. It might work. 'I hope.' He opened his eyes and studied his parents. "When I was training in China. I realized the reason why I stayed with Kaye for so long. Yes, we loved one another, but I think it was more because I felt sorry for her. She was alone most of her life until she met us. We became comfortable being together. It felt natural. But my feelings towards her started to change. I thought Kaye more of a sister than someone I'd spend the rest of my life with, which I couldn't string Kaye along as I have been. It wouldn't be right."

Kento's father narrowed his eyes at him, "So you thought you would marry Sana without talking to Kaye about what you've been feeling? I thought you had more sense. Plus, I believe you are lying! I don't see how you can love someone who is an assassin? Don't you remember what she did when the two of you were children? Sana's father killed your uncle Shen. Then, in turn, she killed her father. What? You thought, hey, maybe if I marry Sana, then I'd be able to convert her, and she'll change her ways? Kento, how naive can you possibly be? Once an assassin will always be an assassin."

Kento glared back at him, "You don't understand, Pa!"

"No, Kento, you don't seem to understand. You don't know the Jade Thorns as I do. These assassins would do whatever it takes to get what they want. There is no honor even within their ranks. You were there when your uncle was taken from us, remember?"

"Of course I remember. I will always remember! I don't need you to remind me! Uncle Shen was more opened minded than you'll ever be! So I don't understand why you can't be more like him!"

Mr. Rei Faun was taken aback by what Kento said. "How dare you..."

"How dare I, what Pa? Compare you to uncle Shen? It isn't too hard. At least when I was a kid, I could feel comfortable going to him with what bothered me than you. He wasn't judgmental."

"Kento! Pa! Stop! Just stop right this instant! Arguing isn't going to make things better." Mrs. Rei Faun interjected as she was trying to keep the peace. She looked towards her son, "Kento, why are you still holding back the real reason of what's going on? Why are you making up these stories? Be straight with us. We can take the truth."

"Ma, gomen. I'm not making up stories. What I'm telling you is the truth. My feelings towards Kaye have changed. So why can't you accept it? All I want is for the two of you to believe I've taken Sana as my wife. What is so hard for the two of you to accept this?" Kento asked in frustration.

"The reason, Kento, is because you're not honestly happy being married to Sana. We can see it. You're not the same as when you were with Kaye. I can't speak for your friends, but I believe they think the same. You're different, Kento, and to be honest, this new you frighten me." Mrs. Rei Faun replied with a quiet tone. "I never thought I'd see the day I would be frightened by my son."

Kento blinked in surprise, "I haven't changed, Ma. I'm still me. You don't need to be scared."

Mrs. Rei Faun shook her head, "No, you're not, Kento. You have changed. The spark in your eyes is gone. It's like a part of your soul was torn from you and replaced by something darker. How can we help you if you don't let us inside?"

Mr. Rei Faun reached out towards his wife and brought her close to him. He wrapped his arms around her, trying to ease her torment.

Kento felt his heart constrict when he watched his parents. He used to hold Kaye like how his father was holding his mother when she was upset. He felt his eyes starting to tear up a bit, and then he turned his back to them, so they couldn't see him wipe away the oncoming tear. Kento coughed to clear his throat. It was a long time since the three of them fought like this. The fighting bothered him then like it bothered him now. Sparring with an opponent or enemy was one thing. But verbal fighting with family and friends was something else. The physical pain he can handle. He usually came out on top because he was stronger. But the verbal sparring was and always has been difficult for him to get through. Because of this fact, Kento wore his heart on his sleeve. It was why he would do everything in his power to make sure everyone he cared about was happy and safe. But right now, he couldn't guarantee their happiness because Sana held all the influence. She was the reason this torment was happening. Sana was the one who was in total control, not him. "Look, Ma, Pa, I made my choice of whom I want in my life. It's your problem if you can't handle it, not mine."