Jacob and Neo strolled down the road as the sun fell below the horizon. Jacob swung his arms loosely, before breaking the silence. "So, uh… speaking? Where'd that come from?"

Neo snickered, covering her mouth with one hand. "It's… because I wanted to," she began, her expression shifting to something more serious as they continued walking.

"I'm still mute. That's never gonna change. But I've never wanted to speak before. All my life, people forced me to try, pushed me to do something I hated. I despised it so much, I convinced myself I wasn't capable." She tilted her head upward with a grin, her hands moving behind her back. "But meeting you? That was different. You didn't treat it like some flaw I needed to fix. You just… accepted it. And even then, you encouraged me to find my voice, to try communicating in my own way. That was new, ya know?" Her cheeks flushed faintly as she slowed her pace.

Jacob smirked. "Well, for someone who just found her voice, you sure are chatty."

Neo reached out and punched his arm, "Only 'cause I care about you, dumbass."

His dark cheeks flushed red as he looked away, "Yeah, yeah, whatever… So, uh, where are we even going? I've just been following you."

"To my house, obviously." She tossed him a playful glance with a skip in her step. "Figured you're tired of those gourmet air sandwiches."

They walked a few more minutes until she suddenly stopped, pointing ahead.

There it was, a mansion that looked like something out of a dream. Jacob's jaw dropped.

"You're kidding me," he muttered.

Neo covered her mouth, stifling a laugh as she watched his reaction.

He turned toward her, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her gently but dramatically. "YOU'VE BEEN LIVING LIKE ROYALTY WHILE I'VE BEEN SLEEPING UNDER A BRIDGE?"

He released her and turned back to gape at the mansion. "People in Wind Path would kill for this. Hell, I'd kill for this. You've gotta have, like, fifty rooms in there."

Neo shook her head, then held up her hands to show ten fingers, crossed them into an X, and repeated the gesture.

Jacob stared, his mouth hanging open. "A hundred?" he shouted. She nodded smugly.

He shot her a glare, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Imma kill you."

Neo grinned before walking ahead to the gate. She pressed a button on an intercom panel.

A voice crackled through the speaker. "Please identify yourself."

Neo sighed, raising her hands to clap three times, followed by a whistle.

"Welcome back, Ms. Vanille. Please, come inside," the voice replied before cutting off.

The gates creaked open, revealing a pristine driveway that stretched toward the mansion's towering double doors. Jacob hesitated before stepping forward, trailing behind Neo, who walked casually as if she owned the world.

He straightened up, clasping his hands behind his back. As they neared the entrance, Neo shot him a side eye glance, one brow arched, before reaching for the door handle and pushing it open herself.

—

Once the door swung open, the two stepped inside together. Jacob's astonishment was immediate, his wide eyes scanning the opulent interior, though he kept his hands clasped behind his back. Neo walked ahead but suddenly stopped in her tracks. Standing near the entrance were her parents.

Jimmy and Carmel turned simultaneously, their gazes landing on their daughter, and then on Jacob.

Jimmy's eyes narrowed, sweeping over Jacob from head to toe slowly, before his expression softened. He stepped forward, extending a hand. "You must be Jacob. Trivia's written quite a bit about you. I'm Jimmy Vanille, her father. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Jacob shot a quick side-eye at Neo, who remained quiet but smirked, before turning his attention back to Jimmy. He reached out, gripping Jimmy's hand in a firm handshake.

"I've heard about you as well, Mr. Vanille. It's a pleasure to meet you," Jacob replied, his tone more polite and composed than his usual attitude.

Their handshake ended almost simultaneously, the two stepping back slightly as Carmel moved forward.

"My name is Carmel Vanille. I'm her mother. It's a pleasure to meet you," she said, her voice soft as she extended her hand. Her grip was lighter than Jimmy's, but her gaze held longer than her husband's.

Jacob returned the handshake, giving a nod.

"Trivia rarely speaks so highly of anyone," Carmel continued, "She talks about you as though you mean the world to her. I'm looking forward to hearing all about what's been happening at the school." She stepped back, her hands folded in front of her.

"Yeah, I… I can't wait to tell you about it," Jacob said with a small nod.

As his eyes wandered, they landed on a rug. Thick, ornate, and clearly worth more than anything he owned. He glanced down at his shoes, slipping off his shoes and neatly placing them to the side near the door.

Jimmy noticed the gesture, his brows lifting slightly before his face softened once more. "You can put them over here," he said, motioning toward a rack to the right.

"Of course. Thank you, sir," Jacob replied, picking up his shoes and moving them to the designated spot.

He trailed behind Jimmy, his eyes darting downward to ensure he didn't scuff the floor. Neo glanced over, a grin on her lips, but said nothing as Jacob moved deeper into the Vanille home.

—

As Jacob followed Jimmy down the corridor, Carmel turned her attention to her daughter.

"So… that's the guy, huh?" she asked, her tone carrying a hint of being impressed as she side-eyed Jacob before shifting her focus back to Neo.

"You wrote that he's probably homeless…" Carmel muttered, her gaze dropping momentarily before locking onto Neo's eyes. "I'll talk to Jimmy, see if we can pull some strings. But that's if he impresses us. He's starting off strong, I'll give him that. Still, the real test is gonna be after he's cleaned up and we sit down to talk at the dinner table."

Neo let out an exaggerated sigh, her shoulders slumping as she rolled her eyes.

Carmel's expression softened, but her voice remained firm. "Look, I know you'd rather just have him stay here and, yes, we have more than enough space. But taking in a kid who isn't ours, who might have people looking for him, is a risk. If he can't act properly, it could damage our name. That's a gamble we can't afford, no matter how much we might want to help. I love you, and I want the best for you, but we need to think about how this could affect us all."

Her hand rested gently on Neo's shoulder, "I'm not trying to be mean," Carmel added after a pause, her voice softening. "I just want to be honest with you."

Neo remained silent, her lips pressed into a thin line as she stared at her mother. After a few seconds, Carmel withdrew her hand and straightened up, watching as Jacob trailed Jimmy further into the mansion.

The two women tilted their heads in near unison, observing as the pair disappeared deeper down the corridor.

—

"So, you're homeless, right?" Jimmy asked.

"Correct," Jacob replied.

Jimmy hummed, his gaze lingering on Jacob for a moment before continuing down the corridor. As they approached a pair of maids, Jimmy extended his hand, gesturing toward them with an open palm.

"This is Buttercup and Cream," he said, one had warm, tan skin, while the other was pale as porcelain.

"They'll be taking your measurements and assessing your clothing needs. Once that's done, I'll have Milk escort you to the dining room."

Jacob nodded again, his eyes flicking to the maids as they began to move. Realizing they expected him to follow, he quickened his pace, catching up to them as they led the way.

Jimmy let out a small sigh, turning away and heading back toward his wife and daughter. His right hand gripped his left wrist, twisting it until a pop occurred.

"He's polite and seems to have decent manners," Jimmy remarked as he approached Carmel and Neo. "Quiet too, which I can appreciate. But his appearance… That's what concerns me. On stage, he managed to look presentable, but this…" he motioned vaguely to where Jacob had disappeared, "This attire is far too low-class."

Carmel raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "Maybe it's just because he's homeless," she countered.

"Perhaps…" Jimmy muttered, his gaze shifting to Neo. "Trivia, has he ever worn anything more professional? Something… upscale?"

Neo shrugged, pulling out her communication board. Her fingers moved quickly over the keys before the device's AI voice spoke.

"We only wore uniforms at school. I didn't see him without one," it stated plainly.

Jimmy sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly as he tilted his head back, staring up at the ceiling for a moment. After a pause, he fixed his posture and addressed them again. "I'll have the staff prepare dinner for all of us. You're welcome to join me, or not, it's up to you,"

Carmel glanced down at Neo, her lips curving into a smirk. "So, want to tell me more about him?"

Neo rolled her eyes dramatically before typing on her board. "You can ask him yourself. I'm sure you will anyway."

Carmel huffed, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Fair enough," she admitted. "I'll be in my room, tending to my makeup. See you at the dinner table." Her voice softened as she turned and walked away, leaving Neo standing alone in the expansive hallway.

Neo sighed silently, glancing toward the direction Jacob had gone before leaning back against the wall.

—

An hour later, Jacob emerged from the shower, his hair in its natural afro. He wore a white button-up shirt with black sleeves, dress pants, black dress shoes, and a pair of black gloves. As he stepped into the dining room, he noticed several maids along the walls.

The Vanille family, seated at the long dining table, turned their attention to him.

"You look better," Jimmy remarked, "Was the bath refreshing?"

Jacob nodded, cautiously stepping forward and taking the seat next to Neo, while her parents faced them from across the table.

"It was very calming. I've never had a shower feel so… perfect," he replied.

His eyes shifted to the food in front of him, each dish covered beneath stainless steel cloches. "This is quite a lot of food. Is all of this for me?" Jacob asked, his voice faltering slightly.

Jimmy chuckled, shaking his head. "No, no. We had planned for a party, but things didn't go as expected. Regardless, we hope you enjoy the food."

With a clap of his hands, Jimmy summoned four maids who stepped forward, each lifting the lids to unveil an array of extravagant dishes.

Jacob's eyes widened in awe, his mouth slightly agape as he took in the spread. His gaze darted to Neo, who looked unphased. Turning back to the table, he studied the food more closely.

'Okay, this all looks good, obviously. No way a rich person's food doesn't look amazing. But it's not just about how it looks. What is it? How's it cooked?'

He raised a hesitant hand, "Uh, I'm not familiar with some of these dishes. I've only ever lived in Mistral. Do you mind explaining what they are?"

Jimmy smirked, leaning forward as he gestured toward the first dish. "This is a pizza. I'm sure you've had one before. It didn't originate in Mistral, but it's gained popularity there. This particular pizza is special, it's topped with mozzarella sourced from the finest farms in Atlas, Valean salt and sauce, and finished with caviar."

Jacob's face immediately recoiled. 'Mozzarella? Fine. Special salt and sauce? Sure. Caviar? Nope, I'm not eating ass!' He forced a tight smile, nodding. "I see. Uh, what's next?"

Jimmy motioned to another dish. "This is a vanilla sundae topped with edible gold and, of course, caviar."

'WHO THE FUCK PUTS CAVIAR ON ICE CREAM?' Jacob screamed internally, his hands clenching tightly on his thighs beneath the table. Neo, noticing his strained expression, glanced down at him, her brows furrowing in concern.

"And next," Jimmy continued, "We have something from your homeland. This is Kobe beef, cooked to a perfect medium rare. Alongside it, we have sushi with raw fish and truffles."

Jacob's eyes widened further, and he ran his hands over his face, letting out a loud exhale.

Jimmy raised an eyebrow, "Is this not to your liking?"

Jacob froze, lowering his hands slowly. His eyes locked on the beef. 'THAT'S PINKER THAN MY GIRLFRIEND'S HAIR. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO EAT THAT?'

He forced a shaky smile, "N-no, it's not that. It's just… I never imagined I'd have the chance to eat meals this luxurious. Coming from a poor background, this is beyond anything I ever thought I'd see, let alone taste."

Jimmy relaxed, leaning back in his chair. "Ah, I see. Should I continue describing the dishes?"

Jacob waved his hands quickly. "No, no! That's fine. I'd actually love to hear your questions instead. I'm sure you have some for me, right?"

Carmel leaned forward, "Yes, we do… Our daughter's written a lot about you, but we wanted to hear from you directly."

Jacob straightened in his chair, nodding. "Ask away. I'll do my best to answer honestly, so don't hold back."

"First off, why do you want to be a huntsman? It's a dangerous job, and frankly, we've seen your performances. Wouldn't it be better to focus on being a musician?" Carmel asked, her eyes narrowing as she studied Jacob's face. Beside her, Jimmy's expression mirrored hers.

Jacob straightened his posture, "To save people, that's why. My goal has always been to inspire those who feel just like me, whether it's through music, art, or combat. All of these are forms of expression, ways of being free, and ways to help. If I can save or inspire even one person, whether they're moved by how I fight, how I look, or how my weapon works, then I've accomplished what I set out to do. Music is something I love and will pursue alongside my journey to becoming a huntsman. I can have both, as long as I maintain balance," he stated firmly.

Carmel and Jimmy exchanged a glance before Jimmy leaned forward. "What are your parents' professions?"

Jacob responded without hesitation. "My mother works as an occasional bartender. She helps her sister out at parties when needed. My father... well, he's been struggling to find work lately, but he used to be a psychiatrist. Before that, he worked for Leonardo Lionheart."

Jimmy's eyes widened in surprise. "Leo? As in the one on the council?"

Jacob nodded, "That's the one."

"If your father knew someone like him, or at least worked with him, why are you interested in attending Beacon instead of Haven Academy?" Carmel asked.

Jacob shrugged. "Truthfully, Mistral isn't the safest place to live, especially Wind Path. I like it, it's home, but I don't want to live or work there. Beacon feels more lively, more interesting, and definitely safer. It's where I want to be."

Jimmy's eyes sharpened as he leaned forward. "How do you feel about unconventional families?"

Jacob paused for a moment. Then, he looked up and met their eyes. "What even is a 'conventional' family? Is it one without arguments? A family that's always respectful? A perfect world?" He shook his head, "I don't care about all that. A family doesn't have to be perfect, it just needs to be loving, comforting, and understanding. Arguments happen. Misunderstandings and bad moments? That's just life. But a family should grow together, change together, and always try to understand each other. Being a good person isn't about the mistakes or regrets you've had, it's about how you help others, how you grow, and how you learn to empathize."

Neo turned to him, her eyes soft, while her parents sat frozen.

Carmel leaned back, her lips curling into a sly grin. "Alright, I've got a few more questions. Let's start with this: What was your first impression of Trivia?"

Jacob's eyes widened briefly before he turned to Neo. Their eyes met for a moment before he glanced back at Carmel. "I thought she was unique. I've never met someone who was mute or had heterochromia, and honestly, I thought that was pretty cool," he admitted, tilting his head slightly, which earned a blush from Neo as she quickly turned away.

"She seemed like a bit of a loner at first, but after getting to know her, I realized she's just misunderstood. She's pretty sweet, perceptive, and... honestly, kind of cute," he added with a chuckle, a blush spreading across his cheeks as he looked away.

Carmel's smile widened as she leaned further. "How do you plan to support Trivia emotionally and financially?"

"I-I'm pretty poor. My whole family is. I'm not going to stumble upon some generational wealth, and honestly, I don't want that. I just want to live comfortably, and Neo seems okay with that, she seems okay with me." He turned to Neo, his eyes softening. "I think she just wants us to face life together. And that might not be what you want to hear, but it's the truth. I'll do my best to take care of her, no matter what."

Neo blushed deeper as Jacob reached out to gently poke her cheek. She scowled, her face burning red, and turned her head away. Jacob chuckled, withdrawing his hand. "But yeah, I'll take care of her, even if I'm dirt poor."

Carmel clapped her hands lightly, looking almost giddy. "Alright, last question: How far have you gone with our daughter?" she asked, her voice dropping mischievously.

Neo shot out of her chair, leaning over the table with her mouth agape, her hands clutching the tablecloth.

"Honey!" Jimmy exclaimed.

"What? We were all thinking it. Besides, he said he's honest," Carmel replied nonchalantly, motioning toward the now-blushing Jacob. "Might as well rip the band-aid off."

Jacob scratched his cheek nervously, "I, uh..." Before he could continue, Neo dashed over and clamped her hands over his mouth.

"Mmmph!" Jacob muffled into her hands, side-eyeing her parents. Carmel looked amused, while Jimmy seemed flabbergasted. Turning his gaze back to Neo, Jacob's expression softened as their eyes met, his hands raised in surrender.

Neo hesitated before slowly removing her hands, standing stiffly as she looked down at him. Jacob let out a small chuckle. "I guess you're not getting that information while she's here. But wouldn't it be better to tell them? This just makes us look worse."

Neo's shoulders slumped, and she turned her back to him, crossing her arms. After a moment, she extended her hand toward him in a small, reluctant gesture of permission.

Jacob sighed, smiling faintly. "We may have stayed in a dorm room together, but there were twenty other girls there at all times. We've never gone further than kissing. I promise it was just a small peck."

Carmel clapped her hands again, while Jimmy groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "You're unbelievable, Carmel," he muttered.

Carmel waved him off, her laughter subsiding as she leaned forward. "So, are we going to eat or what?" she asked, eyeing the melting sundae on the table.

Jimmy sighed heavily. "Right. Yeah. Let's eat. I hope everyone enjoys their meal."

Jimmy extended his hand and grabbed a plate of white truffles alongside a serving of goose liver. Carmel reached for the Kobe beef, caviar, and a rich meat stew. Neo, on the other hand, opted for lobster, crab, and a generous portion of the vanilla sundae.

Jacob sat silently, his eyes darting between the dishes. His finger tapped on the edge of the table. 'Okay, so some of this stuff I don't even recognize, but seafood? Hard pass. I mean, I've had crab before, but only with butter. If I start sharing with Neo, will that seem weird?' His gaze trailed over the table, searching for something familiar.

Then, his eyes landed on a plate of what looked like chicken wings. 'Alright, these gotta be chicken wings, right? Maybe dipped in gold like that other dish. I'd have gone for the other meats, but they're all pink as hell. Wings it is. Maybe I'll grab some sundae that doesn't have caviar in it later.' With a sigh, he reached for the plate.

As Jacob's hand touched the plate, so did Jimmy's. Their eyes locked briefly before Jacob quickly pulled his hand back.

"Oh, uh, sorry," Jacob mumbled.

"No, no, you're fine," Jimmy replied with a polite wave. He plucked a single wing from the plate with his fingers.

Jacob tilted his head, raising an eyebrow as he pulled the plate closer. His gaze flicked between the wings and the politician, who seemed to hesitate, holding his wing but not taking a bite.

'Oh, I see where this is going…' Jacob thought, his disappointment plain on his face as he reached for a knife and fork.

Jimmy's eyes widened, and he instinctively leaned back as though Jacob had just committed a grave social faux pas. Realizing his reaction, Jimmy regained his composure and took a bite of the wing.

Meanwhile, Carmel observed the interaction with mild amusement as she ate. She dabbed her fingers with a handkerchief before passing it to a waiting maid, who disposed of it without a word. Carmel then picked up her scroll, scrolling to Trivia's contact and typing a quick message:

"Does he always eat like this?"

Neo's scroll buzzed. She fished it out, glanced at her mother's message, and smirked before replying:

"Sort of. He usually picks chicken apart with his fingers. Never seen him use a fork and knife, though, maybe he saves that for restaurants. :)"

Neo's eyes met her mother's as she pocketed the device and shrugged. Carmel chuckled softly, setting the scroll aside. She turned to Jimmy, "So, is Jacob staying in Trivia's room or…?"

Jimmy nearly choked, his face a mix of frustration and embarrassment. "We haven't decided that yet!" he hissed.

"Oh, come on," Carmel drawled, crossing her arms. "He's passed the test. He's respectful, honest, taking care of Trivia, and he's got a good head on his shoulders. Plus, he's actually aiming for a meaningful career. What more could you want?"

Jimmy opened his mouth to argue, but Carmel pressed on, ticking off points on her fingers. "He doesn't do anything shady, he's polite, and he's got potential. Sure, his hair and style are… unconventional, but we've seen he can clean up when needed. Honestly, he might even improve our reputation."

Jimmy tried to interject, but Carmel raised a hand to stop him. "Let's not forget," she continued, "hiding our daughter away didn't do us any favors. Now you want to do the same with someone else's kid? That's not what Trivia would want, and it's not what we should stand for."

The room fell into an awkward silence. Jacob and Neo exchanged nervous glances as Jimmy sighed.

"Fine," Jimmy relented, rubbing his temples. "But he's not allowed in Trivia's room. She can visit his room, sure, but not the other way around. And no staying in each other's rooms past 11. Understood?"

"Understood," Jacob replied with a nod, while Neo gave a quick thumbs-up.

Satisfied, Jacob stood up, pushing his chair back. Neo followed suit. "If it's alright," Jacob began, "I'd like someone to show me to my room."

Jimmy glanced at his daughter, who had already latched onto Jacob's arm like it was second nature. He sighed, defeated. "Never mind. I suppose Trivia will handle that."

Neo didn't waste any time. She reached for her sundae, scooping up a large bite of ice cream that had no caviar and savoring it before slamming the spoon down. She turned back to Jacob, clinging to his arm as they left the dining room together.

Jimmy glanced up, his brow furrowed and his voice low, "Why'd you feel the need to make a scene in front of him?"

Carmel scoffed, leaning back slightly as her gaze shifted toward the ceiling. "A scene? Please. It's called being honest. We'd have to address it sooner or later, so why not just get it out of the way? Sure, it might've been a little awkward, but I think open discussion is better for us as a family."

Jimmy's expression shifted to one of disbelief as he stared at her. "What's… gotten into you? You're not usually this… caring, especially when it comes to family."

Her eyes dropped from the ceiling, locking onto his. She paused for a moment before speaking. "I've been listening, Jimmy. Listening to Trivia. She's talked a lot about that boy, about what family means to him… And to her. Maybe it's gotten me thinking. We used to hide everything away. Lock her in her room, keep our feelings bottled up, lie to each other to keep up appearances. We were a family in name only, more worried about reputation than each other."

Her voice softened as she continued, "But what if we tried something different? Instead of shutting everything behind closed doors, instead of burying how we feel or running from problems, what if we talked about it? With open minds, without judgment. We almost lost our daughter because of that old mindset, Jimmy. Maybe it's time we embraced a new one."

She smiled and that caught Jimmy off guard. It wasn't the grin she often wore to charm or manipulate. This was something else entirely.

—

In the hallway, Neo clasped Jacob's hand in hers, leading him through the seemingly endless stretch of doors that lined the mansion's walls.

"So, looks like I passed the test," Jacob quipped with a chuckle.

"Barely," Neo retorted, flashing him a sly smile. "If it wasn't for Mom, I doubt he'd have let you stay."

"Yeah, you're probably right," he admitted, his smile fading slightly as he glanced at the floor. "I'm sorry it got so awkward back there. You didn't even get to finish your food."

"It's fine," she said with a shrug, her expression softening. "I could tell you weren't enjoying it anyway. I'd rather eat something we both like than sit through a meal where only I'm happy."

They stopped in front of a door, and Jacob turned his gaze from her to the polished wood before him. "That's fair," he said, "So, how was the ice cream? I didn't get to taste it like I wanted."

Neo smirked, her lips curving into a mischievous grin as she stepped closer. Her hands darted out, grabbing the front of his vest and pushing him back against the door with surprising force. Jacob froze, his face flushing a deep red as he avoided her eyes.

"Do you still want a taste?" she whispered, her tone teasing, and her eyes gleaming with amusement, watching him squirm.

"I-I... uh… m-maybe," he stammered. His body shook slightly, but he finally managed to glance down at her, meeting her gaze. With a shy breath, he muttered, "Y-yeah…"

Before he could process what was happening, she leaned in, her lips capturing his in a kiss. Her hand slid up to his cheek, holding him gently as her lips pressed against his. Her touch was both soft and insistent, her fingers tightening slightly against his shirt as she deepened the kiss.

Jacob's body tensed for a moment before relaxing, his eyes fluttering closed as he melted into the kiss. After a few seconds, she pulled back with a smirk.

"So," she asked in a breathy voice, "How was it?"

Jacob turned his head away, "You're gonna get me in trouble," he muttered, glancing back at her with a small smile. "But… It was good. You've gotten a lot more… assertive since I've been back."

Neo put a hand on her hip, "It's because I missed you, dum-dum," she said, her tone light and playful. "Now go and get yourself situated."

He nodded, his own smile growing as he reached for the doorknob. As he stepped into the room, he paused, glancing back at her one last time. "Goodnight, Neo," he said softly before closing the door behind him.

Outside, Neo lingered for a moment, her smirk softening. With her hands clasped behind her back and her head held high, she turned and walked away as she headed toward her own room.