As I stepped out of the venue, I immediately spotted Mom waiting for me near the entrance. The moment she saw me, she waved enthusiastically.
"ACE!" she called while waving her hand.
I smiled and walked over to her.
"Sorry. The professors and company representatives kept stopping me."
She laughed.
"I could tell. My son is becoming popular." I scratched the back of my neck, embarrassed.
Together, we walked toward the parking lot, leaving the noisy venue behind as the cool afternoon breeze brushed gently against us. Just outside the building, I spotted him. Dad was standing quietly beside the car with his hands tucked into his pockets, wearing the same calm expression he always had. He wasn't smiling—he rarely did, but somehow, I could tell something was different. As I looked at him, memories came rushing back. Growing up, he had never missed an important school event, not mine and not my older brother's. Even during the years when he drank almost every night and argued constantly with Mom, whenever there was a graduation, an awarding ceremony, or a school program, he was always there.
After the day I wandered into the forest, everything slowly began to change. The arguments between Mom and Dad became less frequent, and although Dad still drank from time to time, it was nowhere near as often as before. He no longer took his frustrations out on me, and little by little, our home began to feel peaceful again. Maybe it was because I had finally started taking school seriously. Or maybe... almost losing me had changed him too.
Dad looked at me for a long moment before speaking.
"...Good job."
His voice was calm, almost emotionless. Yet somehow, those two simple words meant everything to me. They carried more pride and affection than any long speech ever could. Then he took a few slow steps toward me and held out a small black box, his expression as unreadable as ever.
"Here."
I blinked.
"What's this?"
"An advance graduation gift."
I looked at him in surprise.
"Dad..."
He cleared his throat awkwardly.
"You earned it."
I slowly opened the box. Inside was a beautiful silver wristwatch.
Simple.
Elegant.
Timeless.
For a second, I couldn't find the words.
"It's... beautiful."
Dad looked away.
"Don't make a big deal out of it."
I smiled.
"I love it."
Without warning, he placed a hand on my head and gently ruffled my hair. Then, before I could even react, he pulled me into a brief embrace. "I'm proud of you," he said quietly. The hug lasted only a few seconds, but it was enough. In that short moment, years of distance seemed to melt away. I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him back, a smile spreading across my face. "Thanks, Dad," I whispered. Before either of us could say anything else—
"Ace!"
Professor Marco Valdez walked toward us with a wide smile.
"There you are!"
He gave me a congratulatory hug and patted my shoulder.
"You represented the university brilliantly."
"Thank you, Professor."
"I always believed you could do it."
As Professor Valdez spoke, I noticed something strange. Dad's expression suddenly changed, and the warmth in his eyes vanished, replaced by a cold, unreadable look. The atmosphere around us grew unexpectedly heavy. Professor Valdez seemed to notice him as well, because the smile on his face faded ever so slightly. For a brief moment, neither of them said a word. They simply stood there, staring at each other as if they shared a past neither of them wanted to remember. The silence lasted only a few seconds before Professor Valdez finally broke it with a polite smile.
"It was nice seeing you again."
Dad gave a short nod.
"You too."
Something about the exchange didn't feel normal, but before I could ask about it, Mom interrupted.
"Ace, let's head home."
I nodded.
"See you on campus, Professor."
Professor Valdez smiled.
"Get some rest. You've earned it."
Mom simply gave Professor Valdez a polite smile before saying goodbye. Then we walked toward Mom's car. As soon as we reached it, Mom turned to Dad.
"Aren't you coming?"
He shook his head.
"I have somewhere I need to stop by."
Mom didn't question him.
"Alright. Drive safely."
"I will."
Mom started the engine, and we slowly pulled away from the venue. She couldn't stop talking, her excitement overflowing as she smiled from ear to ear. "I still can't believe you won! Your brother would've been so proud. I took so many pictures today." She kept chatting happily, but my attention slowly drifted elsewhere. I glanced at the side mirror and noticed that Dad still hadn't left. He was standing outside the venue while Professor Valdez had walked back over to him. The two of them were talking again, but this time, neither of them was smiling. Even from a distance, I could tell their conversation was serious. A frown crept onto my face. What are they talking about...? Before I could think any further, the distance between us grew until both men disappeared from view. Mom reached over and switched on the car radio. Soft music filled the car for only a few seconds before it was interrupted by a news bulletin. "This is a weather advisory from FlashPoint News."