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Steve had come to a fast-food restaurant with the children. He waited for them to come out after choosing their food. Their plan was to eat and then go to an arcade. They began chatting amongst themselves. The sound of their bright laughter made Steve feel good.
The bell hanging on the fast-food restaurant door swayed a few times. Steve didn't pay attention. He simply assumed that other customers had entered or left. Steve was completely absorbed in his conversation with the children.
"Steven."
A low, heavy voice cut through the noisy store. Startled, Steve turned around. The owner of that voice was Richard Harrington. Richard Harrington looked dignified, dressed in a black suit and wearing a luxurious watch. Richard glanced at his watch and muttered in a low voice.
"Your mom is looking for you, but she can't find you."
Steve's smiling face instantly turned pale. He hurriedly stood up from his seat. The sharp scraping sound of the chair against the floor echoed through the store.
"Dad, how did you get here..."
Steve's voice trembled slightly. Richard shifted his gaze to the hamburger wrapper Steve had been eating, the greasy fries, and the children sitting nervously on either side. Richard furrowed his brow.
"Come out quickly and get in the car."
Richard turned his gaze to the black sedan parked outside. He was already walking toward the door with his back turned.
"But Dad, I have to take these kids—"
Steve said, fidgeting nervously with his fingers. Richard turned back to look at Steve. Steve looked down at the floor.
"I heard you were acting as a babysitter, but I didn't know you were this pathetic. Harrington as a babysitter? It's ridiculous."
He said that and walked back toward the door. Steve rummaged through his wallet and took out a few bills, placing them on the table.
"Sorry. It seems like Dad is in a bad mood today. Let's settle this, and use the change at the arcade."
Steve followed Richard out of the car. He was already in it, and Steve got in after him. Richard started the engine without a word and drove off. It was silent inside the car as they drove to the house.
As they reached a familiar road, Richard turned off the engine in front of the house.
"Steven, go apologize to Mom and come to the study."
Steve got out of the car and went inside.
Steve looked at his mother sitting at the dining table. She wore a worried expression.
"Steve, are you finally here?"
"I'm sorry, Mom. Did you wait a long time?"
Steve said, running his hand through his arm.
Steve's mother was a beautiful woman. Steve liked her because she shone wherever she went. However, since his parents were often away on business trips, he felt he hadn't received proper love.
"It's okay. You've come home safely, haven't you? Dad will be waiting for you. Go inside."
Steve turned his back on her and went into the study.
Steve felt burdened by the stares directed at him. He couldn't meet his father's gaze properly.
"Steven, when are you going to grow up? Don't you understand why those kids are clinging to you? You are nothing but a means to an end for them. They like you because you pay them and give them rides."
"They aren't like that... They are good kids."
Steve said. Richard sighed and said.
"Steven, we have given you everything. But if you continue to humiliate us like this, I think we need to reconsider."
Steve wanted to retort. He wanted to say that what they gave him was merely material things, and that he had never received anything like love from them. Steve clenched his fist tightly. But he could not say a word.
Steve went up to his room. He knew how incompetent he was. He, too, felt pathetic about himself.
Steve thought that his words weren't entirely lies. Being a babysitter instead of going to college didn't suit Harrington.
Steve wanted them to take an interest in him beyond just money and fame. Like other families, he wanted to sit down with his parents to eat and share small but happy conversations. But Steve knew that was impossible. Due to frequent business trips, it had been a long time since he had seen them.
However, those long-awaited reunions always ended like this. Steve quietly sat on the edge of his bed in his room. He still felt that the house was empty.
Just then, a familiar voice came through the crackling sound from the walkie-talkie he had tossed by the headboard.
"Hey, Steve! Are you listening? Who was that person earlier? You're okay, right? Over."
It was Dustin's voice, heavy with worry. After that, the voices of several children, including Lucas and Max, could be heard. The voices were jumbled and out of order, making it difficult to hear exactly what was being said. However, hearing so many voices in the empty house seemed to bring a sense of warmth.
He had thought that without Steve Harrington, nothing would remain. But hearing his name repeated over and over the radio, he felt comforted, realizing that it wasn't so bad in its own way.
Steve held the radio in his hand and looked up at the ceiling. The conflict with his parents still hadn't been resolved, but he believed he could solve it, and he thought that things weren't so bad as they were for now.
"Change the channels. And don't worry, he's my dad."
Steve gave a faint smile.