Chapter 2

The journey back to Forgotten Valley felt nothing like the one she had made that morning. When Sunny had first left the ranch, she had been carrying a mysterious baby, determined to find the people who had lost him. Every step had been filled with uncertainty, her heart weighed down by questions she had no way of answering. Now, as the familiar dirt road meandered through fields bursting with the colors of Spring, everything had changed. The child resting in the bassinet beside her was no longer a stranger. He was her son.

Even after everything that had happened, the truth still felt almost unreal. Cyrus slept peacefully beneath a soft blue blanket, his tiny chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm as the gentle sway of Sunny's footsteps lulled him into an even deeper sleep. From time to time, he would let out the faintest little yawn, his lips puckering adorably before one small hand escaped the blanket and reached upward as though trying to grasp the warm Spring breeze. Moments later, his fingers curled into a tiny fist, and he settled back into a comfortable bundle without ever opening his eyes.

Sunny found herself watching him far more than the road ahead. Each innocent movement seemed to tug gently at her heart, making the world around her feel quieter than it ever had before. She still couldn't believe that only hours ago she had been searching for this child's family. Now, somehow, she had become that family.

A warm smile spread across her face as she carefully adjusted the blanket around his shoulders. Her voice was barely louder than the whisper of the breeze drifting across the fields.

"Welcome home, Cyrus."

The words lingered in the air, sounding unfamiliar even to her own ears. They carried a joy so profound it almost hurt, intertwined with a fear unlike anything she had ever known. For the first time in her life, Sunny understood that love and responsibility could arrive together in a single heartbeat—and that from this day forward, every step she took would no longer be for herself alone.

By the time the ranch came into view, the afternoon sun had begun its slow descent across Forgotten Valley, bathing the rolling fields in warm shades of gold. A gentle breeze stirred the tall grass, carrying with it the familiar scent of fresh hay and blooming wildflowers. It was a sight Sunny had seen countless times before, yet somehow everything looked different now.

Takakura was outside mending one of the pasture fences when he spotted her walking up the road. He straightened from his work, hammer still in hand, his eyes immediately drawn to the overflowing baby bag hanging from her shoulder and the bassinet cradled carefully in her arms.

A knowing grin spread across his weathered face. As she drew closer, Takakura rested his forearms atop the fence post, "So, I take it Mayor Thomas couldn't find the little guy's parents."

Sunny let out a nervous laugh, the kind that escaped before she had a chance to stop it. Shifting the bassinet a little more securely in her arms, she said, "Actually… He did."

Takakura's smile froze, "Come again?"

Sunny couldn't help giggling at the bewildered expression on his face. She had no idea how she was supposed to explain everything that had happened—not standing in the middle of the ranch, anyway.

"I'll explain everything once we're inside," she said with a sheepish smile. "Trust me… it's a very long story."

Takakura stared at her for another moment before glancing down at the peacefully sleeping infant, then back at Sunny again. The confusion on his face only deepened, but one look at her expression told him she wasn't joking. With a slow nod, he set the hammer aside and followed her toward the ranchhouse, wondering what in the world could have happened during a simple trip into town.

A few minutes later, the two of them were seated inside the ranchhouse. The familiar warmth of the living room stood in quiet contrast to the extraordinary story about to be told. Nearby, Cyrus slept peacefully in his bassinet, his tiny breaths soft and steady.

Takakura listened without a single interruption as Sunny recounted everything that had happened. She told him about the Harvest Goddess' story, about Yuto and Brandon's impossible circumstances, the miracle of the twins' birth, her heartbreaking decision, and finally the adoption papers she had signed only hours earlier. Speaking the events aloud somehow made them feel even more unbelievable, yet every word was true.

When she finally reached the end of the story, silence settled over the room. Takakura leaned back in his chair and slowly scratched the side of his head, staring at the floor as he tried to make sense of everything he had just heard. He had spent enough years in Forgotten Valley to witness more than his share of strange happenings, but even by the valley's standards, this was something else entirely.

"…Well," he said at last, letting out a slow breath, "I've lived in this valley long enough to know better than to question the Harvest Goddess."

Sunny couldn't help laughing, the tension that had been building inside her finally melting away. "I was hoping you'd say that."

Takakura's eyes drifted toward the bassinet. Cyrus slept soundly, blissfully unaware that his entire life had changed. The old rancher smiled faintly. "Looks like this old ranch just got itself a little bigger."

Sunny followed his gaze, her own smile softening into something warmer. She reached over and gently rested a hand against the edge of the bassinet, her heart swelling as she watched her son sleep peacefully.

"Yeah," she whispered. "It did."

Takakura let out a soft chuckle before his attention drifted back to the bassinet resting beside the bed. Cyrus remained fast asleep, his tiny face relaxed in peaceful contentment.

"Cute little fella," Takakura said with a smile.

Sunny followed his gaze, her own expression melting into something tender. For a few moments, neither of them spoke. The only sounds in the room were the gentle creak of the farmhouse settling and the quiet rhythm of the baby's breathing.

Eventually, Sunny broke the silence, "Uncle Taka… are you really okay with this?"

She lowered her eyes and folded her hands tightly in her lap, twisting her fingers together as nervousness crept into her voice.

"I mean… I adopted Cyrus without asking you first." She swallowed hard before continuing. "This isn't just my home. It's yours too. I should've talked to you before making such a huge decision."

Takakura studied her for several long moments. There was no disappointment in his eyes, only the quiet understanding of someone who had watched her grow from a little girl into the woman sitting before him.

At last, a warm, fatherly smile spread across his weathered face. "Sunny… You don't have to worry about that."

She looked up, surprised. Takakura leaned back in his chair, his eyes wandering across the familiar walls of the ranch house. They paused on the collection of framed photographs that captured decades of memories before finally settling on one in particular—a picture of Henry standing proudly beside his prize-winning cow, his broad grin as bright as the day the photograph had been taken.

"This ranch has always been about family," Takakura said quietly. His smile softened as he continued to look at the photograph. "Your dad would've loved this."

Sunny's eyes followed his, lingering on the picture of her father. A lump formed in her throat as she imagined Henry laughing with excitement, scooping Cyrus into his arms without a second thought and proudly declaring that there was always room for one more at the ranch. The thought brought tears to her eyes, but this time they weren't tears of uncertainty. They were tears of comfort. She smiled knowing that her father must have been proud of her for making such a huge sacrifice for this baby that was bestowed on her by the goddess herself.

"He always talked about the future of this ranch," Takakura continued, his gaze still resting on Henry's photograph. "About leaving it in good hands someday. First you… then your children… and after that, their children. I always figured that meant you'd fall in love, get married, and then have a kid or two running around these fields."

The corners of his mouth curled into a grin. "I'll admit… I wasn't expecting you to skip a couple of those steps."

Sunny let out a helpless groan and buried her face in her hands. "I know! I had a plan! It was supposed to be dating… then marriage… then the baby!" She lowered her hands just enough for Takakura to see the embarrassed smile spreading across her face. "Instead, I somehow started at chapter three!"

For a heartbeat, Takakura simply stared at her. Then he burst into booming laughter. His hearty laugh filled the ranch house, so infectious that he had to wipe a tear from the corner of his eye before he could catch his breath.

"Life has a funny way of changing our plans," he said between chuckles.

Sunny couldn't help laughing with him. The weight that had been pressing on her heart all afternoon suddenly felt lighter. She glanced over at the bassinet, half expecting the noise to wake Cyrus, but the little boy remained blissfully asleep, his tiny lips pursed as though nothing in the world could disturb his dreams.

A warm smile spread across her face, "Yeah, You're right."

Takakura's laughter gradually faded into a gentle smile. He rose from his chair, walked over to her, and rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "Listen, Sunny, you didn't bring home trouble."

He looked down at the sleeping infant, his expression filled with quiet affection. "You brought home a new member of this family."

His hand gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "And as long as I'm breathing, you won't be raising that little boy alone."

The words struck Sunny harder than she expected. Her vision blurred as tears welled in her eyes once again. This time she didn't even try to stop them. Before she knew it, she was on her feet, wrapping her arms around the old rancher in a heartfelt embrace.

"Thank you, Uncle Taka."

Takakura smiled warmly and patted her back with the same gentle reassurance he had offered her since she was a little girl. "We'll figure this parenting business out together," he said.

Sunny closed her eyes, holding onto him for just another moment. She was reminded that family wasn't defined only by blood. It was built by the people who chose to stand beside you when life took an unexpected turn. And with Takakura at her side and Cyrus sleeping peacefully only a few feet away, the ranch already felt more like home than ever before.

From the basket came a tiny giggle, followed by an enthusiastic kick of two little feet. Sunny and Takakura looked over at the same time. Cyrus had woken up. And judging by the mischievous sparkle already shining in his brown eyes, their quiet afternoon was officially over.

Sunny carefully lifted Cyrus from his bassinet, supporting his tiny head the way Brandon had shown her only hours earlier. The little boy responded with an enormous yawn, rubbing one sleepy fist against his eye before blinking up at her with wide brown eyes. A tiny smile spread across his face, followed by an excited giggle that immediately melted Sunny's heart.

"Oh no," she cooed, gently bouncing him in her arms. "You're way too cute. How am I supposed to get anything done when you keep making faces like that?"

Cyrus answered with another happy babble, reaching up to grab a loose strand of Sunny's pink braid. She laughed trying to pull her hair back without being rough.

"Ack! Hey!" Sunny laughed, carefully untangling the tiny fingers from her ponytail. "Already causing trouble, huh?"

Just then, three gentle knocks echoed through the ranch house. Sunny glanced toward the front door, curiosity flickering across her face.

"I wonder who that is?"

Carefully she settled Cyrus comfortably against her shoulder before making her way across the room. He stirred only slightly, nestling against her with a sleepy sigh as she reached the knob and pulled the door open.

Standing on the porch was Nami. She wore an olive-green jacket over a simple shirt and jeans, her well-worn camera hanging comfortably around her neck as though she had merely wandered over during one of her afternoon walks through Forgotten Valley. The breeze tugged lightly at her red spikey hair as she offered Sunny her usual calm expression.

She opened her mouth to speak, "Hey, Sunshi—" The greeting died on her lips. Her blue eyes drifted downward, settling on the baby resting peacefully in Sunny's arms.

For a long moment, neither of them said anything. Cyrus looked up at the unfamiliar face with wide, curious eyes. Then, as if deciding he approved of this new person, he gave an enthusiastic little babble and reached one tiny hand in Nami's direction.

Nami blinked once, "Cute kid." Her voice was as flat as ever, but there was the faintest hint of softness beneath it.

Her gaze slowly lifted back to Sunny. "Whose baby is that?"

Sunny's smile instantly transformed into the nervous, guilty sort she'd been wearing far too often that day.

"Well," She scratched the back of her neck with her free hand, desperately searching for a way to explain the impossible in a single sentence.

"Nami…" she began with an awkward laugh. "Allow me to introduce you to my son…" She shifted Cyrus slightly so Nami could see him better, "Cyrus."

Nami stared at Sunny. Then at Cyrus. Then back at Sunny again.

Her expression remained perfectly composed, but behind her steady blue eyes, the gears of her mind had come to a complete stop.

"Your… Son?" For the first time since Sunny had met her, Nami looked genuinely speechless.

Silence settled over the porch. Sunny offered an awkward laugh, the sound far louder than it felt in the stillness, "Heh… surprise?"

Nami didn't react. Her expression remained almost perfectly unreadable as she looked from Sunny to the baby, then back again. It was as though her mind had encountered a puzzle so completely impossible that it had temporarily abandoned the idea of solving it altogether.

Several long seconds passed before she finally exhaled. Slowly, she folded her arms across her chest. "Technically, this should be the part where I accuse you of lying and ask why you've been hiding a child from me."

Sunny grimaced. "That's… fair."

Nami tilted her head slightly, her thoughtful gaze never leaving Sunny. "But… I've known you for about a year. And that little guy is clearly around half a year old."

She looked back at Sunny. "So unless you've somehow managed to hide an entire pregnancy, give birth, recover from childbirth, and raise an infant without a single person in Forgotten Valley noticing, there's obviously more to this story than you just secretly having a baby."

Sunny let out a slow breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. Relief washed over her.

If their positions had been reversed, she wasn't sure she would have reached the same conclusion so quickly. Nami's calm, analytical nature had done exactly what Sunny had hoped it would—she had examined the facts before jumping to the most obvious assumption.

Nami gave a small, almost imperceptible nod before gesturing toward the happily babbling baby in Sunny's arms. "So, I'm going to give you the chance to explain what's going on. I can give you at least that much."

Sunny smiled gratefully, "Thanks." She stepped aside and opened the door a little wider. "Come on in."

Nami glanced once more at Cyrus, who rewarded her with another cheerful babble and a grin. One corner of her mouth twitched upward almost imperceptibly before she stepped inside, already suspecting that whatever explanation awaited her was going to be unlike anything she'd ever heard.

Before Sunny could say another word, the sound of someone clearing their throat came from behind them. Both women turned at the same time.

Takakura stood a few steps away, awkwardly inching toward the porch stairs with the unmistakable posture of a man trying very hard not to become involved in whatever conversation was about to unfold. His eyes darted from Sunny to Nami, then toward his own house across the yard—the sanctuary that suddenly seemed very inviting.

"Well!" he announced, his voice carrying an enthusiasm that sounded just a little too forced. "Looks like you two have… some talking to do."

Neither Sunny nor Nami had a chance to respond. Takakura spun on his heel and began marching across the yard with almost theatrical determination, whistling an innocent tune as though he had absolutely no idea why anyone might think he was making a tactical retreat.

Halfway to his front door, he raised one hand without looking back. "Just so we're clear, I didn't know anything! Good luck!"

The front door of his house opened, then promptly shut behind him. Silence settled over the ranch once again. Sunny stared in the direction Takakura had disappeared, her shoulders sagging in theatrical defeat.

"Thanks, Uncle Taka," she muttered under her breath. "You really showed up when I needed moral support."

Beside her, Nami watched the entire exchange with a perfectly straight face, "Smart man."

Sunny let out a defeated groan. "You're enjoying this far more than you should."

"I didn't say I was."

"You didn't have to."

For just the briefest moment, the corner of Nami's mouth hinted at a smile before her usual calm expression returned. "So, are you going to explain how you became a mother in a single afternoon?"

Sunny looked down at Cyrus, who answered the question with a happy little coo, blissfully unaware that he had become the center of the most confusing conversation Forgotten Valley had seen in years.

"…It's a long story."

"I gathered that."

Sunny stepped aside once more, gesturing toward the open doorway. "Come inside."

Nami gave a quiet nod and followed Sunny into the ranch house, already convinced she was about to hear the strangest story Sunny had ever told.

Sunny crossed the living room and gently lowered Cyrus into the bassinet beside the bed. The little boy blinked up at the wooden ceiling for a moment before breaking into a delighted babble, happily kicking his tiny feet against the soft blue blanket. Whatever adventure had brought him here was of little concern to him. As far as Cyrus was concerned, he was warm, comfortable, and surrounded by smiling faces.

The two women took their seats across from one another on Sunny's bed. Nami settled against the wall with her usual effortless composure. Her posture was relaxed, her expression unreadable, yet every so often her eyes wandered back to the infant beside them. Cyrus remained perfectly content entertaining himself, occasionally waving his hands at invisible treasures only a baby could see.

Sunny drew in a slow breath. "I guess I'd better start from the beginning."

Nami gave a single nod. Sunny began with the bassinet she had discovered outside the house that morning. She described the mysterious note tucked inside, signed only with the initials "H.G.," and her frantic search for answers. She recounted the long walk to Mineral Town, her meeting with Mayor Thomas, and the moment he recognized those two initials without hesitation before escorting her to a nearby farm.

Nami listened in complete silence. She didn't interrupt. She didn't ask questions. She simply let Sunny tell the story at her own pace.

Sunny went on to describe meeting Yuto and Brandon, explaining how the Harvest Goddess had entrusted the couple with a baby from a pair of miraculous twins. She spoke of little Iris sleeping peacefully beside her brother, and of the impossible choice the Harvest Goddess had placed before the new parents. She had been permitted to let them keep one while trusting the goddess to find another loving family for the other. Nami's expression remained thoughtful, but her gaze grew just a little softer as the story unfolded.

"And then…" Sunny said quietly. She looked toward the bassinet. Cyrus had discovered one of his own hands and seemed absolutely fascinated by it. A gentle smile found its way onto her face.

"…When Mayor Thomas offered to find another family for him, I couldn't let him do it."

Her eyes lingered on the little boy before drifting somewhere far away, back to that moment on Brandon and Yuto's farm.

"I looked at him… then at Iris. They're brother and sister. And I kept imagining them growing up hundreds of miles apart… living completely different lives… never even knowing the other existed."

Her hands tightened together in her lap, "I couldn't stop thinking about it. I just couldn't let that happen. So, I adopted him."

The words hung gently in the air. For the first time since the conversation had begun, Sunny realized she no longer felt the need to justify her decision. Somewhere between telling the story and looking at the little boy sleeping peacefully beside her, she had come to understand something herself. She hadn't adopted Cyrus because she felt sorry for him. She had adopted him because, in her heart, he had already become her son the moment he arrived at the ranch.

Silence settled comfortably over the living room. Nami leaned back on the bed, quietly piecing together every impossible detail Sunny had shared. It was, without question, the strangest story she had ever heard. Yet somehow, every part of it fit together with an odd sort of logic that local villages seemed capable of producing.

After a long pause, she let out a slow breath, "I've heard stories about the Harvest Goddess."

Sunny blinked in surprise, "You have?"

Nami nodded, "I've traveled through enough villages over the years. Every place has its own legends. People talk about blessings… miracles… harvests that somehow survived impossible weather. Rain arriving during droughts. Crops growing where they shouldn't."

She gave a small shrug, "So… I don't find that part particularly unbelievable."

Her eyes wandered back to Cyrus, who was now happily amusing himself by kicking at the blanket beneath him. "But… This is the first time I've ever heard of the Harvest Goddess creating children for people to raise."

Sunny's face lit up with unmistakable excitement. "I know, right? I guess that makes me some kind of chosen one! The Harvest Goddess herself entrusted me with raising the next generation! Isn't it exciting?"

Nami stared at her in complete silence, "You're impossible."

Sunny laughed. Nami rested her cheek against one hand. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to raise a child?"

Sunny waved the concern away with cheerful confidence."Honestly? I don't think this whole parenting thing will be that hard. I mean, babies mostly sleep, don't they? They eat, they giggle, and they're adorable."

She smiled with absolute certainty. "How hard could raising another human being possibly be?"

Nami didn't answer immediately. Instead, her eyes drifted past Sunny's legs toward the bassinet, "…Oh yeah?"

Sunny nodded enthusiastically. "Absolutely!"

Nami looked back at her with a thoroughly unconvinced expression. "So… Where is he?"

Sunny blinked. "What do you mean? He's right over—"

She turned toward the bassinet on the floor. The smile disappeared from her face. It was empty.

Sunny froze. For one long second, her brain simply refused to process what her eyes were seeing. Then she looked around the room. She looked around the house, it was small, so she was sure he didn't get far. She looked behind the armchair. Under the coffee table. "…Cyrus?"

No answer. Sunny slowly turned back toward Nami, the color draining from her face. "…He, was just there."

Nami's expression remained perfectly calm, "Congratulations. You've been a parent for less than a day and you've already lost your kid."

Sunny's eyes flew wide open. "CYRUS?!" Her panicked shout echoed through the ranch house as the search officially began.

Sunny immediately launched into a frantic search of the ranch house. "Cyrus?" she called, dropping to her knees to look beneath the kitchen table. "Come on, little guy! This isn't funny!"

She hurried from one corner of the house to the next, pulling back curtains as though the baby might somehow be hiding behind them. She checked behind every chair, threw open the pantry door, and even dropped to the floor to peer beneath her bed. Nothing. Each empty hiding place made her heartbeat pound a little faster.

Meanwhile, Nami remained exactly where she was in the middle of the living room. She watched Sunny race from place to place with an expression balanced delicately between genuine concern and quiet disbelief. The entire spectacle unfolded before her like someone trying to stop a flood with a teacup.

At last, she released a slow, patient sigh. "…Honestly. You didn't know a baby his age could crawl?"

Sunny blinked, "…He can?"

For the first time that afternoon, Nami's usually composed face showed unmistakable astonishment. She stared at Sunny for a long moment before speaking, "I don't even have children, and I knew that."

Sunny opened her mouth, then promptly closed it again. Before either of them could say anything else, her eyes drifted toward the front entrance. The door wasn't closed. A narrow gap stood between the door and its frame, just wide enough for the gentle Spring breeze to slip into the house. The curtains near the entrance swayed softly in the wind. Sunny's blood ran cold. Her eyes widened in horror.

"I…" The realization hit all at once. "I FORGOT TO CLOSE THE DOOR!"

She didn't wait another second. Bolting past Nami, she threw the door open and sprinted into the yard. "CYRUS!"

Her voice rang across the ranch with desperate urgency. "WHERE ARE YOU?!"

She raced toward the fields without slowing, calling his name again and again until the sound of her hurried footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

Silence returned to the ranch house. Nami remained standing alone in the middle of the living room. She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose before letting out a long, weary sigh. "Seriously. She has absolutely no idea what she got herself into."

For a brief moment, Nami considered letting Sunny learn an important lesson about the realities of parenthood on her own. Then she sighed again, "I should probably go help."

With that, Nami stepped through the doorway and followed the increasingly panicked cries echoing across the ranch. Despite her dry remark, there hadn't been a trace of judgment in her voice—only concern.

Warm Spring sunlight spilled across the yard, bathing the ranch in gentle golden light. The breeze carried the scent of fresh grass and blooming flowers as Nami quietly surveyed the property with the practiced eyes of someone who had spent years observing the world around her. Unlike Sunny, who was already racing frantic circles around the pasture while calling Cyrus's name at the top of her lungs, Nami remained perfectly still. She watched. She listened. She thought rationally.

Across the yard, Sunny sprinted toward Takakura's house as though every passing second stole another year from her life. "UNCLE TAKA!"

Before she even reached the porch, the front door flew open. Takakura stepped outside, alarm immediately replacing the relaxed expression he'd worn only moments earlier. "Sunny? What's wr—"

"Cyrus is gone!" she cried, barely able to catch her breath. "He crawled out of the house while I was talking to Nami!"

Takakura's eyes widened, "He what?!"

"I left the front door open!"

For a split second, the old rancher stood frozen. Then his protective instincts took over. Without another word, he darted back inside, snatched his jacket from the coat rack, and hurried down the porch steps.

"You check near the river!" he ordered. "I'll search around the barn and the pasture!"

Sunny nodded so quickly it was almost a blur. "Right!"

Within moments, they had split up, each disappearing in opposite directions while shouting Cyrus's name across the ranch.

"Cyrus!" Sunny called desperately. "Where are you?!"

"Little buddy!" Takakura shouted from the other side of the fields.

Their voices echoed through the spring afternoon. Meanwhile, Nami walked quietly across the ranch with her hands tucked into the pockets of her jeans. There was no urgency in her stride. No panic. She simply observed.

Her eyes wandered over every familiar corner of the property—the barn, the chicken coop, the grazing pasture, the crop fields, the porch itself.

"…Now," she murmured thoughtfully. "If I were a baby his age." She stopped, "Where would I crawl?"

Her gaze drifted once more across the yard. Then it landed on the small wooden doghouse resting beneath the shade of the old tree beside the ranch house. Nami let out a quiet sigh.

"Of course." The faintest smile touched the corner of her lips. "The one place Sunny would never think to look."

She crossed the yard and knelt beside the little wooden shelter. Leaning forward, she peered inside. Two enormous brown eyes stared back at her. Cyrus beamed triumphantly, waving both tiny arms in celebration as though he had just won the greatest game of hide-and-seek ever invented.

Nami couldn't stop herself from smiling, "There you are you little rascal."

She reached inside and carefully lifted the giggling little boy into her arms. The moment he was free, Cyrus happily grabbed the collar of her shirt with surprising determination, babbling excitedly while she settled him comfortably against her shoulder.

Nami gently rocked him without even thinking about it. She looked down at the delighted little adventurer nestled against her, "So, This was your first adventure."

A hint of amusement crept into her normally even voice, "Your mother is probably having a heart attack right now."

Cyrus answered with an enthusiastic squeal. A soft laugh escaped Nami's lips—so quiet it was nearly carried away by the Spring breeze.

"Looks like Sunny's finally met someone she can't out-stubborn." She brushed a loose strand of brown hair away from his forehead with surprising tenderness. "You're going to be a lot of trouble. Just like Sunny."

Cyrus responded by reaching up with one tiny hand and patting her gently on the cheek. Nami blinked. For a brief moment, all of her usual reserve melted away. She smiled again.

She adjusted him comfortably in her arms before turning toward the direction of Sunny's voice, "Yeah, I think we're going to get along just fine."

Together, the unlikely pair made their way across the ranch, one quietly amused, the other blissfully convinced he had just completed the greatest expedition of his young life. By the time Nami reached the pasture, Sunny and Takakura had nearly searched every corner of the property. Their voices had grown hoarse from calling Cyrus's name, yet neither had shown any sign of slowing down.

Sunny was the first to spot Nami carrying Cyrus. Her eyes immediately fell on the familiar little bundle resting comfortably against Nami's shoulder.

"Cyrus!" Without another thought, she broke into a sprint.

Takakura instinctively reached out after her. "Sunny, watch your—"

Sunny wasn't listening, only her motherly instincts took over as she tore across the grass so quickly that it looked as though she might trip over her own boots at any moment.

Nami remained perfectly still, calmly waiting for her to arrive. Throughout the entire ordeal, she hadn't seemed flustered in the slightest. Cyrus, meanwhile, was happily clutching the collar of her shirt, completely content with his unexpected adventure.

"I found him," Nami said simply.

The words were all Sunny needed to hear. She reached them a heartbeat later and carefully gathered Cyrus into her own arms, holding him so tightly that it was almost as though she feared he might disappear again.

A shaky sound escaped her throat, somewhere between a relieved laugh and a sob. "Oh… thank goodness…"

She buried her face in his soft brown hair and held him against her chest. "You scared me half to death."

Cyrus responded with nothing more than a delighted giggle. To him, the past few minutes had been a wonderful game filled with exciting new places and interesting people. He had no idea that he had just caused the very first parental emergency of Sunny's life.

Sunny closed her eyes and kissed the top of his head. "I'm never letting you out of my sight again."

In response, Cyrus reached up with perfect timing and happily grabbed her nose. Sunny blinked in surprise. Takakura couldn't help laughing.

"Looks like he's already keeping you on your toes."

Sunny let out a long, exhausted sigh. "I've been a mom for less than a day…" She looked down at the smiling baby in her arms. "…and he's already giving me gray hairs."

Takakura chuckled while Nami quietly folded her hands into the pockets of her jeans again. Sunny turned toward her, gratitude filling her expression.

"Thank you." Her voice was softer now. "I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't found him."

Nami gave a small shrug, dismissing the praise as though it were nothing worth mentioning. "He was just playing inside the doghouse. You might want to check there from now on whenever you lose him again."

Sunny blinked. "The doghouse?"

Nami nodded. "You were too busy panicking to think like a curious baby."

Sunny stared at her for a moment before rubbing the back of her neck with an embarrassed smile. "That's fair."

Sunny looked down at Cyrus, who simply blinked up at her with the sweetest smile imaginable. She had a feeling those words were going to become very important over the years.

For a brief moment, the four of them stood together beneath the warm Spring sun. The crisis had passed. Cyrus rested comfortably in Sunny's arms, happily babbling to himself as though the entire adventure had been nothing more than an exciting afternoon crawl. Sunny held him a little tighter than before, still reluctant to loosen her embrace after the fright he had given her.

At last, Nami slipped her hands out of her pockets. "Listen, I've got a few things I need to do."

Sunny nodded with an understanding smile. "Okay. Thanks gor everything!"

Nami glanced at Cyrus one last time before returning her attention to Sunny, "But… I'll check on you later."

A gentle smile spread across Sunny's face, "I'd like that."

She adjusted Cyrus comfortably against her shoulder, gently patting his back before looking at Nami with sincere gratitude. "And once again… thank you."

Nami answered with nothing more than a quiet nod. Then she turned and began the familiar walk back toward the inn. The Spring breeze drifted lazily through Forgotten Valley, rustling the tall grass that bordered the dirt road. Wildflowers swayed gently beneath an endless blue sky while birds circled overhead, their cheerful songs filling the afternoon air.

Normally, Nami would have stopped. A shaft of sunlight breaking through the trees. The way the wind rippled across the fields. A bird perched quietly on an old fence post. Any of it would have been enough to make her reach for the camera resting against her side.

Today, she barely noticed any of it. Her thoughts refused to leave the ranch. Sunny, the way she had laughed without restraint. The sheer panic in her voice when Cyrus disappeared. The relief on her face when she held him again. And the tenderness with which she had cradled him afterward. It was a side of Sunny Nami had never seen before.

"Cyrus…" The name echoed softly through her thoughts.

By the time she reached the inn, the valley had settled into the peaceful stillness of late afternoon. She climbed the wooden staircase without speaking to anyone, unlocked the door to her room, and quietly stepped inside.

Silence greeted her immediately. She closed the door behind her and remained there for a long moment, her hand still resting on the knob. The quiet seemed heavier than usual.

Slowly, she crossed the room. When she reached the bed, she didn't bother sitting down. She simply let herself fall backward onto the mattress with a long, weary sigh. The events of the day replayed themselves over and over behind her closed eyes.

Sunny laughing. Sunny frantically searching every corner of the ranch. Sunny clutching Cyrus against her chest as though she would never let him go again.

After several silent minutes, she slipped a hand into her pocket. Her fingers closed around a small velvet pouch. Carefully, she drew it out and loosened the drawstring. Resting inside was a single Blue Feather.

She lifted it gently into the afternoon light spilling through the window. Its brilliant sapphire color shimmered softly, catching the sunlight just as beautifully as it had the day she had bought it.

For days, she had carried it with her. She had planned to give it to Sunny today. Her eyes lingered on the feather as the room grew impossibly quiet.

At length, she let out another slow sigh. "Looks like there isn't any room for me in her life anymore."

The words were barely louder than a whisper. She wasn't angry. She wasn't jealous. Only… late.

Her fingers closed gently around the feather before she lowered it back into the velvet pouch. Outside, Forgotten Valley carried on as though nothing had happened. Birds continued singing. The breeze danced through the trees. Somewhere in the distance, she could hear the faint sounds of ranch life returning to normal.

But inside the small room at the inn, Nami lay staring at the ceiling, quietly wondering if she had waited just a little too long. Not because Sunny had chosen someone else. But because, without either of them realizing it, Sunny had found someone who needed her even more. And Nami wasn't sure there was room in Sunny's heart for both of them.