Compared to him, Len seemed to have a relatively normal lifestyle, save for being an idol, which Ludger made a mental note to himself so he can ask the younger male about it later on. That probably explained why his parents were so strict then. Ludger never got to experience such a thing, sadly. As Len ate, the silence that followed broke when Ludger spoke. "My mom passed away when I was very young. I donât remember much, but Iâm pretty sure my father had already left us since before then," Ludger recounts, his face somber despite the small smile on his features. "So⌠I donât know what itâs like to have parents, but I think I can safely say that I wonât be strict on you. Being strict was never really my thing. In fact, I donât like dressing up for anything."
Itâs Ludgerâs way of cheering up Len, hopefully. He coupled his last sentence with the warmest smile he could manage along with a lighthearted chuckle, before standing up from the table to go refill both of their glasses with iced tea. The scion tried to think of a different direction for their conversation as he carefully poured the cool drink into their respective glasses. Ludger went through his memories, trying to look for one that might prove interesting enough for them to talk about. Honestly, there was so many that Ludger just decided on where it all began for him.
"Hey, did you know that on my first day working back home, I never even got to arrive at my work place because some kid framed me for being a kidnapper to get on a train?" Yes, maybe that will pique his interest and get his mind off of their earlier conversation. He started that off real casual like too.  "This kid⌠a real brat, that one," Ludger fondly remembered, a smile on his despite having just called Elle a brat. "She wanted to board a train, but didnât have any money on her so she used me to distract the guards by the ticket booth."
Sure, it had been stressful as hell during that time but now that Ludger looked back on it, it became a fond memory instead. Until, of course, when Exodus attacked and people started dying. His expression reflected this, turning rather grim. "âŚThat was right before a terrorist organization attacked the train. She was already in it, and I just couldnât let her be alone. So I ditched my first day on the job to go after her and the terrorists."
   What Ludger had said relieved Len; his family's past didn't seem all that happy, but to come out of it without taking noticeable mental damage from it was an honorable feat. He was a good man, even going so far as to reassure Len he wouldn't be some maniac parent that kept tabs on him at all times -- he'd had enough of those for ten lifetimes. He noticed as the other paused, seeming to think for a moment, before saying something that blew his mind.
   That.. Was he serious? That sounded like he ripped it straight from the plot of some JRPG, or he'd met some really, really crazy people along the way. Either way, he seemed oddly happy looking on back on what sounded like traumatic memories. Did he have a bullying complex? That's kind of sad, but Len wouldn't judge him after everything he'd been through. He thought the terrorist attack was kind of the icing on the cake, and he would've voiced said thought were it not for worries of upsetting the man.
        âŤâ"That's, um.. That's really a story for the books."
   What else was there to say? "Sorry you had your entire life wrecked by some kid"? That wouldn't fly, nor would it sound all that sincere. The most he could do is take a few moments of silence to reflect on all that'd been said and try to take it in. There really were more chaotic worlds out there.. Sure goes to show how he'd taken his previous life for granted. Sure, his parents were too strict, but he was rich and his world wasn't being corrupted by little girls claiming him to be a kidnapper to board trains and terrorist attacks. Seriously, how did Ludger manage to stay sane?
        âŤâ"I can't even imagine what that'd be like.. You're amazing, Ludger-san."
   Considering that he lived to tell the tale, he could have been a hero. Ludger looked like a man who knew his way around a fight, though that didn't mean he could take down a band of terrorists. Though Len had never heard of Exodus before and he wasn't given too much detail, he had the common sense to assume that anything branded with the "terrorist" label was probably not a weak opponent. Man, Ludger was so cool!
        âŤâ"Is it okay if I ask what happened after all of that?"
   He hoped he wouldn't be reopening old wounds, but childish curiosity overwhelmed him to a point where he had to ask what happened next. It was like a bedtime story for people who are into questionable reading material; one of those books that just suck you in. He was itching to know, but it was understandable if Ludger didn't want to share.
