As Jean takes satisfying bites of his toothsome chocolate cupcake, a young teenage boy suddenly appears behind him, swiftly snatching away his delectable treat. Jean gasps in utter shock, his eyes widening in disbelief. Quickly, he springs to his feet, his hands reaching up, determined to reclaim his stolen cupcake.

     Jean's whimpers tremble with despair as he helplessly watches the teenage boy devour his cupcake, relishing each chunky bite. Jean clenches his fists tightly, his hands quivering. The weight of disappointment settles upon him, burdening the back of his eyes.

     Victoria's acute ears catch Jean's distressed voice intermingling with another boy's hysterical laughter. Her instinctual gaze scans through the children, searching for Jean's familiar face. Suddenly, she gasps, spotting Jean amidst a struggle as he desperately reaches for his stolen cupcake, pitted against a taller boy.

"Jean!" Victoria's eyes widened in shock, a complex blend of emotions swirling within her. Guilt, frustration, and fear converged, creating a tumultuous storm in her heart.

     Oliver hears Victoria's distressed voice, drawn to the commotion. His eyes flit around, scanning the scene until they spot a little blonde boy desperately reaching for his cupcake from a taller teenage boy. Confusion grips Oliver, causing him to freeze as his mind swiftly processes and reflects on the unfolding situation.

"That boy stole Jean's cupcake!" Victoria shouted.

Oliver swiftly responded, and his brows furrowed. "Hey!" he bellowed, his voice deep enough to send shivers down anyone's spine.

     Hearing an adult man's deep voice causes the teenage boy to gasp. He quickly lowers his hands and surrenders the cupcake back to Jean. However, the once delectable delight now sits diminished, reduced to a mere bite-size piece.

     Jean glances at the dwindled cupcake resting between his fingers. With a heavy heart, he releases his grip, allowing the cupcake to slip from his grasp and fall to the floor. His gaze drops, tears glistening in his eyes, as a frown forms on his face, suppressing whimpers that strain to escape his tightly shut mouth.

     Just as the weight of woe settled upon Jean, a symphony of approaching footsteps reached his ears, growing louder with each passing moment. His senses heightened, and he turned around, searching for the source of the sound. Before him stood plaided khaki fronts, their pattern blending in a sea of fabric. Tilting his head upward, Jean's eyes met Oliver's amber gaze.

Oliver knelt before Jean, placing his hand on Jean's shoulder. "Hello," he greeted him.

"...Hi," Jean responded, looking down as his jaw trembled.

"What's your name, kid?" Oliver asked, his calm and charismatic tone instantly soothing Jean's nerves.

"...Jean," he answered, bashfully avoiding making eye contact.

     As Oliver looked at Jean, a profound sense of kinship washed over him—as if Jean were a child moulded from his own seed. An aching yet gratifying throb pulsed within Oliver's chest as empathy seamlessly merged with his deep understanding. Oliver tenderly pressed his thumb against Jean's dirt-smudged cheek, gently wiping away the remnants of chocolate icing.

"Jean," Oliver said softly, his voice filled with longing. "Can I be your father?"

Jean's eyes sparkled with stars as tears shimmered in their corners. With a swift nod, Jean responded. "Mhm!"

     Oliver rises to his feet, reaching out to pat Jean's head, brushing his fingers through his soft, sandy hair. As their eyes lock on each other, he grabs Jean's hand and holds it tightly. With beaming smiles adorning their faces, Oliver and Jean stride together towards the manager.

"Hm," Oliver grinned at the manager.

     Oliver found himself inside the manager's office afterwards, sitting on a worn chair. He picked up a quill pen and carefully wrote on a sheet of paper, each stroke of his hand producing beautifully calligraphed manuscripts. Standing behind Oliver's chair, Gregory and the children observed him intently, their eyes fixed on his every movement.

     Finishing his writing, Oliver set the quill down and handed the paper to the manager. The manager reached out his hand, inviting a handshake. Oliver shook the manager's hand, his face lighting up with an infectious smile. Following suit, Gregory extended his hand and exchanged a handshake with the manager.

     The manager then opened a drawer and peeked inside, snatching another paper, placing it in front of Oliver and smoothing out any wrinkles. Oliver dipped the quill into an ink jar, preparing to write on the fresh sheet of paper. However, before touching the pen to the page, he shifted his gaze to Gregory, silently communicating his question by pointing to a line at the bottom of the paper.

     Gregory leaned in closer and whispered a response into Oliver's ear. Oliver's lips curled into a smirk, glancing at his spouse as he gave him an approving nod. Taking a deep breath, Oliver poised himself and commenced writing above the line.

"Hidesine-Podeshire," he wrote.

     Oliver hands the paper to the manager and rises from his chair. He then turns towards Victoria, Elizabeth, Albert, George, and Jean, beaming with a genuine, bright smile. As the children return his gaze with wide-open grins, mirroring his joy, he kneels before them, resting one knee on the floor.

"Victoria, Elizabeth, Albert, George, Jean," Oliver stated. "From this moment forward, we shall unite as the family of Hidesine-Podeshire... we are now your parents, and you are our beloved children."

     This day holds the precise hour and minute when Oliver and Gregory adopt children, and Victoria, Elizabeth, Albert, George, and Jean find their loving family. Excitement fills the air as their hearts race with joy. They rush towards one another, their laughter echoing as they share hugs and cuddles.

     Later, Oliver and Gregory, accompanied by their children, Victoria, Elizabeth, Albert, George, and Jean, descend the steps of the adoption centre towards an awaiting carriage as the gentle afternoon breeze caresses their faces. Oliver and Gregory glance at each other, reflecting on their newfound parenthood. Victoria, Elizabeth, Albert, George, and Jean feel their hearts brim with affectionate love, resulting in reciprocal grins.

     Meanwhile, the other children from the adoption centre gather near the widely-opened entrance, waving goodbye to Victoria, Elizabeth, Albert, and George. However, when Jean turns to face them, their expressions contort into sour scowls, accompanied by childish taunts. Jean sighs, choosing to ignore their behaviour and continues down the steps, leaving them behind.

     Victoria gasps in disbelief upon witnessing Jean's mistreatment, her gaze transforming into a furious glare, serving as an ominous warning to the other children. In the meantime, Elizabeth wraps her arms around Jean, resting her head on his shoulder, offering solace and comfort. Yet, Jean remains resilient, unaffected by sadness that passes like a fleeting meteor, as a blazing grin forms on his face. He knows he has finally found his family.

     The carriage's coachman descends from his seat and walks towards the vehicle's door, opening it with a flourish. With a passionate smile, he welcomes the passengers, stepping aside while maintaining a firm grasp on the door handle. Oliver and Gregory take the lead, stepping into the carriage first, followed closely by their children. Each one finds their designated seat, and as everyone settles in, the door slams shut with a resounding bang.

     The horse neighs, ardent to embark on the journey ahead. Its hooves tap on the concrete street, and the carriage moves forward. Joining the flow of other vehicles, it gradually blends in, disappearing down the bustling road. The carriage now finds itself on its destined path, en route to its destination.