"...Neat I guess but didn't he want to keep us from knowing where he lives? Unless that's just 'cause he knew he was cheating us."

"It's not like we're gonna tell anyone else where he lives." She follows the scent.

Gren follows, looking slightly dubious.

The scent leads through back alleys, through a coffee shop, into the asymmetrical but reasonably well-built houses sitting away from the main market streets, into a particular building

"I think I can smell his parents."

Gren is starting to look uncomfortable with this course of action.

"...I'll stay here."

"Okay."

As they get closer to Nemo's family's section of the townhome, they can hear the following:

"But I can definitely live off of-"

"I don't care if you can, son. It's not about the damn money. A man needs to know a good, solid trade like fishing or farming or building or he won't." Thump. "Know." Thump. "Responsibility!" THUMP.

"You need to listen to your father, Nemo. Life isn't all about money, and it's definitely not about sitting behind a stall talking to people all day."

"...Yes, mother. Yes, father."

"And give me the money you earned today. It will go in your savings box except for your allowance, as usual. Tomorrow you're going fishing with me."

"Yes, father."

"They don't sound nice..."

"I'm going for a walk. Sarah, won't you give him his dinner? And Nemo, make sure you haul in tomorrow's firewood. You know what will happen if you don't finish your chores."

"Yes, father."

Once he leaves, his probably-mom says, "Oh, honey, I know he can be... Hard to understand. If only you would listen to him I'm sure things would get better. Your moral development is important, you know. Tell you what, I'll do the dishes after we eat and you can spend a little time with your tools and things before bed-time."

That's not the problem here, he doesn't say. "Yeah, thanks mom."

The twins wait till he goes out to collect the firewood before approaching him.

When he spots them his body language and expression immediately goes from 'glum' to 'casual trader' from earlier. "Oh, didn't expect to see you two back here!"

She grins. "Hey, we figured out your con. Pretty funny."

"Well, to be fair, you could have asked around for what other people would pay for those kinds of fish. And you're still several hundred rupees better off, no?"

She giggles. "Yeah. You want help with that wood?"

"...Mm." How can he get them to hide if his father comes back, without showing weakness? He can't. "No, thank you."

"Is it your dad? He doesn't have to know."

He flinches. He sounds too cheerful. "No, really, you needn't bother!"

"Why?"

"Because I can handle it. I will handle it. I- have to- handle it."

"Are you okay?"

"In a certain way of speaking, yes."

"What about the other ways of speaking?"

"My parents are my problem, right? Other people don't need to interfere."

"But they're mean! Well, your dad is. Your mum doesn't seem to be helping much, though."

"...You were listening. Gee, thanks. They're still my parents."