I carried on talking, and my dad started talking to me too, rather than just listening. I spent about three whole hours with my dad, just chatting. I didn’t realise it would be so easy to talk to him – or perhaps he’d decided to put up with us because of yesterday’s argument? I don’t know, but what I do know is that, for the first time in my life, I had a lovely time with my dad and completely forgot that I’d promised to meet Johan today.

I decided to ask my dad what had happened to my room.

“Dad… sorry to interrupt, but where are my novels and where are the posters of my favourite band?”

I sensed my dad was getting nervous when I started to notice his eyes darting about and his delay in replying.

“Did the staff get rid of them?”

I felt I’d given him a way out of the question, so he replied, 

“Yes, that’s right, the staff… A new servant arrived and took the posters down… Never mind, I’ll buy you some more.”

“Is it that simple?… But you seem a bit nervous.”

The naive smile vanished from my dad’s face. He tried to reply but hesitated for a moment before finally saying,

“I was the one who took them down.”

I was shocked by what he said. He continued,

“But believe me, I was angry and upset. I didn’t mean to do what I did.”

I felt a sense of betrayal and a pang in my chest… Could it really be that my dad had done this…? I sighed and realised something: he’d done it before I arrived. Perhaps he felt remorse now… I don’t know; I can’t bring myself to be completely angry with him.

“All right, I’ll forgive you, but I have one condition.”

He looked surprised and said,

“A condition?”

“Yes, a condition… My favourite band are on a world tour and I want to travel to attend one of the concerts.”

“Is that all?”

I said confidently,

“Yes, that’s the least you can do after messing up my room.”

“All right, as you wish, Max. We’ll go.”

My dad actually booked a flight for me, and I could tell he was doing it under duress, which always made me laugh.

What was even funnier was that my dad refused to come to the gig until I persuaded him, and he even wore earplugs… oh, how funny that was – it was definitely worth taking a photo to remember it by.

I took photos during the trip and at the concert, acting like a paparazzo trying to document everything, but honestly, an event like this is a once-in-a-thousand-years miracle for me.

About a week later, after I’d returned from my trip with my dad, I was loaded down with souvenirs and photos of Tokio Hotel. 

“I don’t get what you like about their music. It’s so loud.”

“Dad, you just don’t understand art.”

“Right, I don’t understand art, but it’s good that you’re happy now.”

“Dad.”

He turned to face me.

“What is it now?”

“Do you love me?”

“Why are you asking me that?”

“Just answer me.”

He sighed.

“Of course I love you.”

“Really?”

“Yes. There’s no father who doesn’t love his son.”

“But you said that a liar doesn’t deserve love.”

Dad’s eyes widened. He looked down at the floor, then raised his head to look at me.

“I meant… someone who lives a lie… You don’t lie anymore, do you? So you do deserve love.”

“Are you trying to change the subject?”

“Why would I change it… Ah, Max, I don’t hate you. You’re my son and a part of me. It’s true you lied badly in the past, but… well, I can’t help but love you. Do you understand what I mean? Everyone has a chance to make amends for their mistakes, and you made a mistake, but you’ve proved you deserve another chance.”

“So have you forgiven me for everything?”

He sighed deeply.

“Yes.”

I threw my things on the floor and hugged him. I felt him freeze in place, but I just stayed like that until I felt his hands on my back. We hugged for a few seconds, then I pulled away and saw the tears in his eyes.

“Dad! Are you crying!?”

“No… your hair got in my eye.”

Meanwhile, Johann Braun was gazing at the Adler Palace from afar – the place he’d longed so desperately to call his own, but fate had decreed that he would be middle-class, not wealthy… He felt resentment, jealousy and intense envy towards Max, who possessed everything Johann dreamed of, and his hatred for Max grew after Max had lied to him about their meeting the previous week.

“Do you think I’ll forget what you did, Max?.... I never will. I’ll make you wish you were a doormat under my feet, you little pimp.”

To be continued...