'Yeah… just disappeared into a mysterious realm for a few decades to master painting and stuff. Nothing too serious.'
He offered a sheepish grin, trying to downplay it, but Uncle Johnson's gaze lingered a second longer, raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it but choosing, for the moment, not to press.
After a few seconds, Johnson's gaze softened just slightly, and a smile tugged at his lips as he glanced over Rex's appearance.
"Looking at your clothes and demeanor… seems like you're finally starting to pull yourself together." Uncle Johnson said, his tone light but with a hint of approval underneath. He leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing in a way that said he was quietly assessing more than just Rex's outfit. "Heard from your professors too. Apparently, you've been pretty engaged in class lately."
