chapter 1

A cold, crisp breeze swept through the afternoon air. The suburb was filled with cheerful laughter from carefree children. A boy no older than fourteen walked past by the joyful youths playing hide-and-seek, and he smiled as nostalgia overcame him again.

"I miss being a kid," he whispered to himself.

Who wouldn't want to be a kid again anyway? Adults expected less from children, especially when compared with teenagers. No one would care how many crazy antics kids do too, since the essence of being a kid was living life at its fullest without thinking twice about breaking rules.

Being a teen had its consequences, but it had its positive attributes as well. But Nigel Uno couldn't think of any. He simply frowned upon his age. It wasn't because he was years closer to becoming an adult nor was he constantly scolded.

"Where in the world are they?"

The boy scratched his smooth, hairless head and sighed. He wasn't used to scratching his head or the fact that his hair would never grow back.

He looked around, hoping that his plan worked. The sight of happy children made him miss his own childhood, as well as the friends he spent it with.

"But she doesn't remember, Nigel."

He remembered the heart-wrenching phone call he made the previous day to check up on his childhood friend.

"Hello? May I speak to Abby Lincoln?" Nigel asked in his bold British voice.

"Excuse me, but what do you need from my sister, exactly? And who is this?!" a stern voice answered. Nigel immediately recognized Cree Lincoln's voice. He winced as he remembered Abby's older sister. Did she remember him? Would she bitterly hide Abby from him? He had no choice but to continue conversing with Cree.

"This is Nigel. You know, Abby's friend?"

He heard Cree choke on her drink (it sounded like she was drinking something) before falling silent for a few seconds. Nigel waited patiently for her to say something.

"Nigel? I-I'm sorry." Nigel was in shock. Was Cree genuinely apologizing to him? Her voice trembled in anxiety as she continued, "Abby doesn't know you anymore."

"T-thanks," was all he managed.

"I… kind of hope she does, though. Bye."

He heard a click and felt his stomach churn. She didn't remember him?

"I guess they did decommission her," he thought sadly. After returning to the KND Moonbase from his final mission for the Galactic Kids Next Door, he was thrown a little party before given a choice to be decommissioned or not. He opted for decommissioning, seeing as though his time as a kid was over, and his former teammates underwent the tragic procedure. Other operatives, however, told him that Abby wasn't really decommissioned. He held on to hope that she would still remember him, and he dismissed the choice of having his memories erased.

He wondered if that was the right choice now, though.

Nigel continued reminiscing as he walked, staring at his brown jet-less shoes. More memories flooded him with every step. He remembered every mission, every laugh, every battle cry he did during his years in Sector V. Coming back wasn't much of a good idea anymore.

"Why did I even come back? They don't remember me anymore."

"BATTLESTATIONS!"

A stout boy in a pilot's hat nervously grimaced as he took out a bazooka-like weapon. He filled it with five cartons of orange juice and targeted five flying teens wearing Battle Ready Armors.

"Give up, Chad!" Nigel shouted.

"Yeah, you're no match for us, ain't that right guys?!" an Aussie voice pitched in.

"Yeah!" the others cheered.

Being a KND operative was all about being young and defending the youth from adult tyranny and the harsh rule of teens. And two years ago, he abandoned the KND after being given the prestige and opportunity to become a Galactic KND operative. Probably all KND operatives hoped to be in his position, as Chad, one of the greatest KND operatives that ever lived, battled him enviously for it. Nigel, on the other hand, wished he remained in Earth, battling alongside his best friends rather than travel the vast depths of the universe. Now aged fourteen, he decided to return, hoping that he could find the friends he left. Reunite with the family he left. And most of all, thank the friend he treasured most.

It was a tough decision to come back, but the GKND considered his request and returned him to his hometown. The more time he spent away from earth gave him more time to realize what truly mattered to him. His quest to save childhood was a noble privilege, but once his childhood is gone, he could never turn back to save his. The GKND believed that adulthood was a disease… but was it really?

After years of selfless service, he decided to become selfish for once. He returned to Earth with a small hero's welcome. Chad's presence, however, made Nigel feel more unwelcome especially when the search for a new GKND operative was announced. He left the party after getting the news that Abby may have not been decommissioned, and he made a few more phone calls after the disheartening realization.

"Yo, Gilligan house!"

"Hello, Hoagie?" Nigel asked. He felt his stomach flip after saying his friend's name.

"Yeah, you're talking to him. Who is this?"

Nigel shuddered nervously. Hoagie's voice was deeper than before, and he bet he didn't know him.

"Uh, I'm Nigel... and I'm an old friend. I was wondering if we could meet in the old treehouse above the Unos's house," he said.

He heard Hoagie mumble some words before replying. "Yeah, sure. I just gotta be careful, 'coz the Unos became touchy after their son disappeared unexpectedly. So, are you gonna kill me or what?" he asked jokingly.

"No! I'm… an old friend, I swear. And… do you, per chance, know Wally Beetles and Kuki Sanban?"

Hoagie nodded in the other side of the line. "Yeah, sure. Wally's a close friend. Kuki's his girlfriend, I think. Well, kind of. You want me to bring them along too?"

Nigel exhaled. "Sure, and Abby Lincoln too. I have to see her after all these years!"

"Oh. I don't know her much, but I heard Fanny Fulbright talking about her. She said that Abby person moved to France last week. I dunno. Sorry."

Why didn't Cree tell him Abby left for France? "Oh. Well, just come by tomorrow to the treehouse. You'll meet me. Just tell the Unos that you guys are Nigel's friends," he said.

Hoagie agreed with everything he said. But before Nigel ended the call, Hoagie shouted.

"Hey, wait! You're the missing son, aren't you?!"

"Yes, I am," he replied briefly.

"I knew it! You have the same British accent as your dad's! And my mom said we used to be best friends! I don't remember much about my childhood, so I can't wait to see you!"

Nigel smiled weakly behind the phone. "Great. See you tomorrow. Afternoon, I presume."

And yet, he wasn't satisfied with just Hoagie, Wally, and Kuki. He couldn't wait to see them, but it still wouldn't be the same without Abby.

He finally arrived at his house. It looked the same as he had left it. He raised his head and saw the treehouse he used to play in with his teammates, still standing strong. He knocked on the door and was greeted by his father.

"Ah, Nigel, m'boy!" He had a bald patch on his head, but had hair on the sides nonetheless. He immediately pulled his son in a hug.

"I know I kept saying this since yesterday, but we've missed you so much," Monty said.

"Yeah, I missed you too, dad."

Although joining and leaving the GKND were big risks, the head operatives of the organization were very reasonable. After returning Nigel's decommissioned parents to their home, they sent a letter, briefly stating that Professor XXXL (Nigel knew he never truly hated that villain) chose Nigel for a lifetime college internship and required him to leave immediately. The professor was informed by a bitter and reluctant Chad, and he eventually agreed as long as no one would disrupt his quest to create the perfect snow cone. His parents tried every known method to contact the professor, but the KND nerd operatives aided the professor's hiding. Nigel played along with this story once he returned. His mother scolded him for a bit, telling him to never leave them that way again. He promised wholeheartedly and ended up smothered with familial love once again.

After conversing with his father for a few minutes, he immediately ran upstairs and reached the entrance to his beloved treehouse.

"After 2 years…" he said to himself.

It remained untouched. His friends left it as it was. He couldn't believe his eyes. He roamed around, peeking at every room. The hamsters were gone, but the briefing room was still the same, albeit dusty. Wally, his Australian friend, slightly changed his room with less posters of wrestlers around. He didn't bother to look at Kuki's. He sighed, remembering how much he hid his old crush on her.

Nigel then saw a room with the number 5 painted on the door. He struggled before opening the door to peek inside and look around.

"Abby's room is still clean," he thought.

He breathed in nostalgia as untouched items took his attention. He walked in circles, looking for something, until he heard a crunching sound.

He scrunched down and picked up a crumpled piece of paper. Curious, he opened it, forgetting the wrinkly state of it.

Sector V, you guys have been the best team Numbuh 5 has ever had. Numbuh 5 bets Numbuh 1 would've said that. Well, she guesses she's gotta go. Ain't gonna write much. We'll see each other more. It's just ya'll gonna have a new leader and Numbuh 5's gonna have to lead the entire KND. Good luck to you guys. Numbuh 1 would be so proud. Numbuh 5 knows ya'll miss him… and I miss him too. Let's just do our jobs, and know he'd be so proud if he were here.

And there were stains of teardrops on it.

"Nigel, Nigel!"

The British boy involuntarily crumpled the paper and hid it in his pocket as he heard the familiar voice he talked to on the phone yesterday. Running as quickly as his legs could take him, he found himself standing in front of his old friends.

A slightly chubby boy in a brown hat and cyan shirt immediately shook his hand. Nigel returned the handshake and smiled. Hoagie was finally getting thinner and was starting to look like "Hank." Beside Hoagie was a blonde Australian whom Nigel knew as Wally. At first, Wally was hesitant see him, but upon hearing out Hoagie's explanation, he gave in. Kuki greeted Nigel cheerfully, which brought out a small blush on his face.

And despite everything, he was waiting for Abby to come out somewhere. He was waiting for her to hug him, to greet him, or at least, to show up. As much as it pained him, she was gone. He wanted to walk away, but stopped thinking miserably when he realized he had other friends to be with.

They went into Wally's old room ("I like this room!" Wally said) and sat in the gigantic boxing ring. Nigel listened to Hoagie introduce themselves to Nigel. Hoagie and Wally were apparently close friends who shared every class except English, which was the only class Wally and Kuki shared. Nigel found himself chuckling whenever Hoagie teased the two together. The three of them studied in Gallagher Middle School together. None of them were that close to Abby, but Kuki was well-acquainted with her.

"She's like the silent cool girl in my class," she said. "She wears earphones all the time... so it's kind of hard to approach her."

"She tutored me in cruddy Math before," Wally added.

Nigel also asked about Lizzie, his ex-girlfriend. He was glad to hear that Herbert was treating her nicely. Nigel knew she deserved someone who would go out of his way just to be with her. As much as it pained him, he knew he would never try to win her over again. Lizzie deserved true love.

"So, mind introducin' yourself to us? D'you know why… why we forgot our childhood? And you?" Wally asked.

"I mean… our parents know you," Hoagie continued.

"And our siblings too. Mushi asked about you once," Kuki added.

Nigel sighed. It was a long story.

But they didn't mind. It was a Friday, after all.

He knew he was breaking a rule (sort of), but he told them everything about the Kids Next Door. He told them of their adventures and missions together. He named every villain they faced, every enemy they made. He told them their silliest moments and their saddest days, including his departure and their separation.

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell more after my leave. But my best guess is that you guys were decommissioned," he finally said.

Wally groaned. "No wonder I always had the urge to break in this old treehouse."

"And I always wondered who you were… the missing son of the Unos. I knew there was something important about you," Hoagie said. "They never told anyone why you left, but everyone in the neighborhood knew you were gone."

"I knew there was something familiar about the KND. A lot of kids I babysit talk about it," Kuki added.

Nigel asked them about their lives after moving on from the KND. Hoagie still loved mechanics and technology, and he still ate the same way, but it didn't stop him from jogging from time to time. Wally finally grew taller and sported an ear piercing. He was dedicated to improve in his studies because his younger brother, Joey, considered him his hero. Kuki was less naïve and developed a voice of reason, and she wore her hair in a high ponytail. They each told stories, much to Nigel's amusement.

"And then, Fanny slapped me again! Could you believe I gave her a Rainbow Monkey, only to get slapped?!" Hoagie exclaimed outrageously, yet his voice was still jovial.

"Well, you shouldn't have said the pick-up line," Nigel said. They all burst out laughing.

"Ya know, we could get along fine!" Wally told Nigel. "I keep tellin' him not to flirt with that cruddy girl! What does it get him, am I right?"

"Yeah, you're right," Nigel replied with a smile.

Kuki giggled and gave Wally a hug. Nigel simply nodded. So much has definitely changed. Even the way he looked at old crushes.

Several minutes after, they started playing their childhood games. For the first time after 2 years, he was able to play tag, hide and seek, and flashlight light sabers around the treehouse.

"Take that!" Wally exclaimed.

Nigel had to retort. He waved his flashlight perpendicular to Wally's.

Hoagie, meanwhile, waved his flashlight like a security guard. The flash bothered Nigel and Wally's eyes. But something caught their eye as Hoagie waved the flashlight, hitting something that glimmered. Nigel walked towards the bed and saw–

"My old pair of sunglasses!" he exclaimed. He took it and felt the memories flooding back again. He glanced at it and sighed.

"What's wrong?" Kuki asked. Nigel shook his head.

"I gave this to Abby."

"You guys must have been close, huh?"

"We were all close," he sighed sadly.

He had to say farewell to his friends hours after their reunion. He thought of telling them more about their childhood in the KND and decided to look for the recommissioning module. He smiled as he waved goodbye, watching them leave as he stood on his doorstep.

He decided to visit the treehouse again after eating dinner with his parents. Maybe taking a peek at Abby's room wouldn't hurt as much as it did the first time.

"Oh, where is that thing?"

Nigel turned around. The voice. It was so familiar. He has heard it before. But… could it be?

"Abby?"

The girl spun around nervously, and Nigel felt himself smile.

She still wore her signature red hat on top of her long, dark brown hair.

"You must be Nigel Uno. My sister said you called."

He couldn't find the words to say.

"Say, have you seen a pair of shades? I was in a rush to visit France. I kinda dropped them here."

"V… visit?" Nigel stuttered.

"Yeah. Visit."

"How do you know I'm Nigel?"

Abby laughed. "You're British, you clearly had access to this treehouse, and my sister said so. You're the missing Uno son, too. I read about you in an unpublished newspaper article."

"Well, that's fine and dandy knowing, but how did you get in here?" he asked.

Abby's face reddened. "Uh… I…"

"Snuck in?" Nigel suggested with a smirk. "Here." And he handed her his old pair of sunglasses.

"You had it all along," she said. Nigel simply nodded.

"I was actually gonna return it to you. And I'm tired of pretending I don't know you."

Abby grabbed him into a hug.

"Now, you have a lot of catching up to do!"

Nigel smiled and returned her embrace. "Tell me about that unpublished newspaper article you were talking about."

"I was joking. Couldn't you tell, Numbuh 1?"

"Nigel. It's Nigel, I'm fourteen now."

Abby smiled. "And so am I."

As they broke their embrace and walked around the treehouse together, Nigel realized memory lane wasn't as bittersweet as he thought it would be he got on one knee and said Abby would you like to be my girlfriend and she said yes I would love to be your girlfriend then they kissed then he said let me take you home and he did her parents saw him and said come in he did they said sit down they did they said we are now dating and her parents said congrats to them