The morning sun crept through the thin curtains, painting soft golden streaks across the room.
The air was still, the distant honking of cars and the chatter of early risers barely reaching through the glass window.
Ves lay sprawled across his bed, arms thrown carelessly over his face, half-buried under a blanket that had long since failed to provide warmth.
For once, he wasn't waking up to the blaring sound of an alarm clock or the knowledge that he had to drag himself to work. Sunday. His one day off.
Still, his body had its own internal alarm, and like clockwork, his eyes fluttered open. He groaned, rubbing the sleep from his face.
"Damn... I was actually hoping I'd sleep in for once."
But no, his body refused to cooperate.
With a sigh, he threw off the blanket and sat up. His black hair was a mess, sticking out in every possible direction.
He ran a hand through it, trying to tame the unruly strands before giving up entirely.
Might as well make use of the extra time.
Ves rolled his shoulders before dropping to the floor, immediately beginning his morning workout.
Push-ups. Sit-ups. Squats.
Each motion helped shake off the lingering sleepiness, pushing his body into wakefulness.
His muscles tensed and burned slightly, but it was a good kind of burn. A reminder that he was still strong.
After the workout, he stood up, stretching his arms behind his back before heading toward the kitchen.
The fridge greeted him with its usual depressing sight. A half-carton of milk, a few eggs, and a bunch of vegetables that were dangerously close to wilting.
"Yeah... Definitely need to restock," he muttered, grabbing what he could.
A few minutes later, the sound of sizzling eggs filled the kitchen, the scent of butter and toast mixing with the morning air.
Ves stood by the stove, arms crossed as he waited. He wasn't much of a chef, but he could handle the basics.
The meal was simple but satisfying. After finishing, he leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling for a moment before checking his wallet.
"Guess I should hit the supermarket before I get too lazy."
_ _ _ _ _
The supermarket was bustling, as expected for a Sunday morning. People shuffled through aisles, carts filled with groceries, some parents dragging along reluctant kids.
Ves walked through the aisles with practiced efficiency, grabbing what hekitchen vegetables, drinks, spices, meat, rice bag and a few snacks for later.
As he reached for a bottle of soy sauce, he noticed a middle-aged woman struggling to lift a heavy bag of rice into her cart.
Her hands trembled slightly, her face tightening with effort.
Ves sighed internally. Why do people buy things they can't even lift?
Still, he wasn't heartless.
Stepping forward, he grabbed the bag with ease and placed it into her cart.
The woman blinked in surprise before looking up at him with a warm smile. "Oh, thank you, dear! My back isn't what it used to be."
"No problem," Ves replied, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Wouldn't want you throwing out your back over a bag of rice."
She chuckled. "You have a kind heart, young man. Not many people stop to help these days."
Ves simply shrugged. Kind heart? Not sure about that.
Once he finished shopping, he paid for his groceries, stuffed them into bags, and started the walk home.
The sun was brighter now, the streets more crowded.
Ves weaved through the pedestrians, lost in his own thoughts.
Back home, he placed the groceries in their rightful places the drinks in the fridge, spices in the cabinet, vegetables neatly tucked away.
Then came the inevitable cleaning spree.
First, sweeping. Then, mopping. Dusting the shelves. The usual.
He threw his clothes into the washing machine, set the cycle, and went back to organizing the kitchen.
And that's when it happened.
"Shit!"
One second, he was walking. The next, his foot caught on something uneven, and he stumbled forward, barely catching himself before face-planting onto the wooden floor.
Ves groaned, pushing himself up. "The hell was that?"
He turned, eyes scanning the floor and then he saw it.
A small, lifted section of wood.
It wasn't like the rest of the floor. The edges were slightly raised, the surface uneven, as if it had been pried open before.
His fingers brushed against the rough surface. Had this always been like this?
Ves pressed down on the plank. It didn't move.
Weird.
He was about to grab some tools to fix it when
Something shiny caught his eye.
Ves froze.
Beneath the slightly lifted wooden plank, something metallic reflected the dim light.
His heartbeat picked up.
What the hell?
Slowly, he knelt down, fingers slipping into the tiny gap. He pried the plank up slightly just enough to get a better look.
Dust. A faint musty scent. And something buried beneath a bundle of old cloth.
His fingers trembled slightly as he reached in, pulling out the hidden object.
It was a small box, wrapped tightly in aged, tattered cloth.
The fabric felt rough, old like it had been there for decades. Maybe longer.
Ves swallowed, a strange feeling creeping up his spine.
What is this?
The box was heavier than expected, the metal ice-cold against his fingertips.
He could see faint engravings peeking through the worn fabric, intricate designs curling along the edges.
For a long moment, he just stared at it.
A part of him wanted to open it immediately, to find out what was inside.
Another part of him the logical part was screaming at him to leave it alone.
This wasn't normal.
This wasn't something that should have been in his house.
And yet...
His fingers tightened around the box.
His heartbeat thundered in his ears.
What the hell had he just found?