And I stop cold.
A boy. Maybe around eight years old. His face is pale, his body trembling slightly. He looks like he's in pain. His clothes… strange. Not like a regular kid's outfit. More like a costume… or something out of another time. Like a noble's attire from a storybook.
I shake my head, trying to push the weird thought away.
Why am I focusing on his clothes?
Slowly, I step closer.
"Hey… are you okay?" I ask gently.
The boy opens his eyes. His gaze is sharp, wary. He looks at me like I'm a threat. I almost take a step back from the intensity—but what strikes me most… are his eyes.
Bright, glowing blue. Stunning—strange and captivating all at once.
"Don't touch me! Stay away from me!" he snaps suddenly. His voice is weak, but the sharpness of his tone startles me.
I freeze. Did a little kid just yell at me?
But before I can even react, his body sways. He tries to stand but can't hold himself up. And just like that—he collapses.
"Hey! I'm just trying to help!" I cry out, rushing to reach for him.
But he smacks my hand away roughly.
"I said don't touch me!!" he shouts, his voice breaking, full of fear.
Then—he falls silent.
His body goes limp… and drops. Motionless.
"O-Oh my god!" I gasp. "What do I do?!"
I panic. I look around desperately, but the street is empty. Silent. Even the wind has gone still.
My hands and legs tremble, but I can't just leave him here.
I drop to my knees and check on him. He's breathing, but unconscious. I take a deep breath, then pull him carefully onto my back.
"Alright… you're small, but still heavy…" I mutter, adjusting my balance.
My steps are unsteady as I make my way to the nearby clinic I know stays open late.
"Please… please let them still be open…"
Thank goodness. The lights are on.
I rush in and call for help. The doctors come quickly and lay him down for examination.
But their expressions confuse me.
"Strange… there are no bruises, no injuries, no signs of trauma," the doctor says after a while.
"But Doctor… his face was completely pale earlier. He was trembling and clearly in pain when I found him," I explain anxiously.
"I understand. But based on what we're seeing so far… he's physically fine."
I glance at the boy. He's still unconscious, lying too still. Far too still.
I know what I saw. He wasn't faking it. But if the doctors can't find anything…
What exactly happened?
:..｡o○ ○o｡..:
We finally made it back to the apartment. The boy is now resting on my bed. Still unconscious. Strangely, the black cat from earlier followed us—no idea when it snuck in—and is now curled up beside him, as if standing guard.
I sit on the edge of the bed, watching them in silence.
"There's no way he was faking it…" I whisper. "But the doctor couldn't be wrong either…"
I glance at the clock. Almost eleven. I know I should sleep, but my thoughts won't settle. This boy—I don't even know his name—is now lying in my bed.
But… he's just a kid. And even though he resisted me, I don't feel like he's dangerous.
I study his face again.
"…Well. It's my bed too. I guess it's fine if I sleep beside him," I murmur to myself.
Carefully, I lie down, trying not to disturb anything.
And tonight, I don't feel alone.
I thought it was just a cat. Turns out… there's a child too.
And so the night quietly passes, with the three of us asleep beneath the same sky.
｡.｡:∞♡*♥
Morning greeted quietly, slipping its light through the not-quite-closed curtains. Soft golden rays danced along the bedroom wall, nudging Raeya's eyelids still shut in sleep.
Slowly, she opened her eyes. It was the weekend. An unfamiliar silence welcomed her.
With a sluggish motion, she sat up and stretched.
"Hoaamm… mmhh… hahhh…" she murmured, feeling the leftover soreness in her body.
But her memory quickly returned.
She wasn't alone anymore.
There was a boy—and a black cat—now staying with her. A situation she had never imagined before.
Raeya glanced to the side of her bed. The boy was still lying down. His breathing was calm, but his body looked far from fully recovered. His face was pale, eyes shut tightly as if still wrestling with the lingering pain from the night before.
She stepped quietly out of the room, careful not to make any noise.
"Meow."
The black cat appeared from behind the door, following her with curious, cautious eyes.
"Ohh? Are you hungry?" Raeya asked gently, bending down to stroke the cat's head. It immediately rubbed against her legs.
She carried it into the kitchen and started preparing breakfast.
Usually, she only cooked for herself—simple, quick, and just enough. But today was different. She took out an extra plate, an extra spoon, and made a little more than usual.
For once, the tiny apartment felt… alive.
While stirring ingredients in the pan, her thoughts wandered.
Will he still act like he did last night? Cold, closed-off, unwilling to be approached? What if he doesn't want to speak at all? I've never had a little brother… how am I supposed to deal with someone completely unfamiliar like him…?
Raeya let out a quiet sigh, barely audible over the sizzling pan.
I just hope everything will be okay… I just want to help.
Meanwhile, back in the room, the boy slowly stirred.
His eyelids fluttered open halfway, adjusting to the sunlight filtering through the window. His body still felt heavy, but not as bad as the night before. At least he could sit up.
With cautious movement, he pushed himself upright, leaning back slightly. His gaze swept over the unfamiliar room he'd woken up in. Quiet. Too quiet.
His eyes shimmered with a mix of emotions—anger, sorrow, and deep confusion. He clutched the blanket around him, as if searching for something to anchor him in the emptiness he couldn't yet explain.
"…Ash," he whispered, barely audible. A single word slipped from his lips—a name.