Birds chirping.


    As the night faded into a peaceful quiet, the first light of morning broke over the horizon, casting a soft, golden hue over the quiet village below.


    Nur and Kayle shared the upper floor of Kayle''s family''s cozy cottage. The space wasn''t a proper room—more of a storage area—and didn''t leave much room for comfort. The sloping ceiling was so low that Nur could touch it without stretching his arm. It felt like a little nook in the world, a cozy little space where the world outside couldn''t intrude. A small window overlooked the village below, a perfect view of the bustling town waking up to the day''s rhythm. Kayle''s mattress, neatly tucked in the corner, lay on the floor, its worn edges giving the space a lived-in charm.


    After a long and tiring journey, Nur finally slept soundly. Yet, even as he rested, his mind was anything but at peace. There were parts of his past he couldn''t remember, gaps that seemed too important to ignore but too elusive to catch. What if those memories were the key to understanding what was going on? It was a thought that gnawed at him in the quiet hours of the morning, but he couldn''t find the answers yet.


    Later that morning, as sunlight spilled warmly through the window, Nur remained deeply asleep, unaware of the bustling world outside.


    "Wake up! Wake up!" Kayle''s voice shattered the calm.


    "Mr. Nur, it''s almost noon!" he called urgency in his tone, a touch of playful impatience hanging in his voice.


    Kayle, having risen early to help his grandmother with chores, felt it was his solemn duty to ensure Nur didn''t sleep the day away.


    "Grandma''s made breakfast! If you take too long, I might eat it all myself, so hurry!" Kayle joked, grinning from ear to ear.


    Nur stirred, blinking slowly, his body protesting every movement. A dull ache throbbed in his head as he groaned, rubbing his temple.


    "Ugh, my head hurts," he mumbled, half awake, the sound of Kayle''s voice making it feel like a drill going through his skull.


    Kayle''s eager face came into view, too close for comfort, like a puppy staring at him with expectant eyes.


    "Kayle… good morning," Nur managed weakly as he rubbed his temple.


    "Yes, good morning! Now get up so we can eat! After that, I''ll introduce you to the village chief and show you around the village!" Kayle said with enthusiastic energy, jumping up and down as if he were about to start a race.


    "The village chief?" Nur echoed, his curiosity piqued but still half-dazed.


    Kayle''s expression flickered for a moment, almost like a shadow passing over his face. "Yeah, it''s important to let the chief know whenever someone from outside comes here," Kayle explained. He hesitated for a brief second, then continued, "Grandma also said—ah, never mind. Let''s talk about it later," he muttered quickly before rushing downstairs, his footsteps growing fainter as he descended.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Nur sighed and sank back into the mattress, pulling the thin blanket over his head in a desperate attempt to block out the world. What now? The thought lingered like a haunting melody as he stared up at the low ceiling.


    The nearest city… Maybe someone there could help. A single word drifted into his thoughts—base. It felt sharp and familiar, yet its meaning hovered just out of reach, like a key without a lock.


    Shaking off his doubts, Nur forced himself to his feet, determined to start the day. He splashed cold water on his face at the small well outside the house, the icy chill clearing the fog in his mind and giving him a bit of clarity. His reflection in the water was blurry, like an image from a forgotten dream.


    When breakfast was over, Kayle dashed outside, calling out to Nur from the front door.


    "Hey, Mr. Nur! Let''s go! I''ll show you around the village!"


    Nur had been helping Kayle''s grandmother to bed and clearing the dishes Kayle had abandoned in his excitement. It already felt as though he was becoming a part of their family—a strange feeling, but not an unwelcome one.


    "Hey, Kai!"


    Kayle turned toward the voice, his face lighting up with excitement. "Mr. Smith! You''re finally here!"


    "Haha! Boy, it''s been a while since we''ve seen each other, and all you''ve got to say is that?" Mr. Smith replied with a hearty laugh, slapping Kayle on the back as though the two hadn''t seen each other in ages.


    Kayle chuckled, rubbing his shoulder. "Heehee! Has it really been that long?" He grinned mischievously. "Isn''t it about time you usually come? Our water supply''s been acting up again, hasn''t it?"


    "Yeah, yeah. You don''t have to say it like that," Smith grumbled, shaking his head. "You could at least greet me properly and say, ''Hello, Uncle Rek,'' and maybe give me a hug." Mr smith jokingly said mimicking a child


    Kayle rolled his eyes, clearly not taking the joke seriously. "You''re such a tease, Mr. Smith. Fine, how about I just call you ''old man'' instead?"


    Smith''s grin faltered, but he couldn''t hide the twinkle in his eyes. "Uh… no, no. Mr. Smith is fine."


    Kayle burst into laughter, clutching his stomach. "I''m just joking, Uncle Rek!"


    Smith chuckled, shaking his head. "You sure are something, Kayle. You remind me of myself when I was your age."


    Kayle shot him a sly glance, his voice dropping into a teasing tone. "Heeeh? So even Uncle Smith was a kid once?"


    Smith raised an eyebrow, amused by the playful banter. "What do you think I was before?" he replied with a grin, clearly enjoying the moment.


    Before their exchange could continue, Smith''s attention shifted to Nur, who had stepped out after finishing Kayle''s abandoned chores, dusting his hands off.


    "So, who''s this, Kai? Got yourself a guest?" Smith asked, his gaze flicking over to Nur.


    Kayle nodded enthusiastically, clearly proud of his new guest. "Yes! Let me introduce him. This is Mr. Nur. I found him yesterday and brought him here."


    Smith raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "Found him? What is he, a lost puppy?"


    Nur''s eyes narrowed slightly at the comment. Tch, he muttered inwardly. I''m no puppy.


    Kayle ignored Nur''s reaction completely. "And Mr. Nur, this is Mr. Sm—ah! I mean Uncle Rek!"


    Smith extended his hand to Nur with a wide grin, his voice booming with friendly energy. "Nice to meet you, visitor! I''m Rek—most people call me Smith since I''m the village repairman."


    Nur shook his hand briefly, trying to hide his discomfort at the overly warm greeting. "You can call me Nur," he said flatly.


    "Haha, you''re not much of a talker, are you?" Smith remarked with a boisterous laugh, his voice carrying through the air.


    Nur''s eyes flickered past Smith to a man standing behind him. The man wore a blue robe with golden trim over a simple white shirt, his sharp gaze meeting Nur''s for a brief moment. The look was unsettling like a predator sizing up its prey.


    "Oh, right!" Smith said, noticing Nur''s gaze. "This is Dr. Laynard. The village chief sent him to check on your grandmother, Kai."


    Kayle''s face lit up. "Uncle Fern sent him? Thank you for bringing him here, Uncle Rek!"


    Mr. Smith rubbed his nose as if he had accomplished a big task since he could hear little kai have called him Uncle Rek finally with respect and his puppy-like eyes.


    "Well, let''s not waste the doctor''s time. Kayle, show him to your grandmother. Nur, why don''t you help me check the pipes behind the house?" Smith said with a grin, clearly eager to move on.


    Nur hesitated, his instincts prickling. The man in the blue robe had passed by without a word, but his presence left a strange weight in the air like the room had grown colder without reason.


    "…Sure," Nur finally replied, forcing his gaze back to Smith.


    Setting aside his doubts, he followed Smith toward the back of the house.


    …


    As he stood beside Mr. Smith while he was working, his senses caught someone walking nearby.


    How is the work going Uncle Rek,


    Yes, it''s the usual, looks like something was inside the pipe-


    What are you doing here? Nur asked to kayle


    The doctor sent me away, as he wanted no one to disturb him,


    You!, hold this!.


    As he handed over the tool in his hand which Mr. Smith gave him to hold.


    Stay here and help him.


    Something is not right! Nur thought inwardly.


    His instinct was acting up again.