The woman said the wound was deep and needed to be treated quickly. Her house was nearby. Before I knew it, I was already there. Maybe it was the worry on her face that made me go through with it.
The cut stung when she applied the gauze, and her daughter was in the kitchen, preparing snacks for me.
"What's your name, dear?" the woman asked gently as she wrapped the bandage.
"Alex," I replied glibly.
I had already decided on the name.
"Well, Alex… you're a brave kid. And I really appreciate what you did back there, but you shouldn't chase after people like that. What if you got seriously hurt? This cut is already bad enough."
The worry in her voice… that pained expression… She reminded me of Nina.
"I'm sorry, miss. I didn't mean to cause you trouble. I just wanted to help."
She looked into my eyes and smiled warmly, then handed me a glass of juice.
"Okay, Alex. Could you tell me your mom's phone number? Or maybe where you live? She must be worried—it's way past dinner time already."
My smile faded. And from the look on her face, I think she understood.
Would she call the police if I told her the truth? Would she still be this kind if she knew I was a runaway?
I didn't know what to say.
But just then—
"Thank you, brother! My name is Ruby! Let's be friends!"
Ruby.
She ran over and took my hand. Her smile was so bright, her laugh so free… Just watching her, for a moment, all my worries faded.
Would I ever be able to smile like that?
"Anytime, Ruby," I said, ruffling her hair gently.
But Ruby kept staring into my eyes… before saying—
"Wow… brother, your green eyes are truly captivating. Almost like jewels."
My throat bobbed.
But no words came out at first.
Were they really that pretty?
Because whenever my parents looked at me,
It was never with awe.
Only disgust.
"…Thank you, Ruby," I said quietly, managing a soft smile.
I turned to face the lady–
"Thank you, miss, for treating the cut. I know my way back, so I can return on my own."
But the devil hadn't given up chasing me.
Just as I was about to leave, I bumped into someone at the door.
"This tiny kid beat the thief?"
I looked up at the deep, gruff voice—and saw the badge: Detective Wilson.
Great. Just my luck. A detective in the same house I chose to visit.
"Leon? You're back already?" the woman asked.
"Yeah. There wasn't much to investigate on a guy knocked out cold." He turned to me. "But this kid… he's the problem."
He scanned me, head to toe.
Shit.
"Uh—I'll take my leave. My mom must be really worried, you know?"
"Kid, I've got a few questions," Leon said, grabbing the back of my collar before I could bolt.
I must've used up all my luck just staying hidden this long.
"The guy's left wrist was dislocated. Clean. Only someone trained could do that."
"Yes, sir. I took self-defense classes."
"You're not from around here, are you? Those clothes, that watch... you're dressed like someone from the upper city. But there's not a single hotel or house within twenty miles where a family like yours would be staying. So tell me—"
And then it happened.
As he pulled me back, something slipped from my pocket and hit the floor.
A card.
My card.
Bold letters stared up at us from its shiny surface:
ALAN ROCKFELL
__________________________________________________________________________
Helena was her name.
Ruby had gone to her room to finish her homework—Helena had gently told her to, and she listened. Now, it was just the three of us.
Helena and Leon sat across from me. Her expression was soft, worried. Leon's? The complete opposite—sharp, skeptical, suspicious.
He had wanted to drag me to the police station the second he saw the card. But Helena stopped him.
"At least let the child explain," she had said.
And so, here we were.
"There have been private orders sent to all cities in the states. To find the Rockwell heir. Missing for five days now." So they were looking for me—just not in public. Figures.
Helena leaned forward slightly. "Alex… would you like to say something? Were you kidnapped? Did you manage to get away from them?" Her voice was so gentle. Full of concern.
I didn't have a choice anymore. All I could do was speak the truth… and hope they pitied me.
Pity was still better than being dragged back to that hellhole.
I took a deep breath before speaking—
"I wasn't kidnapped… I ran away from home," I said, sneaking a small glance.
"They didn't treat me the way you treat kids. I was more of a tool than a human to them."
I exhaled shakily, struggling to keep my voice steady.
"They look kind on screens... in interviews, at charity events. But behind closed doors?"
I lifted my eyes off the floor, meeting theirs.
"They couldn't care less—even about each other's existence."
I clenched my fists so hard, I left crescent marks on my palms.
I stood up, my heart pounding.
"There's just so much… I don't even know where to start. But please—I'm not just some rich, spoiled kid who ran away from home! They really are monsters!"
My voice cracked despite my best effort to keep it together.
"Please… I won't cause any trouble. I'll leave immediately if you want. Just… don't send me back.
Don't report me."
I didn't know what kind of expression I had. But I realized—I was trembling. I hadn't even noticed until then how scared I'd become… Of him.
The last image burned into my memory… The night he killed Yuuki.
"Please—"
But before I could finish, Helena hugged me.
Tight.
"Shhh… It's okay, dear. Calm down… Nobody's taking you anywhere."
Oh.
I'd been crying.
I didn't even realize it until she gently wiped the tears from my face.
"Leon," she said firmly, still holding me, "he helped me and Ruby. We're not reporting him. We've got nothing to lose—and he's already lost too much."
Leon let out a long sigh. Frustration flickered in his eyes… but then, slowly, they softened.
Just a little.
He scratched the back of his head.
"Fine. We owe him that much, since he got hurt helping you both."
Helena let out a breath of relief, then turned to me.
"Alex… we run a small café downstairs. Would you like to work there?"
"Helena! That's too much!"
"Leon, he's still a kid. No home to go back to. There's nothing wrong with letting him stay until he figures things out." She smiled calmly. "Besides… you can forge a fake ID for him, can't you?"
Leon groaned, dragging a hand down his face.
"Helena… God damn it. You're too kind for your own good."
And with that, he stormed out, muttering to himself.
"Miss Helena… you don't have to do this. I can manage—"
"I wanted to," she interrupted. Exactly like I had done when she questioned me earlier.
And in the end, I gave in. To that warm, gentle smile. "Thank you…" I whispered.
It was too late to return to the hotel, so I ended up staying over.
Helena gave me one of Leon's old t-shirts, which, surprisingly, fit me well. They didn't have an extra room, so I ended up sharing with Ruby.
We laid out bedsheets and blankets on the floor, and honestly? Even the floor felt cozy.
"What? You're fifteen? I thought you were older than me! That's why I called you 'brother'!" Ruby exclaimed.
"Same here! I thought you must be fourteen—or maybe thirteen. Didn't expect us to be the same age." I giggled.
A mischievous grin spread across her face. "So Alex, call me 'big sis.'"
"What? No way! You're only older by three months!"
We kept chatting for hours—until Ruby fell asleep mid-sentence.
I'd never spoken to someone so informally before. It was different—yet oddly comforting.
The next morning, I woke up to the delicious aroma of food.
"Morning, kids!" Helena called cheerfully.
Ruby groaned, half-asleep, and sat up.
"Today's breakfast is... pancakes with maple syrup! Hurry and freshen up!" she said before closing the door.
But the moment she left—it was complete chaos.
Ruby stood, still sleep-drunk. She stepped on my foot and tripped straight down.
"Ow! At least watch where you step!" I yelped, holding my now-dead foot.
But Ruby? She had transformed. The sweet, kind girl from last night had vanished.
In her place stood a demon.
"What. Did. You. Say?" The look in her eyes was terrifying.
Helena had to come in and rescue me from the morning monster.
Later, at breakfast...
"I'm so sorry, Alex! I get really grumpy in the mornings… I was still half-asleep," Ruby said, sheepish.
"It-it's fine... no biggie, hehehe..." I replied, my soul already half gone.
Meanwhile, Leon hadn't said a word to me. He only met my eyes once—right before picking up his newspaper.
Just as he was about to leave for work—
"Alex. Come outside for a bit."
I glanced at Helena, then followed him out.
Outside, he lit a cigarette, then looked me straight in the eye.
"Alan Rockfell."
The name hit me hard. No one had said my full name like that before.
"After thinking it over all night, I realized... there's no real chance you'll be discovered. You're smart and careful. And once I forge the documents, it'll be impossible to trace."
He turned away, letting the smoke drift upward.
Then, he murmured—
"Thank you for saving Ruby yesterday. I saw the clip... before I deleted it."
His grip on the cigarette tightened.
"But if I feel even a sliver of danger creeping near them because of y—"
"I'd rather kill myself than let that happen." I cut him off.
He turned to look at me again. But I wasn't done.
"Sir, I promise. I won't let even a flicker of danger come near them. And if things ever go south... I'll disappear before you even know it."
I spoke with everything I had. I wasn't sure if it would be enough.
"So please, just let me—"
"Hahaha. I like you, kid." Leon patted my head. "Now come on. Let's get your stuff from the hotel."
"Why?"
"What? You'd rather waste your hard-earned money paying double the rent for a cheap hotel room, just to keep the guy quiet?"
"Well… it's not like I have much of a choice..."
"Get the hint, kid. You're staying with us."
My calm face went full rollercoaster.
"Huh?! How did we go from 'dragging me to the police station' to this?!"
"Shut up and move, or I'll happily drag your ass there and take the promotion."
_________________________________________________________________________
"Huh? You're siblings? Not husband and wife?"
"Yeah. Helena's husband passed away when Ruby was just four. He was in the army," Leon replied, eyes fixed on the ground.
"I see…"
We reached the hotel in about twenty minutes on foot.
I didn't have much there anyway—just a bag with a few pairs of clothes and some small things.
The bag didn't feel heavy to me, but Leon insisted—
"Let me carry it, kid. You might reopen the wound."
We didn't talk much on the way back, except for one thing—
"I don't stay in town. My post is in the neighboring city, so I only visit once in a while. I'll be leaving tomorrow."
By the time we got back, Ruby had already left for school.
Helena was in the middle of getting the café ready, wearing a beige apron.
"Hey Alex, did you get all your stuff?"
"Yes, Miss Helena. I didn't have much in the first place," I replied with a sheepish grin.
"Well then, it's training time!" she said, striking a clumsy bodybuilder pose.
A soft laugh escaped me.
The next six hours flew by.
I took the orders and chatted with the customers while Helena handled the cooking.
I picked things up quickly, and judging by the smiles around me, maybe the customers felt comfortable with me too.
Later, Ruby joined us after school.
We were definitely working hard—but somehow, we were having fun too.
Ruby smudged a bit of flour on my nose just to mess with me.
Helena had a milk mustache from drinking too fast and didn't even notice until we both started laughing.
Ruby accidentally served a customer cola instead of juice, but the customer just laughed it off and teased her.
It didn't take long for me to notice—
Everyone here seemed to know each other. It was that kind of small town.
And the strangest thing?
I felt like I belonged here too.
Maybe it was because Ruby made sure I was included in the fun, not just the work.
Maybe it was because Helena knew exactly how to keep the mood light.
Maybe it was because, for the first time in a long time...
I could actually imagine living here.
Fitting in with them.
Leaving my past behind.