After the sudden hug, he stood there dazed, his mind blank for a moment. But he quickly recollected himself and managed to say, "Hey… are you okay?"
The girl, still close to him, calmed down a little at his voice. She let go, but barely—her arms dropped to her sides, yet her body was still so close it almost looked like she was still hugging him. She wiped her tears with the sleeves of her tunic, then slowly looked up at him. She was shorter—her head only reached up to his collarbone.
Her lips quivered as she spoke, "Are you hurt anywhere?" Her voice was timid but filled with genuine concern. Her brown eyes were red from crying, shimmering with leftover tears, and her nose was flushed and runny.
Eiden blinked. Hurt? "Do I look like I'm hurt?" he replied flatly.
She sniffled again but smiled through it. "Good."
Just as she opened her mouth again, probably to say something more heartfelt, a loud, awkward sound broke the moment.
Grrrrghhhh.
Eiden's stomach growled like an angry beast.
Shit. Right. With all that walking, panic, and thinking… I haven't eaten anything. It's already getting late too. I'm not just hungry—I'm famished.
He looked at the girl to see how she'd react. To his surprise, she giggled softly. Then, without warning, she grabbed his hand and said cheerfully, "You must be tired and hungry. I'll prepare something for you. Let's go."
"…Okay," he said in a low but audible voice.
She kept holding his hand tightly, leading him at a surprisingly fast pace. It was almost as if she feared he'd vanish again if she let go. Left turn. Right turn. Straight. Right again. Eiden just followed, dazed.
She must be my supposed sister—or Aidren's, I mean. That guard called me that name earlier.
At first, he thought maybe this Aidren guy just looked somewhat similar to him. But now, after meeting the girl—who apparently is Aidren's sister—and seeing how naturally she accepted him without a single question or suspicion, Eiden had to accept the hard truth.
I must look exactly like this Aidren guy. Not just the face—probably same height, same voice, same everything. That explains why she didn't doubt anything.
His thoughts were interrupted as they stopped in front of a house. It was simple, humble—not too big, not too small.
Is this their house? Or should I say… our house?
The answer came quickly. She took out a key with her right hand—her left still clutching his—and unlocked the door.
Geez, girl. I'm not gonna run off.
Once inside, Eiden took a quick glance around. The place looked... normal. Cozy. Lived-in. Wooden furniture, a few framed pictures hanging on the walls, and a general atmosphere that screamed "home." It didn't feel grand or fantasy-like, but somehow that made it more surreal.
She led him to a couch. "Wait here. I'll prepare something for you."
He nodded and sat down, watching her head to the kitchen. She opened cupboards, took out ingredients, and started prepping. Once he confirmed her attention was fully on cooking, his curiosity kicked in and he began to scan the room—this time more obviously.
Man, what kind of situation have I landed myself in? This is totally bizarre. Actually, calling it "bizarre" is an understatement.
While scanning the area, his eyes landed on two slips of paper lying on the nearby table. He picked them up. Tickets?
He squinted to read the names printed on them.
Aidren and Sasha.
Bingo. So, this girl is Sasha. That confirms it. And Aidren... the guy I'm apparently impersonating.
Are they siblings? Orphans, maybe? Living together? She did say I'm all she has left...
His thoughts were interrupted as he decided to test something.
"Sasha," he called out—not loudly, but enough for her to hear.
She paused from stirring something and looked back. "Yes? Do you need water?"
Got it. Her name's Sasha. Confirmed. Good job, me.
"No, nothing."
She nodded and went back to cooking. A few minutes later, the food was ready.
"Wash your hands and come to the table," she called out gently.
Eiden did as told. When he reached the table, Sasha placed three dishes and three pieces of what looked like bread on the table. One dish had meat, another looked like a mix of vegetables in a curry-like sauce, and the last was a steaming bowl of soup.
"Dig in," she said, sitting opposite him.
The aroma hit him hard. His stomach growled again. Without hesitation, he started eating—and to his surprise, it was amazing.
As he ate, Sasha simply watched with a small smile. She didn't say anything—just watched, quietly.
Eiden noticed, but said nothing, too focused on the food. He cleaned every last bite.
Damn, I'm full. I haven't eaten since breakfast... and I've walked almost 20 kilometers today. That's more than I've ever walked in my entire life combined.
Sasha stood, took his empty plate and bowls, and went to wash them. Eiden just stared, silent.
Then she said, "It's getting late. You should go to sleep. We'll talk more tomorrow."
He nodded. "Okay. Thanks for the meal."
"No problem."
He got up and realized a new problem—Which one's my room?
But the mystery solved itself. Upstairs, he saw a room with the name "Aidren" on the door. He opened it to find a tidy space—some clothes, shoes, a few books, and everyday items.
I should probably investigate... but I'm too tired to care.
He flopped onto the bed. The mattress was soft.
Finally. A bed.
So many questions, so much tension. All packed into a single, insane day.
I didn't even know mental exhaustion could hit this hard. Yeah, I'll let Future Me handle all this madness. Present Me's clocking out.
He closed his eyes, and soon, sleep took him—deep, peaceful sleep.
The Next Morning
"Mmghh…" Eiden groaned.
Someone was pinching his cheeks. Not gently, either. He opened his eyes, still half-blurry from sleep.
After rubbing his face, he finally saw who it was.
A girl, probably his age. Pale blue hair. Striking green eyes. Absolutely stunning—but clearly pissed off.
Behind her stood Sasha, looking worried.
"Why are you looking at her?" the angry girl said sharply. "Look at me."
Eiden gulped and did just that.
"How could you disappear for four days without a word?! Do you have any idea how much worry and trouble you caused us—especially Sasha?"
Her voice cracked a little, betraying just how angry—and maybe how scared—she'd been.
"Did it never occur to you that your sister and childhood friend would be worried that something had happened to you?!"
Eiden blinked.
Still processing...
Childhood whaaaa?
To be continued...