The night deepened, and the lively conversation between Rumina and Ravihiro's mother slowly faded into a comfortable silence. Ravihiro s mother says ask him the question I asked after that .They had laughed, teased, and shared memories, but there was still an unspoken weight lingering in the air.
Rumina leaned back, stretching her arms. "You know… I always wondered why Ravihiro never talks about his childhood."
Ravihiro's mother looked down at her tea, swirling it absentmindedly. "He was a happy child, once… but something changed."
Rumina frowned. "What do you mean?"
His mother sighed, staring at the flickering candlelight. "There was an incident. When he was ten… something happened."
Flashback: Ten Years Ago
A younger Ravihiro, no older than ten, sat in his room, sketching in his notebook. His little brother, Rudra, played with toy soldiers nearby.
Their mother was in the kitchen, humming a song while preparing food. Their father had just returned from duty, exhausted but smiling as he ruffled Ravihiro's hair.
Everything seemed normal.
Until the power went out.
A deep rumbling noise echoed through the house, followed by the sound of glass shattering. The door burst open, and masked men stormed in.
"TAKE THE BOY!" one of them ordered.
Chaos erupted. Their father grabbed his gun, but the attackers were too fast. Ravihiro's mother shielded Rudra while Ravihiro was yanked away, kicking and screaming.
Everything was a blur after that.
The next thing they knew, Ravihiro was missing for three days.
When he returned… he was different.
His eyes had changed. His laughter was gone. And for the first time… he refused to draw.
No one ever spoke about what happened during those three days.
And Ravihiro never told them.
Back to the Present
Rumina's expression darkened. "…He was kidnapped?"
His mother nodded. "And when he came back… it was like we had lost him."
Rumina clenched her fists. No wonder Ravihiro was the way he was. No wonder he avoided emotional connections.
But then… something else clicked in her mind.
This wasn't the first time Ravihiro lost himself.
She whispered, almost to herself, "Haruno mentioned something similar happened before…"
Meanwhile: Ravihiro's Room
Ravihiro laid on his bed, eyes open, staring at the ceiling. The moonlight cast eerie shadows over his face, making his expression unreadable.
His body was aching, still recovering from his battle with Krishima.
But more than the pain… it was the voices in his head that wouldn't let him rest.
"They're talking about you, you know."
Ravihiro's expression didn't change. "Of course, they are."
"Your wife. Your family. They want to understand you."
He scoffed. "What's there to understand? I'm a nothing."
A low chuckle echoed in his mind. "A nothing? Or something else entirely?"
Ravihiro closed his eyes. "It doesn't matter."
But deep down, he knew… it did.
Back to the Living Room
Just as Rumina was about to ask more, the door creaked open.
Everyone turned.
Ravihiro stood at the doorway, arms crossed, his usual blank expression on his face.
"So… you've all been talking about me, huh?"
His mother looked surprised. " Har--. Ravi, you should be resting—"
Ravihiro walked past her, straight to Rumina.
"And you… spilling my childhood secrets? That's low."
Rumina smirked. "Oh, come on, Dark King of Justice, don't be mad."
A twitch of irritation crossed his face. "You're enjoying this way too much."
Before she could respond, Haruno ran in, dragging Purvi with her.
"There you are, Brother! Tell this little brat that I'm your real sister!" Haruno huffed, pointing at Purvi.
Purvi crossed her arms, glaring. "Excuse me?! I'm his blood-related sister! That automatically makes me number one!"
Haruno gritted her teeth. "Blood doesn't matter! I've been with him since he came to this world!"
Purvi growled back. "Yeah?! Well, I was with him before that! You're just an extra!"
Haruno's eyes twitched. "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"
The two lunged at each other.
Ravihiro sighed, rubbing his temples. "Not this again…"
Kalki leaned toward him. "So… who's your real sister?"
Ravihiro deadpanned. "I refuse to answer."
His father coughed. "I, uh… don't know what's going on, but this is chaotic."
Rumina laughed. "Welcome to my life."
His mother smiled softly. "At least it's lively now."
Ravihiro paused.
Lively.
Something about that word… felt strange.
Like a memory he had long forgotten.
For the first time in a long time… he felt something close to warmth.
He wouldn't admit it. But maybe, just maybe…
This wasn't so bad.
To Be Continued…