Dinner time. The soft clinking of spoon against plate filled the room, blending with our warm conversation—between the three of us: me, the girl, and her aunt.
They asked me many things. I asked only a little in return. When the meal was nearly finished, the aunt excused herself, leaving the two of us for a deeper talk—especially the girl, who enjoyed speaking with me because my face reminded her of her brother. And I… enjoyed speaking with her because she resembled my mother. Deeply so.
The girl smiled at me.
"After you reminded me of my brother… I remembered something. My father disappeared when I was eight."
I stayed silent, as I had since our first meeting.
"I've always wanted to look for him," she continued softly, "but… I don't even know where to start."
Silence hovered for a moment.
"After you reminded me of my mother… I remembered my father's memories too," I said, unwilling to let the moment turn empty and hollow.
I took out my family photo again—its torn edges, its damage, all of it hurting as much as the memories. This was the only photo I had left.
"Is that… your family?" she asked.
I didn't look at her. My eyes wouldn't leave the picture.
I nodded slowly. "My father died when I was still very young, so…" I looked at her.
"We're even, aren't we?"
A small smile formed—turning into a laugh, light and warm, filling the room with something gentler than grief.
"Are you from this village? I've never seen your face before," she asked, tilting her head slightly.
I shook mine. "I'm from the next village. I came here to sell something… for my living needs."
Her brows furrowed. "Really?"
One of her hands reached toward me. "I like collecting unique things. May I see it?"
My gaze dropped to my chest. I touched the pendant, lifted it, and placed the crystal gently on the table.
Her curious expression shifted—into something like worry.
"I found it by the riverbank. I think it's magic. It must be valuable, right?"
She didn't answer.
Not like before.
She suddenly stood, quickly grabbed the necklace, "Eh—!" I reached out, startled—
But she was already walking, slowly but firmly, up the stairs, without a single word.
Her aunt stepped out from the kitchen.
"What happened, hmm?" she asked.
Just as I opened my mouth to reply—
A loud rustling came from upstairs. My shoulders tensed. "I… don't know."
Upstairs, she was searching frantically through one of her thick books. Page after page, halfway through—
"Got it!"
—THUD!
The heavy book slammed onto the table. She placed the crystal on an open page, her finger tracing a line as she whispered softly while reading.
"This crystal… is indeed magic."
Then she looked directly at me.
"Have you… ever touched it?"