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**đ The Next Morning**
After a peaceful breakfast, the Xiao Long family was settling into their morning routine. Ruby and Yang quietly tiptoed toward the guest room where the mysterious boy was resting. The events of yesterday still lingered in their mindsâespecially the image of the injured boy lying in the leaves at the edge of the forest.
Both of them were filled with curiosity⌠and a little fear.
*What if there were Grimm nearby?*
*What if something was still lurking in the woods?*
Just as they peeked into the room, a hand suddenly landed on their shoulders from behind.
"AHHHHHHHHHH!" đą the two girls screamed in unison.
"Hahahaha! What were you two thinking about while sneaking around that made you scream like that?" Taiyang said with a playful grin, clearly amused by their reaction. đ
"You startled us!" the girls pouted in unison.
As their cheerful laughter filled the hallway, a sudden shift in atmosphere silenced them. They turned toward the roomâand saw the boy sitting upright in bed, quietly watching them. His gentle smile and calm, warm presence instantly put everyone at ease.
He wasn't frighteningâŚ
He was *serene.*
There was a quiet elegance in the way he simply looked at them, as though he brought with him a sense of peace. For a brief moment, the world felt still.
Taiyang blinked in surprise, then snapped out of it.
"Summer!" he called out.
In the kitchen, Summer was washing dishes. Hearing the urgency in his voice, she quickly dried her hands and rushed to the room with him.
Inside, the boy remained silent, simply observing the family with calm eyes. He didn't flinch, didn't panicâjust watched.
Summer slowly walked over and sat down beside him on the bed. After a short pause, she smiled softly, placing her hand over her heart as she took in the boy's adorableness. đ
"Hello there," she greeted kindly. "What's your name?"
The boy tilted his head to the right⌠then to the left⌠as if trying to recall something. After a few seconds, he straightened his head and gently shook it.
He didn't know his name. đ
Summer's smile faltered for a moment. "Wh-what about your parents?"
The boy paused, thinking again. Then, in a quiet voice, he answered:
"I don't have one."
The room fell silent.
He looked no older than threeâfar younger than Ruby, who had just turned four. The sadness in his voice weighed heavy on everyone's hearts.
Taiyang walked over, kneeling beside the bed to meet the boy at eye level. His voice was calm, but filled with concern.
"Do you remember what happened? You were found lying on the ground, covered in blood. Why were you there?"
The boy's eyes lowered. His tone turned cold.
"I was escaping... the bad guys," he said. "They locked me and my friends on this island." đłď¸
He paused for a momentâthen continued.
"We were running... but then... the black monsâ"
Before he could finish, tears suddenly welled in his eyes. Horrible memories surged backâimages of his friends crying, reaching out for help as they were dragged away, consumed by monsters.
He began to sob, shoulders trembling. đ˘
Then, without warning, a strange glyph appeared in his right eyeâflickering and glitching rapidly. The room filled with a strange, unstable energy.
Summer and Taiyang tensed.
"What's happening to him?" Summer asked, trying to keep calm.
As the glyph continued glitching, the boy's eyes rolled backâand he collapsed, unconscious.
Summer rushed to his side, holding him gently.
"Taiyang, call the doctor! *Now!*"
Taiyang nodded and ran to grab the scroll. Ruby and Yang stood silently in the corner, shaken. Their eyes wide, filled with fear and confusion, as they watched the mysterious boy fall back into a deep, unknown slumber. đ
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