Sunny looked around, trying to get used to the space that was now his new home. Before he could finish checking everything, it was already 7:00.
A knock sounded on the door before it slowly opened. Sunny turned toward it, expecting to see the same young woman from before, but instead, a skinny man, probably in his late thirties, stood there.
"Sunless and Rain, it's time for dinner," the man said in a low voice.
A few days passed in absolute boredom.
Only Rain was with him the whole time, both of them stuck in the same routine every day. Something inside Sunny told him that if this went on, it would slowly kill him, but he guessed it was still better than nothing.
At the moment, Sunny was sitting on his bed with Rain beside him, getting ready for bedtime. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. It startled Sunny, no one ever came at this hour.
The same young woman who had brought them here walked in. She looked straight at Sunny before speaking.
"Hello, Sunless." She turned her gaze to Rain, then back to Sunny. "And Rain. I've come to get you both, someone wants to talk to you." She smiled politely.
Sunny blinked, stunned. 'W-what? Both of us?'
"Both of us?" he repeated aloud. "And who?"
She turned around calmly. "I can't disclose that information. They'll tell you if they wish."
Sunny frowned slightly, confused. Information? What does that even mean? Is this some sort of secret agency or something?
He sighed. 'Well, it's not like I have anything to offer… maybe this is normal?'
Rain stirred from the noise, rubbing her eyes. She must've just fallen asleep before the sound woke her. Sunny walked over with a small, reassuring smile.
"Guess what, Rain? We're going on another adventure," he said brightly, not knowing what else to say.
Rain's face lit up. "R-really?! Big brother, are we going somewhere fun?" she asked, her voice filled with hope.
"Well… maybe not somewhere fun," Sunny admitted, patting her head. "But we get to meet new people."
Rain giggled and grabbed his hand, bouncing excitedly.
Sunny turned back to the young lady still standing by the door. "We're ready," he said, glancing down at Rain with a soft smile.
The woman gave a short nod, then turned and started walking. Sunny followed with Rain in tow. The farther they walked, the more lost Sunny felt, he had no idea where they were being taken.
Eventually, they stopped in front of a room at the end of the hall. Above the door was a sign that simply read Office.
'Not very descriptive', Sunny thought, rolling his eyes internally.
The woman opened the door and gestured for Sunny and Rain to go in.
The first thing Sunny noticed was the woman inside, breathtakingly beautiful, with pale, almost corpse-like skin. Her raven-black hair cascaded down her back, and her red dress seemed to shift as though it had a life of its own.
She turned her gaze on Sunny and Rain, looking them up and down with otherworldly eyes.
"You're here," she said softly. Her voice was calm, melodic, and yet, it sent a chill down Sunny's spine.
"Yes, my lady. Sorry it took so long," the young woman said, bowing deeply to the mysterious stranger.
Sunny looked between them, completely lost, while Rain just stood there, eyes wide as she looked around the room.
The beautiful woman gave a brief nod. The assistant turned and quietly left, closing the door behind her.
Sunny turned back to the woman, who was now staring straight at him. He swallowed hard.
"Hello. My name is Ki Song," she said, her eyes flicking to Rain, then back to him.
"H-hi, Miss Ki Song. My name is Sunless, and this here is Rain," Sunny replied politely, gesturing to his sister.
Ki Song smiled faintly before continuing. "I imagine you're wondering why I wanted to see you both. Correct?"
Sunny nodded.
"Well, it's quite simple," she began, pausing briefly before continuing. "Your mother told me that if anything ever happened to her, I would be the one to take care of you both."
Sunny's eyes widened in shock. "Y-you knew our mother?" he asked, staring into Ki Song's dark, captivating eyes.
Ki Song nodded. "A while ago, I came across your mother. She was a kind but pitiful soul. Some things happened… and I ended up being indebted to her." She waved a graceful hand, brushing off the details.
"So now," she continued, "I've come to fulfill my end of that debt."
Sunny froze, processing her words. "S-so you're… a friend of Mom's?"
"I suppose you could say that, yes."
"And… you're going to adopt us?" Sunny asked carefully, the words trembling at the edge of his voice. It was the only reason he could think of for why this mysterious woman, Ki Song, was here now, standing in front two orphans like them.
"That is correct," Ki Song replied with a nod.
Sunny lowered his gaze, deep in thought. 'She looks powerful… maybe even an Awakened. The way that woman addressed her, she must be someone important. Going with her might be better for both me and Rain in the long run.'
He looked up, resolve in his eyes. "Then let's go," he said firmly.
Ki Song smiled. "Let's go," she echoed softly, extending her hand toward him.
Sunny hesitated for only a second before taking it.
"Let's go to your new home," Ki Song said, her tone almost warm. "Your forever one."
They walked down the hallway together until they stepped outside. The building behind them was white and sterile, more like a prison than an orphanage.
Parked out front was a sleek black limousine. The driver opened the door for them, and they climbed inside.
The car's interior was luxurious, stocked with snacks and drinks. Sunny looked around in awe, he'd never seen anything this fancy before. Rain, meanwhile, was already happily nibbling on a snack beside her seat.
Ki Song sat across from them, staring out the window in silence as the limousine began to move.
Sunny didn't mind. He was too busy watching the world outside, eyes wide as glowing city lights shimmered in the distance.