The group of old men from the night before was at it again, pestering Roy to run errands for them.
Roy-kind, gullible, and always eager to help-nodded immediately and rushed off to gather money.
As soon as he disappeared around the corner, the men burst into crude laughter.
"Wow… it's true. The kid really does anything we tell him."
"Yeah. So gullible-thinking he's some kind of hero. What an idiot."
---
Once Roy left the alley, the city opened up before him. People hurried to work, children tugged at their parents' hands as they made their way to school. Roy paused, watching the kids for a moment, his expression unreadable.
After wandering for a while, he drifted back to the shop he had been sitting by yesterday. He curled up in the corner, half-asleep, until a gentle voice broke through his drowsiness.
"Hello there, young man."
Roy flinched and looked up.
A tall young man stood before him, striking enough to look unreal-long golden hair, deep crimson eyes, features sculpted like a painting.
"Yes?" Roy answered quietly.
"Can I ask you something?"
Roy nodded.
"Did you help a middle-aged lady yesterday? She said someone returned her lost ring, and you match the description."
Roy tilted his head, trying to recall.
"Could you tell me more?"
"She lost her ring," the man repeated. "She said you found it."
"Oh! Yes, I remember now. She was very kind," Roy replied softly.
The young man smiled faintly. "Then just one more thing… were those 'animal friends' you mentioned real?"
Roy froze. The old man's warning echoed in his mind. Slowly, he shook his head.
"That was… a lie. I'm sorry."
The young man sighed. "Alright. That's all I needed. I'll be going."
As he walked away, guilt tugged at Roy's chest.
Maybe I should've told him…
---
Evening fell. Roy's stomach twisted painfully, every food stall tempting him with warm scents.
"No! This money is for the old man!" he insisted, pinching his arm.
He returned to the alley, placed the coins in the old man's hands, and asked if he felt any better. The man smiled and lied-again.
That night, Roy curled up in his cardboard shelter, shivering. Hunger and cold gnawed at him until he finally drifted into uneasy sleep.
---
High above the city, a shadow stood atop a rooftop-cloaked head to toe in black. The three old men laughed loudly below, completely unaware.
"So that's why he lied…" the shadow murmured. "The kid really does have power."
"You're insane," one man scoffed. "No kid has power. What is this, a novel?"
The figure dropped silently from above.
In a single blink-three heads hit the ground.
"That's what scum like you deserve," he muttered, fading into the night without leaving a trace.
---
Later, he reported back.
"It's done. The old men manipulating the boy-they're gone."
The elderly man listening nodded.
"He's not fully awakened. He can't control or hear all the spirits yet. That's why he fell for their tricks. Bring him here before someone else notices him."
"There's more," the figure added. "Spirits flock to him constantly. Fifty at least. Weak ones, but still… no normal human attracts that many."
"So the boy really is… special."
---
The next morning, sunlight warmed the streets-except the alley where a crowd whispered anxiously.
Roy approached, curious-then froze.
Blood everywhere.
His stomach lurched. He stumbled away and vomited.
Then he ran, trembling violently.
"Huff… who… who would do this…? He was a kind old man…" Tears blurred his vision.
"Why are you crying?"
Roy looked up. The golden-haired young man stood before him again.
"No reason…" Roy muttered, trying to wipe his tears.
"People don't cry for no reason, idiot. Tell me what happened," the man said, tone softer than his words.
"My… family member… h-he's gone…" Roy whispered.
The man stepped forward and pulled him into a warm hug.
"It's okay."
Roy trembled in his arms until the sobbing eased.
"Sorry… your shirt…" Roy muttered weakly.
"It's fine," the man said. "So… what will you do now?"
"I… don't know."
"Then come with me."
"!?" Roy flinched. "But… I don't even know who you are."
"Oh-right." The man sighed. "Call me Gene. Nice to meet you."
Roy sniffed. "I'm Roy… I don't have a last name."
"Then, Roy," Gene said gently, "do you really have those 'imaginary' animal friends?"
Roy hesitated-then nodded.
"They're not imaginary," Gene said. "They're spirits. There's a squirrel on your shoulder right now."
Roy's eyes widened, lighting up with wonder.
"So… what do you say?"
Roy opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, unsure.
Gene sighed. "Look-you come with me, you can help people. You might even find out who killed the old man."
Roy froze. Then nodded slowly. "Okay… but you better not kidnap me."
Gene burst out laughing.
"Kidnap you? If I wanted to, you wouldn't be standing here."
Roy stepped back. "So you DO kidnap kids! I knew it!"
Gene stared with a deadpan expression.
"…Are you being sarcastic, or are you serious right now?"
Roy's serious face didn't change.
Gene sighed deeply. "Fine. I promise I won't kidnap you."
Roy brightened immediately.
Gene rubbed his temples.'This kid is dumb… and a huge liability. I'd better watch him closely.'
They walked down the street, Roy smiling brightly beside him.
I had to use my ability to calm him down, Gene thought. Otherwise he would've broken completely after seeing that mess.
After a while, they arrived before a towering building whose shadow swallowed them.
"Well… this is the place," Gene announced.
Roy's jaw dropped.
"This… is…" Words failed him completely.
Gene laughed. "Let's get you to your room first. Starting tomorrow-you'll be coming here."
Gene showed Roy to his room.To Roy, it looked luxurious-far too luxurious for someone like him.Gene, however, knew every student got the same standard room, so he simply nodded and left Roy to settle in.
Roy stood there for a moment, overwhelmed.Then he quietly went to take a bath-his first real bath in a long time.
Warm water washed over him, and for the first time, the grime of the streets slipped away.Afterward, he put on the fresh clothes that had been laid out for him.
When he finally looked at himself in the mirror, he froze.
The boy reflected back at him still had long brown hair, but now it was clean and smooth instead of tangled and dirty.
His face still looked unhealthy-thin cheeks, faint dark circles, signs of malnutrition that couldn't disappear in a day-but even so…
He looked better than he ever had.
Almost like a completely different person.
Roy touched the mirror gently.
"…This is me?"
A soft, disbelieving smile tugged at his lips.
Then the voices whispered in his mind-his spirits commenting all at once.
Roy let out a small chuckled,"Haha.... you really think I look good?"
"H-Hey! Stop that!" Roy blurted, face turning red. "I'm not getting a girlfriend! You guys are embarrassing me!"
He puffed his cheeks, flustered
"I won't listen to you guys I am going to sleep wake me up if Gene comes!"
For the first time in a long while, he didn't look like a kid who lived on the streets.
He looked like someone who finally had a place to belong.