Elifero's eyes widened.
The woman's words remained lodged inside his head.
Or I'll kill you.
Right where you stand.
His breathing became uneven.
One heavy gasp escaped him.
Then another.
Then another.
His heart pounded violently against his chest.
Faster.
Faster.
Each beat seemed louder than the one before it.
For some reason, the fear felt strangely familiar.
This wasn't the first time.
Something deep inside him knew that.
Somewhere within the emptiness of his memories, he had felt this kind of fear before—the kind that seized the body before the mind could understand what was happening.
But when?
Where?
Who had frightened him like this?
He couldn't remember.
The harder he tried, the emptier his mind became.
His fingers trembled.
His legs felt weak.
Fear clouded his thoughts so completely that Elifero didn't even notice how violently his heart was beating.
But someone standing beside him did.
A shadow suddenly fell over his trembling body.
Elifero's heart leapt.
His shoulders jerked—
Then a warm hand rested gently on his head.
Elifero froze.
Arms wrapped around him.
Warm.
Careful.
Protective.
And suddenly—
Something stirred inside him.
A feeling.
Not a memory.
Not quite.
Just...
Warmth.
It reminded him of someone.
His uncle.
Elifero couldn't clearly picture the man's face anymore. Whenever he tried, all he found were blurred fragments that disappeared before he could hold onto them.
But this feeling remained.
Being held.
Being protected.
Knowing that, for at least one moment, nothing could reach him.
Why...?
Elifero's chest tightened.
Why did something as simple as being held make him want to cry?
"Don't be afraid."
Jon's voice reached him.
Soft.
Almost completely different from the boy Elifero had met earlier.
"Nobody's going to kill you."
Jon gently rubbed his head.
"She was just lying."
Elifero didn't answer.
"You're safe here."
Those words sank deeper than Jon probably intended.
Safe.
Elifero desperately wanted to believe him.
"Just take deep breaths," Jon whispered. "Don't think about anything else."
Elifero tried.
He inhaled.
His breath shook.
Then he exhaled.
Again.
In.
Out.
"That's it."
Jon kept his hand against Elifero's head.
"Just calm down."
Slowly, Elifero's heartbeat began to settle.
The fog covering his thoughts thinned.
His breathing steadied.
His vision became clear again.
And for the first time since the woman had entered the house, Elifero felt as though his body belonged to him again.
Nearly ten minutes passed.
By then, the room had become completely quiet.
Elifero finally raised his head.
That was when he noticed it.
Blood.
His eyes widened.
Dried blood marked Jon's arm.
Several small cuts ran across his skin where fragments of glass had struck him. Another thin cut marked his cheek, and small stains had already dried against his shirt.
Elifero stared.
He'd been so consumed by his own fear that he'd completely forgotten Jon had been hurt.
"Your wounds..."
Jon looked down.
"Hm?"
"Jon."
Guilt immediately entered Elifero's voice.
"You're hurt."
Jon glanced casually at his arm.
"Oh. This."
"You have to treat that!"
Elifero moved closer.
"Let me help."
Instead, Jon stood.
"Are you okay now?"
Elifero stared blankly at him.
What kind of question was that?
Jon was the one bleeding.
"Hey."
Jon waved his hand in front of Elifero's face.
"Elifero."
Nothing.
"Are you listening?"
Elifero blinked.
Jon scratched the back of his head.
"Or are you still scared?"
A small smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.
With the dried blood running along his cheek, the expression looked strangely out of place.
"Don't worry."
Jon stretched slightly.
"Like I said, she won't do anything."
Elifero looked toward the door.
He wasn't convinced.
His gaze lowered.
Broken glass covered the floor.
Several fragments rested beneath the table.
Small bloodstains marked the ground.
Even the wall still carried the impact left by the bottle.
Nothing about this room matched Jon's casual tone.
Nothing about what had happened felt normal.
Jon walked toward the kitchen.
"I'll get a broom and some water."
He glanced back.
"You should drink something too."
Then he disappeared around the corner.
Elifero remained alone.
For several seconds, he simply sat there.
Outside, faint evening chatter drifted through the walls.
People laughed.
Somewhere farther away, children shouted as they played.
A woman called someone's name.
Life continued.
Perfectly normally.
Elifero looked around the room again.
Broken glass.
Blood.
An overturned chair.
And somewhere beyond these walls, people were laughing.
The contrast disturbed him.
A few moments later, Jon returned carrying a cup of water, a broom, a cloth and several bandages.
He placed everything down before crouching in front of Elifero.
"Here."
He offered him the cup.
Elifero looked at it.
Jon smiled.
"It's water."
"I know what water looks like."
"Just making sure."
Elifero quietly accepted it.
The cool liquid slid down his throat, soothing the dryness left behind by his panic.
While he drank, Jon began cleaning.
He swept the broken glass into a small pile.
Carefully picked up the larger pieces.
Wiped the blood from the floor.
Then the table.
Elifero watched him.
There was something unsettling about how naturally Jon did it.
As though he'd cleaned up scenes like this before.
Once the room was mostly clean, Jon sat down and reached for the bandages.
He began wrapping his arm.
Elifero watched in silence.
Then—
"Why are you helping me?"
Jon's hands stopped.
For the first time in several minutes, the room became completely still.
Elifero lowered the cup.
"Ever since I came here..."
His eyes dropped.
"All I've done is cause trouble."
Jon said nothing.
"When I started panicking, you comforted me."
Elifero looked toward his injured arm.
"You were hurt."
"You were bleeding."
"And you still worried about me before yourself."
His fingers tightened around the cup.
"So why—"
"Are you hungry?"
Elifero blinked.
"...What?"
Jon continued wrapping the bandage.
"I asked if you're hungry."
"I was still talking."
"I know."
Jon smiled.
"Are you hungry?"
Elifero stared at him.
"Yes or no?"
Jon pointed toward the kitchen.
"We still have leftovers from yesterday."
His smile widened slightly.
"I can heat them up, and we'll share."
Elifero opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Then sighed.
"...Fine."
Jon stood.
"Good."
As he walked toward the kitchen, a faint sound came from deeper inside the house.
Cough. Cough.
Elifero glanced toward the hallway.
The sound stopped almost immediately.
He waited.
Nothing followed.
"Jon?"
"Hm?"
"Was that—"
A cupboard opened loudly in the kitchen.
"What?"
Elifero listened again.
Silence.
"...Nothing."
He dismissed it.
Probably someone outside.
A few moments later, Jon returned carrying two steel plates.
Steam curled upward from the reheated food.
"Careful."
He placed one in front of Elifero.
"They're hot."
The smell slowly spread through the room.
Warm.
Savory.
Comforting.
Little by little, it replaced the metallic scent that had lingered after the blood.
Elifero's eyes lit up.
"Wow..."
Jon raised an eyebrow.
"This looks delicious."
"It's leftovers."
"Still looks delicious."
Jon laughed.
Before Elifero could begin eating, Jon raised one hand.
"Wait."
Elifero stopped.
"What?"
"Let's pray first."
Elifero tilted his head.
"Pray?"
Jon stared at him.
"You don't know what praying is?"
Elifero shook his head.
"What's that?"
Jon thought for a moment.
"It's..."
He glanced down at the food.
"A way of expressing gratitude to the One above."
Elifero looked upward.
At the ceiling.
Jon noticed.
"Not literally above the ceiling."
"Oh."
Jon nearly laughed.
He pressed his lips together and continued.
"Food isn't just something we earn ourselves."
His expression softened.
"It's a blessing."
Elifero looked down at his plate.
"A blessing..."
"Yeah."
"So..."
Elifero straightened.
"Do I bow down and scream 'thank you' or something?"
Jon stared at him.
Then burst out laughing.
"No!"
Elifero frowned.
"You said gratitude!"
"Not like that!"
Jon clutched his stomach.
"You don't have to scream!"
"How was I supposed to know?"
After finally calming himself, Jon brought his palms together.
"Just do this."
Elifero copied him.
Jon lowered his head.
"Thank you for the food."
Elifero immediately followed.
"Thank you for the food."
He opened one eye.
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"...Oh."
A smile appeared naturally on Elifero's face.
He wasn't entirely sure why.
But he liked it.
This small, strange ritual.
Then they ate.
For a while, neither spoke.
Elifero was too busy enjoying the food.
Jon watched him shovel another mouthful in.
"Slow down."
Elifero ignored him.
"You're going to choke."
Elifero swallowed.
"I won't."
"You almost did just now."
"No, I didn't."
Jon laughed.
"Sorry if it isn't much."
He scratched his cheek.
"Hopefully it'll help you regain some strength."
Elifero shook his head enthusiastically and continued eating.
The warmth of the meal spread through his body.
His muscles relaxed.
His thoughts quieted.
And strangely...
For the first time since waking in this unfamiliar village—
Elifero felt at peace.
Then—
Cough.
A faint sound came from elsewhere in the house.
Elifero paused with food halfway to his mouth.
Another cough followed.
Slightly rougher.
Then silence.
He glanced toward the hallway.
Jon's eyes shifted in the same direction.
Only for a moment.
Then he continued eating.
Elifero noticed.
"Is someone else here?"
Jon looked up.
"My mom."
Elifero's body stiffened slightly.
"She's still here?"
"Probably went to her room."
Jon took another bite.
Elifero stared toward the hallway.
"But she left."
"She does that."
Jon shrugged.
"Sometimes she comes back without anyone noticing."
Elifero didn't particularly like that answer.
He listened.
No more coughing came.
So he returned to his food.
Eventually, both plates were empty.
Elifero leaned back, satisfied.
Then he suddenly sat upright.
He pressed his palms together.
Bowed his head slightly.
"Thank you."
Jon blinked.
"Huh?"
His eyebrows rose.
"What's that for?"
Elifero looked up.
"You said it yourself."
A smile spread across his face.
"I'm showing gratitude."
Jon stared.
"For helping me."
For a moment, Jon didn't say anything.
Then he chuckled.
"At least you're smiling now."
Elifero lowered his hands.
Jon's expression gradually became more serious.
"Look."
Elifero listened.
"Don't start thinking I'm some hero or anything."
Jon looked away awkwardly.
"I'm not as tough as I look."
Elifero raised an eyebrow.
"And I'm definitely not helping you because it's the right thing to do."
Jon scratched the back of his head.
"I'm not even a good person."
A small laugh escaped him.
"I just helped you without really thinking about it."
Elifero remained quiet.
Jon looked directly at him.
"So don't always accept everyone's hand."
His voice had become straightforward.
Honest.
"If someone offers to help you, that doesn't automatically mean they're good."
Elifero thought about those words.
Jon leaned back.
"I'm just going to help you get your memories back."
He paused.
"And help you find whatever you've lost."
A softer smile appeared.
"Then you can go home."
Elifero's expression changed.
"Your mother is probably worried sick."
Jon folded his arms behind his head.
"Besides..."
He looked toward the ceiling.
"You don't belong in this village forever."
Those words lingered.
Home.
Mother.
Something stirred inside Elifero.
He tried to imagine her.
Nothing appeared.
No face.
No voice.
No warmth.
Nothing.
Yet his chest hurt.
Why?
If he couldn't remember her...
Why did hearing the word mother make him feel this way?
Elifero lowered his gaze.
Is she looking for me?
He hoped so.
Then another thought appeared.
A colder one.
What if she isn't?
His fingers curled against his trousers.
What if nobody was searching?
What if there wasn't anyone waiting?
What if this feeling inside him belonged to memories that no longer existed?
What if—
Cough... cough.
Elifero's thoughts stopped.
The sound came faintly through the wall.
This time, he was certain.
Jon's eyes shifted toward the hallway again.
Elifero looked at him.
"Your mom sounds sick."
Jon remained quiet for a moment.
Then shrugged.
"Probably a cold."
His answer came easily.
Too easily.
"She gets them sometimes."
Elifero nodded.
A cold.
That sounded ordinary enough.
He thought nothing more of it.
Instead, his mind returned to Jon's words.
Then you can go home.
Home.
Elifero closed his eyes.
He couldn't remember it.
But somewhere beyond the emptiness inside his head, he desperately wanted to believe it existed.
A mother.
A family.
A place where someone would recognize his face the moment he appeared.
A place where somebody was waiting.
Elifero lowered his head.
For the first time since waking in this strange village, he found himself hoping.
Not for his memories.
Not even for answers.
Just for one simple thing.
That somewhere beyond everything he had forgotten...
someone was waiting for him.
Waiting for him to come home.