"You’re back... What’s wrong? What happened?"
Karl froze in place, his heart skipping a beat.
Karl glanced over at the bed and saw Julian looking at him with sleepy eyes.
"Noth-ing... nothing... my stomach was just bad," Karl muttered, the words barely escaping his lips as his heart pounded in his chest. The fear clung to him, like a shadow that wouldn’t leave. It was the fear of having done something wrong, the kind of fear that comes with knowing you’ve crossed a line but not being able to fully admit it. His heart raced as he lied, trying to hide the truth of his actions, though a part of him knew deep down that it wasn’t entirely wrong. They were thinking about the future, weren’t they? But still, the nagging feeling of guilt twisted inside him.
The memory of all the debt, and the reasons behind it, still haunted him like a shadow that refused to fade. Every time his mind wandered back to that dark Chapter, the weight of it felt like a heavy stone pressing against his chest.
The thought of facing that situation again terrified him, more than anything else.
Julian, still half-asleep, blinked slowly and then mumbled, "Hmm... if you still feel bad, tell me. I’ll make you soup." He tried to sit up, his movements sluggish, his words laced with care.
"N-no, it’s fine. No need," Karl quickly interrupted, his voice shaky. "You should sleep... I’m feeling better now, really. I’m just... a little sleepy." He pulled the blanket over himself, the warm fabric comforting him, and within moments, he sank into the warmth of sleep, trying to push away the thoughts that still clung to him.
The next morning, Ruby found herself with nothing to do. She got ready, took care of her usual morning routine, and then an idea crossed her mind—she should start exercising.
It seemed like a good opportunity to get outside, so she decided to explore a bit. She walked through the house, stepping into the backyard. It was an open area, vast and quiet. As she glanced around, she noticed the grass, it was reddish, a color she wasn’t used to. It looked strange to her. She had always preferred the green of Earth’s grass.
The sight of it made her pause for a moment, but then her gaze traveled further into the distance. In the far horizon, she saw a massive mountain canyon, its jagged edges looming against the clear sky. The view was breathtaking. She sighed, taking in the beauty before turning her attention back to herself.
Deciding it was time to begin, she stretched and started doing warm-up exercises. She didn’t need much guidance, she knew how to exercise, but she wasn’t sure if this new body would be able to handle it. She began with simple movements, testing her limits.
First, she did a few arm circles, loosening up her shoulders, then bent down for some light stretching to ease the stiffness in her legs. After that, she moved to a few jumping jacks, just to get her heart pumping. It was basic, but effective.
The morning air was cool and refreshing, not too hot like the rest of the day would be. She was starting to feel more at ease with the climate and environment of this world
Pillu was feeling unusually restless that morning. He couldn’t shake the curiosity that had settled deep inside him about Ruby. The idea of someone new living so close, someone he didn’t know, made him anxious. He was used to knowing everything about everyone in his area. He kept an ear to the ground, always aware of the latest news, always in the loop. Even his friends worked as his spies, reporting back with the latest gossip, which he found strangely satisfying to hear.
His wife was hardly ever home, and frankly, he didn’t care much about that. She had her own life, and he had his.
Last night, he couldn’t sleep. Thoughts of her swirled in his mind, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get rid of the nagging feeling that he needed to know more. Who was she? What was she doing here? The curiosity gnawed at him, refusing to let him rest.
So, early in the morning, with the sun still low and the air cool, Pillu decided to walk toward Julian’s house. He knew it was a bit strange to go so early, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that if he didn’t find out more about Ruby, he wouldn’t be able to sleep again.
However, as Pillu approached Julian’s house, he spotted Kenji outside with Max. His curiosity about Ruby momentarily took a back seat, and he adjusted his expression, walking toward them with a charming, elegant smile.
"Hey," Pillu greeted warmly, his tone light and elegant.
Kenji looked up, smiling politely. "Oh, Pillu, what brings you here this early?" he asked, his voice calm and welcoming.
"Ah," Pillu began, scratching the back of his neck as if embarrassed. "I was making tea this morning but realized I ran out of sugar. Thought I’d stop by and ask if I could borrow some," he said with a polite smile, hidding his real reason for being there.
"Of course, no problem. Wait here; I’ll grab it for you," Kenji replied kindly before disappearing inside the house.
As Kenji left, Max turned his attention to Pillu, his hazel eyes sparkling in the morning sunlight. The brightness of his gaze seemed to warm the space between them, and he smiled sweetly. "How are you, Brother Pillu?" he asked in his soft, innocent voice, his head tilted slightly in curiosity.
Pillu chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. "Ah, the usual," he replied, his voice carrying a fake playful tone. "Watching soul stream, keeping up with work... you know how it is," he added with a rich fake laugh.
However, his gaze wandered as he talked, and his eyes suddenly fell on something that made them widen in surprise.
—To be continued...🪄