After finding a home in a place that felt almost unknown, like something I had fallen into from the heavens, I slowly began to adapt.
For the first time, it felt like I had finally reached… somewhere I was meant to be.
That young man and I walked through the village together. He was unusually excited, eager to show me everything as if he had been waiting his whole life for this moment.
"My son," he kept saying, almost to himself.
As we walked, he began talking.
About how they had always wanted a child.
How they had tried… and failed.
How, despite everything, they chose each other, promising to stay together no matter what.
"It wasn't easy," he admitted with a small smile. "But we managed."
Then he looked at me.
"You don't know how happy we were… when you chose to stay with us."
His words were warm.
Too warm.
The conversation drifted… and slowly, it reached my past.
That place.
That room.
The one I wanted to forget.
A room where I spent my childhood, not allowed to step outside, not even to look through the window.
Day after day… training.
Reading the books he left behind.
Learning.
Enduring.
It wasn't a home.
It was a prison.
I didn't want to tell him that.
So I lied.
"I grew up on the streets," I said quietly.
It was… still better than the truth.
He didn't question it.
Instead, he gently patted my head.
"That must have been hard," he said softly. "Come here… give your dad a hug."
I froze.
A hug?
I turned my face away, heat creeping up my neck.
"That… is your name?" I asked awkwardly. "Sir?"
He blinked, then looked at me like I had just said something unbelievable.
"Sir?" he repeated. "Come onnnn… call me Dad. Or at least Father?"
I couldn't.
If I called him that, then...
No.
"…Your name, please," I said instead.
He sighed dramatically, placing a hand over his chest. "Ah… how heartbreaking."
Then he smiled. "I'm Lue Junli."
"Lu- Lue Junli…?" I repeated uncertainly.
He laughed. "Just call me Jun."
"…Jun, sir, where are we going?" I asked.
He immediately shook his head. "No 'sir'! Just Jun. Or…" he leaned closer with hopeful eyes, "…Dad?"
"…Jun is fine."
He looked at me with exaggerated disappointment. "Fine… Jun it is. But 'Dad Jun' doesn't sound bad either"
Before he could finish, someone bumped into him.
Hard.
The man didn't even stop, just kept walking.
Jun turned, frowning slightly as he watched the man disappear into the crowd.
For a moment, something in his expression changed.
Then it vanished.
He smiled again and looked at me.
"Want to have some fun?"
Before I could answer, he grabbed a piece of cloth nearby and wrapped it around his face, pulling me along as he started running in the same direction as the man.
We ran faster and faster than I expected, until the man came back into view.
Suddenly, he stopped.
So did we.
Jun quickly pulled me into a narrow alley.
"Stay quiet," he whispered.
The alley was silent.
Too silent.
I could hear my own heartbeat, loud and uneven.
Jun peeked out carefully, his movements light and controlled.
The man outside looked around nervously, scanning the area.
Then his eyes landed on something, a worn, shabby bag.
He approached it slowly, glancing around once more before picking it up.
As he opened it, a folded paper slipped out… along with several shining ornaments.
But he didn't care about those.
His attention went straight to the paper.
He picked it up.
Unfolded it.
And then...
his face changed.
Fear.
Raw, unmistakable fear.
His hands trembled. The paper slipped from his grasp.
Even without seeing his eyes clearly… I could feel it.
That same fear.
The kind I had seen before.
The kind people had when I killed them.
Did I imagine it…?
Jun was smiling.
A faint, knowing smirk.
The man suddenly turned and ran.
Just as we were about to step out...
someone appeared.
Every instinct in my body screamed at me to stop.
Danger.
The same feeling I had the first time I faced Master.
I moved instantly, stepping in front of Jun and holding him back with my arm.
My eyes locked onto the man ahead.
He was holding a sword.
Dangerous.
But then, he slowly returned it to its scabbard.
His cold gaze softened the moment it landed on Jun.
"Brother," he said calmly, "what are you doing here? You know this place isn't safe."
Jun scratched the back of his head, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Qian… I know," he said. "But, you see, this kid here is my son…" he leaned closer, lowering his voice, "…I just wanted to show him a bit of street life. I didn't expect to run into you of all people."
Qian froze.
Completely.
"…Your son?" he repeated. "How? When?"
Jun laughed awkwardly and wrapped an arm around Qian's shoulder, dragging him aside.
They spoke quietly for a while.
I couldn't hear anything.
After some time, they returned.
Qian's gaze fell on me.
Slow.
Sharp.
He looked me up and down, as if trying to peel something away.
"…I think I've seen you before," he said.