"This is your home?" Shine said.
Jhed was nervous. He was afraid they would hate him — that's what it felt like.
"Come on, let's go in," Shine said, looking at him.
"Hmm." Jhed's heart was pounding.
"I ran away and left them behind. How must they be feeling." Thoughts like these were swirling inside him.
"I don't want to go in," Jhed said.
"Why?" Shine looked him in the eyes.
Jhed stood there, quiet.
"It's not like I care about them anyway. They're free now — they don't need to run anymore. It's my fear that's stopping me from going in. And this time, I want to beat my fear. It's been my slave long enough. It can't force me anymore."
The Sin inside Jhed was making him weak. He'd found a small moment of courage earlier, but even that was starting to crack.
He stood rooted at the doorway.
"I need to be free. I need to get back to my own world as soon as possible."
"But why, Jhed. Come on, let's go in." Shine nudged him forward.
"You don't understand. I'm not your slave. You're mine." Jhed snapped. The truth he'd been keeping inside had spilled out.
Shine's eyes went wide.
"You're right. A slave shouldn't talk too much." Shine said, putting on a hollow smile.
Linea came outside, having heard Jhed's voice.
"Jhed..." she said.
Jhed recognized the voice instantly.
"You're alive." Linea stared at him. Shine quietly stepped to the side.
Jhed looked down at the ground. He couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes.
Mendriya came out too.
"Jhed..." Her eyes filled with tears. "We thought we'd lost you just like Dad. But you're alive. I'm so happy. My little brother is alive." Tears streamed down her face.
Jhed's eyes filled too. His tears fell to the ground. Shine watched all of it, listening. He was starting to understand, finally, the weight Jhed had been carrying. Outside, the whole city was celebrating. But here, something quieter and far more real was happening.
Jhed had been so sure they would hate him. But they weren't angry — they were worried about him. The rest of the city had already moved on, forgetting the children who'd died. But Linea hadn't forgotten anything. And now that Jhed was alive, she was overwhelmed with joy — happy tears spilling from her eyes.
Jhed kept crying, still looking down at the ground.
"Sigh... forgive me," Jhed said.
"Come inside. Both of you, come inside," Linea said.
Jhed stepped in. Emilie had gone out somewhere.
"All this blood — what happened?" Mendriya asked.
"It's Miruth's blood," Shine said quickly.
They sat down in the chairs.
"Miruth's blood?"
"We killed him together. That's why tomorrow we're getting a reward from King Luccos himself," Shine said. When it came to talking about his own achievements, his mouth never stayed shut.
"Really? My little brother can't even catch a rabbit. How would he kill a villain that powerful. You're lying, aren't you." Mendriya couldn't believe it.
"Jhed, should I go get his head?" Shine whispered in Jhed's ear.
"Absolutely not. Let it go — when the king gives us the reward tomorrow, they'll figure it out then." Jhed was lighter now. The fear had left him. Sometimes when fear gets too heavy, all you need is to talk to someone close to you — and it lifts. Not always, though. Not everyone can understand you. Just like Mendriya couldn't believe Jhed had actually done it.
"Jhed, who is this?" Linea asked.
"I'm Shine. I'm Jhed's friend," Shine said.
"Thank you for looking after our Jhed."
"Oh, there's nothing to thank me for." Shine smiled shyly.
"But you're quite old to be his friend," Mendriya said.
"Mendriya, be quiet." Linea shot her a look.
"I mean, I am quite a bit older than Jhed," Shine said, laughing.
And that was the story of that evening. They sat together for a long time, talking and laughing, just like that.