The Next Day...
Ryan, shouting: "Oyyy... Wake up!"
Nott stirs slowly, covering his eyes with his hand.
Nott: "Hmm... What now?"
Ryan, excitedly: "The bell rang three and a half minutes ago! Come on, we'll be late!"
Nott: "Alright, alright..."
Nott gets up sluggishly, picking up his black eye patch slowly and carefully putting it on before starting to change his clothes, wash his face, and brush his teeth.
Ryan watches him curiously. Once Nott finishes getting ready, Ryan asks him.
Ryan: "Hmm... By the way, what's the story behind that piece of cloth you wear over your eye? I thought you were injured, but your eye was fine when you were asleep."
Nott gently places his hand over his covered eye, as if recalling an old memory.
Nott: "... It's not just a piece of cloth. It's a constant reminder of what I suffered because of it."
He pauses for a moment, his tone growing more serious.
Nott: "But even so, it reminds me of my purpose... If I abandon it, I'll lose the reason that drives me forward."
Ryan stares at him, a mix of curiosity and understanding in his expression.
Ryan: "Hmmm... It seems to hold a very special meaning for you."
Suddenly, Ryan's eyes widen in alarm.
Ryan: "Oh no! We're late! Let's go!"
He grabs Nott's arm and pulls him quickly toward the door.
Nott, trying to slow him down: "Oi, take it easy! No need for this madness!"
Ryan, laughing as he runs: "Shut up, we're late because of you!"
Nott glances at him, a faint, almost imperceptible smile forming on his lips... one that holds both appreciation for the moment and a subtle shift in their growing brotherly bond.
Main Hall – In the middle
When Ryan and Nott arrived at the hall, it was crowded, and there were no empty seats except for a table where Tom and Simon were sitting. Ryan looked around in frustration.
Ryan: "Ugh, I told you we were late."
Nott, with a calm smile: "It's fine. We can eat on the floor."
Before they could move, a voice called out from afar. They turned to see Elory waving at them from the corner of the hall.
Ryan, stunned: "Huh? Is she waving at us?"
He glances behind him, only to find the hall packed with people, none of whom were looking in their direction.
Ryan, hesitantly: "There's no one behind us..."
Nott, composed: "Stop acting dumb. Let's go."
Ryan, nervously: "But she hasn't spoken to me since she arrived... eight days ago."
Nott, As he continues walking: "Really? She's been here for eight days?"
Ryan: "Yeah, about a week before you."
They approach the table where Elory is sitting. Ryan hesitates to speak, but Nott pulls out a chair and sits down without hesitation.
Ryan, whispering to Nott: "You idiot, ask for permission first. Maybe she was signaling the wrong person."
Before he can finish his sentence, he notices that Elory is busy eating, completely unbothered by what's happening around her.
Ryan, after a moment of thought: "[Well... she really doesn't seem to care.]"
He sits down next to Nott, still visibly tense. Suddenly, Elory lifts her head and speaks.
Elory, with a bright smile: "Hah!!"
Ryan, startled: "W-what?!"
Elory's eyes widen with a spark of excitement as she notices the cup Ryan is holding.
Elory, excitedly: "You like milkshakes too!?"
Ryan It slowly started to calm, he smiles awkwardly, steadying his breath.
Ryan: "Uh... yeah, they're delicious."
Nott, sighing sarcastically: "Here we go, the weirdos have found each other."
Elory, grinning lightly: "Shut up!. I was just happy to find someone who shares something special with me. Especially strawberry milk, but I also love trying different flavors."
Ryan, enthusiastically: "Me too! Like banana milk, it adds a completely different experience."
Elory, amazed: "Yes! And you know what? I once tried caramel milk with pistachio... it was amazing!!
Ryan, intrigued: "Caramel with pistachio? I have to try that next time."
Elory, happily: "You totally should!"
Ryan: Of course, I will. But I don't usually like to eat without watching TV, haha."
Elory: Really!? Me too! Hahaha, I thought this was just my weird habit.
While the cheerful conversation between Elory and Ryan continued, Nott sat quietly, observing them from a distance, a small smile forming on his face. But behind that smile, he was lost in deep contemplation, silently questioning himself.
Nott: "[Is this the life I should care about…?]"
His mind drifted back to his childhood, to a distant moment when Ethan, the young boy with an innocent smile, sat in his old room, bathed in the golden sunlight filtering through the window. He held a red ribbon in his tiny hands, carefully trying to draw a perfect circle on the wooden floor. His eyes sparkled with childlike concentration, and a faint giggle escaped his lips whenever the ribbon neared forming the perfect shape. But suddenly, it stopped short before closing the loop. Ethan stared in astonishment at the incomplete circle, the small gap between the two ends of the ribbon seeming like an insurmountable challenge.
A slight disappointment settled in his chest, as if the red ribbon reflected something far greater than a mere childhood game... perhaps an early sign of a life that would always remain incomplete, distorted by something missing.
incomplete circle, just like his life would become.
Ethan frowned slightly, staring at the incomplete part of the circle. He looked around the room, realizing there was no more ribbon. He sat in the middle of the broken shape, his small hands curled inward, his legs spread unevenly, and his left shoulder tilted. His eyes were fixed on the gap left by the ribbon. He felt something was missing... just as he felt within himself.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching. His mother, Emma, entered the room, placing a basket of laundry on the floor. She looked at him with eyes full of love.
Emma, with a tired smile: "Ethan, how many times have I told you to stop playing like this?"
She then paused, observing him carefully, before adding in a gentler tone.
Emma: "Why don't you go play with your friends from school?"
Ethan, in a quiet, bitter voice: "I don't have any…"
Emma felt a sharp pang in her heart as she saw the silent sadness in her son's eyes. But instead of succumbing to sorrow, she took a steady breath. She set the laundry aside and approached him gently, kneeling so that their eyes were level. Her gaze carried deep love and the wisdom gained from life's hardships. With a light touch, she placed her hand on his small shoulder, her warmth carrying a sense of safety he lacked.
Emma: "Ethan… friends are the mirror of your life. They can reflect who you are, help you change your path, or confirm it."
Ethan stared into his mother's face, silence filling the room as her words echoed in his mind.
Emma, with a warm smile: "Always remember, seek friendships, not enemies."
Those words remained engraved in Ethan's heart. And now, after all these years, he found himself wondering if what his mother had said held the key to escaping the darkness that had consumed his life.
Nott snapped out of his memories, looking at Elory and Ryan. Their carefree laughter filled the space... pure, innocent, and unburdened.
He stared into the distance for a moment, as if a part of his life's circle had just completed itself... a part that had been missing, just like the circle he had drawn in his childhood.
But now, instead of focusing on the gap, he felt as if the void left by revenge could be filled with something else… something warmer, something more human.
His lips curled into a faint smile... not one of triumph, but of peace. Perhaps the circle didn't need to be completed by the red ribbon. Perhaps the emptiness was what gave it meaning.
As he relived those memories, their scars deep in his soul, a sharp contradiction swept over him. He was caught between the fire of vengeance that consumed him and the unexpected warmth he felt with these newfound friends. For the first time in a long while, the idea of inner peace felt closer to reality than an illusion. But he hesitated... could this feeling be real? Or was it merely a fleeting moment before he returned to his dark isolation?
Nott lowered his head in silence.
Nott: "[Could these friends be the turning point I need?... Could this fragile hope pull me from the abyss that has become so familiar to me?... Or am I deluding myself… and the only path I know is to sink deeper into the darkness that has become a part of me?...]"
The words choked within him, unspoken, yet heavy as the walls around him. In that moment, the darkness was not just a place... it was an ongoing battle between opposing forces within him. The fight was not with the outside world or his enemies, but with the part of his soul that sought to drag him into an endless void.
Time passed slowly at the orphanage, as if the days were measured by his breath. After 29 days, those feelings gnawed at him more, changing him from within.
Ethan was slowly getting to know Elory, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl who had been trying to get his attention since his first day there. Over time, their conversations became natural. Ethan found in Elory a friend who understood him, someone he could share his hidden dreams and hopes with.
And then there was Ryan... the boy with an endless supply of energy and enthusiasm. Ryan had a unique ability to turn ordinary moments into thrilling adventures, making their friendship something special. From the moment they met, Ethan felt an unusual connection between them. Ryan constantly challenged him to face life with humor and courage.
Ryan and Elory became a source of inspiration for him, helping him see the world from a different perspective. As the days passed, he felt a change stirring inside him. It was no longer just about revenge... he began to feel that he had a chance to change his life for the better, with the help of these unexpected companions.
In a small room at the orphanage, Ethan sat on a wooden chair near the window, where the moonlight seeped in softly. The light reflected off the open book in his hands, casting flickering shadows across his calm face. Silence filled the room, broken only by the gentle rustling of leaves outside.
Then, a soft knock on the door. He lifted his head slowly, curious.
Ethan, in a quiet voice: "Who's there?"
The door creaked open slightly, revealing Elory, her golden hair shimmering in the moonlight, her blue eyes reflecting its glow. She smiled and pressed a finger to her lips, signaling for silence.
Ethan, hesitating as he closed the book and set it aside: "Elory? What are you doing here at this hour?"
Elory's smile widened slightly as she gently took his hand. She tugged at it lightly, whispering in a voice almost lost in the wind.
Elory: "Shh… You'll wake Ryan. Just follow me, and don't ask too many questions."
Ethan, slowly got up: "Where to?"
Elory: "You'll see."
Their footsteps echoed through the narrow alleys of the city, where the amber streetlights cast long shadows on the walls. Elory held his hand with childlike excitement, walking lightly as if she knew every corner and hidden passage.
Ethan, in a calm tone: "Elory, are you planning to get us into trouble tonight?"
Elory, turning to him with an eager look: "Don't always be so pessimistic! There's something I want to show you... something you'll never forget."
She led him to a small square surrounded by old buildings. In the center, an elderly man played the violin, a small group of people gathered around him. The music he played was deep... a blend of sorrow and hope, as if telling stories that had never been spoken.
Elory stopped, pulling Ethan toward a spot near an old fountain.
Ethan tilted his head slightly, evaluating the scene before him. His voice carried a hint of sarcasm.
Ethan: "So, this is what you wanted me to see?"
Elory didn't respond immediately. Her eyes remained fixed on the violinist, and when she spoke, her voice was quiet but full of meaning.
Elory: "Music…"
Her words seemed to carve themselves into the stillness of the night. She then gestured toward the violinist, as if sharing a part of his soul.
Elory: "Sometimes, all we need is a moment like this. To listen to something… that makes us feel like we are more than just orphans or strangers. That makes us feel… human."
Ethan remained silent for a moment, his gaze drifting to the musician under the dim streetlamp. Behind his eyepatch, his expression was unreadable, yet something in him shifted. The violin's melody flowed like a quiet stream, slipping past barriers and reaching into depths he had never been able to put into words.
After a long silence, Ethan broke the stillness with a low voice, almost a whisper.
Ethan: How did you know about this place Elory, who was sitting beside him on the cold edge of the fountain, lifted her eyes toward the sky for a moment as if recalling distant memories.
Elory: "I escape here sometimes... when I feel like the world is getting too small, like I need a space where I can breathe."
Then she looked at him intently, her smile widening slightly. Her blue eyes sparkled like two stars in the night sky, reflecting the moonlight that gently traced her face.
Elory: "I thought you might need this place more than I do."
Her words were simple but heavy with meaning. Ethan felt something stir inside him... a mix of gratitude and unfamiliarity. He wasn't used to someone considering what he needed.
Ethan kept his gaze fixed on the man playing the violin, his fingers gliding gracefully over the strings, while the melody echoed through the cold air. Each note felt as if it touched a missing piece inside him. After a moment, he turned his head slightly toward Elory, his voice quiet but carrying an unexpected warmth.
Ethan: "Thank you… Elory."
Elory didn't reply. She simply looked at him, that quiet smile still resting on her face. In that moment, no other words were needed. The sound of the violin spoke for them... about the loneliness they both felt and the hope neither of them had openly acknowledged.
Behind them, the city seemed like another world... noisy and distant. But here, in a small corner of this vast world, under the moonlight, was a rare and genuine moment… a moment that made them feel like they weren't completely alone.
Elory suddenly stood up with a bright, playful smile. She opened the small chest bag slung over her shoulder and pulled out a sleek black camera. She glanced at Ethan, who raised an eyebrow in mild surprise, as if wondering how she had managed to keep something like that in the orphanage.
Ethan: "What's that?"
He asked in a low voice, watching as she expertly fiddled with the camera settings.
Elory, adjusting the lens: "Stay still… Come closer. I want to keep this moment!"
Ethan hesitated for a moment but then stepped forward slowly. Elory stood beside him, holding the camera in one hand while extending her other arm around him.
Elory, laughing softly: "Smile!… Or at least try to!"
Ethan let out a small smile... not just a passing reaction but something deeper, a quiet expression of a rare sense of ease. That moment, despite its simplicity, carried something bigger. A feeling that, for once, there was a space in the world where he didn't have to be on guard or hide.
Elory pressed the shutter button, and the flash emitted a quick burst of light, freezing their faces in a single frame. The picture was perfect in every detail... Elory with her carefree smile that reflected her adventurous spirit and unbreakable soul, and Ethan with his faint smile, like fragments of light escaping from behind a heavy cloud, hinting at the person he might have been if life hadn't weighed him down.
Elory slowly lowered the camera, as if giving the moment time to settle, then looked at the picture with a proud smile. She handed it to Ethan, her voice filled with satisfaction.
Elory: "Look, now we have a memory no one can take from us!"
Ethan took the photo in his hands, staring at it silently for a few moments. It wasn't just a picture; it was proof that, for a brief moment, he had managed to leave the world behind and live like an ordinary person. He handed it back to her, speaking in a quiet tone.
Ethan, smiling faintly: "I think you're right."
Elory smiled and carefully placed the camera back in her bag as if safeguarding a treasure.
They stood there for a few more moments, the sounds of the city flowing around them as if silently observing this fleeting encounter. It felt as though they had taken something precious with them... a beautiful memory in a harsh world.
Ethan and Elory sat on the edge of the old fountain, where the orange glow of the streetlights reflected on the still water. Tiny droplets trickled down from the fountain, creating a rhythm that blended with the violin melody filling the air. The cold wind gently tousled Elory's blonde hair, while Ethan remained still, resting his elbow on his knee and tilting his head slightly toward the music.
Elory: "You know, Ethan?"
She spoke in a soft voice, staring at the water's surface.
Elory: "Sometimes I wonder… if we had grown up somewhere else, would we still feel this lonely?"
Ethan turned toward her, his expression reflecting a mix of sadness and contemplation. For a moment, he wanted to answer, but no words came to him. The violin's melody was louder than anything he could say.
Ethan: "Loneliness gives you strength sometimes, but it also takes things away from you."
His voice was quiet yet deep, as if describing a feeling he had experienced countless times.
Elory let out a short chuckle.
Elory: "Haha… You really are a little philosopher!"
But then, her voice softened.
Elory: "Still… moments like this make me feel like we're not entirely alone."
Ethan looked at her briefly before turning his gaze back to the violinist, who had closed his eyes as if each note carried a piece of his soul.
Elory whispered, almost to herself.
Elory: "Music, for example... It tells stories we're unable to say. Maybe that's why it's… so beautiful."
Ethan said nothing. Elory tilted her head slightly, watching the moon's reflection in the fountain's water. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small candy, then held it out to Ethan.
Elory: "Here. It's my last piece, but you deserve it tonight."
Ethan stared at the candy for a moment before looking at Elory. He didn't need to say anything. He simply took it from her hand quietly. It wasn't about the candy... it was about the moment itself. That small gesture carried a warmth and sense of belonging far greater than anything else at that time.
Despite the city's usual noise, this corner of the world felt strangely peaceful, as if it existed solely for Ethan and Elory in that moment. As the final note of the violin faded, a deep silence settled in, as if the entire world had paused.
Elory: "We should head back now."
She said that after a while, her voice was a mix of reluctance and understanding.
Ethan: "Yeah…"
But their steps were slow, as if trying to steal a few more moments before the orphanage pulled them back into their harsh reality.
Their hands almost brushed against each other as their eyes exchanged silent looks filled with meaning, as if knowing these fleeting moments were all they had left of peace in this place.
In the narrow alleys where the city's glow fades into darkness, Ethan and Elory walk with heavy steps, as if the night itself weighs upon their feet. Behind them, the lone violinist still moves his bow across the strings, but something has changed… "the melody is no longer the same." The notes that once filled the square with life have slowed, fractured... as if the strings themselves understand that the golden moment has passed and will never return.
The violinist's weary eyes follow their shadows, merging with the silhouettes of buildings, while his fingers release a musical question into the air... one that lingers, unanswered.
Then... the bow stops.
A heavy silence settles over the place, as if the entire city is holding its breath. A single moment stretches endlessly before a voice... low, yet laden with meaning... breaks the stillness:
The Violinist, whispering: "Ricordati… la musica sopravvive alle stelle."
He resumes playing, but now… it is no longer a melody, but "a distant lament." His fingers repeat the same refrain with childlike insistence, like a child trying to complete an imperfect circle in an old drawing, only to realize... again and again... that it will never be whole.
Above... the moon slips behind a cloud, as if unwilling to witness this loss.
Before their shadows vanish completely, Elory hesitates, as if something within her senses an unspoken call. She turns for a final glance at the violinist… but all she sees is his silhouette, hunched over his violin, resembling an aged tree trunk still trying to bear leaves, long after the seasons have abandoned it.
She looked at Ethan carefully, as though afraid they, too, might become just another pair of lost shadows in this city. Behind them, the words dissolve into the noise of the streets, falling like stray raindrops into a polluted river... unnoticed, yet real… like everything that has ever been lost before.
The scene fades… but the sound of the violin lingers in the background, whispering into the night, as if refusing to admit that this memory will vanish with the dawn.