Chapter 6.1: Graceful Reminiscence

Homen Orphanage

Drenched in the moonlight as it hid behind the gray clouds, the monumental and mysterious orphanage of Homen Province stood.

All that could be heard was the chirping of crickets, the waves of wind against the branches, and the footsteps of the group members.

Wasting no more time, Gitta followed the order to get water and began the search, entering one of the rooms along with the others.

For his part, Miruno took the opposite route, walking slowly until he reached a railing overlooking the first floor and the orphanage garden through a window in front of him.

"I can't stand it anymore... I hate being here... I can't... Tsk...!”

He thought, gripping the railing tightly as he looked around.

Every step he took, every breath, every blink of his eyes— Emeralds that reflected memories of yesterday. Each one hurt like a stake in his chest, but it was inevitable.

A story that dates back to his birth.

The story of a mother and a child who came to life wrapped in loneliness.

This woman was nothing more than a teenager, clutching the tiny creature in her robes while she gazed with trembling eyes at the orphanage's enormous entrance.

That night was just like the one he saw now through the window.

A cold, windy night that she also remembered.

Months ago, she had gotten together with the man she believed was the one, but at the same time, she had accidentally committed an unintentional sin. The result was a pregnancy, and the result was the child in her arms.

That child, with hair and skin as pale as silk, was thinner, lighter, and weaker than most. He needed special care and attention at all times.

It wasn't something she could offer him.

The father of this baby abandoned them, while the mother's acquaintances distanced themselves, and her family rejected them.

The young woman convinced herself that she was a failure in her role, that the world was against her, and she didn't want her son to get caught up in all this.

There they lay, both of them, in front of the door, not knowing whether to take a step forward or retreat.

It was then that a middle-aged woman saw them through the windows. She had been watching them for a while.

It wasn't the orphanage administrator. Her position was even higher; her dress gave that impression.

She approached and opened the doors.

"Greetings, what can I help you with, miss?"

"…"

The cold and frustration made the young woman tremble incessantly, afraid of dropping her baby.

To the older woman, the reasons for her presence were obvious.

"P-P-Pardon the intrusion… I-I would like to m-make a request…"

Anyone would deduce it at first glance. So she didn't hesitate to waste any more time.

"Miss..."

"I-I apologize for my appearance... T-The reason is..."

"Miss!"

"Guh..."

Sighing, she took a few seconds to answer.

"Young lady... I'm afraid we can't take in this child."

"W-What...?"

"I'll be specific with you. This orphanage is limited to children over the age of 5, without exception."

The girl was stunned.

Of the only three orphanages in the country, two had already rejected her. The first for failing to provide documents guaranteeing that she was truly incapable of caring for the baby, and the second for failing the medical examination—the minimum health condition with which the child would be accepted.

And now, they were being rejected because of his age.

"Y-You can't...! This is the only place I have left! Please! Help us!"

"We don't have the resources to support a newborn. Please excuse us."

"W-WAIT!"

"What's wrong?"

Before closing the doors, a soft voice was heard at their feet. It was a little girl, about 5 years old.

She was wearing a white dress that gave her a certain air of ostentation at first glance, but an essence of purity at the same time; it was reflected in her beautiful green eyes, the only trait she shared with the little creature.

"Is it a baby?! Can I see it?! Can I?!"

She was a spirited and joyful little girl. Someone difficult to deny a request to.

The young mother knelt before the girl and subtly uncovered her son's face, who coughed a little.

"Oh, he's so cute! He looks like a snowball. Is it a boy?"

"Y-Yes..."

"Cadie Saggiatore, please come back inside. This is a matter for us adults to resolve."

“Hm? He's staying here, right? Will he?”

“…”

Perceptive or innocent? Impossible to determine from the smile and expression this little girl displayed. A gesture that overshadowed all judgment and discussion, as if it were a divine law.

From that moment on, the child's life would take a completely different course.

At his mother's request, his first and last name were removed, as well as his biological family. The meager past that characterized him would no longer exist.

Thus, he soon adopted the name Miruno Saggiatore. The girl who took him in made this possible.

However, the child grew up, but the guardian angel who saved his life did not accompany him.

Cadie did not live there and, in fact, traveled from one place to another.

The lucky boy got to see the only person who visited him at this orphanage once a month. However, each time he did, he learned and connected with her without wasting a single second, to the point of being able to speak in the same complicated way.

He had no one else.

His weak condition prevented him from playing with the other children in the orphanage yard, and his frequent illnesses ended up overshadowing any interaction with them.

Years passed, and he turned 7.

Another empty birthday.

So it seemed to him, but on that day, a new girl was admitted to the orphanage.

A year older than him, with long blond hair held in a cap. She subtly said her name was Xiomara Fiorello.

She was an extremely shy and nervous young woman. It was noticeable in her agitated gestures, her difficulty speaking, and her head looking down at the ground most of the time. Such characteristics would have been a problem for her in making friends, and so it was on her first day at the orphanage.

When night fell, she decided to wander the halls to get a feel for the place before curfew; she had finished her dinner, and being surrounded by strangers was uncomfortable. It was at that moment that she saw him.

Resting his hands on the railing of a balcony, his gaze fixed on the outside through the window in front of him.

Soon she saw him lower his head as if he were tired. At that moment, she approached.

"Hello..."

"U-Uh!"

"Ah!"

They both jumped, but the boy calmed down first.

"Was this a request? A warning? It was always for reasons like that that they came to him.

"C-Can I... accompany you?"

"Uh?"

And that was the first time there was a difference."

"..."

They spent the night exchanging only a few words. Understandably, a lonely boy and a shy girl would have little or no ability to socialize openly.

Miruno didn't intend to be indifferent—he never had—so he told her about everything he knew, while Xiomara longed to meet someone, so she listened attentively to everything he said.

Soon, the mention of that day and what it meant to him came to mind.

"So... Is today your... birthday?"

"..."

At that moment, their moods turned to an awkward silence.

The girl saw his somber expression and, afraid to ask, didn't reply, but thought of something else.

She removed the transparent hair clip from her blond hair and timidly handed it to the boy.

Shocked, he received it.

Except for her clothing, that hair clip was the only possession she kept.

"This...?"

Of course, he didn't know what it was or what it was for. The girl realized this, watching him turn it over in his hand with a look of confusion.

"Mhm... I-Is that how it's used?"

She took it and, lifting the hair from his forehead, put it on him.

She smiled at his strange appearance and his confused face, but even more so at him.

"H-Happy birthday, Miruno..."

Time passed after that encounter.

He quickly introduced her to Cadie upon receiving her visit, and the three of them forged a strong bond of friendship that lasted for years to come.

Miruno and Xiomara entered the same school and institute thanks to Cadie. That was the beginning of their social life.

She grew up to be a beautiful and attractive girl, while his apparent wisdom and dedication attracted attention. Both he and she made friends in their own classrooms.

However, that fact also distanced them in time, and the repercussion was placed in the year 2025, approximately two years ago.

"Miru, do you want to go home?"

"…"

Their high school, San Ramael, was located in the suburbs of Matria City, a place known for its high crime rates. Therefore, he used to accompany her in the past.

Now…

"I'm afraid I won't be able to this time, Xiomara. I must attend to matters concerning the upcoming project. My classmates have invited me to their quarters to complete it as soon as possible."

Those classmates surrounded her, nodding.

There was something strange about the looks they gave her.

"Uh… Fine. See you tomorrow."

"Yes…"

Leaving the high school and the bus that would take her near the orphanage, she walked through the dark forest that separated her.

She hadn't noticed that several men also got off that bus.

The sun was setting in the evening, hiding behind the Acracia Mountains in the distance. And on a road with only a few lampposts, like the ones near Second Avenue, he had to hurry.

At the institute, about to take the bus with his fellow project members, Miruno also thoughtfully observed that same saffron sun.

"…"

"Hey, Miruno, what are you waiting for? Get on the bus, quickly, it'll drop us off," said one of his classmates as the bus door opened.

"Excuse me, but… I won't be getting on. We'll do the work tomorrow. If there's any problem with it, don't hesitate to hold me responsible."

Those were his words before he took the opposite route and walk through it.

“Hey, wait! Tsk…”

-[Ø]-

Before night fell, he gradually quickened his pace until he was running without realizing it.

The bus to Homen ran every 30 minutes; he didn't have time to wait if he wanted to at least accompany her on the last course.

Even in his poor health, he managed to reach the stop. He took a deep breath and continued on his way to the forest that separated him from the orphanage.

It wasn't a matter of presentiment; he just felt uneasy about having changed the routine of returning together that had been instilled in him for so many years.

And his decision that evening had a consequence. In the middle of his run, a noise made him stop abruptly.

A sound coming from voices, vague and unrecognizable like murmurs.

It was then that he saw her.

Behind some humble abandoned houses on the side of the road, between the dense forest and the thick trees...

“HM! MHM! MM!”

She struggled countless times against her attackers, two young men and an adult man, who held her limbs to prevent her from escaping. One of them filmed her with his cell phone, another covered her mouth.

Her clothes had been forcibly ripped off, revealing purple skin from the blows they'd inflicted earlier. Especially her face, which was bleeding from the nose and showed one eye she could barely open under her tears.

“You know you like it, you damn bitch!”

“D-Don't talk so loud, someone will come.”

“Shut up and keep recording. We should share it, have you forgotten?”

“Speaking of which, I-I think it's time for the best part to begin, he he he.”

Two of them held her down while another pulled down the young woman's pants.

“Gsk, she's moving too much. I-I can't record like this, man.”

“S-Stupid. Put the camera somewhere and help us.”

The man approached a rock and, after pointing his cell phone lens at them, joined them.

Behind that prominent rock was Miruno, squatting, covering his mouth to avoid making a sound.

He was trembling uncontrollably.

He didn't know what to do. He was paralyzed.

He never had a cell phone to call for help, and if he showed it, they would brutally beat him, even kill him; the slightest movement would attract their attention.

He simply witnessed every second of the violent abuse.

After a long time, he decided to open his eyes. The first thing he noticed was his own wet pants.

It was a silent night.

Slowly, he peeked out from behind that rock.

Only one person remained besides him.

“G-G-Guh… ah… tsk… ha…”

She was lying dirty on the floor, examining the wounds on her body and looking at her torn clothes.

She felt pain everywhere, making it difficult to recognize them except for an intense pain in her private parts.

Even her school bag had been stolen.

Composure, pride, decency, innocence…

She had nothing left.

Although she was alone now, Miruno didn't show herself. He watched as Xiomara struggled to her feet and, while stumbling from side to side, resumed the walk toward the orphanage.

He watched her every step and her image fade away, but no longer the haggard face of his best friend.

What happened that day…

The subject was never spoken about. It was chosen to be 'swept under the rug'. Not even her best friend Cadie found out about that horrible incident. Her trust believed all lies.

And since that dark night, a succession of misfortunes followed them like curses, one after another.

The nation's new government cut investment in the social and health sectors, including charitable organizations such as homeless shelters and orphanages.

All had been closed.

Both young men had no choice but to accept transfer to a temporary shelter near Homen.

They spent two years of their lives there until it, too, was discovered and immediately closed.

"Miruno..."

The girl with emerald eyes and a white dress, his guardian angel, was sitting next to him. Although she was no longer a girl; she had grown into an elegant and beautiful woman by then.

They were sitting on some planks, watching the evacuation of the place.

"C-Cadie... Why do we live through these misfortunes? Do we deserve it?" he said.

"..."

"Tell me... is G-God with us?"

The woman was unable to answer.

"Miru... I'm truly sorry... I wish... I wish with all my heart to ask you for a favor, the first and the last, I promise."

"..."

Running her soft hand over the boy's cheeks, she wiped his tears away. She brought her forehead close to his and stared at him.

"...No matter what happens, stay together, always."

Those were the last words he heard from her that day, the last time he saw her face that evening, and her final legacy for the night: a new home in the province of Matria.

Cadie would arrange the paperwork for them to continue at the Institute, but this new facility she would provide them had to remain hidden.

Needless to say, to avoid raising suspicions, the resources would be limited this time around; after all, the previous shelter was discovered due to such carelessness.

Since then, they've lived in that humble place. A place similar to the orphanage they grew up in, but they were no longer the same.

That was their story, the story of a shy girl and an abandoned boy.

"I think the battery died, but we're..."

"!"

Bringing him back from his memories, Gitta was coming out of the next room, checking the flashlight to try to get it working again.

Miruno quickly wiped away his tears, hiding them.

"Have... Have they found the water supplies?"

"... The two men who came with us seem to have found them. They're waiting for us at the entrance."

"..."

"..."

"Why were you crying? If I may know..."

He had realized; there was no longer any reason to hide it uselessly, so he shifted his gaze to him and tried to smile.

“Nostalgia…”

“…?”

“You know, that used to be my room…“ Miruno walked past him, placing a hand on his shoulder as if to say not to worry about it, and continued walking toward the exit.

Gitta was ready to follow him until out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw a figure moving in the darkness at the end of the hallway, near some wooden buckets.

He immediately waved his flashlight and pointed it at that spot. It shone intermittently until it went out, but at that moment he couldn't see anything concrete.

It was then that he retreated, confused, massaging his temple.

“… (I need to sleep.)”