Something Long Forgotten

We set off toward the neighboring town. When we arrived, Kenny glanced around, nodding to himself. “Yeah… he told me it’d be done by today.”

We roamed through the lively streets. People bustled all around us, running stalls and chatting, going about their daily lives. Since our village and this town were pretty close-knit, people often greeted us as we passed by.

Eventually, we stopped at a stall—a small accessories stand. The owner noticed Kenny right away and waved.


I raised an eyebrow at Kenny. “Oi, what are we doing at an accessories stall? You got someone to give something to or what?”


Kenny smirked, glancing at me. “Of course I do.”


I squinted at him. “Eh? Who are you giving it to? Your mom?”

“Shut up, idiot,” Kenny muttered, clearly annoyed.

The stall owner handed Kenny a small box. “You came at the right time--I was just about to close up. Got another job lined up.”

Kenny smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah… got caught up in some things. Thanks to someone.”

He shot me a pointed look.

He tucked the small box into his pouch and turned. “Let’s go, Luca.”

As we walked, I glanced at him. “So this was your work?”

Kenny nodded. “Of course. This one… and there’s another.”

“Another?” I asked, frowning.

He didn’t answer. Just kept walking ahead.

We soon stopped in front of a small sweet shop. I raised a brow. “Eh? A sweets shop? What are we gonna do here? Wash dishes or something?”

Kenny gave me an annoyed glare. “See, Luca? We’re here for work, okay?”

Just then, a familiar girl stepped out of the shop. “Oh—Rena,” I called out.

She smiled warmly and walked up to me. “Luca, you’re here too? Perfect!”

“What do you mean all the way here? It’s only a few minutes’ walk from our town,” I shot back, smirking. “Anyway, I’m here because Kenny dragged me along.”

Rena was from our village--seems like she’d been working at this stall lately.

Kenny stepped forward, casually taking her hand. “I’m here ‘cause you called me to taste the sweets you made, right?”

Rena blushed, quickly pulling her hand away. “Kenny… not in front of Luca.”

Kenny let go, throwing me a smug smirk. He was definitely showing off. When did this happen? I mean--Rena and Kenny? For as long as I could remember, those two were always bickering like crazy as kids.

“Kenny, you look like a pig.” “Rena, you’re ugly. Ugly, ugly, ugly--pig, pig, pig!” That’s how they used to fight as kids

Seeing them like this now was just plain weird. But hey, I guess I was happy for him. Kenny cleaned up alright these days… well, not as good as me, but still.

Kenny cleared his throat. “Rena-chan, won’t you let us taste the new batch of sweets you made?”

Rena smiled and nodded. “Oh yes! Please, sit here--Kenny, Luca. I’ll bring them right away.”

She disappeared inside. We sat outside, waiting. I glanced at Kenny, smirking. “Kenny… when did this happen? You guys dating already?”

He smirked right back. “Hmm? That’s what it seems like to you, huh? We aren’t… yet. But soon.”

I snorted. “Well, good for you. But didn’t you two hate each other as kids?”

Kenny laughed, lightly punching my shoulder. “Luca, that was when we were small, okay? Things change when you grow up. Well—the only thing that doesn’t change is you. Because you’re just lazyyyy.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, yeah. So this was your work?”

He smiled wide. “Of course it is.”

I leaned back. “So the accessory was for her?”

He nodded smugly.

I cocked my head. “So how’d you two get this close?”

He grinned. “Interested in knowing, huh? It’s a long story though…”

I sighed. “Never mind.”

But Kenny was already launching into it. “I’ll say it anyway! So it was about three months ago. I came here to run some errands and saw Rena working at this sweet shop. I asked her what she was doing here--and she told me it’s her grandparents’ place, and she’ll be working here now. She looked kinda troubled, you know?”

He sat up straighter, puffing his chest a little. “So like a hero, I offered to help her.”

Then She told me she wasn’t confident in the sweets she made. No matter how hard she tried, she always felt like something was off,

I cut in. “Why not just let her grandparents taste the sweets?”

Kenny glared. “Bro, don’t interrupt--I’m telling a story.” He cleared his throat. “Whenever her grandparents taste her sweets, they always say it’s good… with this forced smile. So she wanted someone who’d give her honest feedback. That’s where I came in.”

I snorted. “Well, sounds to me like she’s terrible at it and just needed someone to experiment on. You’re her guinea pig.”

“Tch--that’s not it!” Kenny snapped, but his ears were a little red. “She’s happy to see me too, okay? It’s not just that!”

At that moment, Rena came out with a tray full of cookies and sweets. Kenny’s eyes lit up as if it were gold. He started praising her before even tasting it. Classic. That’s what guys do when they want to impress a girl, I guess.

Rena set the tray down. “Luca, Kenny--please, try them.”

I picked up a cookie and took a bite. Hmmm… What the hell is this? Questionable doesn’t even start to cover it.

Salty. A cookie. Salty.

I forced a smile. “It’s… really good,” I said through gritted teeth. No way was I going to be rude. She looked like the kind of girl who’d burst into tears if you told her the truth. Way different from the tough little brat she used to be.

Next to me, Kenny was devouring everything like a pig. Crumbs flying, eyes sparkling, not a single hint of hesitation. He grinned at her with full cheeks. “Damn, Rena--this is so good!!”

Rena blushed, smiling brightly. “I’m glad you liked it!”

I glanced at Kenny, deadpan. “Yeah… real honest review, huh?” I muttered under my breath, smirking. I leaned in, elbowing him lightly in the ribs. “Weren’t you the guy who bragged about giving her honest feedback? At this rate, she’s gonna think salty cookies are the next big thing. Poor Rena—if she keeps messing up and you keep shoveling everything down like that, she’ll open a shop selling ‘Salty Cookies Deluxe’ and nobody will ever tell her the truth.”

Kenny coughed, nearly choking on a bite, and shot me a glare. “Shut up, idiot! I’m just being supportive!”

I held up my hands, grinning. “Yeah, yeah. Supportive. Sure.” Then I stole another glance at Rena, who looked so happy it was almost blinding. Well… even if her cookies were a disaster, seeing her smile like that made it hard to ruin the moment.

Honest review, my ass. This was madness. But hey—they were happy. And hey, a salty cookie was a one-of-a-kind experience, I guess.

As we got ready to leave, Kenny turned to Rena. “Tomorrow at the harvest festival… I have something to give you.”

Rena smiled shyly. “I’m looking forward to it. Bye-bye!” she waved.

We waved back and started heading home toward our village. On the way back

Kenny swaggered along the path, hands behind his head, a cocky grin across his face. “Heh. Can you believe it? A girl asked me for help.” He puffed his chest like he was some kind of king.

“Bet you wish you had my charm, huh?”

I raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Oh yeah? Real impressive—taste testing cookies with salt in them. Heroic stuff.”

He shot me a side glance and smirked. “What about you, Luca? How long are you planning on lazing around, playing Mr. Nice Guy to every old lady and kid in the village? Get a girl already.”

I sighed, but before I could retort, Kenny spun towards me, walking backwards now, arms wide. “Actually—you and I never talk about this.” His grin widened dangerously. “Let’s talk about girls, Luca. Come on, spill it. What’s your type? Don’t get all shy on me now. Tell me, tell me!”

I scratched the back of my head, exhaling. He was getting annoyingly persistent. Tch…

“Alright, alright. If it’ll shut you up…” I muttered. I tilted my head, thinking. “Hm… maybe…” I closed my eyes, letting the words just tumble out before I could stop them. “I think… red hair. Red eyes. Cute little horns on her forehead. And uh… maybe a girl who, when she talks, starts her sentences by using her own name. Something like… S—”

My eyes snapped open. “—Huh?! Wait, what the hell did I just say?”

Kenny was gawking at me, dumbfounded. “…Dude, what are you even talking about?” His nose wrinkled. “You been reading weird fantasy books again? Geez, you’re losing it, man.”

I blinked, stunned. What was that just now? I didn’t even know anyone like that… but I said it with such confidence, like it was etched deep inside me. Why? What was this?

Before I could figure it out, we were already back at the village gates.

Kenny stretched, waving. “Alright, Luca. See you tomorrow at the festival.”

I called out to him as he turned. “Hey—Kenny. At least tell me, what’s the accessory you got for Rena?”

Kenny froze mid-step, glancing over his shoulder with a smug little grin. “It’s… a ring.”

I pfft’d, choking on a laugh. “What?! You guys getting married already?”

His ears turned bright red as he waved me off and hurried away. “Shut up, idiot! A guy without a girl wouldn’t understand this stuff!”

I watched him walked down the road, my grin slowly fading. …I didn’t really care about that relationship stuff. But the way he said that just now… for some reason, it stung a little. Huh. Ouch. Yeah—that hurt.

When I finally reached my house, I paused outside the door. It felt strange. Even though I lived here all along, for some reason… it felt like I hadn’t seen this place in ages. Like I’d been away for years and only just come back home.

I pushed open the door.

There she was—standing by the kitchen, just like always, waiting for me. My mom.

“Oh! Luca, you’re back.” She smiled warmly.

I stood there, staring at her quietly. “…Mom.”

The second I saw her face, something inside me snapped. I lived with her, saw her every day… and yet… It felt like I hadn’t seen her in forever. My chest tightened painfully, and before I knew it, hot tears rolled down my cheeks.

“Luca?” Her expression turned worried as she rushed over. “Luca—are you not feeling well? What happened? Why are you crying?”

I couldn’t say a word. My throat closed up. I just cried. Like a child.

She gently wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a soft embrace, patting my head tenderly. “There, there… It’s okay. It’s okay.” Her voice was soft, soothing. “You were never a crybaby… what happened to you today, hmm?”

I didn’t understand why I was crying so much either. Eighteen years old, and I broke down like a baby. Embarrassing didn’t even begin to cover it.

Later, after I calmed down, we sat at the table. Dinner was ready. “Luca, I made your favorite curry today. Eat up.”

I wiped my face and smiled faintly. “Let’s have it together, Mom.”

She chuckled warmly. “Alright. I’m kind of hungry too. Let’s eat.”

As we dug into dinner, I couldn’t help but smile. “The curry you make is still the best, Mom.”

Her eyes softened as she smiled back. “I’m happy you always like what I make. You’re such a good boy, Luca.”

The taste felt… nostalgic. But that was impossible, wasn’t it? I had this curry all the time. No way I was getting emotional over curry again. …What the hell was happening to me?

After helping her clean up, I went to my room. My bed felt softer than ever. Today… this bed felt like the most comfortable place in the world. Why?

A light knock tapped on my door. I opened it. My mom stood there gently.

“Luca… can I come in?”

I sat on my bed. “Come in, Mom. What’s up?”

She sat beside me, her eyes full of quiet concern. “Why did you cry earlier? Is something bothering you? You can tell me anything, you know that, right?” She smiled gently.

I hesitated, then shook my head slowly. “It’s nothing, Mom… I don’t know why… but today feels like the best day of my life. That’s all.”

She laughed softly, patting my head. “I see… You’ve grown up so much already.” Her smile was tinged with bittersweetness. “You must have a lot on your mind these days… things you don’t want to share with me anymore.”

Her voice softened as she looked into the distance. “You know… when you were little, no matter what happened, you’d always come running home and tell me every tiny detail of your day. Mama always loved listening to everything you had to say. It was so much fun.”

She turned back to me, her smile tender. “But now you’re older. You have problems of your own… and maybe you don’t talk to me as much anymore. That’s fine. I understand. But Luca… When it hurts too much to carry alone… It’s okay to rely on someone. Even your parents.”

Her eyes softened even more. “It might feel awkward… but out of everyone in this world, a mother or father will never judge you. I can tell you’re going through a lot right now. So remember-- I’ll always, always be here to listen to you. Whenever you feel like talking.”

I stared at her quietly… then smiled, my throat tight again. “…I missed you, Mom. I know it doesn’t make any sense… but yes… It feels like I haven’t seen you in many years.”

She wrapped her arms around me tightly and rested her chin on my head. “I see, Luca…” she whispered. “I’m not going anywhere.”

I cried again, in her embrace. She just sat there, holding me, patting my head gently like she always did when I was small.

After a while, she pulled back and stood up. “Alright then. I’ll let you have your private time. I’ll head to bed too. Good night, Luca.”
She paused at the door, smiling. “Oh--and tomorrow is the Harvest Festival. We’re going together, right?” She chuckled awkwardly.

“Ah--sorry, sorry. You probably have plans with your friends .” She smiles You are not a kid anymore after all.

I blinked, remembering Kenny and Rena. Yeah… I didn’t really feel like third-wheeling tomorrow.

I looked at her firmly. “I don’t have any plans. Let’s go together, Mom.”

Her smile brightened, soft and full of happiness. “Alright, Luca. Good night.” For some reason, today… Everything I saw, everything I touched -- it all felt like I was experiencing it for the first time in years. Even though I’d lived here all along. Even though nothing had changed. The world around me shimmered with a kind of quiet, distant warmth. Like memories long buried were brushing up against my skin.

Eventually, my body relaxed and I drifted off to sleep.

-- In that sleep… I heard it. A voice. A girl’s voice -- soft, trembling, crying. She kept saying my name. Over and over. Luca… Luca… I didn’t know her. And yet, it felt like I had always known her. Like she had been calling me from far, far away… for a very long time.

My eyes snapped open. I sat up in bed, heart beating faster than it should. “What… was that?” I asked myself quietly. I pressed a hand against my chest. It was still there — that aching heaviness.

I shook my head and sighed. “Must’ve just been a dream…” But part of me wasn’t so sure.

I got out of bed and stepped out of my room. I saw her, as always -- my mother, already standing by the kitchen counter. Her familiar silhouette, her gentle voice.

“Oh, Luca, you’re up early,” she said, glancing back at me with a smile. “Go freshen up — breakfast is ready.”

I did as she said and soon we sat at the table, just the two of us, like always.

As we ate, my mother looked at me quietly. “Are you feeling well today, Luca?”

I smiled, embarrassed. “I’m feeling great today, Mom… and sorry about yesterday.”

A soft blush crept up my face before I could stop it.

She smiled warmly, her eyes full of understanding. “What happened yesterday, Luca?”

I looked down at my plate, scratching my cheek awkwardly. “I cried… even though I’m already grown up.”

She chuckled softly, shaking her head. “So what? What’s wrong with a grown-up boy crying and sharing his troubles with his mother?”

Her words wrapped around me like a warm blanket. I swallowed hard, hiding my expression behind a small smile.

As I slowly ate my breakfast, my eyes fell to the egg on my plate. Without thinking, I muttered under my breath…

“Strixx would’ve loved this…” I smiled faintly. “She would’ve loved your cooking, Mom…”

Then, suddenly-- My mother looked at me, blinking curiously. “Hmm? Luca… who’s Strixx?”

I froze. The fork in my hand stopped moving. What did I just say?

She tilted her head, smiling playfully. “Is she a friend of yours? Someone special maybe? Tell me, tell me --don’t be shy.”

I opened my mouth. Nothing came out. I forced a weak smile and shook my head.

“I… I don’t know. It just came up randomly…”

My chest felt tight again, but I tried to push it away. We finished breakfast quietly, and I stepped out of the house for some fresh air.

I wandered through the village. The morning air was crisp, the sky wide and open. Everywhere I went, familiar faces greeted me.

Granny Marcy waved from her porch. Grandpa Levi gave me a nod, sitting under the big tree. Ms. Leefa smiled gently as she watered her garden. The kids I’d helped yesterday ran past me laughing, calling my name.

Even Mr. Will -- usually so cold and distant -- gave me a nod today.

I smiled back at everyone, but inside… Inside, I was still quietly wondering.

Who was that girl? Why did her voice sound like it had always been a part of me? And why… why did her name feel like something I should have never forgotten?