Sun dashed through the village, his feet pounding against the ground as he pushed himself to the limit, racing against time.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he arrived, panting heavily.
The sight that greeted him warmed his heart and infused him with a sense of relief.
The entire village had congregated outside, their worried gazes transforming into smiles as they spotted Sun's arrival.
"What's going on?" Sun gasped, still catching his breath.
Isaac, a friendly face among the crowd, stepped forward and explained,
"We were worried about you, Sun. You were kind of late, and we couldn't help but be concerned."
Sun's eyes widened with gratitude.
"You didn't have to worry, but thank you. Where is Grandpa?" he inquired, searching the crowd.
Isaac's expression shifted, and he replied,
"The elder went in search of you on your path. It seems you two missed each other along the way."
As the villagers chattered around him, Sun felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, causing him to turn.
It was his new teacher, his smile seemingly harboring a hidden agenda.
The touch made Sun's already trembling hand shake even more, an ache resonating within.
"So, how was it?" the teacher inquired, his tone carrying an air of subtle curiosity.
Sun forced a laugh, his nerves betraying him as he attempted to conceal his trembling hand.
The pain intensified, making it increasingly challenging to hide his discomfort.
"I didn't really find anything worthwhile, teacher," he admitted.
A flicker of disappointment crossed the teacher's eyes, swiftly concealed behind a mask of reassurance.
"Oh well, it's all right, Sun. The important thing is that you tried," he replied.
Sun's laughter faltered, overshadowed by a mixture of anxiety and unease.
The teacher's pat on his shoulder felt heavier, laden with expectations and a hidden agenda.
The pain in his hand intensified, becoming a poignant reminder of something unresolved.
Sun immersed himself in training within the confines of his room, seeking solace in the rhythmic repetition of his movements.
Suddenly, the creaking of a door disrupted the tranquility, prompting him to emerge and investigate.
To his astonishment, he discovered the same injured boy being carried by his concerned grandfather.
"Sun, I found this young man in the forest. I thought it was you, but upon closer inspection, he bore the marks of injury. Hence, I brought him here," his grandfather explained, his voice filled with a mixture of worry and confusion.
Sun stood frozen, his gaze locked onto the injured stranger and his mind swirling with unanswered questions.
The gravity of the situation held him captive, rendering him speechless.
"Sun," his grandfather's voice gently broke through the silence, urging a response.
"Oh, wait. I will fetch some medicine."
Sun obediently headed to his grandfather's room, retrieving the necessary supplies to tend to the boy's injuries.
As he approached, the sight of the stranger's battered form sent a chill down his spine, hinting at a malevolence that lurked in the shadows.
"I don't know how he ended up like this. It appears someone inflicted these injuries upon him," his grandfather mused aloud, his voice tinged with concern.
Sun's heart raced, his mind instinctively connecting the dots, but he swiftly attempted to conceal the truth.
He discreetly shielded his own injured hand, a testament to a recent confrontation.
"Hm, Sun, why are you hiding one of your hands?" his grandfather inquired, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.
Caught off guard, Sun stumbled over his words, desperately trying to divert attention away from his own pain.
"Me? No, I'm not hiding anything, Grandpa."
His grandfather remained unconvinced, his discerning gaze fixed upon Sun.
"It seems like you are, Sun. Did you sustain an injury?"
Sun hesitated, torn between the desire to maintain secrecy and the weight of his grandfather's trust. Eventually, he relented, acknowledging the undeniable truth.
"I got injured while I was out, but it's nothing serious."
His grandfather's voice softened, infused with both compassion and a plea for honesty.
"Sun, you don't have to hide anything from me. Just show me."
Sun's resolve weakened, and he prepared to reveal his wounded hand, ready to expose the truth.
Yet, before he could comply, the boy his grandfather had brought abruptly stirred from his slumber, emitting faint noises that pierced the air.
Sun cautiously followed his grandfather into the room, his gaze fixed on the scene that unfolded before him.
He stood at the threshold, hesitant to step further, but unable to tear his eyes away.
"Are you alright?" his grandfather's concerned voice resonated in the room, reaching the ears of the injured boy lying on the bed.
"Grandfather," the boy responded, his voice filled with a sense of familiarity that sent a shiver down Sun's spine.
Confusion engulfed Sun, disbelief etching itself onto his face.
His trembling hand clenched into a tight fist, his teeth grinding together as he furrowed his brow, attempting to make sense of the impossible.
A sharp pang coursed through him, reverberating from his injured hand, intensifying the turmoil within.
The implications of what he had just heard weighed heavily upon him, stirring emotions that threatened to consume his every thought.
Suddenly, unable to contain the pain any longer, a guttural sound escaped Sun's lips, a raw cry that exposed his inner torment.
Startled by Sun's cry, his grandfather hurriedly fetched medicine, a glimmer of worry etched across his face.
Sun obediently swallowed the remedy, hoping for respite from the physical and emotional anguish that engulfed him.
And as the medicine took hold, the injured boy's eyes fluttered shut, succumbing once again to slumber.
Now alone with Sun, his grandfather turned his attention to their perplexing encounter.
"Did he mistakenly call me 'grandfather'?" he asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Sun struggled to find words, his mind grappling with the enigma that had unfolded.
"I think... I think he misses his grandfather," he ventured, his voice laced with a mixture of sadness and revelation.
His grandfather nodded, absorbing the weight of the realization.
"That must be it," he concurred, though a flicker of concern flickered across his eyes.
"Well, I think you should rest, Sun. Go to bed, since you were outside the village the whole time," his grandfather suggested, his tone carrying a note of caution.
"Yes, and you too, Grandpa," Sun responded, aware of the fatigue that weighed upon both their shoulders.
A brief pause hung in the air, pregnant with unspoken tensions and unresolved mysteries. Sun's gaze locked with his grandfather's, a silent exchange of understanding and shared concern.
"Oh, Sun," his grandfather's voice broke the silence, laden with a hidden request.
"Can you bring the candle and lighter from the kitchen?"
Sun returned to the room, carefully handing the lighter to his grandfather.
As he extended his hand, their eyes met, silently acknowledging the weight of the moment.
Sun nodded, understanding his grandfather's unspoken request.
With a gentle flick of the lighter, a soft flame danced to life, casting a warm glow upon their faces.
Both Sun and his grandfather found themselves captivated by the mesmerizing flicker of the candle's flame, its brilliance reflecting in their eyes.
A hushed "oh" escaped his grandfather's lips, a mixture of surprise and realization intertwining in his voice.
He gently took the candle from Sun's grasp, placing it near the slumbering boy, allowing the gentle glow to bathe him in its comforting light.
A shared smile passed between Sun and his grandfather, a silent understanding forged in the depths of their souls.
Sun then bid his grandfather a silent farewell, his smile mirroring the warmth he had received. He retreated to his room, leaving behind the tranquil glow of the candle.
Turning back to steal a final glance, Sun witnessed the scene he had left behind.
His grandfather, a pillar of strength and compassion, tended to Primus, their figures outlined by the soft radiance of the candle flame.
The flickering light cast elongated shadows on the walls, dancing to an ethereal rhythm.
The contrast of light and darkness heightened the emotional depth of the moment, evoking a sense of separation and isolation within Sun.
With a heavy heart, Sun turned away from the scene, the darkness seemingly magnifying his sense of displacement.
Each step he took within his dimly lit chamber felt like a journey through his own internal shadows.
The absence of light accentuated the weight of his secrets and the depths of his pain, a silent testament to the emotional battles waged in solitude.
His steps echoed softly on the floor, the sound swallowed by the vast emptiness of his room.
The absence of light matched the absence of hope that weighed upon him, casting a pall of despair over his spirit.
The darkness seemed to mirror the depths of his sadness, a tangible manifestation of his inner turmoil.
Sun's gaze fixated on the doorframe, his mind replaying the tender scene he had just witnessed.
The weight of his emotions threatened to consume him as he stood alone in the void.
Depressed and overwhelmed, he sank into a profound sadness, the weight of the world pressing upon his shoulders.
The silence was suffocating, amplifying the depth of his despair.
In the midst of his desolation, Sun found solace in surrendering to the darkness.
It embraced him, becoming an emblem of his pain, a vessel that absorbed his tears and muffled his sobs.
It was in this somber moment that he allowed himself to feel, to confront the depths of his emotions without restraint.