In a desolate and silent slum, where the cold breeze filled the air, two small figures huddled together for warmth.
They sat outside their makeshift home, their tiny forms barely visible in the dim light of the fading day.
The air was frigid, biting at their skin despite their layers of worn clothing.
The older girl wrapped her arms around her little sister, pulling her close in an attempt to shield her from the chill.
She could feel her sister shivering against her, making her even more desperate closing the distance between them.
"Are you cold, Tiffany?" Ashlyn asked softly, her breath forming clouds of icy air.
"I-I am c-cold a-and h-hungry," Tiffany whimpered, her voice barely audible, her teeth chattering as she snuggled closer to her older sister.
Ashlyn's heart ached at the sight of her sister's suffering.
She wished she could do more to protect her, but here they were, alone and cold, with no one to turn to for help.
"W-where is m-mother?" Tiffany asked again, her innocent eyes looking at her older sister. "W-why is she n-not coming back?"
"S-She won't c-come back," Ashlyn whispered as she snuggled her sister closer. "She won't."
"W-why?" Tiffany asked again, her voice cracking from the cold. "S-she always c-comes back."
"S-she left us," Ashlyn replied, trying to maintain a strong facade to keep her sister from crying. "W-we both are the o-only ones left."
Tiffany's bottom lip quivered as tears welled up in her eyes. "B-but she promised, she'd always be with us."
Ashlyn fought to hold back her own tears as she hugged her sister tighter. "I know, Tiffy, but sometimes people can't come back even if they want to."
"I... I miss her," Tiffany choked out between tears. "Why did she leave us, Ash? Why?"
Instead of replying, Ashlyn hugged her sister tightly as they both trembled in the cold.
Growl.
The low growling of their stomachs only added to their misery, as they had nothing to eat.
"I... I am hungry," Tiffany whispered again, her eyes slowly closing as she struggled to stay awake in the cold.
"Tiffany?" Ashlyn shook her sister gently, panic rising as Tiffany's response grew weaker.
"T... Tiffany, d... don't fall asleep, please," Ashlyn pleaded, uncertain of what to do.
"Hey, Tiffy?" She whispered, bringing her face close to Tiffany's to listen for her breathing.
But all she heard was a weak whimper.
Step... Step...
Just as desperation threatened to overwhelm her, Ashlyn heard the footsteps of someone approaching them.
And just as she looked up.
Her eyes...
They were fogged over...
As if she couldn't see anything around her, Ashlyn just stared blankly, trying to locate the source of the footsteps.
Step..
The footsteps also stopped in front of Ashlyn as she hugged her sister tightly.
"Who is there?" She asked, looking around.
"Umm." An awkward, childlike voice replied as a boy no older than five years old looked at them. "Are you Ashlyn?"
"Y... Yes," Ashlyn replied, trying to understand what a child was doing here.
"Perfect." His voice grew cheerful as the boy looked back. "Aunt Belly! She is the one!"
The woman, whom he was referring to, came closer.
She wore a simple maid's dress and had an ordinary face, her black hair tied in a bun. Her eyes also looked at the girls.
"Are you sure about it, young master?" Belly whispered softly in the boy's ear.
"I promised their mother," the boy replied. Though childlike, his voice was serious.
"M... Mother?" Ashlyn asked as she heard his words, "Y... you know my mother?"
"First, eat something," the boy replied as he took the items that were in the maid's hands and pulled out some food.
"N... No," Ashlyn tried to refuse his offer, but Tiffany, unable to control herself in front of the food, took the cookie from his hand and devoured it.
"T... Tiffany," Ashlyn tried to scold her, but listening to her sister's voice choking with tears while eating the cookie, she stopped herself.
"Who are you?" Ashlyn refocused on the child and asked.
"Ahh, look at this letter. Your mother gave it to me," the boy said, taking out a letter from his pocket and showing it to her with a smile.
"I... I can't see," Ashlyn replied, shaking her head.
"Huh? Your mother never mentioned it," the boy said, scratching his head.
"It happened after she left us," Ashlyn replied, as Tiffany extended her hand and the boy took another cookie before giving it to her.
"Aunt Belly, can you check her?" The boy looked back at his maid and asked.
She nodded before coming closer and examining the girls' eyes.
"She will be fine after some medicine and a few months rest," she replied before walking back.
"That's good," the boy said, relieved, as he took out another cookie and extended it to Ashlyn. "Take it."
"No," Ashlyn still refused, shaking her head.
Sigh...
Sighing, the boy glanced at his maid. "Can you give us some time alone?"
The maid tilted her head, but upon seeing his cute yet serious face, she nodded with a smile.
"Thank you," the boy said, and the maid walked away.
"You're dirtying your clothes," Ashlyn remarked as the boy sat on the dust-filled ground.
"It's fine," the boy replied, smiling as he extended the cookie towards her. "Eat it."
"No," Ashlyn persisted, "Mother told me not to take things from strangers."
"Let me tell you a secret then," the boy whispered as he gave the cookie to her sister. "It's a secret that I haven't told anyone."
"What?" Curious, Ashlyn asked.
"I can't taste anything," the boy replied with a bitter smile. "I don't know how it feels to eat something tasty."
"Nothing at all?" Ashlyn asked, her hands searching for his face.
"Yeah, nothing," the boy replied as he brought his face closer to her hands, allowing her to touch him.
"But doesn't that sound bad?" Ashlyn asked, her hand touching his soft cheeks.
"It's bad," the boy admitted, nodding his head. "You know, my big sister always makes something for me, and she will ask me how it is."
Ashlyn remained silent, waiting for him to continue.
"It always pains me, but I always say it's good, even though I don't know how it tastes," he explained with a light chuckle.
"That's sad," Ashlyn whispered, retracting her hands.
"It's worth it every time I see her smiling," the boy replied.
He then took out another cookie and brought it close to her mouth, feeding her with his hands. "So, when you can taste the food, you should cherish it."
This time, Ashlyn simply ate the cookie without complaining.
"Anyway, I promised your mother that I will take care of you, so starting today, you are moving to a new house," the boy said, capturing the little girl's full attention.
"Really?" Tiffany asked, her eyes wide with excitement as she looked at the boy.
"Really," he replied with a smile, patting her head gently.
"But won't that trouble you?" Ashlyn asked softly, looking around.
"It's fine. I talked with my mother, she said I can do anything," the boy replied, though his voice trembled slightly when he mentioned his mother.
"What's your name?" Tiffany asked curiously, gazing at him.
"Just call me Noah," the boy replied before extending his hand towards the older sister.
"Let's go," he said softly.
Hesitantly, she took his hand.
And that's how it all started.