John stood before the couple's house, his gaze intense, as though every hidden truth was locked behind its walls. For a moment, he lingered, lost in a daze, then slowly, deliberately, he began walking toward the door.
Inside, the couple exchanged a wordless glance, their silent understanding an echo of years spent together. The door creaked open with caution, but when they saw the young boy—his brown hair tousled and his deep blue eyes gleaming—they relaxed slightly, their guard loosening.
Kevin's voice broke the silence, measured and calm, yet carrying an undercurrent of tension. "What happened today remains classified between us," he said, his gaze scanning John as if analyzing him for a deeper truth. "You can rest assured—no external network will access the event. No one will know." He paused, the bioluminescent veins that traced his skin flickering as though processing some new calculation. Then, with a subtle hesitation, he added, "Who are you? If you're unwilling to reveal that... it's acceptable."
John blinked, understanding their words but unable to shake the question gnawing at him. "What is the secret between us?" he stammered, his voice shaky.
The couple looked at each other again, this time puzzled, before Kevin smirked. "Yes, what secret between us?" he echoed playfully, misinterpreting John's confusion. To them, his question seemed to imply that nothing of consequence had happened that night—no secret needed to be kept.
The silence stretched on, John standing motionless as the couple watched him, uncertainty thickening the air. Finally, Kevin's patience broke. "Everything's clear now," he said sharply. "Why don't you leave?"
John's expression faltered. "I don't know where I am, who I am... or what I should do now." His voice was quiet, lost.
Kevin opened his mouth to respond, but it was Elena who spoke, her voice colder than she intended. "And what does that have to do with us?"
As the words left her lips, a wave of guilt washed over her. She saw something in the boy's lost expression that struck a chord deep within her—an echo of her own youth, of being cast out and directionless before meeting Kevin, the man who had given her a purpose in her own mundane life.
John hesitated before speaking again, his voice small but determined. "Why don't I stay here? Whatever orders you give, I'll obey."
Kevin seemed ready to refuse, but Elena's gaze softened as she looked at the boy. Something about him stirred her, a reflection of her own younger self. She found herself nodding, almost against her better judgment.
"Okay," she said quietly.