"Where… where should I sleep?"
"On the sofa, where else!"
Captain pointed outside before turning around to head into his bedroom. Umee stood there staring blankly at the sofa. At that moment, Captain stuck his head back out.
"Let me tell you something: this old man has a bit of a 'wolfish' side. Just look at me—I've been alone for so many years. So you'd better stay put out there on the couch and sleep quietly. Don't you dare come in here, or who knows what might happen."
He threatened her, then slammed the door shut right in front of Umee's face. Startled, she scratched her head. What did he mean by that?
But after everything she'd been through the previous night and not resting the entire day, she was exhausted. Umee didn't think much of it. She walked over to the sofa, lay down, and quickly drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
__________
At midnight.
The chimes rang, announcing twelve o'clock. The house fell into a deep and eerie silence. Suddenly, a faint noise echoed through the stillness as the door to Captain's bedroom slowly creaked open.
A shadow emerged from within, its silhouette resembling Captain's. But just then, a sliver of pale streetlight streamed in from outside, illuminating the figure's face. Surprisingly, it wasn't the face of an old man—it was a young man with exceptionally handsome features.
He moved gracefully, making no sound at all.
He approached Umee, gazing intently at her sleeping face as if contemplating something. His eyes flickered with emotion for a moment before he looked away. His gaze fell to Umee's neck, where the bruise was still visible, showing no signs of healing. He raised his hand, and a soft blue light emanated from his palm, enveloping her neck. After a few moments, the bruise disappeared.
Once his work was done, the young man stood up, turned, and silently left the room.
__________
That night, Umee slept exceptionally well.
The next morning, she wasn't woken by sunlight or the chirping of birds but by the noise of people bustling about and the sound of footsteps. Umee rubbed her eyes and looked around to see a group of workers moving furniture—beds, wardrobes, and dressing tables—into one of the rooms.
What's going on?
As Umee was still trying to piece it together, Captain appeared in front of her.
"Go brush your teeth and get ready for breakfast," he ordered curtly before turning to leave. Umee stretched lazily and made her way to the bathroom. But as she passed by the kitchen, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.
The kitchen counters, which had been bare yesterday, were now overflowing with food supplies.
Even the gas cylinder had been installed.
A wave of warmth spread through her chest, and a smile tugged at her lips. Humming softly, she skipped to the bathroom in high spirits.
After washing up, Umee returned to the kitchen, determined to make a lavish breakfast to show her gratitude to Captain. Though she wasn't sure if she knew how to cook, her instincts guided her. What's the first step? She looked at the ingredients laid out on the counter. Her eyes landed on a carton of eggs. That's right—fried eggs!
Umee prepared the pan and poured in some oil. She waited until the oil was hot, then cracked an egg into the pan. But to her shock, the hot oil splattered everywhere, some drops landing on the back of her hand.
"Ah!" she yelped.
Captain rushed in immediately.
"What happened!?"
Umee quickly pulled her hand back, noticing the skin had turned a bright red. But just as quickly, a realization dawned on her: why didn't it hurt?
Blinking in confusion, Umee stared at her hand. Meanwhile, Captain, more worried than she was, grabbed her hand and plunged it into cool water.
"You can't even handle a simple task without burning yourself!"
Captain placed his hand over the burn, and a soft green glow radiated from his palm. Gradually, the redness began to fade.
After a moment, Captain released her hand. The burn mark was gone entirely, leaving behind smooth, unblemished skin. Umee's eyes widened in disbelief.
"How… how is this possible?" she murmured. Deep down, she knew that burns didn't heal this quickly, especially not after such a serious oil splash.
The fact that she didn't feel any pain was already strange enough. But for the burn to vanish completely? That was beyond comprehension.
But at that moment, Captain waved her off nonchalantly.
"I was a doctor in my younger years. Treating a kitchen burn like this is no big deal, nothing serious. Go on now, let me take over."
His voice carried a trace of irritation. Umee, feeling guilty, nodded and stepped aside. She hadn't realized she was so terrible at cooking.
As she moved away, something made her glance back. Captain's cooking movements were smooth and practiced, without a hint of shakiness or clumsiness. Quite unlike how he'd described himself as a frail old man.
How odd.
But the thought didn't linger long in Umee's mind. She plopped herself down in the living room and turned on the TV. A short while later, Captain emerged, carrying a breakfast tray.
She hadn't expected him to be such a skilled cook.
Umee's eyes sparkled as she took a bite. The flavors were exquisite.
Seeing her face light up like a puppy being fed treats, Captain felt an unfamiliar warmth stir in his old, withered heart. He glanced at her for a moment before saying:
"After breakfast, go check out your new room."
"Room?" The image of the movers carrying furniture earlier flashed through Umee's mind.
"Yes."
Her eyes lit up like a child receiving a brand-new toy. Unable to contain her excitement, she beamed up at Captain.
"Does that mean I don't have to sleep on the sofa anymore?"
Captain enunciated each word clearly:
"That's right."
Umee's joy was palpable. She quickly finished her breakfast, nearly choking in her haste, and dashed to the room where the movers had been.
Her eyes shone even brighter as she took in the sight of her new room, brimming with happiness and delight.
Captain stood behind her, a soft smile spreading across his face.
__________
Time flowed like a river, and before they knew it, a month had passed since Umee started living with Captain.
During that month, Umee realized that Captain was an incredibly odd old man. Odd—and extremely lazy. While other elderly folks engaged in morning exercises, played chess, or sipped tea and chatted with neighbors, Captain simply stayed in bed. When he wasn't lying down, he was eating, playing games, or watching TV.
This made Umee very concerned about Captain's health. Every time she caught him slacking, she would nag:
"Why don't you go out and get some exercise?"
"Why don't you go play chess with the others?"
"Why don't you sit outside and chat with the other seniors?"
It got to the point where Captain couldn't stand Umee's constant buzzing in his ear. He snapped:
"Just mind your own business! Why do you have so much to say!?"
Umee fell silent but pouted in response, clearly still sulking.