The next morning, Rina opened her shop early, expecting the usual—a slow day filled with broken radios and dull errands. But just as she was brewing her coffee, the door swung open with a soft jingle.
It wasn't Liam this time. Instead, a tall young man stepped in, around her age, with dark hair that curled at the edges. He wore a worn leather jacket and carried a bag slung over his shoulder. His hazel eyes scanned the room like he was searching for something—or someone.
"Morning," Rina greeted, leaning on the counter. "Need something fixed?"
The man smiled, though there was a tiredness behind it. "Not exactly. I'm looking for someone. A kid named Liam."
Rina tilted her head, curious. "You know him?"
"I'm his brother—Tigo." His voice was calm but carried a quiet urgency. "He didn't come home last night."
That made Rina pause. Liam hadn't mentioned having a brother. "He was here yesterday," she admitted, "but he left after I fixed his watch. Seemed fine when he walked out."
Tigo sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, well... Liam's been wandering off a lot lately. Ever since our parents…" He trailed off, the words heavy with things left unsaid.
Rina didn't press. Everyone in town had their share of stories that were too hard to tell.
"I'll keep an eye out," she offered. "If he comes back, I'll send him your way."
"Thanks." Tigo gave her a grateful nod, but he didn't leave right away. Instead, he glanced around the shop, his gaze lingering on the shelves stacked with old tools and spare parts.
"This place is... cozy," he said, almost as if surprised by the word.
Rina chuckled. "That's one way to describe it. Most people just call it junk."
"Nah," Tigo replied, a small grin tugging at his lips. "It's got character."
The door jingled again, and this time it was another visitor—a young woman with wavy brown hair and warm, honey-colored eyes. She wore a simple dress and a crossbody bag, her presence lighting up the dim shop.
"Tigo!" she called out, her voice filled with both relief and exasperation. "I told you not to run off without telling me!"
Tigo turned to her with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Shine. I wanted to find Liam."
Shine gave him a playful glare before turning to Rina. "He does this a lot," she said with a small laugh. "I'm Shine, by the way. Nice to meet you."
Rina smiled back. "Rina. And welcome to my little corner of the world."
Shine looked around the shop with curious eyes. "It's nice. It feels... familiar, in a good way."
Before Rina could respond, the radio in the corner crackled to life, playing an old, scratchy song from decades ago. It was one of those moments where time seemed to slow down, just for a second, as the three of them stood there in the cozy little shop, connected by something unspoken.
"Well," Tigo said, breaking the silence, "I guess we should get going. Thanks for the help, Rina. If Liam shows up, just let him know we're looking for him."
"Will do," Rina promised, watching as Tigo and Shine stepped out into the grey morning.
As the door closed behind them, Rina couldn't help but feel that this was only the beginning of something bigger—something that would change all of their lives in ways they couldn't yet imagine.
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