Samuel stood in front of his family's front door, his hand hovering over the knocker. He had just returned from the heavenly realm, his thoughts tangled with the weight of his recent experiences. The world felt different now, heavier, and lighter all at once. He wasn't sure how to approach his parents, not after everything that had happened. But he couldn't ignore them forever. He had to go back. He had to face them. His mother's voice echoed in his mind, welcoming him home.
He knocked, the sound sharp and steady in the quiet evening.
Moments later, the door creaked open, and there stood his mother, her eyes lighting up at the sight of him.
"Samuel! You're back!" She gasped, pulling him into an embrace. Samuel stood still for a moment, then wrapped his arms around her. Her warmth was comforting, familiar. He missed this.
"I've missed you, Mom," he whispered. He was finally home.
She pulled back, examining him with a smile. "You look different. Is everything okay? You've been gone for so long. Your father and I were starting to worry."
Samuel nodded, offering a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Mom. Really. Just… busy."
He stepped inside, the familiar scent of dinner wafting in the air. His father sat at the table, reading a newspaper, and his younger sister's empty chair reminded him that she would soon be home.
"Dinner's almost ready," his mother said as she bustled around in the kitchen. "I made your favorite."
Samuel smiled faintly, his stomach growling at the thought of the meal. "Thanks, Mom."
They sat down to eat, the clink of silverware filling the space between them. Samuel's father didn't look up from his paper as he spoke, but the warmth in his voice was unmistakable. "We've been trying to reach you, son. You've been ignoring our calls. Everything okay?"
Samuel hesitated for a moment. He could lie, tell them everything was fine. But the truth felt too heavy to keep hidden. So, he decided on something else, something close enough to the truth.
"I've been busy. I've found something," he said, his voice softer now, "something I truly believe in. I've found my purpose."
His parents exchanged a glance, a flicker of concern crossing their faces. But they didn't question him further. They had always trusted him, supported him no matter what.
His father put down the paper and looked at him with a proud smile. "You've always been determined. Whatever it is, we'll support you, son. We just want you to be happy."
Samuel nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. He had to keep it vague. He couldn't explain everything—not yet, not until he fully understood it himself. "Thanks, Dad. I'll figure it out."
His mother chimed in as she passed him a plate of food. "Your sister will be back from boarding school soon. She'll be thrilled to see you. We're hoping you'll be here when she gets home."
Samuel's heart tugged slightly. He hadn't seen his sister in months, and it had been a while since they had all sat down as a family. "I'll try to make it home," he said. He didn't want to break their hearts, not when they were trying so hard to show they cared.
His father smiled. "Good. We'd like that. It's been too long since we've had everyone together."
The meal passed quietly after that. They laughed over old jokes and exchanged stories about their day. Samuel tried to focus on the normalcy of it all, but the weight of his new reality kept pressing at the back of his mind. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was standing on the edge of something big, something that would change everything.
Once dinner was finished, Samuel excused himself. He told his parents he needed to take a walk to clear his mind. They didn't press him; they simply nodded, their concern still evident but unspoken.
---
The night air was cool as Samuel walked through the streets, his mind running over everything that had happened since his journey into the heavenly realm. He had learned so much, experienced so much, but he still felt like he was just scratching the surface. He had powers he barely understood, and his place in the world was shifting.
He didn't feel like the same person who had left for his job interview weeks ago.
Eventually, he reached Ade's house, knocking on the door. It opened almost immediately, and Ade greeted him with a surprised look. Behind him, Ire stood, glancing over with equal surprise. They had been expecting him, but Samuel knew it wasn't going to be the same. Things had changed, both in him and in them.
"Samuel," Ade said, a smile creeping onto his face. "It's been a while. You look... different."
Samuel forced a smile. "Yeah. Been going through some things."
Ire crossed her arms and gave him a look. "We heard you found something new. Something… important."
Samuel nodded, deciding to cut to the chase. "Look, I know. I know about you two."
Ade and Ire froze. For a moment, the silence hung heavy in the air before Ade broke it with a nervous chuckle.
"You know?" he asked, his voice laced with unease.
"I know," Samuel repeated. "You don't need to hide it anymore. It's fine. I'm not mad. Just… surprised you didn't tell me sooner."
Ire let out a breath, and the tension in the room eased slightly. "I didn't know how to tell you, Sam. We didn't want things to get awkward."
"It's fine," Samuel said, his voice steady. "We're friends. That's all that matters."
They all sat down, and Samuel spent the next hour chatting with them, catching up. Despite the awkwardness, it felt good to be around them again. They were still his friends, even if things had changed between them.
Eventually, he made his way to the bar where it all started—the place where the demoness had attacked him. Walking in, he felt a strange sense of déjà vu. It was as if the air had changed since that night, heavy with the weight of everything he had learned.
He sat at the bar, ordering a drink, when a familiar voice called out to him.
"Is it true what they say?" the voice said, smooth and teasing. Samuel turned his head, meeting the gaze of a woman with strikingly pale skin and dark, intense eyes. She was unlike anyone he had met before.
Without skipping a beat, she smiled at him. "You don't look like you're having the best night. Let me buy you a drink."
And just like that, the night took a turn.
---