It was the first time I entered a house other than mine. There we were, Rina, Luna, and I. The two of them were speaking in low tones, intending for me not to hear.
In the living room, my father sat beside me, keeping me company while we waited for Zirael, who had stepped out for a moment.
My mind kept replaying how we failed in our initial observation. Reiner was the name of that boy, whom we had first mistaken for a girl. His delicate appearance and dirty face had led us to that conclusion. It wasn't until we arrived at Rina's house, intending to give him new clothes and a chance to clean up, that the truth became clear.
"Son, you're such a fool; you couldn't even figure out the gender," my father said, chuckling.
"Yes, I know, but I wasn't the only one. Everyone thought the same thing," I replied, trying to sound serious, though he didn't seem impressed, as he was still laughing. "What are you doing here, Dad?"
"I just stopped by to check on some production numbers," he replied.
"Too much work, Dad. I barely see you at home. Mom feels lonely sometimes; she's always talking to Naára because you're not there," I said, trying to express what I'd noticed.
"I'm sorry, son," he responded, his face showing a hint of guilt. "Work keeps me busier than I'd like. But I'll try to make time to be with you all, I promise."
"Don't promise me, promise Mom. She misses you more than you think," I murmured, knowing that while his intentions were good, work always seemed heavier than anyone could handle.
"Cousin, cousin, look! It's ready now!" Zirael exclaimed, suddenly appearing with some clothes he had brought from his house. "I've got it. Look, Kaini, do you think this will work?"
"Yes, this will do," I replied, looking at the set of clothes Zirael held.
"Well, son, I'm heading out. See you at home," my father said as he got up to leave.
"Okay, Dad. See you there," I replied, watching him as he exited the house, stopping briefly to say goodbye to Rina's mother, who was outside washing some clothes.
Reiner, the boy we had mistaken for a girl, was in a room, still nervous and embarrassed as we tried to get him to change clothes. At first, he was reluctant to take them off, uncomfortable with the situation. However, when we left him alone, he eventually came out dressed in the lightweight outfit Zirael had given him. His appearance had completely changed. He no longer looked as vulnerable as when we found him; now, he seemed more lively and confident.
"It suits him well," Luna commented with a small smile, relieved to see that the situation had calmed down.
"You look much better now," I added, smiling as I saw him more at ease.
Zirael nodded, satisfied with the result. "See, I told you this outfit would look great on you."
"It's much better now. What do you think, Rina?" Zirael asked, turning to her with a smile.
"It's fine," she replied coldly.
Then Reiner broke Rina's response with an unexpected question. "Why? Why are you doing this for me? I'm a stranger; you don't know me. Why are you helping me?"
Before anyone could answer, Rina took the lead. "Boy, don't lower your head," she said with her usual firm tone. "We're not doing this as a favor or for some hidden reason. We're doing it because it's what you needed." Her response, though clear, showed slight discomfort, as if the role of counselor didn't suit her entirely.
"Needed?" Reiner murmured, clearly confused. It seemed he didn't fully remember what had happened the day we found him. He said he had been unconscious from a lack of energy. "I see… really, thank you," he added, gratitude evident in his voice, though he still seemed to be processing everything that had happened.
Luna, who had been silent until then, finally spoke. "You don't need to thank us. Sometimes, we simply help those who need it without expecting anything in return." Her tone was soft, and her words were perfect.
"No need, boy," Rina said in that indifferent tone she sometimes used, breaking the moment that had seemed to conclude better.
"Why do you keep calling me boy if you're also a girl?" Reiner responded, visibly uncomfortable whenever Rina referred to him like that.
"No, I'm older than you," Rina replied, crossing her arms.
"I don't believe you," Reiner insisted.
"Don't believe me?" Rina raised an eyebrow. "How old are you?" she asked, with an air of challenge.
"I'm four years old," Reiner replied confidently.
That surprised me. He was the same age as me; I wouldn't have guessed from his appearance and behavior.
While eating a little food to regain his energy, we asked him why that man had made him go through all that. He told us how he had found several animals locked up in terrible conditions. He couldn't bear to see them like that, so he tried to free them. However, he didn't realize that the man was watching him from afar. Reiner didn't clearly remember what happened next. All he knew was that, at some point, everything became blurry, as if the world started fading around him. He didn't know if it was from a blow the man gave him or simply from exhaustion and hunger that had weakened him so much. The next thing he remembered was lying on the ground, unable to move, and then us finding him.
When we asked why he had no energy, Reiner explained that his family was going through a tough economic situation and there wasn't enough food for everyone. Hearing that, both Zirael and I felt the need to help him somehow. We offered him our support, but he just nodded with a faint smile, telling us not to worry about him. He assured us that things at home were getting better and our help wasn't necessary.
We stayed a while longer talking, though interacting with Reiner was difficult. He was shy, and his answers were short, as if it was hard for him to express himself or trust us. When we tried to talk about what had happened to him, the conversation became awkward and disjointed. His silence and lowered gaze made it almost impossible to connect completely. In the end, it seemed like he just needed time to adjust, and we understood that.
"Well, I don't want to bother you anymore. I'll take my leave," Reiner said, a bit shyly.
The day was clearly coming to an end, and soon the sun would set completely. Reiner seemed grateful but also eager to return to his own space, though we didn't know for sure where that was.
"Are you sure you can go alone? We can accompany you," Zirael and I offered, concerned for his safety.
"No need, you've already helped me enough…" he replied, pausing in a way that made us think, as if he didn't want to be more of a burden. He just carefully stood up from the table.
"I understand, Reiner. Please take care," Luna said.
"Reiner…" the boy repeated, looking thoughtful. "Who is Reiner?" he asked, with a confused expression on his face.
"It's you, isn't it? You're Reiner," Luna said.
"No… am I… Reiner?" he murmured, his eyes showing deep unease. He fell silent for a few seconds, as if searching for something inside himself. "I'm not Reiner; I'm… Aziel."
We were all stunned. He had told us his name was Reiner, but now he claimed otherwise. Everything suddenly became confusing.
"No, your name is Reiner; that's what you said," Rina insisted, crossing her arms as she looked at him with some disbelief.
"Yes, that's what you said at first," Zirael added, equally puzzled. I, on the other hand, was trying to process what was happening. It was strange, but he didn't seem to be lying. What was his real name? Maybe he was just confused, or something had made him change his mind.
"Seriously, my name is Aziel," the boy said confidently, though his tone showed some doubt, as if he were also trying to convince himself.
We were all confused, but Zirael, more practical than the rest of us, seemed to reach the same conclusion I had—it must have been a misunderstanding.
"Well, we must have been mistaken. So, Aziel, I suppose you'll be leaving now," Zirael said, looking at the boy with a slight smile, trying to downplay the situation.
"Yes, I'll be leaving," Aziel replied as he headed for the door. Just as he was about to open it, he paused for a moment, as if wanting to say something else, but ultimately continued forward.
"Will we see you again?" I asked.
"Yes, I suppose we will. Thank you for everything," Aziel replied. "It really seems like there are still good people in this world," he concluded, in a murmur I barely managed to hear.
Those last words echoed in my mind, leaving me in a reflective state.
What did he mean by that?
With a soft click, the door closed. We had done the right thing by helping him.