Ren was sitting in front of the counter, there was a smile on his face that you couldn't deny that he was happy while talking to Alianna.
Alianna was also smiling but there seemed to be a nervousness on her face, maybe it was because she was talking to Ren.
She was only a child when she met Ren, she was running in an alley, in a hurry, because she had to go back to her mother's bakery. When suddenly, she bumped into someone, someone shorter than her, both of them fell down, and when she turned in front of her, she saw a boy sitting on the ground rubbing his head.
"Ow..."
"S-Sorry about that! I was in a hurry so—"
She was cut off when Ren approached her and held out his hand to help her stand.
"Are you okay? Sorry about bumping into you."
She stared a bit, looking completely dumbfounded. Why is he the one apologizing? I'm the one who's not looking... There was a kindness in his voice that made her heart skip a beat, something gentle and surprising for a boy his age.
"Uh... Why are you staring at me like that?"
Alianna blinked, quickly looking down as her cheeks flushed.
"Oh, um, n-no reason! Just... surprised, I guess."
She took his hand, letting him help her up, but the moment stayed with her long after, that simple kindness of a boy she'd never met before. And still now, that very same boy is bragging to him.
"Do you know that the land I bought is too big? I feel like I can build my own ranch there!"
Ren was saying, practically bouncing with excitement. Alianna watched him, her smile turning soft. He was so excited, his eyes shining as he spoke, and she couldn't help but feel happy for him.
"Alianna! Who are you talking to?"
Alianna's mother appeared from behind the counter, wiping her hands on her apron as she came into view. She raised an eyebrow when she spotted Ren, a smile tugging at her lips.
"Oh, Ren! It's you again."
She said, a hint of amusement in her tone. Alianna's mother, she is the one who bakes cakes and honey rolls here which is Ren's favorite.
"Are you here for the honey rolls, or…?"
She glanced at Alianna with a knowing look.
"M-Mom! We were just… talking."
Ren grinned, unbothered by Alianna's flustered state. He clearly doesn't know anything about what Alianna's mother is saying
"I'm here for both honey rolls and good company."
Her mother chuckled, giving her daughter an encouraging smile.
"Well, I can certainly help with the rolls."
She moved behind the counter, wrapping a few honey rolls in a small paper bag. The smell of warm honey and butter filled the air.
As she handed the bag to Ren, she turned to Alianna and pushed her out of the counter.
"Alianna, you take a break and go outside with Ren, okay?"
Alianna hesitated for a moment but then nodded, giving Ren a quick smile.
Ren quickly grabs her hand and leads her outside with a smile.
"Want to see that land I was talking about? I bet it's even bigger than you'd imagine!"
"I-I'd like that."
****
As they strolled along, Ren's cheerful chatter filled the silence, but Alianna's gaze kept drifting back to the bakery.
Noticing her quietness, Ren slowed his pace.
"Alianna? You seem… distracted. Everything okay?"
Alianna hesitated, debating whether to bring it up. But she'd known Ren long enough to trust him.
"It's just… my mother. She's been working so hard lately, and… I don't know. I feel like she doesn't take care of herself the way she should. I... I don't know why I'm telling you this."
Ren's expression softened, he walked with Alianna while staing at the path.
"I'm not sure what advice I can give… I never knew my parents. But… from what I've seen, your mom's strong. She's probably working this hard because she loves you, and maybe… maybe she feels like she has to do it all herself."
Alianna looked down, his words striking a chord.
"I guess I never thought of it that way."
"Maybe you could talk to her? Tell her she doesn't have to do everything alone." he hesitated, then added softly, "And if you ever need help… you can count on me too."
Alianna blinked, touched by his words. She looked up, a small smile warming her face.
"Thank you, Ren. Really."
****
They walked for a while, the path winding through fields and trees, and Ren filled the silence with his stories, tales of far-off places and small adventures. Alianna listened, a small smile growing as his enthusiasm grew.
Finally, they arrived. Before them stood a cozy hut, tucked between tall grasses and surrounded by the beginnings of a fence Ren had clearly been working on.
"Wait there, I'll just find my beast."
He walked to the hut and opened the door and almost instantly, his beast bounded out to greet him, its orange scales shimmering in the sunlight, and it let out a happy trill. It nuzzled against Ren, who laughed and scratched behind its ear.
Ren looked back at Alianna, his beast at his side, and gestured for her to come closer.
"Come here! I'll give you the grand tour of my hut, built it all on my own."
"U-Uh, sure..."
As Alianna stepped into the hut, she looked around, taking in the simple but carefully crafted furniture, the small shelves lined with jars and odd trinkets, and the place Ren could finally call his own.
"It's nice, Ren. Feels… like you."
"Thanks! I built it all myself with some help from my beast here."
He patted his beast's side, and it made a proud noise in response.
"But, to be honest… I might not get to enjoy it much for now."
"What do you mean?"
Ren's expression changed, he stared at the floor and thought about how he would tell Alianna.
"I was going to tell you... I signed up for the tournament in the kingdom. It's a big opportunity, and if I do well, it could open doors for me as a Tamer."
Alianna's face fell a little, but she quickly composed herself, nodding. She knew she couldn't stop Ren, so she smiled and said.
"That's… that's amazing, Ren! It'll be a huge adventure for you."
He caught her expression, his smile turning bittersweet.
"Yeah, but it means I'll have to leave for a while… Maybe a few months. I don't know exactly how long."
She looked away, biting her lip.
"You're really going to be gone that long?"
"I know it's sudden, and I… didn't want to say anything until I was sure. But I wanted you to know before anyone else."
It's really hard to say goodbye especially if the person you're saying goodbye to is your best friend. But Ren knew that he had to leave, maybe to find his parents.
Alianna managed a small smile.
"Well… you'll have to come back with some great stories. And maybe some prizes."
Ren let out a bittersweet chuckled.
"I promise. And who knows? If I do well, I could make a name for myself. Maybe even get more land, maybe find… my parents."
Alianna's gaze softened.
"Then… I'll be cheering for you, wherever I am."
"Really? Then that's great! I'll how excited I am for the tournament!"
As Ren shared his excitement about the tournament, Alianna tried to keep her smile steady, but her heart was heavy. She wanted to be happy for him, she was happy for him but... a gnawing sense of loneliness crept in, one she hadn't expected.
She glanced down, letting his words wash over her like background music. The thought of him leaving felt like someone pulling a familiar thread from her life, leaving it frayed. How long would he be gone? Would he come back the same, or would the kingdom and its adventures change him in ways she couldn't imagine?
Her mind wandered back to all the times Ren had stopped by her mother's bakery, filling the space with his laughter, or shown up unexpectedly to drag her into some wild, unplanned walk through the fields. The idea of that laughter disappearing, even just for a few months, made her chest ache with a strange emptiness. How strange, she thought. He's not even gone yet, and already I feel his absence.
She tried to shake the feeling, but it clung stubbornly, mingling with an even deeper fear, What if things aren't the same when he comes back? What if she wasn't the friend he turned to first, or if he didn't come by as often, having found other adventures and people more exciting than her quiet life here?
"Promise me you'll come back."
She suddenly blurted out. She looked at Ren, her eyes had small drops of tears. She suddenly realized that she couldn't lose Ren by her side and find someone else.
Ren laughed softly, reaching over to give her hand a quick squeeze.
"Of course, Alianna. You know I wouldn't leave for good—"
"No! Promise me you'll comeback the same!"
Ren's smile faltered slightly as he saw the look in her eyes, the small tear that hadn't yet fallen. He didn't know what to say, caught off guard by her intensity.
Alianna swallowed, struggling to find the right words. She hadn't meant to say it like that, hadn't meant to sound so desperate. But now, with him standing there, so full of dreams and the thrill of adventure, the thought of him changing, of becoming someone she might not recognize, filled her with a quiet terror.
"Ren… I mean… I just… I don't want you to forget everything here, you know? I want you to remember the people who care about you. To… to still be the Ren who stops by for honey rolls and goes on those long, ridiculous walks."
Ren looked at her, his expression softening as he reached out and gave her hand another squeeze, his thumb brushing over her knuckles.
"Alianna... I don't think I could ever forget any of that… No matter what happens in that tournament, I'll still be me. That's a promise."
Alianna nodded, her heart feeling both comforted and raw. She managed a small, brave smile, holding on to his words as if they could anchor her to the person she wanted him to stay.
****
Clang! Clang! Clang!
A boy was mining a purple crystal inside a large cave. Sweat was dripping all over his body but there was still a smile on his lips as if he wanted to get something inside the crystal.
Looking at the crystal, there is an egg-shaped shadow in it, and that's not all. Behind the small crystal that the boy is mining, is an even bigger crystal and inside it is a figure of a large beast that seems to be resting.
"I will use this to become the champion... just you wait... Avalon."