The kindergarten buzzed with the laughter and cheers of children, their voices rising and falling like the melody of an endless song. Tiny feet padded against the wooden floors as kids dashed around, playing tag, sharing crayons, and occasionally sneaking bites of snacks from their brightly colored lunchboxes. The walls were adorned with an explosion of creativity—crayon sketches of stick-figure families, houses, and a few awkward but earnest attempts at animals. A table in the center held an intricate, if chaotic, sculpture of blocks, half of which were toppling over as a boy tried to add "just one more" to the precarious tower.
Amid the joyous chaos, a group of kids huddled together near a low table, whispering excitedly. They had decided to play werewolf, their favorite game, and were busy arranging themselves in a wide circle, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. One boy, a bit more perceptive than the rest, paused and glanced toward a lonely figure in the corner of the room.
The child was seated quietly by the window, his gaze fixed on the distant peak of Mt. Vongami, their city's iconic mountain. The boy had golden-blond hair that caught the sunlight streaming through the glass, but his jade-green eyes, beautiful as they were, seemed strangely dim. They were not the eyes of a carefree child but those of someone lost in a shadow too heavy for their small frame. His face, though young, held a quiet intensity that unsettled the other kids.
"I'm going to ask him to play," the boy said, stepping toward the lonely figure.
But the other children tugged him back.
"Don't. He's a bit creepy," one whispered.
"Yeah," another chimed in. "I heard his parents died a month ago… he says a monster killed them."
The group exchanged nervous glances. "A m-monster?" one stammered. "D-Do you think he's lying?"
"Obviously," said a girl with her arms crossed, trying to sound confident. "My dad says monsters don't exist."
The decision was made, and the group ignored the quiet boy, turning back to their game with renewed excitement. Meanwhile, the boy in the corner continued to stare at Mt. Vongami, his face a peculiar mixture of eeriness and determination.
---
One morning, long before any other child had arrived, the lonely boy sat where he usually would, by the window, gazing silently at the mountain. The early light painted the sky in shades of pink and orange, casting a soft glow on the golden strands of his hair. He didn't bother turning when the door creaked open and a young girl, no older than 6, entered the room, her braided pigtails swinging as she looked around.
The girl, bored and curious, immediately noticed him. Something about his stillness intrigued her, and she decided to approach. Walking over with tiny steps, she tilted her head and looked at him as if trying to understand him.
"Don't you get bored looking at the mountain all day?" she asked.
A long silence was present making the girl frown and shift her weight impatiently. She was just about to give up and walk away when his quiet voice cut through the silence.
"No, not really," he said, still staring out the window.
The girl's face lit up as she rushed back toward him. "So you can talk!" she said with a warm, triumphant smile.
The boy turned slightly to look at her, his expression unreadable. He nodded once.
"My name is Lucena," the girl said, extending her hand with confidence.
"Luke," the boy replied coldly, glancing briefly at her outstretched hand but not taking it.
Lucena didn't seem to mind. "Let's be friends, Luke!" she said suddenly, her bright smile unwavering.
Luke's jade-green eyes flickered with something unreadable—awkwardness, maybe even a trace of warmth. For the first time in weeks, he hesitated, unsure how to respond.
"A-Alright," he mumbled.
---
From that day on, Lucena sought him out every morning. Without fail, she'd walk up to his corner, greet him with a cheerful smile, and invite him to play. At first, Luke's responses were brief, his demeanor guarded. But Lucena's persistence was unshakable, and slowly but surely, the boy began to open up.
Over the next few weeks, Lucena's presence became a constant in Luke's life. She was similar to a faint streak of light breaking through the clouds, and bit by bit, her warmth began to melt away the icy walls that Luke had built around himself. His darkened jade eyes, filled heavy with sorrow, began to regain their brightness, transforming into vibrant emeralds that reflected the kindergarten around him.
The other children noticed the change too. As Lucena spent more time with Luke, the others began to join in. His initial eeriness faded, replaced by a quiet warmth that drew them closer. For the first time since his parents' deaths, Luke was no longer the strange, quiet boy in the corner. He was just another kid, running and laughing alongside the others.
"Run! It's Luke-the-Tag!" a boy shouted, his voice half-laugh, half-scream as Luke chased him across the room.
The other children joined in, their laughter filling the air as they darted between tables and chairs. Luke's speed and determination earned him admiration, even from the most skeptical kids.
"He's so fast!" one girl exclaimed, ducking behind a chair.
"Yeah, but I bet I can outrun him!" another boy boasted, only to be tagged a moment later by Luke's lightning-quick touch.
---
The adults at the kindergarten were amazed at Luke's transformation. When he first arrived, they had been uncertain how to handle a child so young, burdened by such heavy grief. But Lucena had done what they couldn't—she had brought him back to life. Now, Luke was cheerful, sociable, and a joy to be around.
Yet, for all his outward progress, no one—not even Lucena—knew the storm that still brewed within him. Beneath his bright emerald eyes and playful smile, Luke's thoughts remained haunted by a single memory. The monster's voice echoed endlessly in his mind, its taunting words like a brand burned into his soul: "Remember me well."
Even as he laughed and played with the other children, Luke's true thoughts were a stark contrast to his outward demeanor. This is pleasant, he thought as he tagged another kid. I truly do appreciate you all, especially you, Lucena. He glanced at her, her laughter ringing out like a bell. But I would trade this happiness a thousand times over just for the opportunity to kill that monster.
The children continued their game, unaware of the shadows that lingered in Luke's heart. For now, his determination remained hidden, buried beneath the mask of a cheerful child. But deep down, the boy who had stared at Mt. Vongami with eerie resolve was still there, waiting. Waiting for his moment.