Amid the silence of the night, an echo of footsteps broke the stillness. A boy was struggling through a dark alley.

His breathing was heavy, each inhale burned his lungs, while the frantic beat of his heart pounded in his chest.

He felt the cold wrapping around his body, numbing his skin. Suddenly, a few drops of water began to fall, and soon, rain descended from the black sky.

His steps grew clumsier. When he lost his balance, he collapsed against a nearby wall. He was alone. His blurry vision only confirmed what he already knew: he couldn't go any further.

His body trembled. His legs and arms gave out, and finally, he fell to the ground as pain coursed through him.

『Boy: Agh!』

His mind was a whirlwind. For a moment, he wished he couldn't feel anything. He wanted to escape the agony consuming him. But the pain kept him awake, tethered to his misery.

『Boy: «I think… I'm no longer a wretch.»』

He tried to push himself up, his hands pressing against the ground, but the pain was too much. He fell again. Exhausted, he gave up and simply stared at the ground, unable to do anything more.

『Boy: «I was lucky to have met you… without you, I wouldn't have accomplished anything. I'm… grateful.» 』

A faint smile appeared on his face as he recalled happy moments, but it soon faded. The sweet memory turned bitter as he looked at his bloodstained hands.

The pain began to fade, replaced by a cold emptiness. A metallic taste filled his mouth as blood slowly spilled out. The memories flashed through his mind, fleeting and blurry, like shadows.

He knew there was nothing more he could do. His body betrayed him. His strength was leaving him, and the world around him was growing darker.

His eyelids felt as heavy as lead. The cold seeped into his very soul, while his heart, growing weaker by the moment, slowly gave in.

『Boy: «I don't want to die… I can't die.» 』

The thought emerged with desperation. He wanted to fight, to reject this inevitable fate.

The rain intensified, as if the sky was crying with him. The first tears fell, mingling with the raindrops, a blend of sorrow and resignation.

In his mind, he heard a voice, distant and faint. He murmured his last words before surrendering.

『Boy: «If we could start over… I wouldn't let you go. I'm so sorry.» 』

The sound of rain hitting the ground echoed within him. His pupils darkened completely as his senses faded. Instinct screamed that death was near.

With his last breath, the only thing he heard was an incomprehensible voice, a vague promise he couldn't decipher.

A fleeting hope lingered in his heart, but when the light in his eyes finally dimmed, something changed.

That night, only the light of the moon watched over him.

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From the darkness of the night, the morning sun slowly emerged. The song of birds marked the beginning of a new day.

The clear skies revealed the vast fields and mountains on the horizon.

The flowers glistened with the morning dew as the view extended to the village. It was a place full of medieval-style houses, peaceful and full of life.

A new dawn had begun in that village. And among the old streets, in one of the houses, someone was calling for her father.

A young girl entered through the door. She had long, black hair, eyes as dark as onyx, and fair skin.

She wore a snow-white, long-sleeved shirt, rolled up to her elbows. Below, she had on a wide purple skirt that reached her knees. In her hands, she carried a tray with the breakfast she had prepared.

『???: Good morning, dad. Come, I've made you breakfast. 』

『Dad: Give me a few more minutes. 』

The man responded to his daughter without opening his eyes, still curled up in bed.

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『Daughter: What do you mean, wait? It's almost time to open the shop. 』

Those last words made him react. He slightly opened his eyes and looked at the girl watching him insistently.

『Dad: ...Alright, I'm coming. 』

Seeing the calmness with which her father was acting, the girl couldn't help but grow impatient. She placed the breakfast on a nearby table and let out a frustrated sigh.

『Daughter: I'll do it, but we can't afford to lose customers. 』

Her father, still sitting on the bed with his feet touching the floor, turned his head toward an old clock hanging on the wall.

『Father: Daughter, it's barely six in the morning. Who do you think will be waiting at this hour? 』

In the village, shops and stalls usually opened early, especially in the summer when the abundance of food and goods increased.

Also, the days grew longer, and the workdays stretched out.

『Daughter: Don't complain. Mom always opened the shop at this time, and sometimes there were customers waiting even earlier, you know that. 』

Maybe it was the heat of the sun, the exhaustion from work, a restless night of sleep, or simply the lack of desire to keep up with the routine.

However, none of these excuses fully explained why a father needed his daughter's help to carry on with the daily chores.

『Father: Yes, yes, I know. But let's be honest, that was when your mother, with her beautiful smile and open arms, greeted the customers. Not when a chubby, scruffy guy like me has to do it. 』

The girl's father was an ordinary man. He wasn't particularly tall, nor was he considered attractive.

His appearance showed the passage of time: a middle-aged man with an unkempt beard, marked wrinkles, and deep dark circles under his eyes.

He had black hair and dark brown eyes, and he wore simple clothes, typical of a villager. Looking at them, it was clear that father and daughter didn't share much resemblance.

The young girl had clearly inherited most of her traits from her mother, both in appearance and character, especially her firm and responsible personality.

『Daughter: Don't be ridiculous, dad. Now it's your responsibility to keep the store going. Mom told you that herself. 』

The young girl furrowed her brow and narrowed her eyes as she looked at her father, speaking in a tone that clearly showed her frustration.

『Father: Hey, what kind of way is that to talk to your father? 』

Despite his words, the man didn't seem truly bothered by his daughter's tone. He was more than used to her attitude, so he just made a tired gesture and sighed.

『Daughter: Don't act all offended, lazybones. Is this how you thank me for doing your work and preparing breakfast for you? 』

The girl stuck out her tongue in a playful gesture, winking her right eye.

『Father: Alright, alright. But don't be so quick to cause a fuss at this hour, or you'll disturb the neighbors who are still sleeping. 』

The father's concern about bothering the neighbors seemed more like an excuse to shift his daughter's attention away from him and calm her down.

『Daughter: If anyone has something to say, they can come to our house. 』

With narrowed eyes and arms crossed, the girl clearly showed her confidence, keeping her pride high.

『Father: Lina, you know I love you, but you really need to tone down your attitude. I'm much softer than your mother. 』

Even though the father was trying to be kind and gentle, his daughter sometimes rejected this behavior. Perhaps it was part of the strong-willed character she had developed as she grew up.

When you have children going through a difficult phase, it's often hard for a parent to find the right way to act for their well-being, without letting the weight of that responsibility become overwhelming.

『Daughter: Get up and eat your breakfast. 』

With a cold tone and a serious expression, the girl turned her gaze away from her father, looking toward the door. After taking a few steps, she left the room without saying anything else.

『Father: «Well, I guess I have no choice.» 』

Once outside the house, the girl set about opening the shop, which was a fruit stand. She stretched out the awning that served as a roof over the stall, shielding it from the sun, especially the spot where she would be sitting.

She then brought out the boxes full of fruits, vegetables, and produce they had stored inside the house, arranging them neatly at the stand.

Finally, she sat down in a chair, waiting for a customer to show interest in the day's products.

『Daughter: Oh, good morning, Brenda. 』

Seeing a woman walking toward the stall, the girl raised her hand and greeted her with a light smile.

『Brenda: Good morning, Lina. How is your father? 』

The woman replied in a high-pitched tone with a friendly smile. Noticing that the usual person who attended to customers was absent, she inquired about her father's well-being.

Brenda was a well-known and good friend of Lina's mother, so they had known each other for quite some time.

『Lina: He's fine, just feeling a bit unwell, which is why I'm preparing the stand today. 』

Making up an excuse to justify her father's absence from the shop that morning, Lina forced a small lie and managed a smile that genuinely made her uncomfortable.

Not because she was used to lying, but due to her lack of practice and uncertainty about how to respond in that situation.

So, she improvised something that wouldn't reflect badly on either her or her father in front of the woman.

『Brenda: I see, you're such a lovely and responsible girl; it's clear that you've inherited the best from your mother. 』

The middle-aged woman smiled, noticing that the girl's expression was a bit stiffer than usual, trying to ease the situation.

Lina smiled, but then turned her gaze toward what she had prepared for the stand that day.

『Lina: Would you like to buy something now? 』

『Brenda: No, gracias. Tomorrow is tax day, so I don't think I have enough money to spend right now. 』

Upon hearing this, Lina felt somewhat annoyed; it seemed like one of those days when someone could say she got up on the wrong side of the bed.

『Lina: «If you're not going to buy anything, don't waste my time...» 』

『Brenda: Anyway, tomorrow when I'm done, I promise I'll come by to buy some apples from you. Does that sound good? 』

Brenda used to come every week to buy something from Lina's father.

But this time it would have to be an exception, as every year farmers have to gather a certain amount of money to pay their taxes.

『Lina: That's fine, I'm glad to see you, Brenda, and thank you for your concern. 』

After they both said goodbye, Lina served only one more customer, to whom she sold a small basket of pears.

It was then that Lina's father arrived to talk to her.

『Dad: I told you, there was no need to open so early today. 』

From her father's perspective, Lina was sometimes too proactive in her work.

People also need time to rest, as it is essential for maintaining a good mood and performance in any activity throughout the day.

『Lina: Shut up, don't talk to me; I'm still angry. 』

Turning her gaze away to avoid looking at her father, Lina made a gesture of displeasure and frowned.

『Dad: I see your expression. Well, wait here while I go to the garden shed to get our things. I'll be gone for a couple of hours, so I'm leaving you in charge of the stand, okay, sweetheart? 』

The father approached the girl and gently patted her head. His frown softened, showing the affection he felt for Lina, accompanied by a warm and gentle smile.

『Lina: What are you doing? Why do you keep treating me like a little girl? I'm already sixteen! 』

At that age, Lina was in full development, both physically and mentally.

It was completely normal for her to occasionally go through difficult moments when her mood wasn't as calm as usual, especially due to her mother's absence at home.

『Dad: Yes, but you're still my pretty little girl. 』

『Lina: Don't flatter me and just go already. 』

『Dad: «Well, what can you do?» I'll see you later. 』

The father set aside the stall and noticed Lina looking at him with a displeased expression as she sighed. Then he left for the outskirts of the village to head to his field.

Hours later, after Lina was left alone, fatigue began to take its toll on her.

『Lina: «Now I'm sleepy because of him.» 』

The girl yawned while sitting at the stall, looking away, distracted, as she felt bored and tired.

Suddenly, she heard some fruit falling.

Turning her gaze toward the source of the sound, she saw a boy dressed in black, covered with a dark brown hood and a red checkered scarf.

He was filling a bag with the fruit he had taken. This made Lina widen her eyes, waking from her stupor, and she quickly reacted by grabbing a broom and shouting at him:

『Lina: No, no, no! Wait! 』

Upon hearing her, the boy dropped the fruit he was holding and immediately ran away.

『Boy: ...』

『Lina: Hey, wait! Thief! 』

As she yelled at him, Lina watched how the boy distanced himself, surprised that he could move so fast while carrying such a large bag of fruits and vegetables, which must have weighed between fifteen and twenty kilos, or even more.

She followed him until she reached an intersection, where the boy turned and disappeared from her sight. Lina hurried to cross the corner, but upon arriving at the spot.

She realized he was nowhere to be found.