Shin rushed from the balcony into the kitchen. Even in his panic, his movements were so precise and swift that no one could guess he was blind.

He threw open the kitchen door and shouted, "Talia, what happened?"

Through the pain, Talia cried out, "N-No, Dad, stop! You'll hurt yourself!"

Shin couldn't make sense of the situation but moved forward, following the sound of her voice.

"No, Dad!" *sob* "Th-The broken glass, you’ll cut yourself too," Talia sobbed, her voice breaking as she cried.

Shin froze, trying to understand the chaos around him. He smelled noodles—his lunch, now ruined. Talia must’ve woken up and tried to eat, only to knock over the bowl.

Focusing on the task at hand, he hurried to a nearby closet, grabbing the broom and dustpan. His movements were measured as he swept the shattered glass. Once the path was clear, he carefully scooped Talia into his arms, cradling her gently.

He carried her to her room and sat her on the bed. His hands moved with practiced care, feeling her feet for the source of her pain. It didn’t take long to find the deep cut on her right foot.

"Okay, sweetie," Shin said softly, "let’s get you cleaned up."

Talia winced as he carefully removed the small shards embedded in her skin. Her cries grew quieter, though tears still streamed down her cheeks.

"Is there more glass, or are you hurt anywhere else?" Shin asked, trying to soothe her.

"N-No, Dad, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to—" Her voice broke again, and she started sobbing.

"Shh," Shin whispered, "it’s okay. Daddy’s going to patch you up, and then we’ll head to the doctor, alright?"

Talia nodded weakly, her sobs quieting.

Shin applied antiseptic to the wound and wrapped her foot in a bandage, his touch light but firm. "There. We’ve stopped the bleeding. The doctor will check it out, but you’re going to be fine."

"O-Okay, Dad," she whispered.

After tucking her into bed, Shin returned to the kitchen to clean up the rest of the mess. As he swept up, his foot landed on something wet. He knelt down and touched the floor—it was Talia’s blood, more than he’d noticed before.

A chill crawled up his spine. **I was too careless. Was the wound deeper than I thought?**

Then, a sinister voice echoed inside his mind: **Ke ke ke ke, not deeper than the wounds you gave her.**

Shin's hand tightened around the broom handle. He tried to push the voice away, but it only grew louder. His heart pounded as he rushed back to Talia’s room. She had fallen asleep, tears still streaking her face.

He checked her bandaged foot—thankfully, the bleeding had stopped. Relief flooded through him as he gently lifted her in his arms, carrying her to the hospital.

In the waiting room, Shin’s anxiety grew. His mind raced with dark thoughts as he waited, clutching his daughter close. When their turn finally came, the nurse called out, "Mr. Wu? You can come in."

Shin hurried into the examination room, where Doctor Friedrich Sanchez greeted them warmly. "How’s little Talia today?" he asked, but his eyes fell on her bandaged foot. "What happened?"

"She stepped on broken glass," Shin replied. "I think it was deep. Please, check her."

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The doctor nodded and carefully unwrapped the bandages. But as the last layer fell away, his expression shifted from concern to confusion.

"Mr. Wu," Friedrich said slowly, "I don’t see any injury here."

Shin frowned. "What do you mean? She was bleeding!"

The doctor held up Talia’s foot. "There’s no wound, no sign of trauma. Are you sure you didn’t mistake something else for blood? Maybe some ketchup or sauce?"

Shin’s breath caught. He grabbed Talia’s foot himself, his hands trembling. It was flawless—there was no wound, no blood, no trace of injury.

"I swear... there was glass... she was bleeding..."

The doctor sighed, resting a hand on Shin’s shoulder. "It’s possible you were just overwhelmed. Accidents happen, but there’s no harm done here. Her foot is perfectly fine."

Shin nodded, his mind swirling with confusion. He apologized quickly, picking up Talia, who had slept through the commotion. They left the hospital, but his thoughts were far from settled.

Back home, after putting Talia to bed, Shin sat in his study, trying to piece it all together. **What just happened?** His hands shook as he rubbed his temples.

"I need to be sure."

He went to Talia’s room and began chanting in an ancient tongue, his fingers tracing symbols on her stomach. The air around him crackled with energy, and soon a glowing red circle appeared on her skin, filled with complex markings.

Everything seemed normal—until Shin noticed a faint crack running through part of the incantation, glowing with a faint blue light.

His face darkened. "A crack?"

Quickly, he chanted a sealing spell, closing the fissure. When the ritual was complete, he gently brushed a hand through Talia’s hair.

"You’re stronger than I thought," he whispered.

Leaving her room, he retreated to his study. The silence was deafening, but inside his mind, the voice returned.

**Ke ke ke ke, she’s getting stronger. Soon, she’ll remember everything.**

Shin slammed his fist against the desk. "I might have to use a stronger seal."

The voice crackled with laughter. **Don’t even think about it. If her body rejects it, her mind will shatter.**

Shin buried his face in his hands. "What am I going to do?"

Before he could spiral further, the doorbell rang. His body tensed.**Who is it now** He hurried to the door and peeked through the peephole.

It was Grandpa Max, his elderly neighbor.

Shin exhaled and opened the door. "Good evening, Mr. Beth. What brings you here?"

"I saw you carrying Talia earlier. Everything alright?" Grandpa Max asked, concern in his voice.

"She’s fine now," Shin replied, forcing a smile. "Just a small accident in the kitchen."

Grandpa Max smiled kindly and handed him a box. "My wife made some apple pies for her. They’re her favorite."

Shin accepted the box gratefully. "Thanks, she’ll love them."

Take care of her. I have to go help my wife," Mr. Beth said as he started to leave.

"Oh, Mr. Beth, I am having some drinks. Care to join me for a moment?" Shin was grateful for their care for Talia, so he wanted to show some appreciation.

Grandpa’s face lit up with joy. "Ha ha! You know how to make an old man happy! You know how hard it is for me to drink with my wife always on my tail."

Shin put the pies in the fridge, brought some beer to the living room, and both of them started drinking together.

They sat down with beers in hand, sharing stories and laughter. But then, Grandpa Max’s tone shifted.

"Shin, have you ever thought about remarrying? Raising Talia on your own is tough, and with your... condition, it’s only going to get harder."

Shin stared into his glass, troubled. "I don’t know if Talia could accept someone else as her mother. And finding a woman who’d accept her... and me... I just don’t see it happening."

Grandpa Max sighed. "Don’t sell yourself short. You’re a good man, Shin. And plenty of people are willing to accept others despite their struggles. Not to mention your good looks are enough to even attract a princess. Oh isn't Ms. Fiona almost the same age as you, you should give her a try she seems interested in you." Grandpa Max laughed.

Shin almost choked on his beer. "Mr. Beth, you’re going too far. Why would she marry a widower with a kid?"

Grandpa Max laughed. "I was joking, lad. But I hope you consider remarrying. After all, a kid needs both a mother’s and a father’s love."

**He’s just like that old character in a novel or movie who always approaches the single parent to remarry**, Shin thought to himself.

Shin chuckled nervously. "Maybe, but I don't have high hopes."

Grandpa Max grinned. "You might be surprised."

Suddenly, Grandpa’s face twisted. His voice distorted."But then again, who would want to marry a vile creature like you?"

Shin froze, confused. "Excuse me?"

Shin then noticed a smell, it was a familiar smell and his face darkened, blood started to trickle from both of his eyes, he wanted to do something but suddenly a tentacle ripped apart his stomach and he fell on the ground coughing up blood.

**No I let my guard down** Shin thought with a look of horror on his face.

Grandpa Max’s skin began to peel away, his eyes turning yellow, pupils slitting like a snake’s. "You thought you could escape your evil deeds, didn’t you? Ke ke ke ke But now it’s time to pay for your sins."

Horns sprouted from his head, and his body swelled in sizes, grabbing Shin with monstrous strength.

"No, this can’t be real! It can-"

*Crunch.*

The devil ripped Shin’s head apart and munched on it.