As Lowen made his way down the small path back to Nia's home, he could feel the stress on his body. The weight of the three fish made his body's balance feel awkward and odd. Because of that, he had to constantly readjust his output of ki flow to make up for the opposing weight of over 40 pounds on one side and 20 on the other. As he came upon Nia's home, he was met with Nia just leaving but as soon as her eyes met his, her face immediately flushed red with embarrassment, causing her to rush back inside without a word. 

Walking inside, Lowen saw Nia sitting in a corner acting as though she were busy. Lowen seeing this couldn't help but chuckle inwards. 

Ben noticed Lowen coming in and sat up in a struggling manner. With a smiling face, he greeted him happily. 

"Big brother came back." 

Just as he wanted to say more, he noticed what Lowen was carrying and in excitement he shouted. 

"Fish, big fish!" 

Nia turned to look in curiosity. She had been too embarrassed earlier and hadn't seen them but now noticing them, she started to gulp unconsciously. 

"I thought you two might be hungry so I caught a few fish." 

Nia looked at Lowen in amazement but looking Lowen up and down, she couldn't see a fishing rod or equipment of any kind. She became puzzled by this. 

(Just how did he catch them?) 

Ben was a lot younger so his thoughts were much simpler. He looked up at Lowen with his big brown eyes as though he were a puppy and said in excitement. 

"Big brother is amazing. Can...can we have a little, just a bite, no, no, even a nibble. Ah yes, that's right, big sis, me and big sis will share a nibble, not even a crumb more, so, so, please?" 

Lowen couldn't suppress the surprise on his face. 

(Just how much have these two gone through?) 

With Lowen's pause, Nia and Ben gulped in anticipation. Even though Nia knew Lowen was actually very kind, he had already done so much for them, so how could she ask for even more. She was about to reprimand her brother but Lowen with precision had already tossed all three fish into the copper cooking pot. 

"I'll be staying for a while and since I don't have any money, then I guess I can provide the meals. Well, that is, as long as you guys don't kick me out." 

"No way no way. You'll give us food as long as we let you stay. BIg sis big sis, quickly, say yes, hurry before it's too late." 

Ben's voice was trembling and Nia was lost in thought. 

(He's gonna keep giving us food, just to let him stay in our rundown home.) 

No one wants to admit when their home is in such a deteriorated state but facts were facts. This place that the two called home was nothing more than a broken shack. With Lowen's skill, it seemed he could go out and gather food anytime he wanted. With that, he could stay anywhere in the village as long as he gave out food. Especially now that winter was upon them and scrounging up anything that wasn't already stored away would be extremely difficult but yet, he wanted to stay here with them. 

Nia knew all this was Lowen's kindness. She couldn't comprehend why someone would do so much for strangers. She even questioned if she would have done the same had she been in the situation but reversed. As her thoughts dragged on, her brother's voice suddenly interrupted her. 

"Big sis, why haven't you said yes yet. Big sis, BIG SIS!" 

The last part of Ben's sentence dragged her back into reality. She wished to say yes with the deepest part of her heart but something bugged her. 

"Why are you so nice to us? what is it you really want?" 

Lowen didn't expect a question in return. He pondered for a little bit. 

(I can't tell her that she reminds me of my self when I was her age in my previous life but I don't really want to lie either, hmm.) 

Nia didn't know why Lowen seemed to be hesitating. She wondered why this kid acted so mature sometimes but remembering what happened earlier at the river, she shook her head silently. Throwing those thoughts to the back of her mind. 

"Honestly?" 

Lowen's look suddenly changed. Looking over her small freckled face, he then stared deeply into Nia's dark brown eyes and as he stared, Nia noticed his gaze as well. She didn't know why but his purple eyes suddenly seemed so mesmerizing. She couldn't help but become slightly nervous as she repeated his words back to him. 

"Honestly?" 

Lowen paused for a moment before he spoke with sincerity. 

"Well..... the truth is...I like you." 

Although Lowen said this, it wasn't that kind of like. It was the kind of feeling you had for a friend. Someone that has experienced similar things as you have. He understood how she felt in her desperate situation. So in a sense, he did like her but in no way was it something like love. But Nia didn't know any of that and immediately her words jumbled together. 

"Wha.. wha.. what, you, I, what." 

On the outside, Lowen's face showed nothing but sincerity but on the inside, he was chucking up a small storm. 

(Hahaha. For some reason its just too much fun to tease her.) 

Meanwhile, Ben had no clue what was going on but that didn't stop him from putting in his own words. 

"Big bro likes Big sis, haha me too, I like big sis a whole whole lot, I like her this much." 

Ben opened his arms stretching them as much as he could to show how much he liked his sister. Nia came back from her thoughts, she started feeling shy again. As her face turned red, she looked away from Lowen and refuted Ben's words. 

"Ben, not that kind of like." 

But Ben misunderstood and simply tried to stretch his arms even wider to prove how much he liked his big sister. Seeing this, Lowen and Nia broke out into laughter. They couldn't help it, little Ben's confusion was just too cute. 

Nia's mood returned to normal, she smiled at Lowen and thought. 

(Why am I feeling embarrassed, he's just a kid.) 

Nia shook her head in understanding. 

(He's probably just messing with me. This kid is too strange but he does seem sincere and he's only been kind to me and helped me.) 

When everyone turned their backs on Nia and her brother. When they called her a traitor and when they stared daggers in her back and nearly let her and her brother starve to death. So many nights her and her brother's stomach ached in pain. So many nights they curled up in the freezing cold and so many nights she cried herself to sleep. After a year of that torment, she had thought the only person she could ever believe in or trust was her little brother but now, although she didn't know him for very long at all, a small place opened in her heart. She was ready to trust again, to care again but not for her fellow villagers, not for the elders and not for the village chief but instead for this stranger. This young boy who also lost his parents, yet still he could be so caring and so kind. for him, she would slowly open up her heart. 

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Lowen didn't know what Nia was thinking nor the complex way her emotions were fluxing at this very moment but he did know one thing. Lowen looked at the two siblings. 

"Nia, Ben...lets eat." 

Nia smiled at Lowen and whispered. 

"o..ok." 

Ben couldn't tell what was going on, but hearing his big sisters answer, his face took on a questioning gaze. 

"Big sis big sis, does that mean he can stay?" 

Nia gave a warm nod. 

Ben, on the other hand, began to shake with excitement. he slowly tried to stand up and as he did, Nia quickly came to her brother's side helping him. 

"Big bro does that mean, does that mean." 

Ben paused for a moment, looking between the copper pot and Lowen several times, his mouth began to leak with drool before finally, with all seriousness he said. 

"Does that mean we can eat now?" 

Nia and Lowen started howling in laughter. 

(This boy, I like how straightforward he is.) 

Lowen gave a nod. 

"Sure, I don't see why not." 

Ben began to cheer happily. Even though he was incredibly weak at the moment, his body seemed to be as energized as the sun. 

"Lowen, since you went and caught the fish, I'll cook it. I can make a simple fish soup, it won't be very flavorful but it will definitely fill us up. 

"No big sis, not plain fish soup." 

As soon as he said it, Ben felt guilty; He knew how precious it was for him to have fish, especially after such a long time. He knew that each meal was important as it depended on survival but he was still a kid. Ben's face saddened a bit. For him having fish wasn't the problem, It was the no flavor part that upset him. Ever since he had recovered slightly, his appetite came back in full force. For him to go from the sweet and tart flavor of the snowberry drink from last night to plain fish soup today, it felt like torture to him. 

Lowen pondered for a bit, a plain tasting fish soup didn't really bother him but Nia and Ben seemed like they wanted some flavor, so a simple solution came to mind. 

"How about I trade one of these fish to one of your neighbors for some vegetables, maybe I can even get a little salt." 

Ben began nodding his little head in approval. 

"Yay, no plain soup." 

However, Nia was hesitating. 

"No Lowen, ill go instead, you've already done so much for us." 

"Hmm, but if you go, won't the villagers just scowl at you like they did yesterday and not make a trade." 

Nia had thought of that too but she was more determined now. She wouldn't let the villagers keep her down any longer. Even if they didn't agree to trade, she would still look them all in the eyes. From now on, she would gather her courage and believe in her self. 

"Even though they didn't let me buy food from them yesterday, that might have been because I tried using some money." 

Lowen was confused by her words but then Nia continued. 

"Out here, we are basically in the middle of nowhere. Although money has value in towns and cities, here it means almost nothing. People want things they can use or eat, so if I show them this fish, they then know for a fact that they can feed their family. So I think they might trade with me, even if I'm considered a ...." 

Nia stopped herself, unable to finish her sentence. The village may call her a traitor, but she knew in her heart she did nothing wrong. Lowen though was feeling a bit pissed. 

(So Chief Roland gave her money even though he knew it was useless, I may have overestimated him.) 

Lowen wanted to insist that he go instead but seeing the determined look in Nia's eyes he felt that everything should be fine. 

"Ok, but don't get your self into trouble and make sure you come straight back afterward." 

Nia laughed and said. 

"I'm the older one shouldn't I say that?" 

"Haha, yes yes, that was just a small joke. Uh, aren't you going?" 

Nia laughed again. 

(This boy is just so weird sometimes.) 

With that thought, she grabbed one of the 20-pound fishes. 

(How did he carry 2 of these in one hand? it's so heavy!) 

Carrying it in both her arms, the fish became much lighter, after that, she left to make a trade with her neighbors. 

With Nia gone, Ben stared at Lowen, his eyes filled with curiosity. Lowen, however, felt a little uncomfortable, he hadn't been stared at by someone like this in a long while. He suddenly realized how hard it would be to hold a conversation with a child of 5 years old. He didn't even know what 5-year-olds liked to talk about. He wondered if he should say something or wait for Ben to say something. But as the atmosphere grew awkward, Ben suddenly started to cough and began to fall. Lowen using his Shadow Steps rushed over and caught him before he hit the ground. 

Ben lying in Lowen's arms recovered and signaled for something to drink. Lowen sat him up gently and poured Ben some water. After Ben drank the water he returned to normal. His body was still weak and all the excitement had gotten to him but now he felt better. After seeing that Ben was fine, Lowen poured himself some water and began to have a drink. He wanted to ask Ben about the village but reconsidered it. Ben seemed to have been sick for a while and he was only 5, he probably wouldn't know much. Once more a silence took over. Ben again stared at Lowen before he suddenly came to a realization and asked. 

"Big brother, since your staying, does that mean your gonna marry big sis." 

Lowen was caught completely off guard and instantly spat his water out. As he was facing Ben, it went all into Ben's face and with that, Ben broke out into loud tears.