We all said a prayer, thanking for the meal. Just as we were about to dig in, Granny Chan introduced me to her grandson.

“Aria, this is my grandson, Charlie. Charlie, would you kindly introduce yourself to this lovely young lady?” she asked with a warm smile.

Charlie, sitting straight but relaxed, looked at me and said, “Hi Aria, I’m Charlie Heart, son of Bill and Lily Heart, and grandson of Chan Tzi. I’m currently the caretaker of the inn, and I’m one of the ‘characters’ of this island.” He flashed me a confident smile and extended his right hand for a shake.

I understood most of what he said, but when he mentioned being “one of the characters of the island,” I was a bit lost. What did that mean?

All I could do was smile politely, reach for his hand to shake and say, “Aria Greenfield, 17, city girl.” I felt awkward, and the words sounded odd even to me.

“A city girl?” Charlie repeated, smiling in a way that made it seem like he found it interesting. Before I could say anything more, Granny Chan chimed in, saying, “Alright, before we start explaining all that, let’s fill our stomachs, shall we?”

Nobody objected, and everyone eagerly began helping themselves to the food. The table was filled with a generous spread: corn, rice, two big grilled fish surrounded by neatly sliced green and red tomatoes, onions, and carrots. Two large bowls of hot, sour fish soup sat at the center, alongside small plates of soy sauce mixed with lemon for the grilled fish. Since there were no utensils, we used our bare hands to eat. But before diving in, there was a basin of water set aside where we could wash our hands, ensuring everything felt fresh and clean.

The meal passed quietly as everyone focused on eating. Afterward, I offered to wash the dishes, and Granny Chan nodded approvingly, calling Charlie over while Bill headed off somewhere. I gathered the plates and noticed Granny and Charlie talking quietly on the side. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I had a feeling it was about my situation.

In the kitchen, I got to work scrubbing the dishes. Sky—the chubby, wandering, freaking, cute cat—strolled in, tail swishing as if on a mission to find food. A few moments later, I heard Charlie’s voice calling for him from outside, probably ready to feed the little guy. I stayed focused, carefully washing each dish before putting them in the drawer where the plates and cups were kept.

As I exited the kitchen, I ran into Granny Chan, who approached me with her usual calm smile.

“Aria, dear, Bill and I will have to leave for a while. I’ve explained your situation to Charlie and instructed him to tell you some things. We’ll be back in three days. Don’t worry—you can stay here until you find Marie. It would also be nice if I can have a conversation with her again.”

“Okay, Granny,” I replied with a small nod, trying to process everything.

Around 2:30 PM, Charlie and I accompanied Granny Chan and Bill to the shore, where we said our goodbyes and watched them board the boat. We waved until they were out of sight, the boat shrinking into the distance until it disappeared beyond the horizon. All that remained was the steady rhythm of the waves lapping against the shore, filling the quiet that followed.

“Well, Aria,” Charlie said as we turned back toward the inn, “it looks like you’re in a pretty unique situation.”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

There was a casual friendliness in his voice, but I still reminded myself that he was a stranger. His smile was easygoing, though I couldn’t help but wonder if it was just for show.

“Let’s head back,” he added, motioning toward the path.

And just like that, reality hit me—it’s just the two of us now. Alone in a quiet, spacious inn with no other houses in sight. The thought tugged at the edge of my mind, and I couldn’t help but put my guard up.

As we arrived back at the inn, Charlie asked if I wanted some tea, mentioning he’d try to answer any questions I had. “Tea sounds great,” I replied, grateful for something calming.

While waiting, I settled outside my room to enjoy the peaceful courtyard. Sky, the chubby, adorable cat, decided to join me.

I so wanted to hug him and bury my face in his fluffy fur, but I forced myself to stay composed.

“Meow,” Sky purred softly before plopping onto my lap.

Fudge, the cuteness—it’s too much.

He spotted a butterfly fluttering nearby and attempted to pounce. His chubby body misjudged the timing, though, and he missed, landing clumsily back on my lap. I took a deep breath in and out, trying to keep my cool as I internally squealed at the overload of adorableness.

“Do you like cats, Aria?” Charlie’s voice broke through my bubble of focus. I hadn’t even noticed him approaching. He was carrying a tray with two cups of tea and a plate of biscuits.

Setting the tray down beside me, he sat cross-legged on the ground with an easy smile.

Goodness, the cat and its owner.

Dear God, guard my heart and don’t let it astray. I already have Jared. Amen. I internally prayed and I sighed, trying to shake the thought away. Where do I even start? I had so many questions swirling in my head that I couldn’t decide which one to ask first.

Charlie handed me a cup of tea, and I accepted it with a quiet “Thanks.” Taking a sip, I exhaled softly, appreciating its warmth.

“Is it to your liking?” Charlie asked, his tone casual but his words feeling like he was setting the mood for an interrogation.

The fact that it was just the two of us in this big, quiet inn made me a little nervous. If anything happened, no one would hear my screams—not that I was expecting anything, but still. I steeled myself, hoping to sound normal.

“Yeah, it’s great,” I replied, forcing a smile and hoping I sounded relaxed.

Charlie sipped his tea, eyeing me curiously. “You’re a city girl, huh? What’s it like there?”

I smiled, a bit relieved at the question. “Noisy, a bit polluted, super busy, but there’s always something fun going on.” Then I paused, realizing I might’ve come off as judgmental. “Not that I’m saying this place is boring or anything!” I added quickly, stumbling over my words.

Charlie chuckled, clearly amused. “Relax, Aria. I don’t bite,” he said with an easy smile.

I blushed, quickly taking another sip of tea to hide my embarrassment. Get it together.

Talking to guys my age wasn’t something I was used to, but I had to push myself. I needed to figure out where Aunt Marie was. Then it hit me—oh right, the charger!

“Hey, Charlie,” I started, perking up a bit, “do you happen to have an iPhone charger? My phone’s only got, like, three percent battery left, and I’ve got messages I really need to check.”

“Sure, I’ll check if there’s one. By the way, what kind of charger does your phone need?” Charlie asked, standing up and ready to help.

“A USB Type-C, please,” I replied, trying to sound polite while holding onto hope.

Charlie headed to his room to look for a charger while I waited. Sky, the adorable chubby cat, sauntered off toward its food and water bowl. So that’s why you’re so ridiculously cute, I thought, watching him. Ugh, I forgot to pet him! I internally kicked myself.

A few moments later, Charlie returned and handed me the charger, sitting down beside me. “Here, hope this helps.”

“Dude, man, Charlie, you’re a lifesaver!” I blurted out, thrilled to finally have a charger. The words escaped before I could stop myself. Realizing how overly excited I sounded, I quickly added, “Oh, uh, sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

I saw Charlie’s shocked face and he started chuckling. “Don’t worry about it. I actually like that. It makes it easier to talk to you. I mean... I’m not really sure how to approach girls from the city.” He rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish grin.

His honesty caught me off guard, and I realized Charlie must be feeling just as awkward as I was. That thought relaxed me a bit. To ease the tension, I decided to mentally treat this like I was talking to an old friend. That way, my brain could stay calm, and I wouldn’t overthink or let my heart race unnecessarily.

I glanced down at the charger in my hand, suddenly a question popped into my mind. Wait... do they even have electricity here?

Charlie must have read my thoughts. “Oh, we do have electricity,” he explained, “but we don’t use it for everything. The lamps run on solar energy, and we also use it for the water system in the restrooms.” I was amazed again. Its such an efficient and sustainable setup. Maybe I could suggest this to my parents to help reduce expenses at home.

“Excuse me for a bit, Charlie. I’ll go charge my phone,” I said, preparing to get up. Before I could, Charlie quickly offered to charge it for me and sat down again. There was a brief moment of silence then I thanked him.

Then I decided to ask, “Do you know my aunt, Marie?”

The moment the question left my mouth, I noticed a familiar expression on Charlie’s face—exactly like Granny Chan's when I had asked about her.