In the midst of a dense forest, a young boy was running with all his might. His reddish-brown hair was soaked by the rain, and his hazel eyes were filled with exhaustion. He couldn’t endure any longer. The fierce winds howled around him, and in the distant horizon, something appeared between the trees—a gap in the mountains, an opening that looked like a cave. He staggered toward it, each step heavy as if his body was on the verge of collapse. 

At last, he reached the entrance of the cave and fell to the ground from exhaustion, surrendering to a deep sleep despite the cold and the rain. 

When the sun rose the next day, the boy woke to sunlight streaming through a narrow opening in the cave's ceiling. He found himself lying at the cave entrance, astonished that he hadn’t been discovered. He wondered, "Why haven’t they found me?" 

He added, “Calm down, Aiden, you have to hold yourself together if you want to survive.” He climbed down, took off his backpack, and changed his damp clothes, which had grown uncomfortable after hours of running. 

Inside the cave, he noticed a small pool of clear water surrounded by smooth stones, reflecting the sunlight in a magical way. The water was utterly still, as if time itself had paused. He decided to freshen up and regain his strength. Once finished, he donned his fresh clothes and went back to his backpack lying near the cave entrance. 

But suddenly, he heard faint footsteps behind him. He stepped back slowly, only to find himself facing the pool, which had now completely dried up. The water had vanished as if it had never been there. As he turned to reach for his bag, his body froze when he saw something unexpected. 

Standing behind him was a figure identical to himself—the same reddish-brown hair, the same hazel eyes, gazing at him with an unflinching expression. 

Stolen novel; please report.

Aiden and his doppelganger exchanged silent looks as the air around them grew heavier, and time seemed to freeze in that moment. 

Aiden held his breath, waiting for the figure to speak, but it remained silent. Frustrated, Aiden finally asked, “Who are you? Why do you look like me? And what’s with that strange star on your neck?” Aiden questioned as he approached, his tone sharp and demanding. 

The figure completely ignored him, standing still without any reaction. Aiden felt his frustration grow. "What’s your problem, you freak?" he sneered as he stepped closer. 

But just as he moved within arm’s reach, he was startled by a sudden impulse. Without thinking, he took out a knife and stabbed the figure in the stomach, muttering, "Whatever you are, I don’t want to deal with you." 

Yet as the blade entered the figure, Aiden felt a bizarre sensation, almost as if he’d stabbed himself. “How strange… stabbing someone who looks exactly like me feels like I’m stabbing myself,” he whispered to himself, watching the figure’s face contort in pain, its eyes welling up with tears. 

With a hint of sarcasm, Aiden said, “That’s not what I expected… you look like a kid who’s just been yelled at.” He slowly withdrew the knife, observing the figure, curious about its reaction. But, to his surprise, the wound started to heal instantly, the stomach returning to normal as if it had never been pierced. 

The figure stumbled backward, fear evident in its eyes, and sat down in a corner of the cave, watching Aiden with a mixture of wariness and astonishment. 

Aiden looked on, amazed by what he had just witnessed. "It seems you're not dangerous, and stabbing you doesn’t seem to do anything," he said as he sat down nearby, studying the creature in silence. 

After a moment’s thought, Aiden reached into his backpack and pulled out a set of spare clothes. Kneeling next to the creature, he said, “You can’t go around in just your underclothes, right?” The creature remained motionless but watched Aiden curiously. With care, Aiden dressed the creature himself, feeling a strange sympathy despite his unease. 

Once done, Aiden took a piece of bread from his bag and began eating. He noticed the creature watching him with hungry eyes, so he tossed it another piece and said, "Stop staring. Here, take this." 

The creature moved toward the bread hesitantly, bending down to sniff it before taking a small bite. Its eyes widened in delight, and a childlike smile spread across its face, as if tasting something wonderful for the first time. 

Amused, Aiden remarked, "Odd creature… I'll call you 'Freak.' That name suits you." Seeing the creature’s innocent reaction made him feel unexpectedly calm, as if he'd gained an unexpected companion. 

Once he had finished eating, Aiden stood up, ready to leave the cave. As he stepped toward the exit, he noticed "Freak" trailing behind him, as though reluctant to be left alone. Aiden turned to him, saying, “Really? You’re following me now?” 

He continued walking. "Freak" followed him closely, moving like a loyal shadow.