The wind was cold as Kael walked back into his room. He was very tired and sat on the edge of his bed. Outside, the clear sky was turning dark with heavy clouds.
Suddenly, the air glowed, and Sara appeared right in front of him. Kael did not even blink because he was used to her appearing out of nowhere.
"Do you want to come outside?" he asked quietly.
Kael used his crutches to walk out onto the balcony. He leaned on the railing and felt the cold breeze on his face. Sara stood right next to him and looked out at the sky.
Kael looked at her. "Do you know what a Forgotten Soul is?"
Sara froze. She leaned close and looked very serious. "Are you talking about the Divine Souls?"
Kael nodded slowly. "Yes."
Down in the courtyard below, a small group of Kael's classmates had just arrived to visit him. They stood completely still, staring up at the balcony in silence. One of them lowered the gift box he was holding.
"Guys," one whispered. "I think we just interrupted something."
"But we should still go up," another classmate said, looking at their watch. "We are all busy, and they are too. If we don't see him now, we won't get another chance."
They all agreed, went inside, and walked up to his door. They paused for a moment and then rang the doorbell.
When the door opened, the classmates were shocked. Sara stood there, looking beautiful and mysterious under the light. They just stared at her, completely surprised.
From the living room, Kael called out, "What happened, Sara?"
One of the students shook off his surprise and cleared his throat. "Uh, hi... we are Kael's friends."
Sara stepped aside without saying anything to let them in. When they walked into the living room, they saw Kael sitting at the table with his textbooks. Kael looked up and was surprised to see them. He tried to push himself up from the table, but he struggled. One classmate quickly ran over to help him.
"Whoa, stay down! Don't force yourself," the classmate said, helping Kael stay seated.
Just then, the front door opened again. Renjiro walked into the house. He saw the door open and ran into Sara first.
"Hello, Sara," Renjiro said with a warm smile. "Where is Kael?"
Sara pointed to the living room. Renjiro walked in and smiled when he saw everyone. "Hey, look at this. I'm glad you have company, Kael."
Meanwhile, Sara went into the kitchen to get some drinks. She lined up the glasses but realized she was one short. She walked back into the living room, leaned down near Kael, and whispered quietly, "Kael, is there another glass?"
Kael leaned in to answer. His lips were very close to her ear as he whispered, "It's inside the top cabinet."
Sara stiffened a bit because he was so close, but she quickly hid her surprise and nodded normally. Kael, however, immediately felt embarrassed. He cleared his throat, realizing that the whisper looked way too intimate.
His classmates looked at each other with wide eyes. To them, Kael and Sara looked like a couple.
Sara went back to the kitchen and touched the ear Kael had just whispered into. She shook off the strange feeling, poured the orange juice, and brought the tray out to the guests.
After talking for a few minutes, the classmates started gathering their things. "We'll let you rest now," the leader said, standing up. "Get well soon, man." He patted Kael on the shoulder as he passed by.
When the door closed, Sara sat down right next to Kael.
Renjiro, who had stayed behind, looked at the schoolbooks on the table. "Kael, do you need me to help you study?"
Kael smiled a little and looked at Sara. "Thanks, Renjiro. But Sara is actually helping me right now."
Renjiro grinned and gave a thumbs-up. "Great! Then I'll just help you practice when you get back to school." He waved happily and left.
A little later, the front door opened again, and Kael's mother, Elara, walked in. She smiled softly when she saw Kael and Sara studying together. She sat across from them and looked at her son lovingly. "Are you doing alright, Kael? At least your leg is getting some rest now."
Kael nodded. "I'm okay, Mom. I'll try to get better quickly."
Elara then looked at Sara. "Will you stay for dinner with us, Sara?"
Sara looked down, neatly folding a piece of paper. "I do not get hungry," she said softly. "But... I can still enjoy the taste."
Kael smiled widely. "Yes, she will eat with us, Mom."
"Wonderful," Elara said happily.
When Elara stood up to carry the heavy grocery bags into the kitchen, Sara immediately got up to help. She quietly took the heaviest bags from Elara's hands and helped her cook dinner.
Later that night, Kael's father, Adrian, came home. He took a deep breath. "Something smells amazing. You did a great job tonight, Elara."
Elara came out of the kitchen to greet him, but the sound of running water and dishes continued inside.
Adrian looked at the living room and saw Kael fast asleep on top of his open textbooks. He turned back to Elara and pointed toward the kitchen. "Who is in there?"
Elara smiled softly. "Sara is doing the dishes."
Adrian's eyebrows raised in surprise. He quietly walked into his bedroom and locked the door. Once he was safe inside, he laughed quietly to himself.
"Unbelievable," he muttered, shaking his head. "This is the first time in history that a powerful being is doing house chores."
Back in the living room, Elara sat next to Kael. She gently shook his shoulder to wake him up. "Kael, honey, wake up. You should sleep in your bed."
Kael buried his face deeper into his arms and turned away. "Mmm... just five more minutes, Mom," he mumbled sleepily. "I want to sleep more."