The woman and the man exchanged a glance, their expressions a mix of concern and confusion. I was sobbing uncontrollably, my face buried in the woman’s shoulder. They didn’t know what to do, but they could tell I’d been through something unimaginable. The man shifted uncomfortably, glancing around as if expecting someone to intervene. The woman, however, held me tighter, her hand gently patting my back.
“It’s okay,” she whispered. “Let it out.”
After what felt like an eternity, my sobs subsided into shaky breaths. I pulled away, my face red and tear-streaked, and looked at the ground, embarrassed. The woman crouched down to my level, her voice soft but firm.
“Do you have somewhere to go?” she asked.
I didn’t answer, but the way my shoulders slumped and my eyes avoided hers told her everything she needed to know. The man leaned in, whispering to her.
“We should take him to the police. Or child services. They’ll know what to do.”
The woman shook her head, cutting him off. “Look at him. He’s exhausted. His clothes are torn, and he’s clearly been through something traumatic. If we take him to the police now, they’ll just bombard him with questions. He needs rest first.”
The man hesitated, glancing at me. “But… what if he’s dangerous? We don’t even know who he is.”
The woman gave him a look that said, Really?
“Look at him. Does he look dangerous to you? He’s just a kid. And… I don’t know why, but I feel like I can trust him. He looks… familiar.”
The man sighed, knowing better than to argue with her when she got that tone. “Alright, fine. But if he steals our stuff, I’m blaming you.”
The woman rolled her eyes and turned back to me.
“Would you like to come to our house? It’s big enough for four people, but it’s just the two of us. You can rest there for a while.”
I blinked, surprised. “Why… why are you helping me? You don’t even know me.”
The woman smiled, ignoring my question. “It’s settled, then. You’re coming with us.”
I shook my head, backing away. “I don’t want to be a burden. I’ll… figure something out.”
“Nonsense,” she said, grabbing my wrist with surprising strength. “You’re coming with me, whether you like it or not.”
I blinked, startled. The man chuckled dryly. “Give up, kid. When she gets like this, even God can’t change her mind. Trust me—you don’t wanna see her actually angry.”
I hesitated, but the woman was already dragging me toward their car.
---
The House
The house was a cozy two-story cottage with ivy crawling up the walls. My chest tightened as we stepped inside—the smell of lavender and old wood was achingly familiar. The woman nudged me forward, her tone brisk but kind.
“Bathroom’s down the hall. Guest room’s upstairs. Kitchen’s stocked, so help yourself if you’re hungry.” She paused, tilting her head.
“What’s your name, anyway?”
“Shinra,” I said quietly.
She smiled. “I’m Hana. This grumpy lump is Ren.”
Ren grunted, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed. My pulse quickened. Hana. My grandmother’s name. I forced myself to stay calm.
“And your… last name?” I asked, feigning casualness.
Hana raised an eyebrow. “Why?”
I gestured vaguely. “Just… curious. Is it… Nishi?”
Hana froze. Ren straightened, his hand drifting subtly toward his waistband—where I now noticed the grip of a pistol tucked into his jeans.
“How do you know that?” Hana asked, her voice icy.
I swallowed. “Lucky guess?”
Hana and Ren shared a look. Without a word, Hana plastered on a smile.
“Let’s finish the tour! You’ll love the storage room—very cozy.”
Ren stepped forward, blocking the exit as Hana herded me toward a narrow door under the stairs.
---
The Trap
The storage room was pitch-black until Hana yanked a pull-chain light. Dust motes swirled around shelves stacked with boxes labeled Wedding Stuff and Ren’s Junk.
“Cute, right?” Hana said, her cheerfulness forced. “Plenty of space!”
I turned to leave, but Ren was already slamming the door. The lock clicked.
“What the—? Let me out!” I shouted, pounding on the door.
“Who are you, and how do you know my name?”
I leaned against the door, my mind racing.
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“I… I can explain. Just… please don’t call the cops.”
“Why not?” the woman asked. “If you’ve got nothing to hide, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”
I took a deep breath. “Because… I don’t exist here. Not legally, anyway.”
There was a pause. Then the woman’s voice came again, sharper this time. “What do you mean, you don’t exist?”
I slid the notebook from my backpack under the door. “Look at this. It’s… it’s a record of lottery numbers, casino wins, sports bets—everything. I’m from the future.”
The woman laughed, but it was a nervous laugh. “Yeah, right. And I’m the queen of England.”
I pressed my forehead against the door.
“Please. Just… give me a chance. Look at the numbers. Buy a few lottery tickets. If I’m lying, you can call the cops. But if I’m telling the truth… you’ll know.”
There was another pause, longer this time. Then the woman sighed. “Fine. But if this is some kind of scam, you’re in big trouble.”
---
The Proof
A few hours later, the woman returned to the storage room. She opened the door just enough to slide a plate of food and a glass of water inside, all while holding a gun aimed at me. I looked up at her, my expression a mix of hope and fear.
“Did you…?” I started to ask.
The woman didn’t answer. She just closed the door and locked it again.
I sat down, picking at the food. I couldn’t help but smile. Even locked in a storage room, my grandmother was still looking out for me. I remembered how much I’d loved her growing up, how she’d always been there for me.
As I nibbled on the sandwich she’d given me, I noticed a box labeled Ren’s Junk nearby. Curiosity got the better of me, and I peeked inside. It was filled with old action figures, comic books, and… a pair of neon-green socks with cartoon frogs on them. I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Grandpa Ren had a wild side, huh?
Grandpa and Grandma were really nice people. I was acting suspiciously and I understand that but... They definitely have some other reasons to lock me up as soon as they noticed that I was acting weird.
And then I remembered something else—something important.
I jumped to my feet and banged on the door. “Hey! I need to tell you something!”
The woman opened the door a crack, her expression wary. “What now?”
I took a deep breath.
“You have a scar on your left shoulder. You got it when you fell from the second floor of your parents’ house as a kid. You had to have surgery, and you used to hide the scar because you were self-conscious about it. But later, you embraced it. You told me that it was a reminder to be yourself, no matter what.”
The woman’s eyes widened. She stepped back, her hand instinctively touching her shoulder. Before she could say anything, her fiancé burst into the room, his face pale and sweaty.
“You’re not going to believe this,” he said, holding up a stack of lottery tickets.
“I bought 15 tickets based on the numbers in that book. And… I won. All 15.”
The woman stared at him, then at me, her mind racing. Finally, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Who are you?”
I looked at her, my eyes filled with emotion.
“I’m your grandson... from the future.”
---
The Aftermath
Hana and Ren exchanged a long, silent look before finally lowering the gun and stepping aside. I stumbled out of the storage room, my legs stiff from sitting for hours. I took a deep breath of fresh air, relieved to be out of the cramped space.
“So,” I said, breaking the tension, “how much did you win?”
Ren blinked, then grinned.
“Five 100k lotteries and ten 1-million-dollar ones. Total? 10.5 million bucks. In one night.”
I whistled. “Not bad for a first try.”
Hana, still visibly shaken, crossed her arms.
“I’m a doctor, Shinra. I have a mini-lab in the basement. I can run a DNA test and find out if you’re lying. This is your last chance to come clean.”
I met her gaze steadily. “I’m not lying.”
Hana sighed, then grabbed my arm. “Come on, then. Let’s settle this.”
As we descended into the basement, I winced as Hana plucked a strand of my hair. “Ow! That hurts!”
Hana rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. You’re from the future, but a little hair-pulling is too much for you?”
I rubbed my head, muttering, “Future or not, I still have nerves, you know.”
Ren chuckled, leaning against the wall. “Kid’s got a point, Hana. Be gentle.”
Hana ignored us both, already focused on the DNA samples. She worked quickly, her hands moving with practiced precision. Ren and I tried to get her attention, but she was in full scientist mode, barely noticing our existence.
Ren shrugged and turned to me. “Ice cream?”
I blinked. “What?”
“Ice cream,” Ren repeated, heading for the kitchen.
“You look like you could use some sugar. And I could use a break from all this drama.”
I followed, still wary but grateful for the distraction. As Ren scooped vanilla ice cream into bowls, he glanced at me, his tone light but his eyes serious.
“Just so you know,” Ren said, “if you try anything funny, I’ll shoot you. No hard feelings.”
I froze mid-bite. “Uh… noted.”
Ren laughed, clapping me on the back. “Relax, kid. I’m just messing with you. Mostly.”
Despite the threat, I couldn’t help but smile. There was something about Ren—something familiar and comforting, even if he was holding a gun earlier.
---
The Truth
An hour later, Hana burst into the kitchen, her face pale and her hands trembling. “It’s a match,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Shinra, Ren, and I… we’re family. Close family. Parents or grandparents, the test indicates.”
Ren dropped his spoon, his jaw hanging open. I looked between them, my heart pounding.
Hana sank into a chair, her hands covering her face. “I… I don’t even know where to start.”
Ren recovered first, his usual humor returning. “Well, this explains why you looked so familiar, kid. Guess you’re stuck with us now.”
I managed a small smile. “I don’t mind.”
Hana looked up, her eyes glistening with tears.
“You’re exhausted, Shinra. We’ll save the questions for later. For now, let’s just… eat.”
We finished our ice cream in silence, the weight of the revelation hanging in the air. When it was time for bed, Hana and Ren walked me to the guest room.
As they turned to leave, I called out, “Don’t you have questions for me? Why I came from the future, or why I… why I cried for my mother?”
Ren paused, then shook his head. “The questions can wait. You’ve had a long day. Get some rest.”
---
The Night
A few hours later, Ren woke up to find Hana’s side of the bed empty. He found her sitting next to my bed, tears streaming down her face as she held my bruised hand.
“Poor boy,”
she whispered.
“What kind of fate did he suffer to come running back all the way here? And I… I locked him up like a criminal. All he wanted was love, and I—”
Ren knelt beside her, his hand on her shoulder. He looks into her eyes, no words exchanged. Yet she knew exactly what he meant. “It’s not your fault,”
Hana leaned into him, her sobs muffled against his chest. Ren held her tightly, his eyes fixed on my sleeping face.
“We’ll figure this out,” Ren murmured...
“Together.”
---
End of Chapter 3
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