Kaizer's POV
The journal was far more difficult to read than I had expected.
I sat alone at the dining table while the afternoon sunlight stretched lazily across the floor, one hand supporting my forehead while the other turned another yellowed page.
The book didn't look particularly old from outside.
Inside, however, was a different story.
The handwriting itself wasn't the problem.
It was the language.
Grandma seemed to have a strange habit of mixing mythology, old folklore references, historical terms, and research notes into a single paragraph.
Half the time I couldn't tell whether she was describing an actual observation or narrating some ancient legend.
I read one paragraph.
Stopped.
Read it again.
Stopped again.
Then sighed.
"This makes absolutely no sense."
The page in front of me contained a long explanation about emotions leaving traces behind.
Or maybe it was discussing memories.
Or perhaps both.
Honestly, I wasn't sure anymore.
I rubbed my eyes and continued reading.
«Fear remains longer than joy.
Loneliness echoes louder than companionship.
Certain inheritances are not visible.»
I stared at the last sentence for several seconds.
Then turned the page.
Nothing.
No explanation.
No continuation.
Just more confusing notes.
I was beginning to understand why people hated research papers.
The sound of a door opening pulled my attention away.
I looked up.
Iris had finally emerged from her room.
She looked like someone who had been abruptly dragged out of hibernation.
Her hair was slightly messy.
Her expression dazed.
And her eyes still half asleep.
"Awake?"
She rubbed one eye.
"Hmm..."
My gaze briefly fell toward her wrist.
The bracelet was there.
I looked away before she noticed.
Without saying anything, she slowly walked toward the chair opposite mine and dropped into it.
Not sat.
Dropped.
Then rested her cheek against the table.
For a moment she looked seconds away from sleeping again.
Honestly, I was getting used to this version of her.
The longer she slept, the lazier she became afterward.
"Want some coffee?"
One eye opened.
"I don't have energy to make it."
A laugh escaped me.
"You just slept half the afternoon."
She groaned dramatically.
"Exactly."
"Where did all that energy go?"
Instead of answering, she lifted her head slightly and looked at me with those ridiculous puppy eyes.
The kind that somehow made people feel guilty for asking reasonable questions.
I sighed.
Then stood.
"I was the one making it."
Immediately, her expression brightened.
A grin appeared.
I shook my head.
Unbelievable.
As I walked toward the kitchen, I could already hear her quietly celebrating her victory.
---
Iris's POV
The smell of coffee had barely begun spreading through the house when the doorbell rang.
I stared toward the entrance for a second.
Kaizer was busy in the kitchen.
That meant I had to answer it.
Truly unfortunate.
I dragged myself toward the door and opened it.
A man stood outside.
Middle-aged.
Well dressed.
Wearing glasses.
He looked slightly surprised to see me standing there.
Then something seemed to click in his head.
"You're Kaizer's housemate?"
His voice sounded familiar.
And then I remembered.
"Oh."
I straightened slightly.
"You are..."
The man smiled.
"Kaizer's uncle."
Right.
The same person who had helped arrange the room when I moved here.
I immediately stepped aside.
"Greetings, sir. Please come in."
"Thank you."
He entered just as Kaizer emerged from the kitchen carrying two cups of coffee.
"Who is—"
His words stopped.
His expression changed instantly.
Not dramatically.
Just enough.
Enough for me to notice.
"See? Your uncle is here."
Before I could continue, Kaizer spoke.
"Why are you here?"
The atmosphere shifted.
Immediately.
His uncle awkwardly scratched the back of his neck.
"Just wanted to meet my nephew."
I looked between them.
Ah.
Family conversation.
Understood.
"Then I'll leave you two to talk."
As I turned, Kaizer called after me.
"Take your coffee."
I awkwardly accepted it.
Meanwhile his uncle was smiling.
Far too knowingly.
I immediately escaped before that smile could become more suspicious.
The moment I entered my room, I closed the door and exhaled.
I had just met his uncle.
Again.
Somehow that felt important.
Even though I had absolutely no reason to think so.
I walked toward the window.
Outside, a small child sat near the neighboring house.
Crying.
Very loudly.
The moment he noticed me looking, he paused.
I waved.
"Hello."
The crying reduced slightly.
Interesting.
I made another silly face.
The boy blinked.
Then laughed.
Victory.
A few more ridiculous expressions later, the crying had completely disappeared.
Only then did I notice another window nearby.
His parents.
Arguing.
Neither had noticed their child sitting outside.
My smile slowly faded.
Then suddenly,
pain exploded through my head.
Sharp.
Unexpected.
I grabbed the windowsill immediately.
The dizziness hit a second later.
For a moment everything blurred.
I closed my eyes tightly.
Breathed.
Waited.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
The pain faded.
When I opened my eyes again, the coffee cup sat nearby.
Still warm.
I picked it up.
Took a small sip.
And somehow...
felt better.
---
Kaizer's POV
The moment Iris disappeared into her room, Uncle looked toward the closed door.
Then back at me.
"You two seem close."
I said nothing.
His smile widened slightly.
"It's good."
Still nothing.
Then he glanced toward the hallway again.
"She resembles someone."
I immediately knew who.
And apparently so did he.
For a moment neither of us spoke.
Then I closed the journal.
"Is there something important?"
"No."
He leaned back.
"I had work nearby."
I waited.
"And?"
"And I came to see my nephew."
"You saw him."
His shoulders dropped slightly.
The smile disappeared.
"You still blame me."
I looked away.
Toward the window.
Toward nowhere.
"Shouldn't I?"
A long silence followed.
Eventually he spoke.
"I was coming that day."
I didn't answer.
"Your mother didn't listen."
Still silence.
"You both were always stubborn."
I knew that.
Logically, I knew that.
There wasn't a single person responsible for what happened.
Not him.
Not her.
Not me.
Yet every time I remembered that day...
the anger returned anyway.
Because anger was easier than grief.
Much easier.
Uncle sighed.
Then suddenly asked,
"Any headaches lately?"
I frowned.
"What?"
His gaze remained fixed on me.
"Voices."
The room became quiet.
I stared at him.
For the first time since he arrived.
Fully stared.
"You know?"
A faint smile appeared.
"Of course I know."
"How?"
"Because your mother—"
His phone rang.
Immediately.
The timing felt almost insulting.
He glanced at the screen.
His expression changed.
Something urgent.
He stood up.
"I have to take this."
"No."
I stood too.
"Finish what you were saying."
"I will."
"When?"
"Soon."
"That's not an answer."
He gave me an apologetic look.
One I hated.
Then moved toward the door.
"Take care of yourself, kid."
And just like that,
he left.
The house became quiet again.
I stared at the closed door for several moments.
Then sat back down.
The journal remained where I had left it.
I opened it.
Turned a page.
And immediately froze.
One sentence had been circled heavily.
Repeated three times.
As if Grandma wanted to make absolutely sure nobody missed it.
«Not every inheritance is visible.»
For some reason,
that sentence bothered me more than everything else in the journal combined.
---
Iris's POV
When I finally came out of my room, the first thing I noticed was that his uncle was gone.
The second thing I noticed was that Kaizer didn't look particularly happy about it.
He was staring at the journal again.
Though judging by his expression, he wasn't reading anymore.
"He left?"
"Hm."
"So quickly?"
"Apparently."
I sat down opposite him.
"What does he even do?"
"Professor."
"Oh."
That explained a lot.
"He seems nice."
Another hum.
Not exactly a conversation.
I tried again.
"Do you have an aunt?"
His eyes lifted.
Immediately.
"No."
"Never?"
"No."
"...Oh."
I looked away.
That sounded like a topic I wasn't supposed to ask about.
The conversation slowly died after that.
And for some reason,
I didn't try reviving it.
Some doors were clearly closed.
---
The café was far less mysterious.
And significantly louder.
The moment I entered, half the staff were gathered around Celine.
The other half were teasing her.
Which meant chaos.
"What's happening?"
One waitress pointed dramatically.
"Manager found a match."
The entire café exploded again.
Celine covered her face.
"I regret listening to all of you."
"No you don't."
"Yes I do."
"You literally smiled yesterday."
"That was unrelated."
The teasing continued.
Meanwhile I quietly escaped before becoming collateral damage.
Later, Grace arrived.
She sat near the window as usual.
Notebook open.
Expression serious.
"My interview is the day after tomorrow."
"The gaming company?"
She nodded.
I smiled.
"You're going to do great."
"What if I don't?"
"Then you'll apply again."
Grace stared.
"That's terrible motivation."
"I know."
For some reason she laughed.
A real one.
Small.
But real.
---
Anya's POV
The bus had to be late now only. I started walking towards the bus stop.
The road felt unusually quiet.
Thunder rolled somewhere above the city.
I tightened my grip on my bag.
Then glanced behind me.
Nothing.
Nobody.
Yet the feeling remained.
Someone was there.
Following.
Watching.
The clouds rumbled again.
My breathing immediately became uneven.
Not because of the road.
Not because of the person.
Because of the thunder.
I hated thunder.
I hated storms.
I hated the memories they carried.
Another deep breath.
Then another.
The feeling behind me remained.
Closer now.
And for the first time in years,
fear slowly began crawling back into my chest.