" Vali... Lucian? " Jay said, raising his brows.
" Yeah, is there something wrong with that? " It seems like Vali realized that Jay doubting his identity.
" Nah, it's just that you doesn't seems like a kid from around here. That silver hair especially. " Jay said, pointing towards Vali hair. He then continued, " But you speak romanian fluently... That's rather peculiar. "
Vali flinched a little bit when Jay mentioned about his way of speaking earlier. Jay then silent for a moment, doesn't know what action he should take. But as the silent continued, suddenly there is a grumbling sound came from Vali's stomach. He flushed in embarassment as he trying to hide the fact that he is hungry.
" Well... If you want to go get some food, follow me. " Jay said, he doesn't know yet what's he gonna do about this boy named Vali, but he definitely knows that Vali isn't an ordinary person. He maybe someone in a runaway, only god knows.
' For now, i'm gonna take him to the orphanage first. Then after that, i'm gonna ask about that earthquake earlier. ' He thought.
" Let's go. " And as he said that, Jay then walking to get out of the forest.
Vali is hesitant whether he follow Jay or not, and after a few seconds he then stepped forward and walking behind the black-haired boy that he just meet to go get some food. He staring at Jay's back and thought.
' For now i'm gonna follow him, i don't sense any lies from his words. My top priority right now is to know my location. '
And just like that, the fated encounter that will decide the fate of the supranatural worlds is happened in the middle of nowhere.
***
" I'm back. " Jay said as he was entering the Orphanage followed by Vali behind. After herding back the cows to their shed, he then accompanying Vali into the orphanage.
" You said that your'e living in Orphanage, but i don't see anyone in here? " Vali said as he was looking around.
" It's time for daily biblical lecture with sister, so everyone is in the chapel right now until noon. That's why it's so quiet here. "
" You are not attending the lecture? " Vali asked.
" Simply put, I don't believe in religions. "
" I see... " Vali just silent, having no intention to elaborate into that topic.
They both finally arrived in the dinner table, and there is only one piece of boiled potato on top of that table.
" Well, its nothing fancy but i would say a boiling potato with sprinkle of salt could be a pretty decent breakfast, don't you think so? " Jay said as he handing the potato to Vali.
Vali looked at the potato in his hand for a moment.
" You wait here, I'm gonna get you some clothes for you to wear. " Jay said.
" Wait, but what about you? You said that you haven't eat your breakfast. Just a second, let me cut it in half. " Vali said but before he doing it Jay opened his mouth.
" Don't worry about me, i don't usually eat breakfast. You can have all of it. " He said as he walking out of the dining room leaving Vali alone on his thoughts.
Vali just standing there like a statue, failed to processing what he just experienced. A sincere kindness is a strange thing for him.
***
"So, guys. This is Vali."
All eyes turned toward the silver haired boy standing beside Jay. The reactions were mixed.
Some stared at him openly, curiosity written all over their faces. Others looked indifferent, clearly more interested in whatever they were doing before being interrupted. One or two simply tilted their heads, trying to figure out whether this strange boy was important or not.
Jay, on the other hand, was smiling far too proudly. The kind of upright grin that will put Archangel Gabriel to shame. Vali immediately felt even more awkward.
He scratched the back of his head. "Um… hello. I'm Vali. I…"
"Are you bleaching your hair?" The blunt question cut him off instantly.
Vali froze. The voice belonged to a chubby boy around ten years old, pointing directly at Vali's head with an expression of genuine curiosity.
"Andrei," Elena snapped, immediately hitting him on the head, "that's rude."
"Ow," Andrei muttered. "I was just asking."
Elena sighed, then turned to Vali. She studied him closely, her sharp gaze lingering just a bit too long. Vali shifted uncomfortably.
"Sorry," she said. "We don't get visitors often."
Jay cleared his throat. "Alright, since we're doing this properly, let me introduce everyone."
He pointed at Elena first. "This is Elena. She's the oldest here. Fifteen years old. Acts like everyone's mom."
"I do not," Elena protested.
"You do," several voices replied at once. She clicked her tongue but didn't deny it.
Jay continued. "Those two over there are Iacob and Ilie."
Two identical boys looked up from the floor at the same time. They were clearly twins. Same hair. Same face. Same mischievous grin.
"I'm Iacob," one of them said. "And I'm Ilie," the other added.
They switched places when no one was looking.
Vali blinked. "You're identical."
"That's the point," they said in unison.
Jay nodded. "They're inseparable. Also trouble."
"Hey," Iacob said. "We prefer creative."
Jay ignored him and gestured toward a small girl hiding behind Elena's leg.
"And this little one is Mihea. She's the youngest."
Mihea peeked out shyly, clutching Elena's sleeve.
She waved with two fingers. "Hello…"
Vali lowered himself slightly so he wouldn't seem intimidating. "Hi."
Mihea smiled, then immediately hid again.
Jay pointed toward a boy sitting near the wall, quietly watching everything unfold.
"That's Filip," Jay said. "He's shy. Don't expect him to talk much."
Filip flinched when his name was called. He nodded once, eyes dropping back to the floor.
Vali nodded back. "Nice to meet you."
Filip hesitated, then nodded again.
Jay finally pointed back at Andrei. "And that baked potato is Andrei."
Andrei raised his hand proudly. "Sup."
Vali hesitated. "Why baked potato?"
"Because he's round, warm, and always hungry," Elena replied flatly.
"And healthy," Andrei added.
Jay crossed his arms. "Debatable."
A few kids laughed.
Vali felt the tension slowly fade. The noise. The teasing. The warmth. It was strange. Different.
Jay noticing Vali expression then looked at him. "You good?"
Vali nodded slowly. "Yeah. I'm just... thinking about a few things. "
And for the first time since waking up in the forest, he meant it. Jay studied Vali expression for a couple seconds before shrugged it off.
" Alright then, also there is also someone you need to meet. " Jay said, Vali raised his eyebrows. " This is dangerous one, so be careful. "
" Dangerous? How? "
Jay leaned closer and lowered his voice. "You could say she's the devil itself."
Before he could finish the sentence, a sudden grip clamped down on the top of his head.
Hard.
Jay yelped. "Ow ow ow."
"Oh?" a calm but unmistakably sharp voice spoke from behind him. "I wonder who exactly is the devil you're talking about, hmm, Zayyn Illya Kovalenko?"
Vali stiffened.
'A full government name!'
Jay froze completely.
"S sister," he said nervously, forcing an awkward laugh. "How was the prayer? All good? "
The grip tightened.
"Now I'm the one who should be asking questions," the woman said. "How was the prayer for you?"
Jay winced. "Uh…"
"Exactly," she continued. "Because you weren't there. Again."
Jay avoided eye contact. "I was… busy."
"Busy," she repeated slowly.
She finally released him.
Jay immediately straightened up, rubbing his head. "Hey it's true, i was feeding the cattle."
"Mhm."
Vali turned his attention to the woman.
She wore a simple nun's habit, worn but clean. Her posture was relaxed, yet carried authority without effort. Her face was gentle, framed by dark hair streaked faintly with gray. Her eyes were kind, but sharp enough to miss nothing.
The children immediately straightened.
"Sister Andrea," they greeted.
She nodded at them, then shifted her gaze to Vali.
The moment her eyes met his, Vali felt something subtle press against him. Not hostile. Not aggressive. Just… observant.
"Now, why do you guys didn't tell me that we have a guest here. " Sister Andrea said.
" This is Vali, i've found him lost near the grassfield, so i took him here. " Jay said, twisting the truth. sister Andrea contemplating a little bit, lost in a tought. And Jay shaking internally, thinking she would find out.
But on the contrary, sister Andrea pat Vali shoulder.
"What is your name, young man?"
Vali instinctively straightened. "Uh, my name is Vali."
Sister Andrea stepped closer, examining him for a moment longer. She noticed the bruise on Vali's hand and feet, well everyone does. It's just that she tought it would insensitive of her to ask about that.
" Nice to meet you Vali. My name is Andrea. You're welcome here," she said, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. " Treat it like its your home."
Vali paused, " I could stay here? "
" Of course. " A gentle smile on Andrea's face.
Her grip was warm. Steady.
"It's just that this place isn't much, we share our food, bed, and pretty much everything." she continued, "So if you don't mind sharing with us, you could stay as long as you want. "
Vali swallowed.
"…Thank you," he said quietly.
She smiled.
Then she turned back to Jay.
"And you," she said calmly, "will join prayer tomorrow."
Jay sighed. "Yes, maam."
"Good."
Sister Andrea gave the room one last glance before heading toward the hallway. "Be kind to our guest," she added.
As she left, the room slowly returned to its usual noise.
Jay exhaled in relief. "See? Told you she was dangerous."
' Dangerous? '
Vali looked at the doorway where Sister Andrea had disappeared. For reasons he did not yet understand, that warmth returned to his chest. And just like that, the afternoon came to a quiet close.
***
A few weeks passed in the blink of an eye since Jay and the others first met Vali.
In that short time, his presence had quietly woven itself into the orphanage's daily rhythm.
At first, he had spoken little. He watched more than he talked, observing how the children moved through their routines, how Jay handled responsibilities far beyond his age, how Elena kept order when things inevitably fell apart, and how sister Andrea treat all his bruise and wounds without questioning anything. Vali learned quickly. Faster than he should have.
He helped with the chores without being asked. Carrying water, repairing broken furniture, herding the cows alongside Jay in the early mornings. His movements were precise, controlled, as if even simple tasks required restraint.
The children warmed to him in their own ways.
Mihea followed him around whenever she could, offering shy smiles and tugging at his sleeve. Filip began sitting closer during meals, speaking only a few words at a time, but always choosing Vali's side of the table. Even the twins Iacob and Ilie found endless amusement in trying to surprise him, only to fail every single time.
Andrei still asked too many questions.
Elena watched him closely. She never voiced her concerns, but she noticed things. How Vali rarely slept. How he sometimes stared at nothing at all, eyes distant, as if listening to something only he could hear. Sometimes even if he sleep, he occasionally waking up in the middle of the night.
Sister Andrea noticed too.
She said nothing, but her gaze lingered on Vali during prayer, her hand tightening slightly around her rosary whenever he stood too close to the chapel walls.
Jay noticed everything.
He noticed how the forest grew quieter when Vali was nearby. How the air felt heavier at times, charged with something unseen. He noticed how Vali never spoke about his past, and how his eyes hardened whenever the topic drifted toward devils or miracles.
Still, life went on.
Laughter returned to the orphanage. Meals were shared. Evenings were spent under dim lantern light, stories exchanged between children who had learned to survive with very little.
And for the first time in a long while, Vali felt like he had found a home.
The night was calm. Moonlight washed over the chapel roof, silver and soft, illuminating the weathered stone beneath them. Above, the sky stretched endlessly, scattered with stars that felt close enough to touch. The forest beyond the hills slept in silence.
Vali sat near the edge of the rooftop, knees drawn up, gaze fixed on the moon.
"Um, Vali? You haven't slept?"
Vali turned his head.
Jay was climbing up from the chapel's upper window, moving with practiced ease. There was no proper access to the rooftop, yet somehow they always ended up here. It had become their place. Somewhere quiet. Somewhere untouched.
"Jay?" Vali asked. "Nightmare?"
Jay shook his head as he sat beside him. "Nah. Just needed some H2O. Then I noticed you weren't in your bed."
He glanced at the empty rooftop. "Figured you'd be here."
Vali smiled faintly. The two of them sat in silence for a moment, the cold stone beneath them contrasting with the warmth of the night air.
"What's up?" Jay asked.
Vali hesitated.
Then he spoke softly. "These past few weeks… they've been some of the most precious moments of my life."
His voice carried no exaggeration. Just truth.
Jay laughed lightly. "What's that supposed to mean? Isn't that what family's for? Making memories. Like surviving Elena's unseasoned stew."
Vali chuckled under his breath, but the smile that followed was quieter. More distant.
'Family, huh?'
Jay noticed it immediately. He looked at Vali, really looked this time. The way his eyes dimmed just a little. The way his posture stiffened whenever the word was spoken. Jay didn't know what Vali's life had been like before that day in the forest. But he knew pain when he saw it.
Jay had nothing in this world except this place. Sister Andrea. Elena. The kids. They were his family. His world. His everything. And he would do anything for them.
"Wanna talk about it?" Jay asked quietly. "Your life. Before."
Silence followed.
Vali turned to look at Jay, their eyes meeting under the pale moonlight. Hazel and blue. Human and something else. Vali looked away again, staring at the stars as if gathering courage from them.
Then he exhaled.
"…Yeah," he said. "There's something I need to tell you."
Jay stayed silent, letting him speak.
"A secret," Vali continued. "Something I've been hiding from everyone here."
Jay's expression didn't change. "Okay."
Vali turned back to him. His face was serious now. No trace of the boy who laughed with the children. No warmth. Just honesty.
"Do you believe me," Vali asked, "if I told you I'm a half devil?"
Jay blinked.
"…What?"