Because their search yielded no results, Grace and Adro decided to return to Grace's house.
On the way, Grace noticed that Adro remained silent, staring out the window. The man must be disappointed. The mansion was the only place they could rely on to find his way back. The absence of any clues in the mansion indicated that the possibility of Adro returning was low or even impossible.
"I'm sorry if today's search gives no results," Grace said, almost whispering.
Adro turned to her. He realized his face might look sullen, even though he didn't mean it that way. He quickly carved out a smile. "You don't need to apologize. It's not your fault. I should be thanking you for helping me, even with your injured foot."
"Since my parents and eventually my grandmother passed away, I often feel scared," Grace uttered. She inhaled deeply and continued, "It's an inexplicable fear. I feel alone in this world, even though I have Sarah and Bella as friends. And even though I'm an adult, and it's normal for an adult to live alone, it feels different when I know I no longer have a family in this world. When I feel lonely, there's no place for me to seek warmth. Even a wanderer has a home to return to, right? For me, home doesn't always mean a roofed building; it's someone I cherish."
Adro fell silent, staring blankly down. Then he turned to Grace. "I'm sorry for your loss. And you're right; even a wanderer has a place or someone to return to. It's a shame that I just realized it now."
"You didn't realize it?" Grace raised her brow.
"All this time, I didn't appreciate my home, or what I can call my father, mother, and brother. I know they are my family, but I didn't see them as deeply as you see your family. I wandered and fought in wars without ever thinking about them. But now I realize there is a true home where I can rest peacefully," Adro said.
"My grandma said that you'll only realize how important something is when you lose it," Grace muttered.
Adro turned to Grace again, staring at her without blinking. "I think she is right. I'm starting to feel it." He muttered
Grace took a deep breath until her shoulders lifted. Then she looked at Adro with determination. "That's why, Adro, I will continue finding a way to help you return so that you can meet your family again. I can't promise I will succeed, but I promise to do the best I can."
***
"Are you sure you're leaving him alone in your house?"
Grace turned to Sarah, who was driving. Since earlier, she had been silent. Not because she had nothing to say, but because she had too many sentences in her mind that ended up stuck in her throat. She wanted to ask Sarah about her last message, but she didn't know how to start it. However, until now, Sarah showed no signs that she knew anything about the note. Instead, she went back to talking about Adro.
"Well… I am sure he won't destroy my house. I've taught him how to use the oven, shower, and other things," Grace replied.
Sarah clicked her tongue. "That's not what I mean, silly. Sorry if I seem to lecture you, but we've been friends since childhood, and I've met you almost six days a week for fourteen years. Not once have I seen you have relatives come to your house or heard any news about it. Am I wrong to call that weird man a stranger?"
Grace was silent for a few seconds before shaking her head slowly. "You... certainly aren't wrong, Sarah, but I trust him enough, though."
Sarah sighed. "In my opinion, trusting him enough is not enough to let a stranger stay in your house, let alone leave him there alone."
"I can't kick him out, Sarah. He has no money, let alone a place to stay. He's my … relative…" Grace's voice trailed off at the end of her sentence.
"A relative from another world who only appears when he needs you," Sarah added with a cold tone.
Grace almost choked on the air she was inhaling when she heard Sarah's words. Another world? Yes, Sarah was indeed creative with her sarcastic sentences. But this was the first time Grace was made uneasy by it.
"You're not a rich madam, Grace. You live on your parents' insurance and savings. Feeding a man as big as him will burden you sooner or later. You shouldn't let him stay in your house as he pleases for too long. If he doesn't have a place to stay, at least he can find food for his own stomach," Sarah continued.
Grace took a deep breath and exhaled it long. "I know, Sarah."
Once again, Sarah clicked her tongue. Now her face turned worried. She always worried about this friend of hers, but this time, that worry multiplied several times.
"Grace, I'm going to move." Sarah suddenly said.
"What?" Grace turned to Sarah. "Move? University or house?"
"Both, Grace. Both. I'm moving abroad." Sarah answered with a hint of trembling in her voice.
Grace's forehead furrowed. "Are … are you serious?"
"Have you ever seen me joking?" Sarah asked, sighing again.
"There's a case in my papa's largest branch company. One of the directors engaged in corruption due to a lack of supervision. Papa asked me to settle there. I will also work there immediately after graduation," The sharp-eyed girl explained.
Grace returned her gaze forward and stared to ponder. That was surprising. If Sarah left, who would accompany her while Bella was always busy with her boyfriend?
"When are you leaving, Sarah?" Grace asked with a low voice.
"Maybe one or two weeks from now."
"So soon?" Grace's eyes widened as she turned back to her.
"My papa has prepared a replacement university and my accommodation. You know it's not at all difficult for him to do such things. It's sudden because the problem is quite serious and too complicated for me to explain to you," Sarah explained.
Grace understood that she was almost blind to business. Since she was a kid, she had only been interested in art, so she focused a lot on it. She understood that business was complex and draining for those who were not interested.
"Forgive me for having to leave you alone so suddenly, Grace," Sarah said with a low voice.
Grace immediately shook her head. "It's not necessary, Sarah. You're my friend, not my parent. Even at my age, it's too old to be supervised by anyone. I'm the one who should be independent. Please don't feel burdened by me, Sarah."
"You're like my little sister, Grace. But you're right—we're adults, and in the end, we'll choose our own paths in this life," Sarah replied, sighing.
Then she took a deep breath and continued, "I hope you'll be okay when I'm not here. I'm talking about your condition on campus. Don't listen to their words, and avoid trouble. If you can't blend in with others, don't make it a barrier for you to achieve your goals. Oh, and about the guy in your house, you have to be more cautious. Don't stay silent if you feel uncomfortable or burdened by him. You got it?"
Grace bit her lower lip and nodded. "I do. Thank you for worrying about me, Sarah." Then she forced a thin smile. "For all this time, you've been like a protective older sister to me. Without you, I don't know what I would be."
"You will still be Grace Menken, with or without me. In the end, you can go through all this because that's life: time keeps moving and days keep changing. It's my fault for interfering too much in your life all this time, and I'm sorry about that. But I believe you can do everything with your own strength. Believe in yourself, Grace," Sarah said before giving her a gentle smile.
Grace responded with a grateful smile. "I'm lucky to have a friend like you, Sarah. You don't need to apologize because, in any case, you played a significant role in my life."
The red car stopped in the parking lot. The two girls stepped out of it and walked towards the university building, which was starting to get crowded.
"When are you going to have a checkup at the hospital?" Sarah asked in her slow steps, adjusting her injured friend's steps.
"This week, on Sunday, I'll take a taxi, so you don't have to think about me." Grace answered.
Sarah nodded. "I'm sorry I can't accompany you, okay? I have to take care of a lot of things."
"It is okay, Sarah. I'm an adult, geez," Grace chuckled.
Then Grace remembered something that had been bothering her since yesterday. She cleared her throat and started speaking as casually as possible: "Well, Sarah. Did you ... happen to find a piece of paper on my fridge's door when you entered my house that day?"