At times, there are situations where we must think first before we act. Scenarios that demand a careful mind before taking any step forward. Yet most people simply dive in headfirst—like children lunging at a coin glimmering in a bush.
They never pause to consider whether a snake or sharp stone might be hiding underneath, ready to punish their greed. Granted, the consequences aren't always fatal. If anything, one could call that luck—because at least the pain would end quickly.
But the harshest punishments our mistakes deliver aren't always immediate. They linger. They haunt. It's the pain that etches itself deep into our memories, resurfacing at the cruelest of times.
And yet, people seem content, so long as they're still breathing. That's where positivity fails—not every scenario demands it. Sometimes, only reality matters—the heavy weight tethered to every decision we make.
Kaien understood that.
That's why he sat there silently, watching Naruko with his chin resting on his palm. The room was as quiet as it had been before the two siblings had even woken up. It was as though the atmosphere had gone dormant, waiting for an answer.
Naruto stood still too, his eyes fixed on his sister, eerily patient and observant for a child his age. It was as if his very life hung on her decision, an oppressive tension tightening in his chest.
Naruko's eyes, by contrast, were lost—focused on the white mat with its blue accents beneath her feet. Her gaze was distant and blurred, detached from the world around her. She knew, deep down, that whatever decision she made would alter their fates—and would affect their benefactor as well.
He was the only one who had helped them since the orphanage burned down just days ago. Life had been unbearable since then—too painful, too overwhelming to make sense of.
Still, she remembered his eyes that day. They had glowed brighter than they did this morning. There was a spark of emotion within that cold veil—though fleeting, it had been there.
She couldn't tell if it was genuine or fleeting... but the memory had burned itself into her mind. He'd cared for them enough to help—but what did that mean now?
Slowly, Naruko raised her head. Her eyes stopped their nervous dance as they finally settled on Kaien, watching how composed he was, how unshaken.
Something tugged at her chest—envy. Though too young to understand it, she recognized that deep ache. He was so calm, so... together. And she? She was just a child, still too small to stand tall against the world.
"...We will stay," she finally whispered. After minutes of contemplation, she had her answer.
Kaien's gaze sharpened as he read her eyes—steadied, resolved. She waited, silent, watching for his response. Then, slowly, his eyes widened, as if light itself seeped back into his grey orbs. Those pupil-less voids seemed to reveal pupils—like hidden moons, emerging only when the clouds parted.
Then she saw it.
A smile. A natural, warm smile—not neutral, not faint, but genuine. Like the emotions he'd revealed to them yesterday.
"Right... welcome to the family. Guess I'd better prepare breakfast for three," Kaien said, standing and patting Naruto on the shoulder as he passed.
The blonde stared, mouth wide open, sounds barely escaping his throat in scattered fragments. This was a scene he never imagined.
"Naruko-nee... he just smiled... and he has pupils..." Naruto whispered, bewildered.
"Yeah... he does," she replied, almost in disbelief. Had they completely misjudged his detachment?
"I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW SOMEONE LIKE HIM CAN BE SO... HUMAN!"
---
"Alright, dig in," Kaien announced, sliding plates across the polished wooden surface with a dry clatter that briefly echoed in the small space.
The twins blinked, the scent of pancakes and honey hitting their noses with delightful aggression. Their stomachs grumbled in unison, betraying their pride—and Kaien's was no exception.
If one paid close enough attention, they'd notice the faint mix of spices within the food's aroma—an added layer of temptation.
Kaien sat down with them, only to find their eyes flicking between him and the food, their feet shuffling eagerly on the mat.
"Jeez, you don't need my permission to st—" he started, only to pause mid-sentence.
By then, they were already inhaling the pancakes as if they'd never eat again. He chuckled inwardly. 'Oh well... I can definitely relate.'
He joined in, stuffing mouthfuls indiscriminately. The soft, spongy texture was an afterthought—it was all about the taste.
Anyone watching this would struggle to understand how three kids could decimate plate after plate with such relentless appetite.
Eventually, when they were done, their previously flat stomachs bulged with gluttonous pride. The trio sat quietly, letting digestion do its work.
"That... was good..." Naruto muttered first, rubbing his belly. "But I kinda regret it..."
"I feel the same. I promised myself I wouldn't do this again after last Christmas," Kaien admitted, slouching slightly.
"I promised I wouldn't do this... last week," Naruko added gloomily.
A gloomy aura hung over them, the room tainted with shared regret.
Were they going to learn from this experience?
Kaien asked, "We'll avoid this next time, right?"
Seconds passed before three soft voices answered in perfect sync, whispered from the very depths of their hearts:
"No."
Hence why some mistakes are repeated time and time again.
...
Once their belly aches lessened, Kaien gathered the plates and returned to the kitchen.
Naruto turned to his sister, the one who'd guided him through every hardship.
"Do you trust Kaien, Naruko-nee?" he asked in a low, serious tone. It was a puzzle that gnawed at him.
Naruko wasn't entirely sure herself—but she gave the most honest answer she could.
"He let us stay here free of charge. It'd be wrong to distrust him without a proper reason."
Naruto nodded, his shoulders easing with her words. As long as his sister shared that feeling, he could relax.
Then... they heard it—a voice echoing softly from the kitchen.
They didn't have to wonder who it was. It was him—but the melody, the rhythm in his words... it was unfamiliar.
Only a few lines, but they pulled the twins in effortlessly. From the lyrics alone, they understood:
Life was a series of choices. Every step forward was another chance to change everything.
Naruko felt the words resonate deep within her. It was as if Kaien sang directly about the decision she made earlier.
For Naruto, the message was different:
If you aim for the highest, never stop moving forward. Seek a reality deeper than the one we see under the sun.
[Insert "Highest" by OxT here]
"Whether right or wrong, if you desire..." Kaien sang—but a strange sensation overcame him, and he paused.
Turning around, he saw the twins staring at him with sparkling eyes, like children discovering treasure. They dashed toward him, peppering him with questions.
"Can you really sing!?" Naruto asked, eyes wide.
"I've never heard anything like that!" Naruko added eagerly.
"I thought songs were just songs!"
"How does your singing have so much...?" Naruko struggled for the word.
And then—at the exact same time—Naruto found it. The right word.
"Depth!"
Kaien blinked, stunned by the perfect timing of their exclamation. It was as if their combined feelings had reached a peak and burst forth.
"I don't know. I was just singing a song I know," he replied nonchalantly.
But seeing their lowbrow expressions, he realized they weren't satisfied with that explanation. "So... you've never heard something similar before?"
"Nope! Most songs are boring compared to yours. Yours is out of this world!" Naruto exclaimed, drawing a dramatic semi-circle in the air.
"Okay..." Kaien said while rinsing the last plate and laying it carefully aside.
"It's a song that came to me out of the blue, titled Highest."
"Out of the blue? You'd be famous, y'know," Naruto remarked bluntly.
"Right!?" Naruko chimed in support.
'I'd be sued, dammit!' Kaien cursed internally.
But then... he paused.
He grabbed his mother's old cellphone, releasing a tired sigh. He remembered the news he received the day he became an orphan—it was the last thing she left him.
The screen was cracked—nothing too serious, but noticeable. A diagonal scar across the display. As he gazed at the date:
19 May 2004.
Most anime songs—or even the artists themselves—didn't exist yet. 'Some musicians might not even exist in this world...'
His eyes flickered, suddenly animated and alive. Slowly, he looked up from the phone, a bone-chilling smile stretching across his face.
A shiver ran down the twins' spines. They even stepped back instinctively.
They knew, somehow, that they were seeing a different person entirely...
And just like that, his expression softened, his smile turning benevolent.
"Would you two be willing to learn an instrument? In exchange for a comfortable favor of your choice, of course..."
Naruko let out a tiny yelp. He never mentioned such terms when he let them stay.
"We could profit, y'know?" Kaien added casually.
The siblings exchanged glances, thinking deeply. What downside was there, really?
And Naruko, shrugging at the offer, wondered silently: 'I wonder if something like this will repeat itself...'
Meanwhile, Naruto just stood there—grinning like an idiot.