Ahmed, Mr. Haruki, and his family returned home after the amazing sniping demonstration. Night had begun to fall over the edges of the city, and the orange light filtering from the windows reflected on the quiet walls.
As soon as they entered, the house filled with the sounds of footsteps and laughter, the air carrying a mix of pride and astonishment, as if everyone was still living the echo of the shots that pierced the distances hours earlier.
Mr. Haruki said, taking off his coat and placing it on the chair:
"Ahmed, your skill did not just impress me; even my wife hasn't stopped talking about it on the way."
Ahmed smiled modestly as he sat on the wide sofa near the window:
"You are the ones who gave me this opportunity, sir... I wouldn't have done anything without your support."
Mrs. Sayuri sat quietly opposite them, a warm cup of tea in her hand, her features looking gentler than the first time Ahmed had met her. She said in a soft voice that carried some seriousness:
"Ahmed, I didn't expect you to be so calm and composed while shooting. I thought you would lose your focus halfway through the display, but you proved me wrong."
Ahmed bowed slightly in respect, replying with a polite smile:
"Thank you, madam... perhaps because I felt I couldn't disappoint Mr. Haruki, or disappoint any of you."
Aiko, the eldest daughter, laughed and said jokingly, placing her phone on the table:
"Disappointment? You made everyone cheer for you as if you were a hero in an action movie!"
Yumi laughed in turn and added:
"Yes, especially when you hit the bottle from that insane distance, I almost screamed from surprise!"
Haruka approached, holding the portable projector, and said with beautiful childlike enthusiasm:
"Father, why don't we watch the video together? I copied it onto this little device."
Mr. Haruki nodded in agreement, and they all gathered in the living room, the screen light reflecting on their faces. Ahmed appeared in the recording preparing to shoot, the air passing through his hair, while his eyes were fixed on the scope.
Aiko laughed lightly, saying:
"Look at his face before firing the bullet, it's as if he's fighting a battle for existence!"
Ahmed raised his eyebrows playfully:
"At least I emerged victorious from that battle."
Little Sakura laughed and said innocently:
"I loved it when the water flew out of the bottle; it looked like a star exploding in the sky!"
Emi approached the screen and said contemplatively:
"How beautiful this scene is... it has something of freedom in it."
A gentle silence followed her words, as if everyone sensed something subtle in her statement.
Then Mrs. Sayuri said, getting up to turn off the device:
"Enough viewing for now; we have a long trip ahead of us."
She turned toward Ahmed, saying in a friendly tone he wasn't yet used to from her:
"Ahmed, make sure everyone is rested, and in two hours we will start preparing the bags. I don't want any delay."
Ahmed nodded, saying:
"Understood, madam. The trip to Yemen won't begin until we are all ready."
In that moment, Mr. Haruki looked at his wife and then at his five daughters and said with a broad smile:
"This trip won't be ordinary, but the start of a new relationship between our two families... I promised myself I would fulfill the vow I made to my old friend, Ahmed's father."
Ahmed and Mr. Haruki exchanged a sincere, silent look, one that held more respect than words could express.
That moment was the start of the true transformation in their relationship, as Ahmed felt he was no longer a guest in this house, but a part of it.
They then sat exchanging light conversation and laughter until the sounds faded and quiet descended.
And in the depth of the night, the city slept on a new promise...
And hearts prepared to travel toward a distant land called Yemen, where Ahmed's family and another beginning to an unfinished story awaited them.