The chirping of birds and the raindrops falling from the leaves announced the end of the rainy night. Despite the lingering cold, the sunlight managed to pierce through, spreading its golden warmth across the room. The clock struck eight, marking the start of a new day.
At that moment, Eri opened the children's bedroom doors with a wide smile, her voice ringing out: "Come on, kids, wake up! Today is going to be a long day." She entered Lyoan, Annie, and Ellen's room and drew the curtains wide, letting sunlight bathe their sleeping faces.
"Five more minutes, please, Mom," Lyoan mumbled, pulling the blanket over his head, seeking refuge from the light.
"Yes, Mom, it's a holiday. Let us sleep a little longer," Annie added in a pleading tone, her eyes half-closed as if negotiating for more rest.
"Not possible. You need to get ready properly. There's someone eager to see you," their mother said, her eyes twinkling with excitement. Then she added, "After we return from work, your father and I will go to the market to buy clo—"
She couldn't finish, interrupted by a wave of angry protests:
"Oh, no!"
"Not again!"
"That's another reason to stay in bed!"
"Hey, what do you mean 'no'? We're just going to buy clothes!" Eri said, surprised.
"Mom, last time you made Annie, Ellen, and me try on forty different outfits. If Dad hadn't intervened, we would have been clothing test mice!" Lyoan said, eyes wide.
"Yes, for the first time, I actually felt sorry for the test mice," Ellen added, feigning sympathy.
"But I bought them all!" Eri replied defensively.
"But it was exhausting. This isn't a fashion show, Mom!" Annie muttered, half-asleep, half-awake.
Eri hid a smile and thought of an alternative plan. "Alright, I guess your father and I will go alone, and we'll stop by the new candy store," she said, heading for the door, then turned with a playful act, knowing their weakness: "My friend told me yesterday they sell caramel and chocolate sweets, plus hot treats. I might even get a chocolate fondue… oh, I can imagine the melted chocolate. What do you think?"
When she turned back, she found the bed empty. They had jumped out and rushed outside like lightning.
Eri laughed loudly as she left the room: "Haha! Don't forget to make your bed!" Then she went to the older twins' room.
Eri stood in front of the door, decorated with stickers of money and cake, with a sign in childish handwriting: "The Kingdom of Lyoan and Keto." She knocked gently three times, then entered: "May I come in?" she said. Inside, the beds were neatly made, and the room was unusually quiet. Keto stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her black hair, as dark as night.
"Oh, I see you're already awake. Where's your brother?" Eri said with a smile, sitting on the edge of Keto's bed.
"We woke up half an hour ago, Mom. Lyoan is washing his face now," Keto replied calmly.
"Sometimes I feel you two are older than your age, especially compared to your younger siblings," Eri said, motioning for her to come closer. Keto smiled softly.
"I don't think so, Mom. Sometimes we get dragged into their madness too," Keto said, moving closer. She turned to sit on the floor and handed her mother a hairbrush.
"Haha, don't say that. Despite their madness, I feel safe when you're around," Eri said warmly, brushing Keto's long hair. "We won't be late today. We'll go shopping for clothes. There's someone I really want you to meet."
As she finished, Eri noticed a brief look of annoyance on Keto's face, quickly turning into a pleading one. "Mom, I think I have enough clothes. We really don't need to buy more."
"Even you, Keto?" Eri sighed, noticing her daughter's reaction mirrored her younger siblings'. "Anyway, I told your siblings we'd stop by the candy shop, so they agreed immediately."
"So that's how you bribed them," Keto said thoughtfully, then looked back at her mother. "Anyway, it's a holiday, so I guess they'll spend the day inventing and playing. It'll be exhausting."
"No. You will not stay home," Eri decided firmly, watching her eldest daughter's expressions.
"Oh? And where will we go?" Keto's blue eyes showed concern.
"You'll go to the Cat House. I talked to them, and they agreed to host you," Eri said, recalling the previous night's events, strengthening her determination not to leave them home alone.
"A Cat House? We don't have one around here!" Keto asked in surprise.
"Yes, there isn't one nearby, but I noticed one along our way to work. We'll take you there," Eri said after finishing Keto's hair.
"Will we stay there for more than nine hours? And will they even accept us?" Keto complained about the long stay, standing.
"Don't worry, we'll come back early. Just make sure to enjoy yourselves," Eri said reassuringly, patting her shoulder.
"Did you tell the others too?" Keto hinted, referring to the younger siblings.
"No, it's a surprise. Now, breakfast will be ready," their mother said, leaving the room. Outside, the three youngest waited eagerly by the door.
"We're ready!" they shouted in unison, eyes shining with excitement.
"We heard there's a surprise!" Lyoan said with a wide smile.
"Yes, yes! What is it?" Ellen asked eagerly.
"What is it? I want a big doll!" Annie said excitedly.
"Well, seems someone has good hearing," their mother said playfully.
At that moment, Lyoat appeared from his room. "A surprise?" he asked quietly.
"Oh, you're here! Yes, go have breakfast so we can all head out together," Eri replied.
"Where to?" the three youngest asked in unison.
"That's the surprise. Let's go!" she winked, heading to the kitchen with all the children following eagerly.
"Good morning!" their father greeted with a smile.
"Good morning, Dad!" Ellen and Annie responded, noticing Lyoan sitting with a plate of berry jam.
"Hey, hey, hey! Don't eat it all!" Ellen rushed to take the plate from Lyoan.
"Mm, but I love it! Won't you cut me some, brother?" Lyoan pleaded.
Sighing, Ellen gave in to Lyoan's innocent look. "Alright, alright, take it!" She handed the plate back, grinning victoriously.
As Eri placed the fruit plate on the table, the five children gathered around her. The three youngest sat eagerly, while Keto and Lyoat observed quietly. Breakfast was filled with laughter and endless questions about the promised "surprise."
Their father looked at his watch: "Kids, don't be late. We won't stay long today, so be ready."
"Dad, do you know what I want to make?" Ellen suddenly asked after taking a bite of broccoli.
The father looked intrigued. "And what would that be, Ellen?"
"I want to make a machine," Ellen said with wide eyes, "that turns the taste of broccoli into candy as soon as I eat it!"
Eri and their father couldn't contain their laughter. "Haha! That's a brilliant machine!" he said, wiping a tear from his eye. "We'll be waiting for you to make it for us, Ellen. Then we'll eat broccoli every day."
Moments later, before they finished breakfast, their father spoke decisively: "Come on, kids, let's go! Everyone to the car!"
Upon hearing this, the children jumped from their seats, but Lyoan was a step ahead. "Whoever reaches the car first gets the window seat!" he said, eyes sparkling.
As the children raced to the car, filling the morning air with laughter… the atmosphere inside the house suddenly changed. It was as if the joy had left, replaced by a heavy, mysterious tension.
Acher spoke quietly but firmly: "It's time to work."
His tone was completely different from the earlier playful moments, serious and sharp. He turned to Eri: "Eri, watch them carefully and don't let them enter."
Eri nodded, standing to follow him, her eyes carrying the same serious look. She turned back, her voice low but firm: "Acher, don't leave it in plain sight. Hide it well. I don't want a repeat of last night's chaos."
Acher, stirred by her words, replied calmly: "No need to worry. What happened yesterday was the worst they could do. I brought this early today." His hand held something in his pocket. "As long as they stay away from it, they'll be fine."
Eri left the house, leaving Acher alone in the heavy silence. Standing in the middle of the living room, he seemed to sense a hidden presence. Slowly, he bent down and opened a secret drawer under the wooden table, taking out a small box engraved with strange symbols.
Inside, a crystal emitted a mysterious aura. Despite its dazzling, mesmerizing colors, Acher knew its danger. He placed it carefully in the drawer.
As soon as the crystal touched the bottom, it radiated distorted rays invisible to the naked eye. There was no sound or light, yet something strange happened… the air grew heavier, as if the walls themselves were silently watching. A subtle sense of threat filled the room, as though a being had awakened.
"Yes, it will be fine," Acher whispered to himself, as if casting a spell. He looked at the crystal with a blank, mysterious gaze, as though staring at something familiar from long ago. He closed the drawer firmly, burying a heavy secret.
"Let's go, Dad!" the children's cheerful voices called from outside, in a world unaware of the danger.
Acher forced himself to remain calm, feigning a smile: "Alright, alright, I'm coming." He approached the door but glanced one last time at the secret drawer, as if bidding farewell or issuing a silent warning. He closed the door behind him, yet the sense of danger lingered in the house.
---
The fun chatter in the car filled the journey with laughter, flowing like a gentle melody. Before reaching their destination, Eri turned to the backseat with a wide smile: "Ta-da! Here's the surprise!"
The children's eyes widened, their faces a mixture of shock and joy. "A Cat… House?!" they exclaimed together—Lyoan leapt with excitement, Annie screamed in astonishment, and Ellen silently opened her mouth in awe.
As their eyes took in the building, it seemed like a real kingdom, not just a house. It was an entire world designed for cats, with bright colors and large windows.
Upon entering, they were greeted by the familiar aroma of coffee mixed with a fresh scent, alongside soft meows from every corner. The place was alive, each nook hiding a cat story waiting to be discovered.
Lyoat couldn't hide his amazement. He looked at the neatly stacked books, the cats lounging quietly everywhere, and the enchanting atmosphere. "Mom, can we live near here?" he asked, eyes gleaming with joy.
Eri chuckled softly, knowing this place touched her eldest son's heart. It was a perfect blend of the calm he loved, the books that intrigued him, and the adorable creatures he adored. She tapped his head affectionately: "Don't get lost in your books and forget your younger siblings—they'll surely cause trouble at any moment."
She barely finished when she noticed the space around her empty. The four children—Lyoan, Ellen, Annie, and Keto—had vanished. She looked at the open gate and saw they had already raced inside, exploring every corner enthusiastically, as if they had finally found a place to unleash their childish energy.
"I just hope they don't cause trouble," Eri murmured, glancing at Lyoat with a serious look. Then she continued in a low voice, like assigning him a mission: "Keep your eyes on them, you know how they behave."
Lyoat reassured her calmly: "Don't worry, Mom. I'll make sure they're safe."
Before Eri headed to her car, the children's laughter echoed from inside: "Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad!" They waved their little hands and ran toward the maze of games and cats. Lyoat followed, but before disappearing completely, he turned to his mother, giving her a calm, reassuring look, as if to say: "Everything will be fine."
Amidst the laughter, Lyoat noticed something unusual. A black cat perched on a high shelf, staring at Lyoan with unusually bright eyes.
For a fleeting moment, it seemed to him that the cat wasn't watching his brother… but staring directly at them.