six months have passed since Kyle came into this world, and now his name is Ryan.
He spent six months either in his bed, on his mother's back, or being cared for by one of his sisters, Celine or Mira. As for Liara, he didn't see her much, and according to the family, she spent most of her time in the training room.
His mother and two sisters talked to him a lot and tried to make him laugh or interact with them, but he never did. He was quiet most of the time.
'It's better not to form close relationships. If they betray me someday, it won't hurt me.'
His silence worried his mother and family deeply. He was now lying on a warm rug in the living room, and his mother, Eliana, was trying to make him laugh, but to no avail.
"Why won't he laugh despite everything I do? Most children laugh at these things."
'Ah, this is so boring, but it's strange why I can understand this strange language even though I've never heard it before.'
This was strange, even though he had never heard this language before, yet he was able to understand it clearly.
Eliana smelled the food coming from the kitchen, the smell of food starting to simmer on the stove. She realized it was time to take it off the heat, whispering to herself,
"Oh, I have to remove the food before it burns."
Ryan left the rug for a moment.
'If I go to clear the food and set the table, that will take time, right?'
Ryan began to crawl toward a room he'd once seen filled with books when he'd entered it with his mother. His blue eyes shone with curiosity.
'I must learn about this world.'
He was curious about the things there, the geography of this world, and also about the light the old woman had used during his birth.
'I won't have another chance. This family is stuck to me like glue.'
His tiny body moved with such balance, even though it was his first time crawling. As he approached the room, Eliana had returned and saw him. She stopped, astonished. Ryan stopped too.
"Ryan... you're six months old... crawling!"
His mother was excited; she lifted Ryan into her arms and hugged him lovingly.
"Well done, my little one."
Ryan was annoyed.
'Ugh, I was so close, but she's making such a fuss over just a crawl.'
Then his mother called the whole family, even Liara, who was upset.
"Mom, didn't you imagine he'd be crawling at six months?"
And everyone agreed.
"Are you saying I'm lying?"
Eliana was upset by her daughter's words, so Darwin, her father, tried to calm her down.
"No, my dear, no one said you were lying, but I think it's still too early for him to be crawling."
"Okay, let's see who's right."
Eliana placed Ryan on the ground, her eyes shining with hope.
'How can you expect me not to when you're looking at me like that?'
Ryan started crawling towards the dining table, then returned to where his mother had placed him. His mother was excited.
"See? I told you he'd crawl!"
Everyone was surprised, and his father was the first to react. He picked him up and lifted him high.
"Hahaha, well done! That's what I expected from my son!"
Mira looked at him with love and enthusiasm; she was his proudest sister.
"Well done, Ryan!"
Celine, meanwhile, was clapping for him; she was a lively and cheerful person.
"Oh, well done, little brother!"
As for Liara, she was staring at him with her sharp eyes when she said,
"But isn't it strange that a baby can start crawling well at six months old? Don't babies usually start crawling between eight and ten months old?"
She took a breath and continued,
"Also, he doesn't cry or laugh. Is that just strange to me?"
'It's strange how babies start crawling between 8 and 10 months old'
Of course, everyone knew Ryan was strange, but his mother was the first to answer Liara.
"So what if he is strange?"
Liara was surprised.
"Oh."
"He's my son. I don't care if he doesn't cry or laugh. I don't care if he started walking in his first year or at ten. And also..."
The mother approached her eldest daughter, hit her head, and shouted angrily,
"You stupid girl! How dare you call your brother a stranger?"
Liara clutched her head.
"Ouch, Mom, that hurts!"
"Say anything else about your brother and I'll ban you from the academy right now. Get out of my sight!"
Ryan questioned.
'Academy?'
Liara left, waving her hand.
"Fine, fine, I'll get back to my training."
His mother exhaled through her nose.
"Now let's celebrate!"
That day, the family celebrated Ryan's first crawl.
'At what age do children walk again?'
Four days later, he was in his mother's arms as he, his mother, and his father bid farewell to his sisters who were leaving for the academy.
His eldest sister, Liara, was sixteen, Mira was fourteen, and Celine was twelve.
Ryan's mother handed him to his father and approached his sisters, hugging Yara first.
"Take good care of your sisters, especially Mira,"
Liara said confidently.
"You can count on me."
Then she hugged Mira.
"If you get sick, come home."
Mira shook her head.
"Don't worry, Mom. I'm strong."
"Of course I know that."
Then the younger one hugged Celine.
"Don't be naughty."
Celine started laughing.
"Hahaha, I can't confirm that."
The three girls waved their hands and spoke from oldest to youngest:
"We'll be back."
"See you in six months."
"Take care of yourselves."
And so the sisters returned to the academy and would be away from home for six months. As they left, Ryan thought,
'That strange feeling again. Am I sick?'