Leon left the next morning, just like he said.
And the days that followed slipped by as I settled into the house—dividing chores with Ruby, helping Helena whenever I could.
The peace was... warm.
I had never experienced anything like this.
And another thing—it was decided I'd be sharing the room with Ruby.
Helena said they'd sell Ruby's old bed by next month and get a bunk instead.
Honestly, even the back pain was better than dealing with Ruby's morning mood, but Helena wouldn't stop nagging about how, "Back pain will ruin your posture in your teens, and no girl will ever approach you."
Ruby, of course, joined in.
But deep down, I think she liked having me around.
And maybe that's why I lost the couch.
Truthfully? I didn't mind her nagging.
Because she didn't do it for image or control—she did it out of care.
Two months passed in a blur.
I learned to cook the basics, just to ease Helena's burden.
Officially, I handled drinks and took orders at the café.
But my favorite part of the day?
Helping Ruby with her homework.
The level of superiority I felt when I showed off my knowledge—and her baffled expressions—was unmatched.
"Hah! This is so easy, Rubes. Here, let your 'brother' help you with this," I'd say, smirking.
"Just wait, I'll master this concept in minutes!" she'd grumble back.
One night, Helena was washing dishes after dinner, and I was helping her put them away.
"Alex," she said, mimicking my voice playfully, "don't you find it a little odd to call me 'Miss Helena' all the time?"
"Uh… what else would I call you?" I asked, a little caught off guard.
"Just call me mum, like Ruby does."
She looked at me with that warm, gentle smile of hers.
I froze.
"Well, Ruby already treats you like her brother—younger brother, specifically." She chuckled softly.
She wasn't wrong. I had begun thinking of Ruby like a sister too...
But saying it out loud—that was something else.
"I won't force you," she added quickly. "Only if it feels right."
"No, it's not that… I just… I don't feel like I deserve all this," I admitted quietly.
"Besides, I'll leave once I turn eighteen and become legally independent..."
She turned off the tap, wiped her hands, and then picked up an envelope resting nearby.
"Here," she said, handing it to me.
I glanced at her once before opening it.
My hands trembled slightly as I pulled out the papers.
Not in a million years did I expect what I saw.
I looked back at her.
"...Adoption papers?" I whispered.
She nodded, her smile soft and growing brighter.
"Leon couriered them this morning."
My chest tightened.
Gratitude. Fear. Guilt. Joy.
So many emotions, all crashing down at once—I didn't even know what to say.
Before I could speak, she pulled me into a gentle hug.
And in the quietest, warmest voice, she whispered near my ear—
"It's already on paper, but it was in our hearts long before that.
So son, call me mum, okay?
It would make me happy too."
My arms wrapped around her tightly.
I don't believe in gods… but—
God, if you do exist out there…
Please let this last forever.
Please let me protect this woman—this mother—who gave me a home without asking for anything in return.
Just… please.
"Thank you… mum," I whispered, my voice muffled against her shoulder.
Everything felt perfect.
The café,
Helena,
Ruby,
And me.
Before I knew it, it was already December.
Snow was falling outside, and Ruby was busy building a snowman by herself.
Me and Helena sat on the couch, teasing her through the window.
"It's as tiny as you," I said.
"It's elegant," she argued, pouting.
To me, it looked more like a Halloween pumpkin than a snowman.
I thought maybe I'd enjoy the snow like I did the rain.
But turns out, snow was something I'd never really like.
Even after eight months, that memory still sticks.
Yuuki.
Ruby had tried to drag me out, but after turning her down ten times, she gave up.
One big change in me over these months?
I can't say no to Ruby anymore.
All she has to do is smile and say "please" with those puppy eyes, and I lose.
Of course she takes full advantage—extra chores, homework help—
Until Helena steps in and tells her off.
So when I turned Ruby down this time, both of them noticed.
I didn't want Ruby knowing the darker side of things.
If it were up to me, I'd keep her far away from all that.
She doesn't even know I'm a Rockfell.
Later, when it was just me and Helena,
She gently placed her hand over mine and said,
"Alex, you don't have to talk about it if you're not ready.
But if you ever want to, I'm here, okay?"
I smiled and gave her hand a light squeeze.
Then I spoke.
"I had a white cat. Yuuki.
It means 'snow' in Japanese.
She passed away last April…
was with me for ten whole years.
So maybe the snow just reminds me of her."
It was true. I just didn't go into the details.
Helena looked thoughtful, then said,
"Well, if you really loved Yuuki,
shouldn't you also love the thing that reminds you of her?"
And with that, she walked outside.
She lifted one hand, letting the snow fall into her palm.
It was one of those moments that just stick in your head.
Helena always had this calming vibe—
like she could make people feel better just by being there.
Then she walked over, pinched my nose with her cold fingers,
and before I could say anything—
SMACK.
A snowball hit me straight in the face.
My eyes were still closed, but I already knew.
Ruby.
"You are so dead, Rubes."
But I paused when I saw them laughing—
Helena giggling behind her hand,
and Ruby actually rolling in the snow, tearing up from how hard she was laughing.
"Haha—Alex—hah—you looked so stupid!" she laughed, holding her stomach.
"Ruby! You shouldn't do that!" Helena scolded, but she was laughing too.
Did I really look that stupid?
Maybe.
But if getting hit by a snowball made them laugh like that…
Then honestly? I didn't mind at all.
______________________________________________________________________
The next day, Leon had come to visit for a couple of days.
And well, Helena being Helena, put him straight to work.
Me and Leon were told to clean up the storage room.
"When was the last time this place was cleaned?" I asked, sneezing.
"Don't know, kid. Maybe three years ago or so."
"Just great."
We started pulling out boxes and moving random junk when I came across one labeled: Elias Wilson.
"Hey, is this…?"
"Yeah," Leon replied, tone a little quiet. "Helena's husband. Ruby's dad."
He opened it, and right on top was a single photo—
Military uniform, a candid smile, and light brown eyes.
The same eyes as Ruby's.
Leon picked it up, and underneath it was an old camera.
Definitely a decade old.
"Elias had a thing for photography. That camera was always around his neck," Leon said.
The box also had clothes, notebooks, some random tools… and socks?
And then Leon pulled out a dusty photo album.
"Come on, let's show this to Helena and Ruby."
"What about the cleaning?" I asked.
"Exactly. Figure it out after I leave."
It took me a second to realize—he grabbed the album on purpose, just so Helena would forget about the storage room.
Sneaky. I didn't think Leon was the type to avoid chores.
Wait.
That means I'll be stuck doing all the work later, since Ruby has school and Helena's busy with the café.
"Hey! Uncle Leon!" I called, following him out.
But it was too late. By the time I got to the living room, Helena, Ruby, and Leon were already settled on the couch.
"Alex! Come look at Ruby's baby pictures!" Helena called out cheerfully.
"No, Mum—please," Ruby groaned, half burying her face into Leon's shoulder.
Leon gave me a smirk and a "sorry, kid, but good luck" kind of look.
Oh well. I'll survive somehow.
"Yes, Mum—show me the little devil."
I leaned in from behind the couch, peeking over the headrest.
Honestly, I expected some blurry, motion-captured mess. Kids never stay still.
But the pictures… they were so clear. Like time had just stopped.
One had Helena and Ruby stumbling through a garden—
Another, Ruby mid-air, just as Helena had tossed her up, grinning wide.
There were a bunch more, though Elias wasn't in many.
And before I knew it, I checked the clock—
6 PM.
Holy shit.
Two whole hours had passed just like that.
"Elias was a great photographer... but he always stayed behind the camera because of that," Helena said in a reminiscing tone, though her smile couldn't quite hide the pain behind it.
"But then… he wouldn't have been able to capture these amazing smiles of you both," I said, my hand unknowingly brushing against one of the photos.
It was Helena—pregnant—wearing a straw hat, her braids peeking out the sides, dressed in yellow, walking in a slow, playful manner.
A soft kind of happiness.
I wish I could capture moments like this too.
I blinked once—
and suddenly, bright sun rays stung my eyes.
I opened them again…
and saw Helena.
Younger. Wearing the exact same dress from the photo.
I tried to speak, but no sound came out.
Instead, someone else's voice echoed inside my head.
"My wife is so pretty~ I'm sure my daughter will look just like her."
A man's voice.
In front of me, Helena knelt down and gently touched a blooming rose.
And then—click.
A camera flashed in front of my vision.
Hands lifted it, but they weren't mine.
"Holy shit! I am an amazing photographer!
No wait—this is only possible because my wife's so amazing!"
Helena turned, smiling.
"Honey? What are you doing? Come on, we're getting late for the check-up!"
"Yes, darling, sorry—anyway, look at this picture I just took!"
His voice was clearer now. Closer.
"So you were secretly taking pictures of me, huh…" she teased, walking over.
Everything went black for a moment.
Then—Helena's voice.
And Ruby's too.
Both panicked.
I blinked and opened my eyes.
Their faces hovered above me, worried.
"Alex! Thank god…" Helena sighed in relief.
"You idiot! You scared us!" Ruby snapped, smacking my arm—gently.
Leon was there too, quiet, but his expression said enough.
I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain lanced through my head, and my hand flew to my temple.
"What… happened?" I rasped.
"You fell asleep on my shoulder—or, that's what I thought," Helena said softly.
"I tried shaking you awake to annoy you," Ruby added, "but you dropped like a sack of bricks."
"We were this close to calling an ambulance," Helena said, brows tight with concern.
What do I even say? I didn't understand what happened either.
But… I really didn't want to see that look on their faces.
"I—I'm sorry… but really, I'm fine!" I said with a sheepish grin, scratching the back of my neck.
They didn't look convinced.
"Actually, I couldn't sleep last night. Had a bad dream or something. So I must've just dozed off accidentally—hahaha…"
"You were snoring when I checked on you, Alex," Ruby deadpanned.
Great. I had to fall asleep before her.
Suddenly, I felt fingers against my neck—
It was Helena, checking my temperature.
"Hmm… no fever either," she murmured.
I had no choice now.
I gave them my best innocent eyes, ready to fake a tear.
"You see, actually—"
"Don't start that. Ruby's done it enough already," Leon cut me off.
Yep.
They weren't buying any of it.
I sighed. My head still throbbed a little.
"…Just promise me you won't think I'm crazy."