"Oh, right! Where is he?" Karl asked, glancing around the room, his brow furrowing. Adrian, too, looked around, his eyes scanning every corner, a slight worry creeping onto his face.
"Don’t worry, he’s in my wife’s room," Julian said, lowering his head a little, his voice softer than usual.
He felt a little bit jealous of Milo. When he saw that Milo hadn’t come back, he went to check on him in her room. The door was open, and he saw his wife being gentle and adjusting sleeping Milo.
The care he had never experienced from his wife.
"Okay, we should leave now. Our wife should be home by now. If she doesn’t see us, she might get worried..." If we’re causing her more trouble.
Jace said, his voice soft and thoughtful. Although he didn’t finish his later sentence, a faint smile lingered.
"Your wife is so in love with all of you," Karl muttered, his tone filled with a mix of envy and longing as he looked at them.
"Hahaha! Little Karl, you’re saying it like your wife doesn’t love you. Look at this!" Kenji laughed loudly and pointed at the bed. "Your wife even got you an expensive grave bed!"
Karl froze, his mouth opening slightly as if he wanted to argue back, but no words came out. His cheeks turned a soft pink, and he quickly looked down, too embarrassed to say anything.
Julian, who had been standing quietly, stepped forward and spoke gently, "Let me see you all off."
"Goodbye, little Karl. Goodbye, brother Adrian. Rest well and get better soon," they said one by one, waving as they walked out.
Karl and Adrian watched them leave, and when the door closed behind them, the room suddenly felt much quieter. Only the faint sound of their breathing filled the space, leaving them both lost in thought.
Julian looked at the grains and vegetables—they were almost gone. They’d need to go to the market tomorrow. His heart felt lighter knowing the debts were all paid off. Borrowing money had never been something he wanted to do, but that situation had left them no choice....
As he continued preparing dinner, Milo walked in silently. He didn’t say much, just rolled up his sleeves and started helping. Milo knew how to cook, but Julian knew the story behind it, and it wasn’t an easy one.
From a young age, Milo’s life had been anything but easy. His mother, a maid, didn’t believe he was capable of achieving anything meaningful. She had forced him to learn household chores, insisting it was all he was good for. Cooking, cleaning—he’d been made to do it all.
But Milo wasn’t like others. He struggled with simple tasks. Even if someone explained something repeatedly or showed him a few times, it took him longer to understand.
His mother hadn’t been patient with him. Whenever he couldn’t do something right, she would beat him, leaving him no choice but to push through the pain and learn. Julian couldn’t imagine how hard it must have been for Milo to learn even the basics under such harsh conditions.
But Milo never let those memories hold him back. That’s what Julian admired most about him—he didn’t dwell on the past. He focused on the present, finding joy in small moments. Julian remembered how the kind old witch who used to let them stay in her abandoned room during rain had once told him about Milo’s childhood.
Even with such a heavy past, Milo had a way of bouncing back. But there was one thing about him that always worried Julian—his stubbornness. Once Milo decided on something, no one could change his mind.
Still, lately, Milo seemed different. Julian watched him now, chopping vegetables carefully, his eyes focused, and a small hum escaping his lips.
After they prepared dinner and ate, Julian could barely contain his excitement.
he was finally going to watch Soulstream. His whole face lit up with anticipation as he tidied the dishes, practically bouncing with energy.
Ruby, sitting at the table with her glass of water, noticed how all her husbands seemed unusually eager. Even the usually composed Julian was humming under his breath.
"What’s going on?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked at their faces.
Milo, unable to hold back his excitement, blurted out, "Wife, we’re going to watch Soulstream!" His wide grin and shining eyes made him look like a kid about to get his favorite treat.
Ruby blinked, confused for a moment, until the word Soulstream clicked in her mind. It was this world’s version of television. But unlike the TVs she was used to in her own world, these didn’t work with signals. Instead, each Soulstream had a special chip that allowed it to broadcast unique dramas, shows, or streams.
She nodded slowly, not feeling particularly curious about it. "Hmm, alright," she replied nonchalantly, taking another sip of water.
Milo, however, didn’t seem to notice her lack of interest. His excitement was contagious, and even Julian, who rarely spoke much about his feelings, looked like he couldn’t wait another second.
Julian finally asked, "Wife, would you like to join us?" His voice was softer, almost hesitant.
"No, no, you all go," Ruby said, feeling a bit embarrassed at the thought of joining them to watch TV in someone else’s house. She wasn’t used to such things, and if they were happy, she was content to stay here.
The bell rang, and Julian, along with the others, quickly got up and made their way toward the door.
"We’re leaving, wife!" Julian called out happily, his excitement barely contained. Ruby gave a small nod, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Enjoy yourselves," she said.
As the door closed behind them, the house grew quieter, the sound of their footsteps fading into the distance. The silence felt different now—calmer, but somehow more peaceful.
Ruby sat back in her chair, taking a deep breath, feeling the quiet settle around her. She stood up to close the door, but just as her hand reached the handle, the doorbell rang again.
Frowning slightly, she walked over and opened the door.
And there, standing on the other side, was—
—To be continued...🪄