A black car was parked in the courtyard. The air seemed heavy, charged with emotion. Amu, her eyes misted with tears, stood in front of the house. Salomé and Bakuran, standing beside her, watched Sakolomé who was preparing to cross an important milestone. At twenty-five, he was finally leaving the family nest to live alone, continue his research, and, in a way, start a new life.
Amu quickly wiped away her tears, but her voice betrayed her sorrow:
— My poor baby… He's become a big boy now!
Sakolomé, a little embarrassed by his mother's emotion, scratched his head with an awkward smile.
— It's nothing, mom. Anyway, if I want, I can always come back to see you.
Salomé stepped forward with a mischievous smile on her lips.
— We hope that where you're going, big brother, you'll end up finding a woman… and make mom a grandmother.
At eighteen, Salomé had kept her teasing temperament and proud look. Behind her, Bakuran, who was now twenty, burst out laughing before provocatively saying:
— Sakolomé can't be in a relationship before me, that's impossible!
Time had flown so fast... Everyone had grown, each in their own way.
Sakolomé nodded and took a step toward the car.
— Well... The car is waiting for me. I have to go now.
Amu came closer, her heart tight, and took a soft, almost pleading voice:
— Be good in Gu-Hoit City. And above all... if you have problems, call me. I'll know what to do.
A tear slid down her cheek. Sakolomé looked at her for a long time, his smile tinged with melancholy.
— Don't worry, mom… I'm already a big boy, you know.
He picked up his bag, took a deep breath, and headed toward the car where Mr. Ramos, a family friend, was waiting.
Ramos enthusiastically said:
— Come on, Sakolomé! You're going to live in Gu-Hoit now. My little Nexura will be delighted to meet you, I talked about you so much!
Salomé didn't miss the chance to throw one last jab:
— Maybe Nexura will soon be… Mrs. Sakolomé!
Everyone burst out laughing. Everyone except Sakolomé who sighed:
— Are you done with your lame jokes, Salomé?
— It's okay, it's okay, just kidding, she replied, raising her hands in innocence.
Without another word, Sakolomé got into the car. Ramos took the wheel, started, and little by little, the family home faded behind them. Through the window, Sakolomé saw his family shrink in the distance, as if a chapter of his life was closing. He looked away, lowered his head, and let out a long sigh.
He closed his eyes for a moment. Memories flooded in: his childhood in Monor City, his moments of carefreeness, his first discoveries... A nostalgic smile touched his lips.
After several hours of driving, the impressive silhouette of Gu-Hoit City appeared on the horizon. The political capital of the country, the city was bursting with life. Giant skyscrapers rose toward the sky, clad in futuristic technologies. The traffic was dense, the streets lively with cultures and faces from all over the world. But Sakolomé remained indifferent. None of it impressed him anymore. All of this… meant nothing to him.
Ramos finally parked the car in front of a modern building. They got out together.
— Don't you want to eat something before settling in? Ramos suggested.
Sakolomé, with his bag over his shoulder, shook his head.
— No, don't worry. I'm not hungry.
Ramos furrowed his brows slightly, intrigued by Sakolomé's refusal.
— You're still trying a new training, right?
Sakolomé gave a small smile and shook his head.
— No… Skipping meals, in the state I'm in today, wouldn't even be real training. Honestly, it wouldn't serve any purpose.
Ramos let out an amused chuckle.
— You really are something, Sako. A real case.
At that moment, the apartment door opened behind them. A woman stepped out. She had long brown hair tied in an elegant bun, and her black eyes conveyed a certain confidence. At first sight, one could guess she was older than Sakolomé. Her perfectly tailored black suit highlighted her professional figure.
It was Nexura, Ramos's little sister. Well… "little" only by family relation, because at thirty years old, she seemed to embody maturity and authority. And judging by her expression, she was not there to chat.
— Ramos… I mean, big brother, she said, raising an eyebrow. Who is this boy?
Ramos pointed to Sakolomé with a smile.
— This is the famous satsujin otoko I told you about.
Nexura fixed her piercing gaze on him before stepping forward calmly. She confidently extended her hand.
— Sakolomé, is that right?
Sakolomé shook it, a little surprised by her presence.
— In the flesh. Ramos already told me about you.
A slight smile stretched across Nexura's lips.
— Cool. But don't address me formally, I'm not that old.
Sakolomé chuckled awkwardly.
— Ah… sorry. Old habit.
She then turned to her brother.
— Anyway, it's already nine PM. Tomorrow, you should drop by my office for the file you wanted to talk to me about.
Ramos showed a satisfied smile.
— Exactly, let's talk about it...
Nexura frowned, intrigued.
— The file?
— Yes, Sakolomé's, Ramos explained. I want you to find him a position in your company. He could be very useful.
Nexura's gaze returned to Sakolomé, analyzing him a bit more closely this time.
— Hm. He is young, though. At thirty, I'm already the youngest on my team… But well...
She paused, then resumed in a firm tone:
— If he has the skills, he will be accepted. We don't look for diplomas, but results. We want high performers.
Ramos patted Sakolomé's shoulder, all smiles.
— Did you hear that, kid? A job on top of your studies. Not bad, right?
Sakolomé gave a slight, nervous smile.
— It's not won yet for the job… but I'm staying positive. Haha.
After the discussion with Nexura, Ramos escorted Sakolomé to the room reserved for him. Upon entering, Sakolomé scanned the room: a neatly made bed, a spotless desk, no trace of dust. It made him smile.
— Ramos… Did you tidy all this? he asked, somewhat ironically.
Ramos raised his hands, amused.
— You know me, little Sako. I'd be incapable of such a miracle. Nexura took care of it. She hates dirt.
Sakolomé nodded, almost admiring.
— I understand better now.
— Well, settle in quietly, Ramos said before slipping away. See you later, kid.
The door closed, leaving Sakolomé alone. He put his bag on the bed, sat down, and let out a long breath. Twenty-five years old… and already at the start of a doctorate. A life between two worlds: still young, but already forced to lead a semi-autonomous existence. He would now have to juggle between home, research classes… and, perhaps soon, a job.
But for that, he first had to be accepted. Nothing was won yet.
Without further delay, he unpacked his belongings, then headed to the bathroom. The hot water slid over his face, washing away the fatigue accumulated by the trip. In front of the fogged mirror, he looked at himself thoughtfully. His hair, now too long, fell in front of his eyes.
— I need a pair of scissors... he murmured.
He scanned the room but saw nothing useful. Finally, he shrugged.
— Well… not necessary.
He grabbed a rebellious strand, concentrated a small amount of energy in his hand and, with a sharp movement, cut it cleanly. He repeated the gesture, adjusted slightly, then observed the result in the mirror.
— Perfect… Not bad at all, even.
A slight smile stretched across his lips. After finishing his shower, he returned to the room, dressed only in a towel. As he dried himself, he suddenly froze, his gaze lost in the void. A dull thought had just crossed his mind.
For so long...
His eyes rose toward the ceiling.
For so long that I've been a pseudo-deviant… I deliberately restricted my skills through Saiko. And yet… I feel like I've reached a limit. Like I can no longer evolve.
He put on clean clothes and sat on the edge of the bed, thoughtful.
Tss… How do you evolve when you've become… a deviant creature? Should I talk to Saiko about it?
He turned his head toward the window. In the distance, the city spread out its illuminated skyscrapers, a sea of light and steel. The spectacle was grandiose, but without echo in his heart.
— Meh… I'll see about that later, he muttered.
He let himself fall on the bed and pulled out his phone. The screen lit up, displaying a flood of notifications. Messages from Salomé, Bakuran, and of course Amu… not to mention former classmates. He first opened his mother's.
"I hope you arrived safely, my son. Mom loves you, she already misses you so much."
A tender smile appeared on his lips. His mother… always the same, sweet and caring.
He moved on to Salomé's message.
"Big brother, become what? Ah, I took the pack of cookies you were saving for your trip. cheeky smiley"
Sakolomé furrowed his brows slightly, his teeth clenched.
— So that was why I couldn't find it in the car… Salomé, you'll pay for that!
Sakolomé opened the next message. It was from Bakuran.
"Hey bro, when you're in Gu-Hoit, tell me if the girls there are hot!"
A light laugh escaped him. He shook his head, sighing:
— Bakuran… You'll never change.
He continued scrolling through notifications, browsing messages from his friends, former classmates, and acquaintances. All seemed eager to keep in touch, ask questions, make sure he was okay. Then his gaze stopped on a familiar name: Leyla.
"Sakolomé, I heard you're going to Gu-Hoit? I'm already there. Let me know when you arrive?"
Sakolomé frowned.
— Leyla… is in Gu-Hoit?
Without hesitation, he typed a quick reply:
"I'm already here."
He was about to put his phone on the bedside table but noticed one last notification. A conversation with no photo, no name. Intrigued, he opened the message.
"Hi, it's been a while."
Sakolomé remained immobile for a few seconds, perplexed.
— What's that…?
No indication. No clue about the sender. A masked number? An old contact? He hesitated, then decided to answer.
"Hi. Who are you, please?"
After sending the message, he finally put the phone down and stretched long, letting out a tired sigh.
— Tomorrow… It's going to be quite a day. I can already feel the laziness taking over.