The morning light slipped through the cracks of the curtain, painting thin lines across my room.
The air was quiet , with a faint hum of life outside.
Today's Sunday. The restaurant is closed today. Like usual.
I sat up and stared at the ceiling for a while.
The sun had already risen, and I could hear people outside moving about, such as footsteps, carts rolling over dirt, and laughter somewhere down the street.
Some people were heading to work. Others jogged around the village, or set up their picnics, or met someone they probably missed during the week.
But those are all things people with a place to return to would do.
I wondered where my place was.
The Carolen house? Maybe. That's where I sleep. That's where I eat.But sometimes I think I'm just borrowing the space.
My name is Allen Carolen now.
That's the name they gave me when I fell — from that crack in the sky three weeks ago. I don't remember anything before that. Who I was, where I came from, or what I was doing there.
No one came to pick me up yet. Not from the Capital, not from any village.
So, I stayed.
In exchange, I help around the restaurant when I can. Wash dishes, kitchen preps, carry trays....
Nothing special.
I thought that... maybe I was from a place like this. A quiet village on the outskirts. But if I was, wouldn't someone remember me?
I sighed. If I wanted answers, I couldn't stay cooped up inside.
Maybe if I became an Agent someday, I'd find something. But I can't even be scouted if I spend every day sweeping the floor.
I got up and headed downstairs.
The smell of breakfast met me halfway. The family was already gathered around the table. Luis and Runa were arguing again, like they always do.
"The milk's expired," Luis said, holding the carton up like evidence.
"It's today's date!" Runa shot back. "That means it's still good!"
"That's not how that works," Luis said flatly. "You can't blame me for not wanting to take my chances when there's no actual basis for thinking it's fine."
Runa groaned, dramatically rolling her eyes. "It's not even one whole day beyond expiry yet."
Mr. Carolen sat behind his newspaper, trying his best not to listen. Ms. Carolen was beside him, sewing a shirt — Luis's shirt, the one he tore by accident last week.
I took a seat quietly.
As they kept bickering over the milk, I decided to speak.
"I want to go to school."
That shut them up.
Runa blinked. Luis raised an eyebrow.
Even Mr. Carolen lowered his paper.
"You want to what now?" Runa asked.
"Go to school," I repeated. "I want to learn what kind of things I like. What I'm good at. What I'm not. Maybe if I learn those things, I'll understand myself better."
Mr. Carolen smiled behind his mustache. "Good thought, you have. Important, education is."
Ms. Carolen nodded approvingly. "You should enjoy your youth, dear. Don't just hang around the restaurant every morning. We can handle things here, like we always have before you were adopted. Morning's slow anyways, only busy when the twins get home."
She paused to snip a loose thread. "Well, you both should have him enrolled today, since the office itself is open and some school clerk still have to work at Sunday."
Luis frowned slightly. "Wait, we're going with him?"
"Of course," Mr. Carolen said without looking up from the paper. "Runa won't know what to do if she goes alone, and if it's just you, nobody will explain anything."
Wait, did he just spoke normal for the first time?
Luis groaned. "Then why not you?"
Mr. Carolen folded the paper down and grinned. "Because, son, deserve peace, lazy people do. Mad at us, you should not. Do anything, we didn't."
Mr. Carolen laughed by himself, while the rest of us just watched.
He coughed. "Anyway, off you go, the three of you."
By mid-morning, we were walking toward the school.
The village looked alive. Children chasing each other, shopkeepers waving, old folks gossiping on benches....
Everyone greeted us warmly. It was hard not to feel like I belonged, even if I still didn't understand why.
When we reached the school, the gates were open but the courtyard was quiet. Only a few teachers and clerks were inside, sorting papers and stuff.
We entered the principal's office.
An old man with silver hair sat behind the desk. Luis and Runa explained everything: my memory loss, the Carolens taking me in, how I wanted to study. They left out the part about me falling from the sky. Thank goodness.
The principal listened, nodding slowly. "So, you'd like to be tested for academic placement, Mr. Carolen?"
I nodded. "Yes, sir."
He smiled faintly. "Alright then. Let's see what you remember."
The principal stood up and shuffled through a drawer before handing me a thin stack of papers.
"Here," he said. "Just something simple. The questions start easy and get harder as you go. No need to rush. Just take your time."
"Okay," I replied flatly, taking the seat opposite his desk.
The twins waited outside.
Through the door, I could faintly hear Runa complaining about being hungry and Luis telling her to stop whining.
Wait, didn't we just had breakfast though?
The first few questions were basic.
Numbers, spelling, and reading.
My hand just moved on its own. I didn't really know how I knew the answers, but they came naturally.
It felt like my brain was working without asking me first.
When the harder questions came, such as chemistry, physics, biology...
I slowed down a little. But even then, it wasn't that bad. Though some of it I just wrote nonsense.
When I finished, I slid the paper across the table.
The principal started checking, tapping his red inked pen every now and then. I watched the clock on the wall. The second hand looked kind of tired, making the same turn over and over again.
After a while, he looked up. "Well, Allen… this is quite impressive. You did better than most students your age. In fact, I'd say your level is a grade higher than expected."
I blinked. "So… I passed?"
He smiled. "More than passed."
Just then, the twins pushed open the door. "How'd it go?" Runa asked immediately.
The principal turned the paper toward them. "Your brother's academic level is about one grade higher than yours."
Runa froze. "Wait— what?! You mean he's smarter than us?!"
Luis whistled. "Huh. Didn't see that coming."
I tilted my head slightly. "Is that bad?"
Runa looked like she was about to faint. "Bad?! I'm going to look like an idiot in front of everyone!"
"Oh," I said. "I'm sorry."
Luis snorted. "Nah, don't mind her... She'll get over it and be proud of you instead."
The principal chuckled. "You have quite an interesting family, Allen. I'll process your enrollment. You can take the week to prepare for classes."
"Alright," I said, standing up.
As we left, Runa kept muttering about how to explain the situation to her classmates.
Luis teased her the whole way down the hall.
I followed behind, keeping quiet. The floor creaked under my shoes, sunlight spilling across the tiles.
Well, I got enrolled pretty easily.
I didn't really know what to think. I wasn't sure if being a grade higher meant anything, but Runa and Luis seemed worked up about it, so maybe it did.
Still… it was nice walking behind them like this. It felt familiar, somehow.
A week had passed since that test, and now I am officially a student.
The uniform felt strange. I looked at myself in the mirror before heading downstairs.
Well, it seems dark blue isn't really my color.
I didn't look like someone who belonged anywhere in particular.
I stepped into the dining room. The table was set: three bowls, a carton of milk, and the usual quiet morning sunlight through the window. I sat down and started eating.
Cereal first, then milk. That seemed right.
For some reason, I felt like if I put the milk first, the journey to find my true origin would end here.
Ms. Carolen stood by the counter, tying up three lunch boxes with neat ribbons.
"Morning, son. Excited for your first real day?"
"Not really," I said. "But I'm going."
She smiled anyway, like she expected that kind of answer. "That's good enough."
I nodded and took the lunch box she handed me, slipping it into my bag.
Then came the twins. The difference between them was like sunrise and sunset.
Runa bounced down the stairs, humming something upbeat, her ponytail swinging with each step. "Good morning!" she chirped, practically glowing.
She looked like she's attending a party.
Behind her, Luis trudged down like gravity had something personal against him.
His shirt was untucked, his tie half-tied, and he looked like someone forced him to exist. "Morning," he muttered, grabbing a chair and sitting like it insulted him.
He looked like he's attending a funeral.
Runa twirled once before sitting down. "Allen, ready for school? Oh, you look good in the uniform! Way better than Luis!"
Luis squinted at her. "That's because he still believes in life. Give him a week."
Runa gasped dramatically. "How can you say that? School's supposed to be fun!"
"Fun for you," Luis said flatly. "For me, it's where hope goes to die."
She flicked his forehead. "You're just lazy like dad!"
"Lazy's a lifestyle," he replied, pouring milk into his cereal like he'd already accepted defeat.
They kept at it for a while — her full of energy, him full of sarcasm, like a routine they'd perfected since birth. I quietly ate my cereal, trying to figure out if I should say something or not. I decided not. Better safe than sorry.
Runa turned to me. "Aren't you nervous, Allen? First day and all?"
I swallowed another spoonful. "I don't think so. Should I be?"
Luis leaned back. "Nah. You're beyond that point already. Fell from the sky, takes a test, skips our grade, and doesn't even react that much."
"I just… answered the questions," I said.
Runa pouted. "Still, you're amazing, Allen! Ohhh, but what will I tell my friends? My little brother's smarter than me!"
Luis smirked. "Just tell them I raised him well."
"I'll tell them you're mean, that's what I'll tell them!" she shot back.
Yep. Definitely Mr. Regular Everyday Normal motherfu-
Ms. Carolen wiped her hands on her apron, smiling fondly at the three of us. "Alright, kids, enough chatter. You'll be late if you keep this up."
Runa jumped up, her bag bouncing behind her. "Let's go, let's go!"
Luis sighed like the weight of existence was on his shoulders. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming…"
I followed them outside, the cool morning air brushing against my face. Runa skipped ahead, Luis trudged behind, and I just walked in the middle.
The school gates looked bigger up close. I wasn't sure if they were actually that tall or if I just wasn't used to them yet. There were already students gathering around, chatting, laughing, running to class like it was all routine.
Runa waved to someone across the courtyard, her already high energy somehow doubling the moment she saw familiar faces. "Heeey! Over here!"
Two girls hurried over. One had short, wavy blonde hair that practically glowed under the sun. The other had long, straight black hair that reached past her shoulders.
"Runa!" the blonde one called, grinning. "You're early for once!"
Runa puffed her cheeks. "Hey, I can be punctual! Sometimes!"
Luis scoffed beside me. "That's new."
The blonde girl giggled. "Oh, you brought your brothers!"
Runa nodded proudly. "Yup! This is Allen! He's our new little brother!"
The blonde tilted her head, curious. "Ah, the one you adopted? The one with, uh… memory loss?"
"Yep! That's him!" Runa beamed, practically bouncing. "He's starting school today!"
"Nice to meet you," I said flatly.
She smiled warmly. "I'm Mira. Don't worry, Runa talks a lot, so you'll never feel lost here."
"That's… reassuring," I said, though I wasn't entirely sure how.
Meanwhile, the black-haired girl had stepped closer to Luis. She held her bag tightly in front of her, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. "Um… hi, Luis."
Luis looked at her like he'd just remembered she existed. "Oh. Morning, Hana."
She nodded quickly. "Y-yeah. Morning."
There was an awkward pause — the kind that stretches too long. Luis didn't seem to notice. He was too busy yawning and checking his watch.
"You look tired," Hana said softly.
"Yeah," he replied. "I'm always tired."
She smiled faintly. "I know right."
"Look at Runa and tell me how can I sleep peacefully with her around."
Runa was too busy talking to Mira to notice any of this. "He's a grade ahead of us now! Can you believe that? One test and boom— instant brainiac!"
Mira's eyes widened. "Really? That's amazing!"
Runa proudly broadened her chest. I could swear I saw her nose stretching out as she speaks "Yeah, guess who taught him everything he know?"
Luis smirked. "She didn't teach him anything."
"Luis!" Runa pouted, swatting at him.
Hana tried to stifle a laugh beside him, covering her mouth. Luis raised an eyebrow.
"Well, that's quite the rare sight coming from you. Our princess usually smile once every year or so."
"P- princess?" she said, her face a little pink.
I watched them quietly. I don't think I should interrupt those two.
So I left the four of them to head to the class myself.
The walk through the hallway was quiet.
I followed the path I'd memorized when the twins first showed me around.
When I stopped in front of the classroom, a familiar voice echoed in my head.