They stood in anticipation, each seeing the situation differently.
Toki and Luna stared quietly into each other's eyes, as if waiting for the other to respond or give in.
Sophie lowered her head and clasped her hands together, murmuring nervously to herself:
"Why are my brother Toki and my sister Luna here?"
She placed her hands on her cheeks, avoiding their gaze, and thought:
"Could it be... that they already know about the gift?"
She whispered softly, almost unconsciously:
"What should I do..."
The shop was located along the road leading to the commercial district, which featured a wide square surrounded by markets, stores, and a few multi-story houses connected by narrow alleys.
The atmosphere was peaceful, and people walked happily without loud noise.
Under the sunny sky, Luna gently held Toki's cheeks.
Toki did not react, only raised his eyebrows, while Luna said warmly:
"Don't worry about what's coming. It will only slow you down, okay?"
Toki was silent for a moment, then suddenly replied, calm as always:
"Huh?!" His face took on a playful expression, like a squirrel stuffing its cheeks with nuts.
He raised his forearms, then held up two fingers on his right hand and one on his left, signaling "two to one."
Luna chuckled softly, letting go of his cheeks with a gentle smile.
She turned toward the open doorway and said:
"Yes, yes, I'll catch up with you."
They entered the shop that Sophie had reached earlier.
"Really? Hmm... fine," Toki replied, observing the shop's interior.
Sophie stood next to a shelf, as if she had found what she was looking for. Her memory drifted back to before she came to the accessory shop.
—
Half an hour earlier, at Anna and Ray's house
In the kitchen, Sophie helped Anna organize dishes in the top drawer.
Anna wore a simple, modest dress, and her orange hair leaned toward a dark brown shade.
Sophie paused, distracted by something on her mind.
"What's wrong, Sophie? Does something hurt?" Anna asked, curious.
Sophie shook her head, hesitating for a moment, then looked up at Anna and asked in her soft, usual voice:
"What kind of gift would my brother Toki like?"
"Hmm..." Anna thought for a moment, then answered:
"I don't know... have you asked him before?"
Sophie replied, "I want it to be a surprise."
Meanwhile, Ray entered the kitchen after returning from the grocery store. Anna consulted him about what kind of gift Toki might prefer.
"Why this sudden question?" Ray asked, a hint of surprise on his face.
Anna gestured to him to support Sophie. Ray, placing the bag on the counter, said:
"Anything is fine, as long as the gift comes from your heart, she might accept it."
Sophie smiled warmly, thanking him, and told them she would be stepping out for a while.
Ray and Anna exchanged quiet glances as they heard Sophie's words.
...
—Present—
Sophie was immediately drawn to a pair of earrings with a distinctive design.
The first was crescent-shaped, with a plus sign at its center, and a three-bladed fan made of transparent crystal.
The second, next to it, was a shard-like crystal earring, with clock hands at the lower half, a quarter-hour made of gold remnants.
Despite their small size, the design was intricate.
Their price was high, yet Toki asked Luna to handle the bag containing a few coins, knowing she would realize he had placed it on the table.
"No problem, as long as the money isn't mine," Toki said with a faint smile, glancing at the display.
"I don't mind."
Sophie shot him a look full of accusation and whispered, "Thief."
Toki returned to his usual calm, speaking coolly:
"And what of it? I didn't steal."
He asked the shopkeeper confidently about prescription glasses. The shopkeeper replied that they were available at the veterinary eye store, and luckily, he had one in stock.
Luna was surprised at Toki's request for glasses, as he didn't actually need them.
Luna herself was considering learning sewing from Marcy and had come to look for needles.
Before finishing their shopping, Toki curiously asked:
"Any particular item you want?"
Sophie blushed, replying politely:
"No need... thank you very much."
Toki was slightly surprised by her response. He sighed, lowering his head:
"If you want to tell me something, let me know, or consult Luna."
Sophie nodded shyly, unaware of her own growing feelings. Over time, her emotions began to stir, melting and fading simultaneously.
She struggled with this strange shift inside her, yet felt genuine warmth from them.
"Thank you... both of you," she whispered, then smiled.
Toki and Luna turned to her, both witnessing her sweet, grateful smile.
Luna exhaled and closed her eyes, speaking to Toki without looking:
"I almost forgot, Toki, there's a blacksmith in this village..."
"Really? — Oh?" he replied, examining a pair of red-framed glasses with four small holes.
Luna added gently, opening her right eye:
"And he seems to be the only one here. I instructed him on the sword's design and weight, but it cost me..."
"I know, no problem—" Toki said, taking the nearly empty bag from Sophie,
"—this saves time."
After paying the shopkeeper, who examined his goods through a small glass lens, Sophie approached Touki and handed him the earrings.
Toki looked at her calmly, muttering to himself:
"Why? For me?"
Then he examined the earrings carefully.
He faintly smiled, then handed the glasses to Luna.
Luna noticed that, in the moment he shared his gaze with her, she felt a strange, slightly blurry sensation. She realized this was part of why he used heavy weapons.
Luna was a little impressed. She put on the glasses, which matched her hair and pink eyelashes, reminiscent of cherry blossom colors.
With the glasses on, she could see clearly, and the light specters she had noticed as wavy shapes in the surrounding space disappeared.
Since Luna wanted to learn sewing, she asked Sophie to accompany her to Marcy's house to start practicing. She decided to make a hair ribbon that suited her.
Before leaving, Toki advised Luna not to overanalyze things.
----
A few hours before sunset
The air gradually cooled. Toki walked along a path near the center of the village.
His attention and curiosity were caught by the symbols and inscriptions in the book he carried. For some reason, he couldn't forget them.
The earrings on his left ear sparkled in the colors of the sky.
His pace slowed as a group of children playing near the empty square caught his eye.
Toki sat in front of a house door, gazing warmly at them.
"This brings back my blurred and beautiful memories..." he thought.
"We used to play with the village children, go on adventures, laugh when someone knocked and ran from doors... those were wonderful times... but all that has changed..."
He leaned on his forearms resting on his knees, looking at the children as a sense of loss seeped into his empty heart.
His eyes and mind wandered in memories of his small family, like someone who had lost passion and was slowly killing himself.
He began murmuring a song, the last thing he remembered:
"Why, oh bird, do you not sleep?
Do you play in the sky that touches clouds and the radiance of moments?
Chasing the dawn birds, meeting the one returning from the wondrous horizon...
Why, oh bird, do you not sleep?
Do you play in the sky?
I swim in the reproach of the day between departure and farewell...
My chest aches unbearably...
I walk on the sands of the sea with longing...
Why... oh... bird, do you not sleep..."
---
Toki's thoughts, three days and two months earlier
Relaxing under a tree, flipping through an apple before eating it:
"Knowledge alone isn't enough to achieve my broken dream. I will use this knowledge to face fate."
"I need to think of a strategy to reach that scoundrel without leaving any clues or hints of my path… I almost failed because of this."
(He meant that he almost revealed his motives to those around him.)