Chapter 3 The first eyes

Leona‘s Pov I leave a note the morning I run away from home, telling my parents I’m going to a distant aunt. My fingers clutch the pen so tightly my heartbeat tears through my chest. "I’ll take care of myself. Don’t worry." I can’t imagine their faces when they find it. All I know is that leaving is the only right choice for everyone. I’m sixteen now. I should start making the right decisions. But as soon as I sling my bag over my shoulder and head toward that coastal town, I still cry—because for a split second, all I can see are the happy memories of us together. Then, those scenes are swallowed whole, leaving me with only one image— Lia, pale and frail, staring at me with fear in her eyes. And my parents’ voices—dry, cracking, as they discuss whether I should stay or be sent away. “So… I have to leave.” If I vanish, perhaps the whispers will die down. Perhaps life could find its way back to normal. A strange sea breeze brushes past me, drying the traces of my tears. Outside the bus window, the scenery rushes backward, as if reminding me that with every mile, I move further away. The town is quieter than I imagined. Following the winding stone path to my aunt’s house, I see surprise flicker across her face—she clearly hadn’t expected me to actually show up. I search her features, her posture, her voice. “I know what you’re thinking,” she says, her voice calm. “Your parents never spoke of me. And you’re looking for something familiar, aren’t you? Something that says ‘family’.” No. I won’t. There will never be any resemblance between us—I’ve known that for a while now. Because you and I don’t even share the faintest drop of blood. I tell myself this in silence. But maybe that’s a good thing. This way, neither of us has to worry about how to treat a “stranger relative,” because that’s all we truly are—complete strangers. Of course, I would never say any of this out loud. Right now, I rely on her to live. And if she ever finds out I’m not the “family” she imagined… would she throw me out? She takes the backpack off my shoulder. “That’s because we’re barely related at all,” she continues. She tells me she lost the man she loved. No children. She thought she could live out her days alone—until she realized how terrible time can be. So she searched through the family records… and found my name. Then she reached out, offering me a place to stay. “To be honest, I never thought you’d actually come,” she says. “I suppose… you’re a brave……” She glanced at the tea in my hand, untouched, and went on, “And a cautious girl, aren’t you?” But she didn’t seem to need my answer, “If you didn’t trust me at all, you wouldn’t be here, would you? Go on. Warm yourself.” Do I trust her? Hard to say. She mistook me for her niece, offered me a roof, food, even sent me to school. Right now, to someone like me… she might as well be the Virgin Mary. I nod silently and take a sip. Thank God. No dizziness. No vomiting. No convulsions. The warmth slides down my throat like a small mercy, and I shiver slightly. She’s right—I need warmth. Although her house is large, it echoes with cold. There is none of my home’s comfort… but none of those sharp, tiptoeing gazes either. A strange kind of relief unfurls inside me. Here, no one knows what I’ve done. No one knows what I’ve become. Here, I can start over. She doesn’t press me with questions, only one rule—be home within an hour after sunset. I want to ask why… but under her serious gaze, I stay quiet and accept it. Night falls before I dare turn on my phone. Ninety-nine missed calls. A voicemail inbox about to burst—all from my parents. Their voices tremble with worry, and my tears blur everything. But beneath it… I hear Lia’s laughter. Clear. Healthy. At least… they’re okay. I wipe my face and send a single message: I’m safe. I’ll be starting at a new school soon. Everyone here is kind. Don’t worry about me. The next day, stepping into my new school, my nerves twist tight again. But I meet Lulu—a burst of sunshine in human form, her smile disarmingly warm. She’s like sunlight through thick clouds, and for the first time in weeks, something small and bright flickers in me. “Hi! I’m Lulu. Welcome!” She takes my hand, her laughter so effortless it begins to melt the frost around my heart. Because of her, I dare to speak my dream aloud again—biomedical research. The words feel like coming home. Textbooks, lab models, the promise of discovery… they stir something deep and dormant in my blood. And then, Lulu introduces me to her brothers—the twins. The moment I see them, my world tilts. It’s an invisible punch to the chest, a primal, instinctive jolt that steals my breath. My pulse stutters, then hammers against my ribs like a trapped thing. I don’t understand it—this immediate, terrifying magnetism. It’s overwhelming, embarrassing. They carry a scent—rich, warm, like almond cake fresh from the oven, like sun-drenched morning air. It wraps around me, thick and intoxicating, pulling at something wild and restless deep inside me. I can’t breathe. I want to flee, yet every fiber of my being strains toward them, a terrifying dance of revulsion and allure. For some reason, memories I’ve tried to bury erupt— The enormous moon that always hangs high in my dreams. The terrifying strength in my hand. The stranger’s words. The dreams of riding a white wolf under a giant moon… “Leona? What’s wrong?” Lulu’s voice snaps me back. “N-nothing.” She watches me knowingly. “It’s because of my brothers, isn’t it?” “W-what?” “Ariel and Atwood. They’re like… superstars here. Girls kind of lose it around them. Football idols.” I follow her gaze to the twins. She’s right. They’re… impossible to ignore. “Hi, I’m Atwood—Lulu’s brother. It’s been ages since I met someone new. I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you.” No. I really can’t. Right now, all I can do is command my heartbeat not to explode and make my face turn impossibly red. I scream inside my head to stay calm, but all I manage is a stammered, “H-Hi…” The next second, it’s like I’m waltzing inside a sugar-sweet almond cake. Atwood slings an arm around my shoulder and pulls me to his side. “I’m saying—will you come watch my game? I’ve been playing terribly, the coach is on my case. But—well, you saw it—I’m a total show-off. If you come, I swear I’ll play like a national athlete.” I’ve never cared about romance. I swore that before college, my only goal would be studying. So what is wrong with me now? My breathing turns shallow. My whole body feels weak, and for one wild second, I want to collapse into his arms. But I can’t. I must not. Atwood is still talking, I think—but I don’t hear a single word. All my strength is spent on not throwing myself against his chest. “Hey, please. She’s Lulu’s friend.” I jerk my head up. “Hi, I’m Ariel—Lulu and Atwood’s brother. Sorry about him. Yes, he’s… overly enthusiastic.” His voice is clear, like spring water. I stare, stunned. He looks almost identical to Atwood, and yet—his presence is gentler, almost gentlemanly. I scramble to Lulu’s side, using her like a shield. “I-It’s fine. Um… I probably don’t have time for the match. I—I need to study. But… good luck.” “Well…” Atwood shrugs. “But next week—you are coming to Lulu’s birthday party, right?” “What?” “Settled. See you next week, shy girl.” He strides off, victorious. Ariel gives me a small, apologetic smile. “But truly—Lulu’s birthday party is always great. If you want to relax after homework… it’s a good choice.” I nod at him. “Thank you. I’ll… think about it.” How strange. Two faces nearly identical—yet they make me fall in two completely different ways. And the worst part is—I can’t seem to control it around either of them… “Do you like my brothers?” Lulu’s voice snaps me back. Oh right—she’s still here. God. These twins… absolutely terrifying. “No! Of course not! I don’t—I don’t like them.” I deny instantly, even as my heart hammers violently. But Lulu seems convinced. “I officially declare you my best friend now. You’re nothing like those other girls—they only approach me to flirt with my brothers. You’re the first girl who’s ever rejected Atwood. I swear—he’ll remember today forever!” Will he? I shake my head, hard, throwing that thought away. I’m here to start a new life. No drama. No distractions. No involvement with campus stars. So far… everything is going just right. I cannot—must not—let anything ruin this.