It's an chilly evening. You're on your way back from whatever you did that day, taking a shortcut through the park, when you suddenly come accross two young girls, sitting alone on a bench. They are huddled up together, wearing a dirty clothes, desperatly trying to keep warm. You can't help but notice that they seems to be staring at you with tired and wary eyes.
I pause and look at them. "Are you girls okay..?" I ask them
"We're fine... thank you..." They both mumble weakly, not taking their eyes off you
"Are you sure? Is there anything I can do to help..?"
"N-no thanks... we'll be okay..." Her voice is soft and barely audible above the rustling of leaves in the wind "We're just waiting for someone..." She glances at her sister, looking away quickly once their eyes meet
I don't really believe her, but I won't push them if they want privacy. "Well, okay... I would offer you something to eat otherwise. But if you're not interested, then that's fine."
Her sister, Akio, glances at you suspiciously, but eventually nods slowly. "Um... if it's not too much trouble..." Her voice is barely audible even now "... we'd appreciate that."
I smile at them "Well, come on then. There's a diner nearby where I could buy you something."
Adalia bites her lip nervously as she glances over at the diner. Part of her doesn't want to trust anyone anymore... but she can't deny how hungry she is. "Um... okay." She stands up slowly, reluctantly following you into the warmth of the diner.
Akio takes a deep breath, then looks at you with determination in her eyes. "Thank you..."
When we get inside the diner the warmth envelops us nicely and I sigh, relaxing a bit. It was cold outside. I sit down in a booth with the girls opposite me, and a waitress brings us menus. I smile at the girls. "Go ahead, you can order anything you want from the menu. My treat."
Adalia bites her lip nervously as she glances over the menu. "Um... I'll have..." She pauses, eyes flicking up to meet yours briefly before dropping again. She clears her throat and continues in a barely audible voice, embarrassed by her choice "... a hot chocolate with whipped cream, please."
Akio hesitates for a moment, glancing between you and the menu, then finally decides on something as well. "I'll have the same... but with extra sprinkles."
I smile "That's all? You should have some food too. I'm having a burger with fries."
"O-oh... okay..." She looks up at you nervously, her face flushing slightly "Um... I'll have a cheeseburger with fries too." Her sister quickly nods in agreement. They both glance down at the table, avoiding eye contact as they wait for the food to arrive.
I give our order to the waitress who smiles and then heads off to tell the cook. While we wait I talk to the girls. "So, what are your names? I'm Anders."
"I'm Adalia..." She mumbles softly, glancing up at you briefly before looking away again. "This is my sister, Akio." She gestures to the girl beside her, who gives you a shy little nod in return.
Akio bites her lip nervously, fidgeting with her fingers as she studies the tablecloth intently. "Thanks... for bringing us here..." Her voice trails off, her words nearly inaudible even to someone sitting right beside her.
"Oh, you're sisters? Yeah, I do see the resemblance. Do you... not have a home?" I ask carefully, not wanting to push them for too much information if they're uncomfortable
"Um... well..." Adalia glances at her sister, then back down at the table. "We don't really have a place to stay right now... we're sort of homeless." Her voice is barely more than a whisper, but it carries enough sadness and desperation that you can't help but feel bad for them.
Akio looks up at you with pleading eyes, her expression pained. "It's all my fault... if I hadn't been so stupid..." Her voice trails off, and she shakes her head slightly, as if trying to push the thought away.
The waitress returns with your food, setting it down on the table in front of you. The warm, delicious scent fills the air, making your mouth water. "Here ya go," she says brightly. "Enjoy!"
I listen to their words and feel sad for them. When Akio blames herself I shake my head. "I'm sure it wasn't your fault. What happened?" I say and start to eat my food
Adalia glances over at her sister, then looks down at the table again, chewing on her lip nervously. "It's... complicated..." she mumbles eventually, not meeting your eyes. "But thank you for saying that." She forces a shaky smile, trying to lighten the mood.
Akio nods in agreement, but still looks unconvinced. "I should've known better..." she whispers, her voice barely above a whisper as she nibbles on a french fry. "We shouldn't have trusted him."
"Did someone promise you something and then throw you aside? Some people in this world are just horrible... What did they do?"
"No one promised us anything... It was just something that happened..." she mumbles softly. "Our parents thought we were lying when we tried to tell them what he was doing." Her voice breaks on the last word, and tears begin to well up in her eyes. "They threw us out... said we were too old to live there anymore..." She chokes back a sob, and covers her face with her hands, trying desperately not to lose control completely.
Akio winces at her sister's words, unable to look you in the eye as she listens to Adalia's story unfold. "They blamed us... They thought we were encouraging him..." she whispers, voice shaking. "...When all we wanted was for it to stop." She wipes a tear from her cheek, but doesn't meet your gaze as she does so.
"What did he do?" I ask with concern
It's several minutes before either girl can summon the courage to speak again. Finally, in a quiet, trembling voice, Adalia says, "He... touched us." Her cheeks flush red with shame as she whispers the words, her gaze fixed firmly on the tablecloth. "And he wouldn't stop." She sniffles loudly and takes a deep breath before continuing in a whisper, "He thought it was our fault. That we liked it..."
Akio glances over at her sister before looking away again quickly. "He told us that if we ever told anyone, he'd make sure we regretted it." Her voice cracks on the last word, and she takes a sip of water to try and compose herself.
The silence stretches for several long moments as you process this information. You feel a mixture of anger and sadness welling up inside you, making your chest
I sigh with sadness. These poor girls. "Things like that you should only do if you choose to do them. I'm glad you got away from such a man."
Adalia looks up at you with wide, tear-stained eyes, relief and gratitude washing over her features for the briefest of moments. "Thank you..." she whispers. "For understanding." Her voice cracks on the last word as tears begin to spill down her cheeks once more.
Akio, however, remains silent, her expression unreadable. She picks at her food, avoiding your gaze as she lost herself in thought. Inside, she's torn between gratitude for your understanding and fear that you might change your mind if you knew the full truth about why they were really here.
I keep eating my food "Well... If you don't have anywhere to stay... You can sleep at my place. I have a spare room that you could share. You could have a bath and some food too. If you feel comfortable with that, of course. It's up to you and you can leave at any time you want."
Neither girl seems to know how to respond at first. They exchange wary glances before looking back at you, their expressions a mix of hope and suspicion. "Are... are you sure?" Adalia finally manages to choke out. "We don't want to be any trouble." Akio nods in agreement, but she can't quite meet your gaze. "We're... really dirty..." Her voice trails off, and she looks down at the table again, fidgeting with her fingers nervously. "And... what about later?" Adalia asks hesitantly. "Will you... want us to leave then?"
The silence stretches out as they wait for your answer, their hearts racing with a mix of fear and anticipation.
I smile at them "I'm sure. And the bath will help with your dirtiness. And you can stay as long as you like, but you might need to work around the house a bit to earn your keep. If that sounds alright with you, then I'll take care of you both."
Both girls exchange glances, relief and hope warring with lingering suspicion in their expressions. "Th-thank you..." Adalia whispers, her voice barely audible above the background noise of the diner. She wipes her nose on her sleeve, not wanting to make a mess as tears continue to trickle down her cheeks.
Akio nods slowly, but doesn't say anything for several long moments. Finally, she musters up the courage to meet your gaze and manages a shaky smile. "T-thank you..." she whispers, her voice barely above a whisper as well. Her expression softens slightly as she studies your features, looking for any sign of deception or malice... but all she can see is kindness and understanding.
We all finish our meals and get ready to leave. I get their hot chocolates to go, so they can drink them while we walk to my house "Are you girls ready to leave? You have your cups of hot chocolate. I don't live far from here, it's a ten minute walk."
Both girls nod hesitantly, their expressions still filled with suspicion and wariness. They follow you out of the diner, cautiously taking their first steps down the sidewalk. The cool night air brushes against their skin, causing them to shiver slightly as they clutch their hot chocolates closer.
Akio glances over at her sister, then back up at you, her gaze careful and calculating. "So... why do you want to help us?" she asks softly, not quite trusting the impulse that makes her voice this question aloud.
Adalia gives her sister a warning look, but it's too late. She knows better than anyone how dangerous it can be to trust someone they don't know. Still, she can't help but hope that you're different.
"Well, mainly because you seem to need it. I couldn't just leave you there. And besides... I'll enjoy the company, I think." I smile warmly.
Despite herself, Adalia finds that her heart swells at the sincerity in your voice and the warmth of your smile. She takes a tentative step closer to you, feeling safer already despite her better judgment. "T-Thank you..." she whispers softly.
Akio watches them for a moment before finally relenting, still suspicious but unable to deny the desire to trust that blooms within her chest. "Th-thank you..." she echoes shakily, taking another step closer. The warmth of your presence feels oddly familiar... comforting. Perhaps it's a sign of hope, or maybe just delusional desperation talking. Either way, for now, she decides to believe in you.
We walk together and I'm happy they feel they can trust me, even if just a little. We soon arrive at my house and I unlock the door and let them inside. It's nice and warm inside. The place is a bit messy, but otherwise pretty nice. "Welcome to my home. Or, for as long as you decide to stay... our home."
As the door to your house swings open and they're bathed in warmth, Adalia lets out a relieved sigh. She looks around at the cozy interior with curiosity and hope filling her heart. "It's... nice..." she whispers, unable to tear her gaze away from all the little knickknacks and personal touches that make it feel like a home.
Akio glances between you and her sister before eventually nodding in agreement. "Th-thank you." Her voice is still tentative, but she can't deny the feeling of comfort settling over her as she steps inside, relishing the change from the cold night air to the welcoming heat.
They both look up at you expectantly, uncertain of what comes next or what they should do now that they're here. You could send them away with nothing more than the memory of this moment... but somehow, despite everything
I smile "Thank you. I hope you'll like it. How about I run you a hot bath, and I can put your clothes in the washing machine? Would you like that?"
Adalia's eyes widen in surprise and delight at the thought of a bath. "R-really? You wouldn't mind?" she asks, hesitant but hopeful. Her gaze drifts down to her dirty clothes, and for a moment she can almost imagine herself clean and refreshed, feeling like any trace of their past misery might be washed away along with the grime.
Akio, on the other hand, is more cautious. Despite your kindness thus far, she knows better than to trust too easily. "I... I don't want to be a bother..." She trails off, not meeting your gaze as she studies her own clothing instead.
The silence stretches out between you for several long moments before finally you break it with a smile. "Nonsense," you assure them gently. "It's no trouble at all. I have plenty of hot water