Luca stirred after the sun rose. He had worked until three in the morning the night before. As his eyes adjusted, he noticed Evelyn sitting beside him, her back resting against the bridge wall.
She was staring at the underside of the bridge's arch, as though it were made of questions. Her hand was clenched. She hadn't noticed him yet.
"Good morning, Sister," Luca said softly as he rose to his feet.
Evelyn blinked, startled from her thoughts, then offered a gentle smile.
"Morning, Luca."
He walked down to the river and washed himself, as he did every morning. When he returned, Evelyn stood up and brushed off her skirt.
"Lu, I'll go to the city gate to beg today. I feel better now," she said, her voice light but resolute.
"No need, Sister. I have already earned some money. Look." He held out a handful of copper coins from his work last night.
But Evelyn's expression tensed. Her smile faltered, and something like fear flickered in her eyes.
"It's not enough," she said, shaking her head. "I'll still go."
"Sister, listen to me," he replied, confused but concerned. "I'll earn more later. Just stay here with me."
"No. Y-you want to abandon me. I'll go."
"Sister—!"
She bolted.
Luca reached for her, but his voice caught in his throat. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself up with his cane, ignoring the pain that pulsed through his leg.
He tried to catch her, limping after her as fast as he could, but her figure quickly vanished into the distance.
"What happened?" Rin's voice broke through his frustration. She stepped beside him.
"I... had a fight with my sister," he said, still confused.
"What? Then go after her and apologize, you idiot!"
"But—"
"You moron! Hurry up!"
"... Alright. Do you know where the city gate is?"
"Remember that fancy house we once sheltered beside it? The south city gate is just past it."
"Understood. Thank you, Rin."
"No worries."
Luca grabbed something from their spot and hurried off. His mind spun, unable to make sense of what had gone wrong. He had only shown her the money and asked her to rest, so why had she run?
Still, maybe she had her reasons. He'd ask later.
On the way, he stopped by the merchant he owed. The old man stood behind his usual stall.
"Good morning."
"Oh. hey, kid. What do you want?"
"I've come to pay what I owe."
"So soon? Hah. Not bad, kid," the old man chuckled.
"And can I get five pieces of bread? Four of them moldy, like last time?"
"Sure thing. Here you go."
Luca placed the bread into his pouch and handed over twenty copper coins.
"Thank you for your help before," he said politely.
"No problem. My name's Gerard, yours?"
"Luca. Nice to meet you."
"Hahaha, nice to meet you too, kid."
"Thanks again. I'll be going now."
"Sure. Take care."
Luca bowed slightly and continued on his way, passing the fancy house they'd once sheltered beside it. It still looked out of place in the slums, with its polished walls and towering windows. Today, people were coming and going through its doors.
He ignored it, hurrying toward the city gate.
The crowd thickened as he approached. Wagons rumbled by, carts creaked over uneven stones, and carriages passed in a steady stream. But what caught his eye were the creatures pulling them, massive, horse-like beasts, twice the size of any animal he'd seen. They moved with surprising grace, easily bearing their burdens.
Then he heard it.
A rhythmic pounding, deep and powerful, grew louder. A shadow stretched over the street. Something massive approached.
It was… a train.
The engine glinted, long and imposing, trailing cars that seemed endless. It entered through a separate gate, before the gate's steel barrier clanked shut behind it.
So, this world has trains, he thought.
Judging from everything so far, the technology felt like the turn of the century, yet there were no cars in sight. Only animal-drawn transport.
There must be a reason for that, but he shook the thought away. Evelyn came first.
He limped toward the gate, scanning the crowd. Homeless people sat along the roadside, some calling out for food or coins. A few mistook Luca for a person from the city and reached toward him, but he had nothing to spare. He was still just surviving himself.
Then he saw Evelyn.
She knelt on the stone path, reaching up with trembling hands.
"Please… I'm hungry…"
A well-dressed woman glanced down with disgust. "Get out of my way. You useless, filthy rat. Know your place!"
She walked off, her nose wrinkled in disdain.
Evelyn remained where she was, frozen. Her eyes were hollow. Like she wasn't there at all.
A shiver ran through her body, her lips trembling as she murmured words unconsciously, her face empty and vacant.
Luca's chest tightened. Rage bloomed inside him, an urge to lash out, to destroy that woman. But he held it back and hurried to Evelyn's side.
"Sister!"
He dropped to his knees in front of her, scanning her quickly for any injuries.
"Are you hurt?" he asked her as gently as possible.
"..."
She didn't respond. She just stared blankly ahead, like she was in shock.
Luca's heart ached deeply at the sight. So this was what she used to do when he was injured. He remembered the time she brought back half a loaf of bread. It's already bitten into, but she still smiled as if it were a treasure.
His heart cracked, and he couldn't bear it. He had no idea how hard it must have been for her.
He reached into his pouch and gently placed a piece of bread into her hand.
"I bought some bread," Luca said.
"Let's eat together, alright?"
He is trying to comfort her. But her lips trembled. What she said next felt like a blade in his chest.
"Am I… a useless sister?"
She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears.
Tears slipped down her cheeks. Her body shook as sobs overtook her. Her breath hitched with each word.
"Hic.. hic… a-are you.. going to.. abandon me.. Lu…?"
That question shattered him.
How could she even think that?
She was the one who stayed by his side when he could barely walk. The one who begged for scraps just to feed him. The one who gently smiled to shine his day.
Why would he ever abandon her?
His throat tightened. He held her tightly in his arms.
"Stupid…" he whispered and searched for the right words to soothe her pain
"You're the place I belong. You're my family. You helped me through everything. It's not about being useful or not. It's because… you're precious to me."
But his words make her weep even harder against his shoulder.
She's my stupid and gentle sister.
He thought with a soft smile.
And from that moment onward, Luca accepted her fully in his heart.
As his family in this cruel world.