46 Music

'Have I seen him before?' Aaron pondered to himself, fixing his eyeglasses.

Meanwhile, Dominique's surprise shifted to curiosity. He crouched down to Aaron's eye level and asked, "Are you lost?"

Aaron, still a bit flustered, nodded. "Yes, Mister. I'm looking for my sister and my Uncle."

Dominique's usually cold demeanor softened upon hearing that. "Come. Let's find them together. Let's look around and see if we can spot them in the crowd." He offered his hand to the young boy so Aaron could grab him. He didn't want this boy to get lost for the second time around.

As they navigated through the bustling mall, Dominique started interviewing Aaron. For some unknown reason, he felt a growing interest in the child who bore a striking resemblance to his young self.

"What's your name? And how old are you?"

Aaron paused for a moment, thinking. 'Mom and Aunt told me not to trust a stranger. However, why do I feel at ease in his presence?'