Twins and Luci

"Hey Ater, wake up. It is 11 in the morning now."

Rafael's voice jolted Ater awake.

"Huh," Ater muttered, confused as he struggled to orient himself.

"Brush your teeth and take a bath. Come down to eat your lunch. You missed breakfast. Magia thought you'd died."

"Right, I will."

"Come quickly. The kids are waiting too."

"Okay"

Rafael left, and Ater muttered to himself,

"I've never slept this long before. I guess I should hurry up."

When Ater entered the dining hall, seeing all his friends made him waver.

"Ater, come and sit down. The kids must be starving."

"It's fine. We're not hungry yet," the twins answered politely, while Luci stayed quiet.

Ater glanced at Luci, " Are you hungry, Luci?".

Luci just shook his head.

"Well, let's just eat." Magia interrupted.

"Eat, Ater," Nemesis added, reticent as always.

On the table, a succulent roast chicken took center stage, surrounded by dishes of fragrant jasmine rice and stir-fried vegetables.

Alongside, there were platters of sushi rolls, their vibrant colors adding a touch of Asian flair.

Bowls of creamy mushroom soup and crispy spring rolls completed the eclectic spread, offering a delightful blend of culinary traditions.

As they ate, Ater muttered, "Like a family."

Magia finished eating. "I will go and examine the corpses from Dolaidh."

"Take Rafael, Magia," Ater suggested, trying to play cupid.

"Ater, what about the kids? And you too."

"I'm not a kid, Rafael. I can take care of myself," Ater laughed.

"I will take care of the kids. You go and help Magia."

Magia gave a thumbs-up to Ater secretly.

"Then we will go now," Magia left with a smirk, dragging Rafael, who looked suspicious and worried.

"What about you, Nemesis?"

"Train."

"OK! Don't forget to rest."

"Sparring."

"Neme, I don't think I can today. You're not leaving tomorrow, right? Let's spar tomorrow."

"Okay. Bye."

Nemesis left, looking like a sad cat.

"So, kids, shall we start introducing ourselves? Rafael must have told you some things about us, but you might only know the general stuff. You can ask me anything."

"Why are you helping us? What do you want from us?" one of the twins, Ken, spoke up.

"Well, aren't you a straightforward kid? For your information, most of us here were all test subjects of Dolaidh. The fact we escaped might be known to you guys as you each have a code number. We're not helping you for anything in return. We see our past selves in you kids. And we don't need anything from you. You can leave whenever you want."

"Thank you," Mor spoke shyly.

"I'm sorry that we were suspicious of you."

"It's fine. It's good to be wary. And it's my turn. How old are you guys? Yes, Luci, you too."

"We're both 15 years old. We'll be 16 soon," Ken said.

"15," Luci spoke softly.

Ater thought, "Why is Luci smaller than the twins? He looks like a 10-year-old kid. How much did they torture this kid?"

Ater smiled sadly.

"Oh, I guess you all are the same age. We'll teach you guys things you want to learn, even controlling your ability. I kind of guess your abilities, twins. But Luci, will you tell me yours?"

Luci nodded," Annulment ".

"Huh! Wait, annulment? You mean you can annul people's abilities?"

Ater was shocked.

"That must be why they kept you in the main facility," he muttered.

"Kenshio, you will be taught by Nemesis, as your ability, 'cutting,' is similar to his 'destruction.' Mor will be taught by Magia," Ater paused.

"But I think Rafael is a better teacher for you. You can learn from both. Magia can help you with mind control, and Rafael can help you with healing."

"And Luci, would you like to learn from me? We can't help you with your ability, but I can help you train your body and martial arts. You can try your annulment on me so we can learn how to control it."

"Tonight, we have a farewell party. Go to the base floor, the assistants will give you clothes according to your size."

"Okay, can I call you big bro?" Mor asked.

"Can I call you brother too?" Ken blushed like a tomato.

"Yeah, you can call me."

"Okay, thanks, Brother/Big bro," the twins said, leaving.

"Aren't you going, Luci?"Luci pulled my shirt shyly.

"I want to call you Hyung Ater."

"Haha, okay. You can. Go now, or you'll be late for your suit, kid."Luci left quickly.

"Hm, is this kid mixed Korean?" Ater muttered.

Ater phoned Magia," Search for Luci's parents in Korea."

"OK!" loud noises could be heard through the phone.

"Help!" Rafael shouted.

"Magia, what the hell are you doing? Why is Rafael shouting?"

"Nothing, just experiencing some corpses," Magia hung up.

"Okay, it seems Rafael will be suffering for a while. I should prepare too for the farewell."

The afternoon passed by, reaching the climax of the day: a farewell party.

The embrace of the sea welcomed the wounded soul.