Sorry

The next day, my sentence was lifted.

Dad has spoken to mom.

He said I was allowed to leave the house as usual, but with a note that I shouldn't do any bad behavior.

In that case, I will do things as usual. Playing with friends is fun.

But, before I went to where we usually gather, I took the time to go to Aunt Vera's house.

Previously, I was always accompanied by my mother when I wanted to apologize to anyone.

But now, I'm no longer accompanied.

I am already 10 years old, I have to start being independent, dad said.

I went to Aunt Vera's house nervously.

Honestly, I'm still afraid to face Aunt Vera who is known for being grumpy.

Especially facing her alone like this.

Until the front of his house, my heart filled with doubt.

Doubt mixed with fear.

I don't know what to say to her.

I'm also afraid of her response.

However, I collect my courage until the last bit of them, then i knock on her door.

No answer.

I knock again.

No answer again.

I gathered again my courage which is still left in the corners of my heart.

Then I shouted while knocking.

"Aunt Vera! It's me, Andre!"

But still no answer.

Ah!

I realized, at this hour Aunt Vera must be still in the fields with Uncle Mikhail.

Hesitantly, I turned around.

My courage that I mustered to knock on her door has disappeared.

Should I approach her in the fields?

But, what if I'm mistaken for stealing again?

There are so many doubts in my heart.

But I remember the corn Aunt Vera gave us yesterday.

I have to apologize and thank her.

I regained my resolve and left from there to Aunt Vera's and Uncle Mikhail's fields.

When I got there, I didn't see Aunt Vera or Uncle Mikhail.

"Ah, it's the kid from yesterday again!" someone shouted from a distance.

Apparently the one who shouted was one of the field workers.

That person chased me, spontaneously I ran chased by that person.

Ah, why should I run?

I don't steal like yesterday.

But why did I run?

I stopped my steps, the person caught me.

Out of breath, he said something.

"Pant… pant… pant… Got you now. This time I won't let you get away like yesterday."

The worker took me to a hut near the field. There Aunt Vera and Uncle Mikhail were seen resting.

All right, I have to be brave. I can't be doubt anymore.

"Master and mistress! I caught another corn thief!" Exclaimed the worker with enthusiasm.

Uncle Mikhail and Aunt Vera turned to us.

"Andre...? You stole again!?" Aunt Vera's face turned red, she seemed to be getting angry.

The worker put me in front of the two of them.

"You're Andre, Novel's son, right? You stole the corn in our field?" said Uncle Mikhail.

Before I was scolded, I immediately bowed my body. I apologize to both of them.

"A-Aunt Vera, U-Uncle Mikhail, I'm sorry for my behavior yesterday and before! I admit I was wrong and will never do it again!" I said haltingly.

"I knew that stealing was wrong, but I did it anyway. What I did was totally unacceptable. I'm really sorry!"

Aunt Vera and Uncle Mikhail fell silent.

"So... you really understand that is wrong?" Aunt Vera begin to speak.

"Yes..." I said slowly as I lifted my face.

I saw that Aunt Vera was not angry at all. She even smiled.

"That's good. Have you eaten, Andre?" Aunt Vera asked kindly.

I was relieved that Aunt Vera was not angry.

Luckily she isn't angry, meaning I'm free.

To be honest I'm not too worried about Uncle Mikhail, because he's quite patient.

"You... So it's true that you stole corn from our fields?" asked Uncle Mikhail. His face looked uncomfortable.

Okay, I'll take my words about Uncle Mikhail. He seemed angry.

"You are...! Ouch!" Aunt Vera pinched her husband's arm before he scolded me.

"Well, he's already admitted his mistake. I'm not sure Novel's son will do it again." Aunt Vera said.

Uncle Mikhail is still complaining, but in the end he also forgive me.

"Well, just don't do it again." He said with a wry smile.

I just chuckled softly seeing him like that.

"Oh, yes, yesterday, thank you for the boiled corn. The corn is so delicious, our family ate it together." I said excitedly after relieved to know that they weren't mad anymore.

"In that case, thank God. Did your father also tell you something?" Aunt Vera said.

"Yeah, next time if I really want something, I'll ask for it, won't steal anymore."

"Okay then, don't hesitate. But don't force it if you can't get what you want, okay?" Aunt Vera said again.

I nodded excitedly. Aunt Vera stroked my head then offered to eat with them.

I turned it down because I had eaten at home. Then I left from there.

It's a relief after getting sorry from Aunt Vera and Uncle Mikhail.

However, the relief did not last long.

When I arrived at the place where we used to hang out, I remembered dad's message to me.

I don't want to steal anymore.

But I also don't want to lose my friends.

What should I do?

"Oh, Andre! Come here!" Maxim's calling me.

I obeyed Maxim's call, I walked over to Maxim and the others.

We are all here.

Annette and Anna, the twin girls who always have twin tail hair. Sometimes it's hard to tell them apart, especially when they look the same. They are not natives of Millstone Village. They moved here 3 years ago. Their parents were carpenters, but here they looked more like farmers, because they also tended to the wheat fields which isn't very large.

Dimitri, the timid boy. Often he becomes the subject of our jokes. It's a lot of fun messing him around. His parents were quite well-respected merchants in our village, so he had a fairly large house. We sometimes play at his house.

Ivan, the son of the village chief. When compared to the others, he was the most arrogant child. Even though we know he's often just bragging, but it's quite nice to have a friend like him.

Daniel, a kid I can say very innocent, or maybe stupid? I don't know, I clearly feel guilty for him after being caught taking his family's ring. However, he lightly forgave me, even with a big smile. This makes me even more uncomfortable with him.

Nicholas, Son of a retired soldier. He was most enthusiastic when we played war-like game. He had also told us several times that he wanted to be a great warrior like his father did.

Elora, a rather 'unique' girl. Her hair color is very strange, not common for the residents of Regia. She also always carried a blue stone with her everywhere. When asked, she said that she always ordered by her mother to always take it anywhere. I heard her mother is from another country, maybe that's what makes her different from us.

Then Maxim, the leader of our group. His father died while serving as a soldier, his mother died of illness. Now he lives with his aunt here. His stature is quite large and very dignified for the size of children our age. He is the eldest in our group.

As soon as I was in front of Maxim, he put his arm around me.

"Ah, it's a shame that your mission failed yesterday." He said in a light tone.

"Y... Yes... I was caught by Aunt Vera."

"Hmm? What happened to you? You sound like you're scared. Ah, you must be scolded by your parents huh?"

I was silent, I was afraid to hear Maxim's words.

Only because of that, you are already that gloomy? Come on, i think you really don't fit in with us. Just go, we don't need you in this group.

That's my guess about Maxim's next words.

Of course they hate me, they think I'm not a fun kid to hang out with.

"Ahahaha, never mind. It doesn't matter. Yesterday we were actually just joking when we told you to steal Uncle Mikhail's corn. But, since you look so serious, so we continue. Yesterday you even prepared yourself to do it. I'm actually not very comfortable, but as long as you're happy yourself, it's fine." Maxim said casually.

I didn't expect Maxim to say that.

I thought Maxim was going to get the others to dump me.

But he don't.

Even so, I'm a bit annoyed by his statement about 'as long as you're happy'.

I'm not happy at all.

I even did it feeling a bit depressed.

I was always taught not to steal, but I had to do it for fear of losing friends.

Yes, there is a certain satisfaction in getting stolen goods, but still I don't want it.

Before I could express my annoyance, Maxim knelt down to apologize to me.

"I'm sorry, Andre. I even told you to do that. I should have prevented you, it is all my fault so you were getting scolded by your parents."

Yet another unexpected statement came out of his mouth.

I haven't lived in Millstone Village since I was born.

My family moved here when I was 4 years old.

So, I've been living with the residents here for about 6 years.

I've been hanging out with other kids my age in this village for so long.

So almost everyone knows that I do like to pick up small things.

They also knew that I had taken a ring that belonged to Daniel's family.

They also know that I was almost labeled a pervert because I was about to enter the women's locker room at a public bath, it was because I was about to take someone's locket.

I realized, I shouldn't blame them if they thought I was happy with the behavior of stealing other people's belongings.

After all, they also really want to please me by not limiting my behavior.

However, I have to admit that I really don't like stealing.

I used to really like to collect small things, but after understanding I always refrained from taking valuable things.

"…I'm also sorry… I shouldn't have insisted like that from the start so you guys misunderstood. I really don't like stealing. Mom and dad never taught me to steal, in fact they were very disappointed when they found out I did it." I said with a very sorry expression.

Maxim and the others just looked at me.

"I only did it because I was afraid of losing you guys. I'm afraid you'll leave me if I don't do what you want me to do."

Maxim then hugged me.

"Take it easy. Next time, I won't ask you to do anything weird. We will not abandon you, youngest brother."

Youngest brother....

Well, I'm the youngest among us.

I was 10 years old, while the others were 11 to 14 years old on average.

15 year old Maxim is like a big brother to us. Therefore, we always treat him like the leader of our group.

Why do I still doubt them? I've been with them for 6 years. Why do I still think of myself as someone else in their eyes...?

Ah never mind...

I realized now, that my friends would never abandon me.

They will always accept me.

However, feelings like that often don't work out in reality.