5 Different tears

"I-I'm not?" Haku looked at me wide-eyed in complete bewilderment.

"You're still alive and so am I, so I can't be a god, right?" —I tried to use logic for children— I'm only a little taller and I come from a very far place, maybe that's why you never saw people like me before.

Haku nods, but the look on his face tells me he's completely lost as he turns to look at the fire.

-However! — He raised his finger to give drama and quickly caught his attention — It is true that my apples are the best in the world, I can assure you that.

Haku suddenly starts laughing, it's not an innocent laugh, more of a laugh to release his emotions because tears are still running down his cheeks as he laughs.

"Do you have room for dessert?"

-Yeah! Haku brightened at the mention of dessert.

Alright, I managed to make him relax a bit.

Just a few hours ago, he had seen his father kill his mother and had intended to do the same to him, so I can't let him suppress his emotions, or he'll have real problems later on.

I perform a sleight of hand and produce two golden apples. I'm a bit worried that he might have some internal injuries or something I didn't see, so I'll make him eat one to ensure he becomes healthy.

It's not like it has any effect on chakra or anything, so it should be fine.

Haku looks at the golden apples in surprise before looking at me and then back at the apples in my hands.

"Don't think they're painted, go ahead and take a look," I tell him as I hand one to him, and he actually scratches the skin with his nail, verifying that it's genuinely real. "These are very special apples, and very few have the privilege of eating them."

I see Haku suddenly becoming anxious. Is he worried that I'm giving him something "valuable"?

"Apples are meant to be eaten," I take a bite of my golden apple, intrigued because it's also my first time trying it. The taste is... incredible, like a hundred times better than any other apple I could produce. It makes sense, I suppose; whatever powers or additional effects it has must magically enhance its flavor or something.

At the same time, I'm glad I didn't eat the golden apple in the world of Shokugeki no Soma. The reaction would have been quite inappropriate considering I still have only pants and some jewelry with me.

I feel a warm sensation flow through my body, like soaking in hot springs. I used to think it was nonsense when I read fanfics, but experiencing it is an entirely new feeling. I can almost see the stars shining in Haku's eyes as his pale face turns even redder, and he releases some kind of cold air through his pores.

Maybe not receiving proper training for his bloodline has caused some negative effects on his body?

As he begins to form some ice around him, he looks at me in fear again, afraid of how I might react once I discover the "secret" that led his family to ruin without understanding why.

"Great, you're just like me!

I think the best way to make him truly relax is to show him that he's not the only one who can do "special" things, as he might believe due to his mother's scolding the first time he discovered his ice release.

"Eh?" My response is clearly outside his expectations because he looks at me like a puppy that doesn't understand what's happening around him.

"Can you use ice? Then you can make some amazing apple ice cream," I nod seriously while crossing my arms. "Are you a ninja?"

"No, I don't have a headband..."

He thinks ninjas are the ones with headbands, which is not entirely wrong, but he definitely lacks a broader view of the world. Maybe that's why the cabin is so isolated in the middle of the forest; his mother must have been the one with the idea of living apart.

"Can you do things too?" Haku stops looking at me with fear and replaces it with curiosity.

"My ability is different," I raise my hands and make some small sparks jump between them. "It's much harder to control."

I'm not lying; ninjas have clear training regimens to strengthen whatever they want. On my part, I rely more on creativity and knowledge.

"It's beautiful."

"Thank you, ice can be very beautiful too."

And suddenly, we fall silent. I don't know how the conversation has stalled, but I suppose it's partly because he's just getting to know me, and it feels weird to interact with a character from a series.

"What do you want to do now?" I ask after a while.

Haku suddenly remembers that he's homeless and parentless. He doesn't know what to do, and like any child, the first thing he does unconsciously is look at the nearest adult for help with his gaze.

"If you want, you can come with me," I offer sincerely. "In two days, I'll have a special house, and I'll feel very lonely if there's no one else."

"But... I might hurt you." Unlike when Zabuza found him, Haku's will has not been worn down yet, and he worries about losing control of his "gift" again.

"If that's what you're worried about, I'll show you something, but don't be scared, okay?"

Haku seems relieved that I haven't immediately abandoned him and nods.

I take one of the branches I used to roast the apples and jab it into the palm of my hand.

"Ah!" Haku covers his face, thinking he's about to see blood.

"Don't be scared, look carefully, and you'll see I'm not hurt," my tone is a bit rough, but it's the quickest way to dispel his doubts.

Haku slowly separates the fingers covering his eyes and witnesses that indeed, there's no blood flowing from the wound. Under his astonished gaze, I remove the branch, and the spot I pierced remains intact.

"Do you see?" I bring my hand closer so he can get a better look. "Even if I'm asleep, you won't be able to hurt me."

Haku approaches and touches my hand with his small hands, searching for the wound that should be there, but for some strange reason, it's not.

Then begins a session of looking at my hand and looking at my face, then looking at my hand again and repeating. I don't know how many times he did it, but my neck hurt just from watching him.

"Would you really let me go with you?"

Oh, the tears have returned. Well, at least this time they're not tears of sadness.