Chapter 28: The Three-Year Promise

[11th April 2024]

Evan had arrived in Lumina Town at the age of fifteen, back in 2021. Now, he was eighteen—having quietly celebrated his birthday on January 16th.

In these past few years, he had grown incredibly close to Rossy and Jason. So close, in fact, that he'd completely forgotten his original plan—to stay with them for just three years. That time had already passed.

And yet… he was still living with them.

He had always known that any other caretakers would've likely reminded him of the arrangement. Maybe even asked him to leave. But Rossy and Jason never brought it up. They treated him like he had always belonged.

Still, guilt gnawed at him.

So, on a holiday, he finally worked up the courage to talk to them about the time limit.

It… didn't go well.

When he brought up the possibility of leaving their home, Rossy didn't say a word. But her expression said everything—eyes wide, brimming with tears, before she turned and ran to her room, crying.

Jason, on the other hand, was furious.

Evan spent hours trying to calm Rossy down, explaining himself again and again. But she remained hurt, feeling betrayed. She had believed Evan saw them as family—yet, to her, it now seemed he still saw them as just his aunt and uncle.

In the end, she gave him an ultimatum:Either promise to live with them as family… or consider them dead.

It wasn't an easy decision, but Evan made the promise.

He had assumed he could one day move out and still keep calling them 'aunt' and 'uncle'—but after this… he understood. That bond had already changed. They weren't just caretakers anymore. They were home.

Later, he apologized to Jason, which—thanks to Rossy's help—didn't go as badly as expected.

From that day forward, Evan wasn't just staying with them. He belonged.

He was genuinely happy. A weight had lifted from his heart, and he could now focus entirely on his studies—to support the very family that had supported him. Even if they didn't need it, it was something he wanted to do.

The next three years of his life passed like a gentle breeze—normal, calm, almost peaceful. His dreams of those strange ten beings became less frequent, occurring just once a week, and even those were becoming less blurry.

But then something strange happened.

After his birthday passed… the dreams stopped.

He didn't think too deeply about it. In fact, he was overjoyed. Perhaps the strange illness or whatever it was had finally ended. Months passed without a single dream—not even normal ones.

His life seemed to improve on every front. School, health, peace of mind—even his grades climbed higher.

Everything felt perfect.

Even a situation that could've completely ruined him… was narrowly avoided.And it all started with her.

A girl he'd recently become friends with began visiting him often—bringing juice, snacks, and little things to brighten his day. She was friendly, and he was always polite. But Evan made sure to keep a respectable distance. He didn't want anything… awkward.

But she noticed that distance—and she didn't like it.

She tried to get closer, but Evan made his stance clear: he wasn't interested in anything more.

That's when she snapped.

One afternoon, she stormed into his room, tearing her own clothes and scratching her skin with her nails. Then she began screaming at the top of her lungs—crying out for help as if Evan had assaulted her.

Neighbors came running.

They saw her tattered clothes. Her wounded arms. Her terrified expression—crafted expertly with crocodile tears. And they saw Evan, standing there, stunned.

He tried to explain, but her sobs drowned out his voice.

Someone called the police.

Within minutes, sirens echoed through the building. People gathered. Whispers turned into angry outbursts. The story had already taken shape in their minds—he was the villain. She was the victim.

Jason didn't speak, but Rossy tried her best to defend Evan.

No one believed her.

The girl's boyfriend arrived on scene, and she rushed into his arms, sobbing harder, her makeup smudging in all the right places. The neighbors cried out for justice, for punishment, demanding Evan be arrested on the spot.

Rossy's eyes were filled with pain as the police grabbed Evan by the arms and led him away.

"Jason! Say something!" she screamed.

But Jason remained silent. He walked into Rey's room, ignoring the chaos.

Rossy chased after the officers, desperate to stop them. She knew Evan was innocent. She could feel it in her soul. And she was willing to go to any lengths to prove it.

Meanwhile, the girl—snuggled in her boyfriend's embrace—smirked, hiding her satisfaction behind a fresh wave of fake tears.

But just before Evan could be taken away, Jason's calm, commanding voice cut through the crowd like a blade.

"Wait."

Everyone turned.

Jason stepped forward, holding something in his hand.

A tape.

The police paused. Jason wasn't a normal man—his presence alone carried weight. Out of respect, they agreed to hear him out.

Soon, the entire group—officers, neighbors, the girl, her boyfriend, and Rossy—gathered in Jason's apartment.

He played the footage.

The screen lit up with a recording of Evan in his room, quietly studying. Then came a knock.

The girl entered, smiling sweetly, and offered him snacks. They sat and talked.

Everything looked normal.

Until… she began tearing her clothes, scratching herself, and screaming.

The room went silent.

And in that moment, the truth became crystal clear.

📢 Author Note:Hey everyone, thanks for reading!