The small hut was alive with the crackle of fire and the faint sizzle of cooking. Ethan stood by the stove, sleeves rolled up, his movents precise and quick as he handled the ingredients with practiced ease.
The sll of herbs and spices filled the air, a warm contrast to the cool mountain wind whispering outside.
At the dining table, Elias leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest as he sighed in satisfaction. For once, he wasn't the one in charge of the cooking, and he was relishing the rare opportunity to relax.
"Now, this is how life should be," he said, his voice tinged with lazy amusent. "I've been cooking for fifty years, and here you are, Ethan, taking over my role without complaint. You've no idea how happy that makes ."
Marie was leaning forward slightly, her chin resting in her hand as she watched Ethan work. Her eyes followed the rhythm of his hands—peeling, chopping, tossing ingredients into the pot—all in one smooth, practiced flow.
"Where did you even learn to cook like that?" Marie asked, her tone filled with honest curiosity. "You're quick. Like… really quick."
Ethan glanced over his shoulder briefly, flashing a modest smile. "I don't know. But... it's a good skill to have."
Marie blinked, clearly impressed, though she quickly masked it with a shrug. "Well, it's more than just good. It's better than anything I could ever make."
At this, Elias snorted, not bothering to hide his laughter. "That's because the two of you—" he gestured lazily at Marie and Celia "—are hopeless in the kitchen. Believe , I tried to teach you both. You burned water, Marie."
"I didn't burn water," Marie huffed, though her ears turned red. "It was… it was just over-boiled."
"Sa thing," Elias replied with a grin.
Across from Marie, Celia sat quietly, her arms crossed and her expression seemingly uninterested. But anyone paying attention could see the way her eyes occasionally flicked to Ethan—just at the edges of her vision, as though she was unwilling to openly admit she was watching him.
She shifted slightly in her chair, staring at a knot in the wooden table as she muttered under her breath, "It's not that impressive…"
Elias caught her quiet remark and raised an eyebrow, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Oh? Then why do you keep sneaking glances at him, Celia?"
"I'm not," Celia replied quickly, her tone sharp.
"You are," Marie chid in with a smirk, delighted to see Celia squirm for once. "Don't think I didn't notice."
Celia shot Marie in a glare but said nothing, stubbornly looking everywhere but at Ethan.
Elias chuckled, shaking his head as he reclined further in his chair. "You two are hopeless," he said again, though this ti with more affection than mockery. "At least we know that if we're ever stranded in the wild with Ethan, we won't starve."
Ethan, for his part, simply focused on the task in front of him, though he couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious under the combined weight of their attention.' I didn't think cooking would draw so much interest,' he thought with amusent.
He grabbed a wooden spoon, giving the pot a few quick stirs before ladling so of the simring stew into a bowl. The rich aroma intensified as he brought the bowl over to the table, setting it down in front of Elias.
"Here," Ethan said. "Try it, and let know what you think."
Elias sat up, rubbing his hands together with mock seriousness. "Alright then, let's see if you're as good as I think you are." He scooped a spoonful of the stew and blew on it before taking a careful bite.
The room fell silent as Elias tasted it. His eyes widened slightly, and he paused, letting the flavor settle on his tongue. Then, slowly, a satisfied grin spread across his face.
"Well?" Marie asked eagerly.
Elias looked at Ethan and nodded approvingly. "You're hired."
Ethan raised an eyebrow, amused. "Hired?"
"You're officially the hut's cook from now on," Elias declared, leaning back again with a contented sigh. "I'm retiring."
Marie laughed, reaching for her own bowl as Ethan returned to fetch the rest of the food. "I'll second that. If I didn't know better, I'd think you had so magical ability that makes food taste perfect."
"I wouldn't go that far," Ethan replied, bringing over another bowl.
Celia, still quiet, accepted her share without comnt. But as she took a tentative sip of the stew, her expression softened ever so slightly, the faintest hint of approval crossing her face.
Elias, catching this, grinned. "Well, would you look at that. Even Celia's impressed."
Celia bristled instantly. "I didn't say anything."
"You didn't have to," Elias teased. "Your face said enough."
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Celia shot him another glare, but this ti, Ethan caught the faint blush on her cheeks before she turned away. He smiled to himself, shaking his head.
As the last of the bowls were set aside, the warmth of the al still lingering in the air, Ethan pulled out a chair and sat down at the table. He hesitated for a mont before finally speaking.
"I don't know how long it's going to take for to regain my mory," he admitted, his tone calm but tinged with uncertainty. "So, I was wondering… could I stay here for a while?"
Elias, still relaxed in his seat, waved a hand dismissively. "Of course you can. You've earned that stew, after all." He chuckled softly, though his expression held genuine reassurance. "Besides, the place could use so new energy, and we don't mind the company."
Marie grinned. "I'm fine with it. If it ans we get food like this regularly, I'd say it's a fair deal."
Ethan smiled faintly, grateful for their easy acceptance. His gaze drifted to Celia, who had been quiet throughout the exchange. She didn't look at him directly, instead keeping her eyes focused on a knot on the wooden table.
"There's a spare room," she said finally, her tone matter-of-fact. "You can use it. I don't have a problem with that."
Her words, though curt, carried no trace of objection. It was as close to an agreent as Ethan was likely to get from her.
"Thank you," Ethan said sincerely, his voice warm. "Really. For letting stay."
The room fell into a brief, comfortable silence before Ethan glanced between the three of them, a thought bubbling to the surface. "Actually," he began, scratching the back of his head, "I was wondering sothing else… Do you guys have any sort of internet connection here?"
Elias raised an eyebrow. "Internet?"
Ethan nodded. "Yeah. If I could get online, I could check if there are any missing person reports. Soone might be looking for ."
For a mont, nobody said anything. Then, unexpectedly, Celia broke the silence, her voice sharp but not unkind. "I already did that."
Ethan blinked, turning to her in surprise. "You did?"
Celia, still avoiding his direct gaze, gave a small shrug. "Don't look so shocked. It's not like we dragged you in here without doing so digging first."
Marie smirked, leaning back in her chair. "You can always count on Celia to dig through everything when she puts her mind to it. She probably knows more about you than you do."
Celia shot Marie a quick glare before turning back to Ethan. "I checked," she continued, her tone level but firm. "Using your na—Ethan. If there were reports about soone matching your description or na, I would've found them."
Ethan frowned. "And…?"
"Nothing," Celia said simply, folding her arms. "No reports, no ntions, nothing. And before you ask—yes, I looked everywhere. The world's too big, and the news moves too fast. There are too many countries and too many reports of missing people every day. It's like searching for a needle in an endless pile of hay."
Ethan leaned back slightly, absorbing her words. The logical part of his brain understood it—after all, how could one person's disappearance stand out in a world so vast? But still, sothing in him sank a little at the realization.
"So… nothing at all?" he murmured quietly.
Celia glanced at him briefly, her expression softening just a fraction. "No. Nothing."
Elias, sensing the shift in the room, clapped his hands lightly. "Well, if it's any consolation, you're not exactly missing out on much here," he said, his tone lighthearted. "You've got food, shelter, and good company—though I use the term 'good' loosely when referring to these two."
"Hey!" Marie protested, though she was grinning.
Celia rolled her eyes but didn't argue, choosing instead to take a long sip from her cup.
Ethan managed a small smile. "You're right. I'll make the most of it while I'm here."
For a mont, silence settled over the table again, broken only by the faint crackle of the fire in the stove. Outside, the wind picked up slightly, rattling the window panes softly.
Elias stood, stretching his arms over his head. "Alright, then. We'll get you settled in. Tomorrow's another day, and who knows what it'll bring."
Ethan nodded gratefully. "Thanks, Elias."
"Don't ntion it." Elias gave him a wink. "Just don't make us regret giving you that spare room."
Ethan smiled faintly, feeling a little lighter despite everything.
As Elias and Marie began clearing the table, Celia lingered for a mont longer, her sharp gaze flicking back to Ethan. "Don't think this ans you're off the hook," she said, her tone neutral. "You're still a mystery, Ethan. And mysteries… don't sit well with ."
Ethan t her eyes, holding her gaze for a mont. "Fair enough," he replied quietly.
Without another word, Celia turned and followed the others, leaving Ethan to his thoughts.
For the first ti in what felt like forever, he had a place to stay—a place where, at least for now, he wasn't alone.
But as he stared at the faint embers in the stove, the question lingered in his mind like a shadow.
Who am I really, and where do I belong?
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