Night fell. The sky was filled with stars, and the cold wind slipped through the gaps in the window. On the second floor of that modest house, faint laughter came from Alvano's room. Since 6:30 p.m., Theo and Alvano had been hanging out there, sitting cross-legged on the floor over a thin, warm carpet.
Theo looked excited as he showed off a new game he'd just downloaded on his phone. "Look, Van. This game's awesome! I just started this morning, and I'm already hooked," he said, showing the screen to Alvano.
Alvano, though not much of a gamer, still listened intently. He watched Theo explain with so much energy, even mimicking the sound effects from the game. Sometimes Alvano smiled, sometimes laughed at Theo's endless antics.
Their conversation drifted from games to funny things that happened in class, Joshua's jokes, and even pointless chatter that somehow still felt fun. Alvano mostly listened, responding once in a while. But to him, this kind of moment was rare—simple togetherness that made his heart feel light.
Time passed unnoticed until Theo glanced at the wall clock and jumped. "Whoa, it's already eight-thirty! I gotta go."
Alvano stood up too. "Feels like time went by fast, huh?" he said, tidying up a few things they had used earlier.
They went downstairs, and Theo said goodbye to Alvano's grandfather. The old man chuckled, "Come by often, Theo. Alvano spends too much time shut in his room. You bring him some fresh air."
Theo laughed and nodded. "Don't worry, Grandpa. I'll make sure to bother him often."
Alvano just gave his grandfather a resigned look, then chuckled. After that, Theo stepped outside and got on his motorbike. Alvano stood by the gate, watching his new friend ride off until the bike's headlight disappeared into the dark end of the street.
When he returned inside, Alvano went back up to his room. As he opened the door, his eyes immediately caught something lying at the edge of his bed—a black leather jacket. Theo's.
He sighed softly, then smiled faintly. "Careless as always…" he muttered while picking up the jacket. He checked the pockets to make sure nothing important was left inside, then placed it neatly on the chair.
Without thinking much, he grabbed his phone and typed a short message to Theo:
[Alvano]: You left your jacket. I'll bring it to school tomorrow.
He sent the message, but it hadn't been read yet. He figured Theo was still on his way home. Placing the phone on his bedside table, Alvano sat down and gazed at the night sky through the window.
The cool night breeze drifted in, and within him, something felt different—something slowly changing. That short time they spent together had made his night feel warm, not as lonely as usual.
Leaning against the wall by the window, Alvano looked at the jacket folded neatly on the chair. His mind replayed their conversations and laughter from earlier that evening. It felt so pleasant—something he hadn't felt in a long time. He never thought Theo's presence could change his dull life this much.
He smiled a little, then moved to his desk to arrange the books he'd bring tomorrow. His gaze occasionally shifted toward his phone, hoping Theo would read the message. But the screen stayed dark—no reply.
"That guy… so careless," he muttered softly, then chuckled to himself.
The night air grew colder. Alvano put on a light sweater and turned off the room's main light, leaving only his desk lamp on. He lay on the bed, staring at the quiet ceiling. His mind wasn't fully calm yet. He thought about the training that afternoon—how he'd managed to move two objects at once. His body was still sore, but his heart felt content.
Could I really learn to control it all someday? he wondered.
Sleepiness slowly washed over him. He closed his eyes and pulled the blanket up, letting his mind drift back to the day he'd spent with Theo—full of laughter, practice, and small talk that warmed his heart more than usual.
Soon, he fell into a deep sleep.
In the middle of that sleep, Alvano found himself in a strange dream. He was standing in a place completely unfamiliar. Everything around him was gray, shrouded in thick mist that swallowed all sight. There was no sky, no ground, no direction—just emptiness surrounding him from every side.
He tried to walk, but felt no footing. He couldn't even see his own body, as if he was just a consciousness without form. Faint voices echoed through the fog, then one voice became clear—a deep, unfamiliar one.
"Alvano… Alvano…"
The voice was heavy and resonant, echoing as if it came from all directions at once. Though he didn't recognize it, it pierced his mind, making his heart race. He tried to reply, but no sound came out. The voice kept calling his name.
Suddenly, the surroundings grew darker, the pressure heavier—something huge was approaching. Before he could see anything, his eyes snapped open.
His phone blared loudly—his 4:10 a.m. alarm. His breath was uneven, his body covered in sweat. He sat up and wiped his face.
"What kind of dream was that…" he muttered.
But he quickly brushed off the unease. Today, he planned to start his morning workout—just like Theo had suggested. He got ready, brushed his teeth, washed his face, and put on his training clothes.
The morning air was still cool when he stepped outside. He began jogging, circling the street around his house twice. His legs felt heavy at first, but he kept moving, forcing his body to stay active.
When he finished, he returned to the yard and started some basic exercises.
"Push-ups first," he said, getting into position.
But as he lowered himself and tried to push back up, he groaned.
"Ugh… this is harder than I thought."
He tried again, his arm muscles trembling.
"One… two… ah, three…" He dropped to the ground and rolled to the side. "Damn, my stamina's paper-thin."
Sitting up, he wiped his forehead. "Did Theo struggle this much at first too?"
He chuckled to himself. "Bet he did. He just made it look cool."
He tried again, slower this time. After five push-ups, he switched to sit-ups—but the same thing happened.
"One… two… ow… my back…" he groaned, clutching his side.
Despite the struggle, he forced himself to finish ten sit-ups.
"So tired… but well, everyone starts somewhere…"
He finished with a simple arm exercise, lifting small stones as weights. It wasn't much, but he felt proud. This morning marked his first step—toward becoming stronger, and more ready to face the world.