Chapter 40 - 7.2 : The Silent Flame
Three days had passed since Al visited Malika Makazhar Orphanage.
Now, he returned to the city—walking leisurely along the sidewalk, bathed in the golden-orange light of sunset. The buildings began to glow one by one as the sky shifted from tangerine to violet.
But before heading home, Al decided to stop by his best friend’s house—Indra.
As he stepped into the yard, an uneasy feeling crept over him.
The atmosphere was... too quiet.
Unnaturally quiet.
He knocked several times.
Silence.
Moments later, the door slowly creaked open.
"Al?" Indra appeared, his face gloomy and eyes swollen from crying.
Al blinked in surprise. Normally, it was Indra’s mom who greeted him with cheerful energy and the smell of home-cooked food.
"Indra? You’re opening the door? Where’s your mom? Are you home alone?"