The night was quiet, the house finally resting after the storm of the day.
Rumina sat in the living room, sipping tea, enjoying the rare calm.
But then—she felt it.
A pair of eyes, sharp and heavy, studying her.
She turned. Ravihiro's mother sat across from her, posture graceful, but her gaze was unnervingly piercing.
Rumina smiled awkwardly. "Mother-in-law… you scared me."
His mother's lips curled faintly. "So… tell me. Why exactly did you marry my son?"
Rumina nearly choked on her tea.
"Pfft—! W-What?"
"I asked," his mother said, voice gentle but edged with steel, "why you married him."
Rumina smirked, putting her cup down. "Well, that's a long story…"
"I have time."
And so, Rumina began with her usual playful arrogance. She laughed, telling tales of Ravihiro's stubbornness, his dramatic excuses to avoid marriage, even mimicking his serious voice declaring: 'The fate of the world depends on me staying single!'
His mother burst into laughter, shaking her head. They bonded in warmth, trading stories—Ravihiro's childhood antics, his rice-sack humiliation, his hidden love for drawing.
Rumina's chest softened. "He still sketches when no one's watching."
His mother's eyes glistened with a quiet memory. "I'm glad. I thought he'd forgotten."
For a moment, silence filled the room—gentle, almost peaceful.
Then.
Her mother-in-law's smile faded.
Her eyes sharpened again, as if piercing through Rumina's very soul.
"Tell me…" she said softly. "…who is he?"
Rumina blinked, confused. "…Eh? Who is he? He's your son, obviously."
"No." Her tone was absolute. "That's not what I asked. Who is he really?"
Rumina frowned. "I… don't understand what you're saying."
His mother leaned closer, shadows falling across her face. Her fingers trembled slightly on the teacup.
"Then tell me… what's his real name?"
Rumina's chest tightened. "…Ravihiro. That's his name. Right?"
The older woman shook her head slowly. Her lips pressed together, and her voice broke with weight.
"No. Ravihiro is not his real name."
The teacup slipped from Rumina's hand, shattering on the floor.
Her breath caught in her throat. "W-What do you mean by that?"
"That's why I asked you, Rumina," his mother whispered, her eyes now shimmering with something between fear and grief. "Who is he? He may look like my son. His body is the same. His habits, his voice, even his little quirks—yes, they all match."
Her hands clenched tight in her lap. "But he… is not my son."
Rumina's heartbeat thundered in her ears. Goosebumps crawled down her arms.
The room suddenly felt colder, the warm laughter from moments ago now a distant ghost.
"…You're wrong," Rumina forced out, her voice shaking. "He is Ravihiro—"
"No." His mother's voice cracked, her eyes wet. "That boy I raised… he's gone. What stands before us may wear his face… but the soul within him…" His name is not even Ravihiro
She leaned closer, her whisper cutting through Rumina's trembling heart.
"…is someone else."
The room fell into silence.
The ticking of the clock echoed louder than thunder.
And for the first time, Rumina felt fear—not of Ravihiro's coldness, nor his power…
…but of the truth hidden inside him.
To Be Continued…