chapter 05

Early in the morning, Mimi came out of her room to look for her aunt, but Amaya was nowhere to be found in the house. "Yaya?" she called out, her soft voice echoing through the empty rooms. She wandered around for a while but couldn't find her at all. Eventually, she gave up and sat down at the small table in the yard, propping her small face in her hands with a pout of frustration.

An hour later, the front gate creaked open. "Mimi, you're already up?" Amaya walked inside carrying a basket in her hand. Her eyes quickly found Mimi sitting outside, idly drawing circles in the dirt with a stick, her expression one of sheer boredom.

"Yaya, where were you? I've been calling you, but you didn't answer!" Mimi stood up, throwing the stick to the ground as she hurried toward her aunt, her tone full of little grievances.

"I had some work to do. Did you have your breakfast yet?" Amaya placed the basket on the table, her calm tone contrasting Mimi's mild tantrum.

"No, I was waiting for you," Mimi replied, walking inside with her small arms crossed, looking mildly upset. Amaya gave her a hard look, her brows slightly furrowed.

"Didn't I tell you to eat without waiting for me? Go wash your hands and come eat," Amaya instructed before heading into the kitchen to prepare the breakfast she had made earlier.

She brought out a plate of steaming potato starch noodles, freshly baked meat buns, and a pot of hot peppermint tea. Placing everything on the table, the two of them sat down to eat together. Amaya started serving Mimi, filling her bowl generously.

"Eat more," Amaya encouraged, watching as Mimi slurped her noodles with delight.

"So, what did you bring? Hmm? Tell me!" Mimi asked, her eyes darting curiously toward the basket sitting on the table. Her mischievous smile hinted at the million guesses running through her mind.

Amaya was about to answer when, suddenly, Mimi squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. "Ahh… Yaya, something's itching!" she exclaimed, fidgeting as though something had crawled inside her clothes.

"What happened?" Amaya asked, standing up quickly, concerned by Mimi's unusual behavior.

"Yaya, my back—it's itching so bad!" Mimi tried to reach around to scratch it but couldn't. She turned to Amaya, her eyes wide with distress.

"Let me see," Amaya said, helping her remove her outer robe. Her gaze landed on the butterfly mark on Mimi's back, glowing faintly. Amaya's expression froze, her eyes darkening as she realized what was happening.

"Yaya, please scratch my back—it's itching so much!" Mimi wriggled like a worm, completely unaware of the gravity of the situation.

Breaking out of her trance, Amaya scolded her lightly. "This is what happens when you don't listen to me and keep running around foolishly. You've got an allergy now! Wait here—I'll get some medicine."

Amaya hurried to her room. Opening her wardrobe, she took out a small, intricately carved wooden box. Sitting down on the bed, she stared at the box with a complicated expression, her thoughts turbulent. Taking a deep breath, she opened it to reveal a tiny glass bottle, no larger than her finger, filled with a milky-white liquid. After a moment of hesitation, she took the bottle and returned to Mimi.

Standing behind her niece, Amaya carefully applied a few drops of the liquid onto the glowing mark. She began rubbing it in gently, her hand moving with practiced precision. The butterfly wings within the mark seemed to calm down under her touch.

Amaya's mind, however, was elsewhere. They're starting to rebel against the seal, wanting to break free. Last night's incident must have triggered this reaction, she thought, her brow furrowed in worry.

"Thank you, Yaya. It was really itching bad! I promise I won't go out and play anymore," Mimi said earnestly, her small voice breaking Amaya's thoughts.

Mimi kept chatting, but Amaya remained quiet, her thoughts heavy and distant. "Yaya, what's wrong? Why do you look so lost?" Mimi asked, tugging at her sleeve.

"What? What did you say?" Amaya replied, startled, her voice betraying her distraction.

"I asked what you were thinking about," Mimi repeated, her tone curious.

"Nothing important. Put your clothes back on and finish your food," Amaya said firmly before walking back into her room, leaving Mimi puzzled by her aunt's strange behavior.

Mimi stared after her, confused but deciding not to dwell on it. She shrugged, put her robe back on, and went back to the table to finish her meal. Once done, she dutifully gathered the dishes and took them to wash.

Amaya eventually emerged from her room and called for Mimi, her voice carrying a tone of seriousness that made the little girl pause in her steps.

"Yaya, do you want anything?" Mimi asked as she came and sat in front of Amaya, her big curious eyes searching her aunt's face.

" I want to tell you something," Amaya began, her tone calm but serious. "So listen carefully and try to understand, okay?"

Looking at Amaya's serious expression, Mimi felt a flicker of confusion. Her aunt rarely looked this grave. Still, she nodded and decided to hear what Amaya had to say.

"Mimi, everyone around us—and—we are different from each other," Amaya said softly, her voice steady but firm.

"What? What do you mean by 'different,' Yaya?" Mimi asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"You and I… we are special," Amaya replied, leaning forward slightly to meet Mimi's gaze. "Do you remember last night, you told me you saw a big rabbit with silver fur?"

"Yes, and you said I was lying!" Mimi pouted, crossing her arms.

"I know, and I'm sorry for saying that. I know now that you weren't lying," Amaya admitted, her tone gentle but serious.

Mimi's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? So, it was real?"

Amaya nodded. "Yes, it was real. And there are some things you need to know about yourself, about us. But before I tell you, you must promise me something, Mimi."

"What is it?" Mimi asked, her curiosity piqued.

"You must promise not to tell anyone. Not your friends, not anyone in the village. This has to stay between us," Amaya said firmly, her expression growing even more serious. "And especially, after listening to what I'm about to tell you, you cannot wander around like you did before. You need to stay close to home and be careful. Do you understand?"

Mimi hesitated for a moment, sensing the weight of her aunt's words. Finally, she nodded. "Okay, I promise, Yaya. I won't tell anyone, and I'll be careful."

Amaya smiled faintly, though her eyes held a shadow of concern. "Good. Now, listen carefully…"