Chapter 8: A Room That Became a Home

The sun hadn't fully risen when the sound of a large truck rumbled to a stop outside the apartment. The clanging of metal, workers' instructions, and heavy footsteps on the stairs soon filled the air.

Julian peeked through the window, shirtless, leaning against the frame of his nearly empty room as he watched people in bright vests and clipboards unload large items from the truck.

A substantial bed with a wooden headboard. A wardrobe with two sliding mirrored doors. A sleek study desk and ergonomic chair. Wall shelves. A thin faux-fur rug. Even an elegant arched reading lamp with soft golden light.

"My God..." he murmured.

He stepped out wearing only a thin hoodie and shorts. Nora already stood in the hallway, dressed in her casual loungewear—a gray jacket, soft trousers, and her hair hastily tied back. Her face, as usual, was calm but observant of every detail.

"You can assist them if you want. Just don't disrupt their workflow," she said curtly.

Julian chuckled. "So I'm the personal assistant today?"

"You live here. Of course you share responsibility."

The workers' voices grew louder as they began arranging the pieces. His room was opened, and one by one, the furniture filled the space. The wardrobe was placed on the right, the bed in the center, the shelves above the desk, and the rug spread almost perfectly across the floor.

"This... is like magic," Julian whispered, running his fingers over the desk's surface.

One of the workers glanced at him. "This is a very... mature design choice. Young people usually go for bright colors and cartoon posters."

Julian just smiled. "Guess I have to start learning how to be an adult."

Nora leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. Her expression was unreadable, silent. Just watching as the boy seemed hypnotized by his new bed.

When the workers left and the apartment fell quiet again, Julian sat on his new bed, then lay back. His eyes traced the clean white ceiling.

"This... is my bed. Mine."

"Don't hug it like a child."

"I've never had a bed like this before. Even at the orphanage, the mattresses were thin and the frames creaked in the middle of the night."

Nora walked slowly into the room. She pulled out the desk chair and sat.

"Do you want to invite your friends over to see it?"

Julian shook his head. "I don't want anyone knowing I have something this nice. Besides, they're not... part of my life anymore."

Nora studied him. "You cut ties quickly."

Julian shrugged. "Life taught me not to hold onto things that don't matter."

Then, silence.

"Thank you, Mom," he said softly. "I... know I've been a handful. But today... for the first time in so long, I feel... like someone's child."

Nora didn't respond. But she stood and walked toward him. She straightened the blanket, then adjusted the pillow.

"I didn't buy these things to impress you. I bought them so you could learn how to stay. Stay in one place, properly."

Julian held her gaze. "Then... can I... stay forever?"

Nora's face tensed briefly. But then, without hesitation, she answered:

"As long as you know your limits. And know where you belong."

Julian closed his eyes. For the first time, in a room that was no longer empty, he felt... home.

---

The evening sky had just begun to yellow when Nora finished her tea in the living room. Julian, still admiring his new space, was arranging his few books on the shelves. Light footsteps echoed in the hallway, the sound of unhurried slippers... then, a phone rang.

Not a normal ringtone. Just one short vibration, then silence. Few people knew that particular alert—it came from a dedicated line. A work line. An important one.

Nora rose from the sofa. She retrieved her phone from her jacket pocket, scanning the screen briefly. Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she showed no surprise. She typed a quick reply, then stood straight.

Julian peeked out from his room. "You're being summoned?"

Nora nodded without looking at him. "Work."

"Now?"

"Immediately."

Julian stepped into the hallway. "What exactly do you do?"

Nora turned slowly. No smile. Just a sharp, piercing gaze.

"Architecture."

"An architect?" Julian raised an eyebrow. "I thought regular architects just drew house blueprints and... well, that kind of thing."

Nora slipped on a long dark coat, then picked up a slim black portfolio from the table. On it was a small embossed gold emblem, circular like a royal crest. "Not the regular kind."

Julian tilted his head, curious. "What do you design?"

Nora's stare was razor-sharp. "Buildings. The kind that can't be replicated. Once built, there's only one in the world."

Julian swallowed. "So... like—"

"Command centers, private hotels for exclusive clientele, residences where the land alone costs as much as a district... that kind."

Her heels clicked down the hallway as she headed for the door. But before gripping the handle, she glanced back.

"Don't invite anyone into the apartment. Not today. Not until I say so."

Julian could only nod, still stunned.

Nora opened the door. Outside, a long black car waited. Not a taxi. Not a rideshare. It looked like a diplomatic vehicle, with metal plates and a driver in a full black uniform. When the door opened, the driver bowed respectfully.

Julian stepped onto the balcony, watching from above. The car glided away, disappearing into the city streets. The evening wind tugged at his shirt, but he didn't move.

"What kind of person am I living with, really..." he murmured.

He went back inside, sitting on his new bed. Running his hands over the smooth sheets. Studying the shelves, the wardrobe, the reading lamp. Then staring blankly at the door.

For the first time, he felt... small. And for the first time, he knew—his life would never be ordinary again.