The Curse of Malysora

Rin stopped in front of Mahmoud’s door.

She was still wondering why he had called her at this hour.

Knock... knock... knock...

The sound of her soft knocks echoed against the door.

Then Mahmoud’s voice came from inside:

“Come in.”

Rin pushed the door open and entered quietly.

Mahmoud was sitting in a wooden chair, the light from the lamp reflecting off the pages of the book in his hands.

Rin nervously interlaced her fingers and looked at him, saying:

“You called for me, Uncle Mahmoud?”

Mahmoud looked up from the book, then lowered his glasses slightly and looked at her with a calm smile.

“Yes, my daughter, I called for you.”

Then he gestured with his hand.

“Come closer.”

Rin approached with quiet steps.

Mahmoud closed the book and placed it on the table in front of him, then stood up and walked toward the closet.

He opened one of the drawers and carefully took out a new school uniform.

He turned toward her and said:

“This is for you, my daughter.”

It was a beautiful, traditional school uniform.

Rin froze and looked at the uniform in surprise.

“Today was your first day in your old uniform, and the school overlooked it this time, but they won’t accept it again. They want a uniform that meets the school’s standards, so I brought this for you.”

Rin’s cheeks flushed, and she lowered her gaze to the ground.

Her lips moved shyly:

“But...”

Mahmoud stepped closer to her and held out his hands with the uniform toward her.

“Don’t worry, my daughter.”

A warm, tender smile spread across his face.

Rin reached out and gently took the uniform.

He was wrapping it in a plastic bag.

Memories flashed before her eyes—she saw her father giving her her old school uniform, his hands weathered from hard work.

Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, and her cheeks flushed even redder.

She lifted her head toward him and said gratefully:

“Thank you, Uncle Mahmoud... Thank you so much.”

Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she gazed at the new uniform in her hands.

In her room.

Rin held the uniform with both hands, then

raised it in front of her to admire it once more.

She sat on the edge of the bed, then stood up a few seconds later as if she couldn’t wait any longer.

She reached for the uniform, then pulled her hand back hesitantly.

“Should I try it on... or not?”

She smiled to herself without realizing it.

Early that morning, while Hidara waited for Ren in the living room, a succession of thoughts swirled through his head.

His gaze was fixed on the half-empty glass in front of him.

He didn’t blink.

Until Rin shook his shoulder.

She was wearing a new school uniform.

Hidara looked at her, his eyes sparkling as if some of the pressure had slipped away.

His lips curved as he said:

“You look beautiful today.”

A blush crept across Rin’s face as she murmured:

“Thank you.”

On the street, Hidara looked ahead.

“It looks like we’re running late for Neil.”

Rin whispered softly:

“Do you think it’s right to trust someone like him? He’s so strange, and he seems scary to me, doesn’t he, Hidara?”

Hidara looked at her.

“You’re right, but I don’t know. My gut tells me to trust him. I don’t know what will happen, but I think the worst will happen if I don’t do anything, so I think it’s okay to take a little risk.”

Rin looked at him and said:

“No, you don’t look like you’re ready to take a risk.”

Hidara’s expression was that of someone walking toward his death.

Hidara paused for a few seconds, then whispered:

“It’s Neil... standing in his usual spot, leaning against the school wall.”

Neil raised his hand as his lips moved.

“I’ve been waiting a long time for you.”