7/26/2026 - Cambridge, Massachusetts.

[ Iuri Stevens' Vision]

"Will you call me again?" asks the green-eyed brunette I didn't even make a point of asking her name.

Last night was my last night here, in half an hour I will travel back home and take over the presidency of the company, my parents will have their dream retirement. It's already seven years away, has anything changed there?

"I think your friend told you that I don't stay with anyone more than once," I say in a cold way while I fish my clothes spread on the floor.

Whenever one of them comes to ask me if I will call or meet them again, I remember when I was twelve years old. I thought that was the age when everyone finally kissed for the first time. There was a girl in my class, her name was Marina, she was the prettiest girl in the sixth grade, she had curly hair and blue eyes. One day she came to talk to me, she said she thought I was very cute and smart, I found it strange, but she kept talking to me and then I started thinking that maybe it was true. Early in the morning she said that she wanted to be with me, this was on a Friday - if I am not mistaken - she said that I was to meet her behind the school when classes were over. I remember how excited I was, I was going to have my first kiss. Ah... what an illusion.

When I arrived at the place, everyone from my class was there, this made me even more gloomy, my youthful mind couldn't understand what was actually happening, it only said that I should run out of there. Those guys had already played several tricks on me, and if they saw me reaching for the books in the closet they would pull at my underwear, once they did it so hard that I needed an ointment for a rash. But there they were, all looking at me and laughing. Until she appeared, and in a completely different tone than she used to talk to me, without a shred of compassion she spoke:

** "Did you really think that someone like me would be with someone like YOU?" they all laughed and I cringed, grabbing the strap of my backpack, "Look in the mirror monster, look at those pimples on your face that look like volcanoes, that awful messy hair," at that moment I remember her touching my hair and saying how soft it was, liar! "You stink like a pissing nerd. I would never put my mouth in your mouthpiece! I'm disgusted just thinking about it."

And look how I am today, they try to win me over, they get me, and then they want a second round. Only now I'm the one who dismisses them.

I still remember that after that speech I tried to leave the circle, but the gang stopped me. Devid appeared and kissed Marina right there in front of me, a kiss that you could see the drool dripping off. When they stopped, they turned to me and started throwing eggs in my face, the ones holding me back moved away and joined them in throwing eggs at me and called me an ugly virgin. Thankfully, at that time my parents were not home during the day, and I always sneaked in through the back door so Mrs. Lueni would not see me. Ah... bad memories, how I wanted to get you out of my mind.

But these memories don't hurt as much as Aya's words.

During these seven years, Aya kept coming and going in my mind, thanks to the truths she threw in my face seven years ago, I am today a very different person from what she knew. She managed to destroy me in a way that no other person could. I didn't want to hear from her, but I know that my parents took care of her and that today she must be able to support herself, our story hasn't even begun but has already come to an end; I don't want to feel anything for her anymore. Since I am only twenty-five years old, at the age of thirty I will get anyone to have children. I never want to love anyone the way I loved her again. I know that no woman but my mother loves me, and her love alone is enough for me. I don't delude myself with the sweet words that the women I stay with speak, they know who I am and they only want the money and status they would get from having a relationship with me.

"I thought I was different..." she says, pouting.

"Why did you think that?" I ask, turning my back to her and putting on the top of my suit.

"You treated me like a princess, just calling me kitten, such an affectionate nickname..." I only called her that because I didn't know her name.

"Don't confuse things, I'm a man, not a boy. Now get dressed, I will leave the motel bill paid, if you want to eat before you leave just ask, I will leave it paid too."

I finish the knot of my tie and leave the room, leaving her alone, I go downstairs and the car is already waiting for me at the hotel entrance.

I am returning home.

[ New York, Manhattan, Upper East Side - View by Aya Millenis]

"What do you say we go out drinking?" Leandro suggests, "We haven't done that in over a year" he comments as he tidies up the papers on his desk.

It's been more than a year since we all went out together on a program, Leandro keeps calling, but both my sister and I are busy, she because of her work, and I?

"I'll go to the orphanage," I reply, smiling.

"I understand, you can't stay too long away from her.

"No" I agree with his statement, "I like her so much.... I will go with my sister today."

"Well, then I will take the opportunity to take my cat on a walk. Oh no... She is also at the orphanage, it seems that now you exclude me from your programs. I feel lonely!" oh drama, I hold back the urge to laugh.

"Don't be so melodramatic, that's not your strong suit."

"You are right, I will wait for her to come back, I guess a movie at eight is not a bad idea."

"It is a good idea, and it does a lot of good, keeping romance in marriage is very healthy."

"Yes, it is. So, see you tomorrow Aya."

" Bye" I wave goodbye to him and go back to organizing the papers.

After putting everything away, I take my bag and leave the room and walk to the company's parking lot, time has really flown by, I have been working here for three years. Leandro is one and a half years old, but he already holds the position of director of the economic development sector, and now I am his secretary.

I have been visiting the Zion orphanage for two years now, Luana is the director there, but to everyone's misfortune, when she joined, the orphanage started to go through many difficulties, the government turned its back and the social parties for donations were not working anymore, nobody wanted to help an orphanage that has no positive prestige, the former director embezzled money and mistreated the children. Two years ago, a baby girl was abandoned in the orphanage, she will be two years old today, I really wish I could adopt her, but I can't because I'm is single.

I get out of the metal box and drive to the company's parking lot, get into my silver Audi A4 and drive to my sister's house, the drive takes about ten minutes.

"I thought I would never leave the company again" she speaks as she gets into the car and throws a huge bag on the back seat.

"And miss my little one's birthday? Never!" I say, and as soon as she closes the car door, I start the car.

I won't bring anything like cake or party stuff, there are many children there and it wouldn't be fair to do it for only one, so I'll just bring a small gift. My sister brought gifts for everyone yesterday, just to give me the excuse that today she'll only get one.

"What did you buy?"

"A barbie doll, from that movie diamond castle."

"I love that movie, it was one of the best."

"I agree, I also bought the DVD and am taking it to the kids there to watch."

"What a coincidence, I'm bringing popcorn and soda, we can already simulate a movie theater for them."

"It's going to be a really cool one."

"Yes, and tomorrow we'll go to a party, you need to find a husband soon, Luana said there were some couples with their eye on the little one," she pauses and we both sigh, "Too bad Leandro's friends gave up at the last minute."

At this moment I cringe, they gave up because after a month I didn't want to go to the next phase. For a year and a half I've been trying to get a husband so that I could adopt Heloysie, but with every man I meet, failure always comes within a month. I didn't tell anyone why they gave up, and I am thankful that they didn't either, I couldn't even stand it when they touched my arms. I felt that those hands didn't belong on me, I can't explain it, I don't have any trauma, but I don't understand why I can't do it, I don't have the ideal of marrying a virgin like my parents always wanted, but I think that deep down I feel that I haven't found the right person and that must be what is holding me back.

I remember how the conversation with the first suitor went:

** "Do you want to go to my place or yours?" Luan asks me already inside the car, we were in the restaurant talking about his visit to the child on Monday.

"To my house" I answer tiredly. All I want right now is to put my feet up and sleep very comfortably.

I feel his hand on my thigh, and my whole body tenses up immediately.

"Relax love, when we get to your house I will make you see stars!"

"What do you mean?" I ask holding myself back from screaming.

"You're going to cum so much on my cock" he answers me smiling and I feel my stomach turn.

"No-No... We're not going to have sex!"

"Why not?" he removes his hand from my thigh, I breathe a relieved breath.

"Because I don't want to" I answer with a firm voice.

"So I have to accept a child that isn't even mine, marry you in two weeks and you don't even want to give me the piriquita? Or better yet, we've already been going out for a month and you haven't even given me a tongue kiss.

"Isn't your dream to have a family?

"I want to fuck you!

Now I'm the one with the incredulous look in his eyes, my mother's words come back to my mind: "You're just a slut that will be eaten and thrown away.

"Stop the car" I command.

"What?"

"I told you to stop the damn car, stop it now!" I speak loudly and he brakes sharply.

I open the door and get out, but before I close it:

"You're a disgusting man, you shouldn't even consider yourself a man!" I slam the car door hard." **

I shake my head to push these memories from my mind, I am feeling hopeless.

"Don't worry sis, we'll find him" he speaks confidently.

During this year and a half, I met more than two hundred men, and among them seven agreed to marry to adopt the girl, however, they wanted something "more", ahead of time and even though I really wanted to adopt this girl, I couldn't get into bed with any of them. Of these seven, five came to meet my little girl, but she didn't like any of them and got naughty.

After fifteen minutes I park in front of the orphanage and take a deep breath, I will kill the longing of the weekend away from her.

[Leandro Silva's vision].

"Leandro" I hear Mr. Gustam's voice and stop walking, I turn to him, it is not common to meet him here.

"Is there a problem sir?" I ask worried, could it be that there was an error in my sector's reports? Impossible, Aya always checks everything.

"No, no, you and Aya always do a great job" I feel relieved, then he continues, "It's something else."

"What?"

"My son is coming home from a trip, he finally finished his studies and now he will take my place as the president of this company."

His words weigh heavily on my mind, I feel the guilt weighing on my conscience, I have never apologized to Iuri for the things I said and did to him, but who would have thought that I would end up working for his father and, consequently, for him. I don't know how I will face him, but I hope he doesn't fire me, in just a single year I got a very high position, now I live well and have my own house and family. Luana is four months pregnant.

Most of the memories I have are not good, I remember more than twenty-five years ago my mother married Carlos when I was five years old, my father had died in a car accident, he was drunk and hit a pole, the car exploded and he died on the spot, I don't even remember his face, all I remember is the beatings he used to give me and my mother. He left nothing, and in just six months, my mother met her "husband", at first he was nice, he was about forty years older than my mother, he treated her well, but after I turned twelve years old, he retired and became a disgusting old man, I couldn't even stand to be in the same presence as him.

After my father's death, I became a complicated child who only got into trouble and made fun of other people's faces. As time went by, practicing these things got tired of me, I won't lie saying that I became an example of a person, I did something with Aya that I know will never be forgiven, even though she told me to leave the past where it is, in the past.

I have never told anyone about what my personal life is like, not even to Suzanne, who is the reason I did what I did with Aya at that time. She never knew my mother, all I let others know was that I was a good looking guy and did super well in sports, they thought I had the perfect life.

I worked at night in a pizzeria, what I was paid was enough to disguise my real situation, my mother also worked, as a cleaner somewhere, I stopped asking, she always changed jobs because her retired husband constantly took immense pleasure in making our lives a living hell. But thank God, this situation did not last forever, I did everything to get out of that hole and give my mother a better life, because despite everything, she does the best she can for me, and I am even more grateful to God for opening my eyes and putting Luana in my life.

"I'm glad Mr. Stevens," I end up stammering, damn it!

"Well, I want you to arrive very early tomorrow and hold a meeting with the other directors, I will announce the arrival of my son," he says with a giant smile, despite everything I am really happy, I know as Mr. Gustam waited anxiously for the return of his son.

"That's fine," I smiles yellow. I'm afraid, but if he dismisses me, it will be well done for me, nobody told me to be an idiot like that.

Ah, that damn ball, I still remember seeing for the first time the hatred in Iuri's eyes:

** Without saying a single word, Iuri comes towards me, raises his closed fisted hand and lands a right punch to my mouth. He is much shorter than me, but I deserve it so I don't discount or defend myself, I just accept the punch.

"You are trash, a scumbag, what you did in that girl's life is unforgivable, you are worse than shit!" the truth hurts, what you say is unforgivable.

"I know." That's all I can say.**

Mr. Gustam's voice takes me out of my thoughts.

"Well, you can go now," he turns away and walks back the way he came.

I go to my car, and as I get into it I take my cell phone from my jacket pocket and type the message that will notify everyone, press forward and the message goes to all the directors informing them that they should all be at the company at seven thirty in the morning. The presentation of the new president of the company will last half an hour.

I take a deep breath, I will not be able to take my wife for a walk, I will be eating myself up with anxiety and fear until it is time to meet Iuri.

I look at my wristwatch and it is five o'clock in the afternoon, she is still at the orphanage, I will buy ready-made food for us. Since today is Aya's child's birthday, she should not arrive until eight in the evening. I take a deep breath, tomorrow will be a long day.

[Aya Millenis' Sight]

"Why are you looking like that?" I question Luana and she looks at me with a sad look.

"Come with me," she speaks and walks away from the room with the children, I follow her to the hallway where there is no one.

"Is there a problem?" I ask, but something tells me that it is a problem, and a big one.

She sighs and hugs her own body, this only makes the tightness in my chest increase.

"I have two pieces of news, Aya, and neither of them are good news."

"What is it?" I try to control my vocal cords that want to shudder.

"Well" she sighs and I hold my breath: first I want to thank you for all your effort and constant giving that you do. It's thanks to you, your sister and my husband that the orphanage hasn't closed its doors yet, however, they bought the orphanage's place and well... The children are going to be relocated to other orphanages in other cities."

I can't hear you right, I feel my eyes burning, I will never be able to bear to see Heloysie again, I have to do something, I can't let this happen. She can't be taken away from me.

"I know how much you love the girl, but there is a couple who want to adopt her, they are kind, I am sure they will take good care of her..."

"No, no, no," I repeat frantically as I shake my head in the negative. "They... they can't adopt her, I... I will..."

"I know how painful this is for you, Aya, I more than anyone else do, but think of her welfare..."

"I will adopt her," I interrupt her, "Her welfare will be mine to give!" I speak and the air starts to get heavy around me.

"You've been trying for over a year to find a husband, and unfortunately, you haven't even found a boyfriend. The truth hurts. Luana doesn't hold back her words.

"I'll manage, Lu," I say with my eyes filled with tears.

"You have to understand me Aya, my duty is to take care of these children, I can't let her live here waiting for you, she needs parents and many parents need a child. Don't be petty."

"I'm not being mean, but she wants me as her mother and I want her as my daughter!" my voice comes out shaky, my heart hammering hard in my chest. There has to be another way.

"Just wanting doesn't make the law act Aya, I know how special one is to the other, but she is only two years old, if I don't let the couple adopt her she will have to go to another orphanage and God knows what the people she will have to deal with are like, you know exactly what I am talking about."

Yes, I do. I don't want my little girl to be mistreated by anyone or to starve, to get absurd punishments for nonsense. My heart squeezes, I know that the best thing to do is to let her be adopted, but my heart won't accept that no one but me can be her mother.

"I... I can't accept it," crying tries to rise up in my throat, "Only I can be her mother..."

"Stop being selfish!" she vociferates loudly surprising me, it's not like her to lose her temper like this, "Look, it hurts my heart to have to separate you two, it hurts me a lot to be one of the ones responsible for inflicting suffering on you once again, but I need to think about what's best for her, Aya, please, I beg you to try to understand my side."

"And.. What if I get help? Someone to buy the orphanage back?" I am desperate, I know, but I need to fight for my daughter with all my heart.

"Only a miracle will make it happen" she sighs, I know that just like me, she doesn't want the doors of this orphanage to be closed "I'll give you that chance, but you'll have to find someone by four o'clock tomorrow afternoon, after that time, Heloysie will be adopted."

I know I swore I would never ask Mr. Gustam for anything again, but no amount of pride is more important than the smile on my little girl's face.

"Let's go back to the room," Luana speaks and walks back in front of me.

* At dawn in the apartment *

Now what? How will I ask Mr. Gustam to buy the orphanage? He and his wife have already done so much for me, I don't want to have to bother him again. It's past three in the morning, I can't stand still, I keep moving around. Every month I donate half of my salary, my sister donates a third and so does Leandro, I know it has always been little, but at least that would put at least three meals a day on the plates of the thirteen children inside.

I take a deep breath, I need to calm down, today Mr. Gustam has nothing scheduled, he will have the morning free, he always arrives half an hour before the other employees, I will go to the company at seven thirty, I usually arrive with ten minutes to spare, but I do not know how long it will take to convince him, better to arrive at the same time as him. But how will I convince him?

I already know, as soon as I open the door to his room, I'll do it like in the anime movies, he surely won't refuse!

I feel a little more confident, I go to the kitchen and drink a glass of natural water, then return to my room, set the alarm clock and lie in bed, I can't have a face full of dark circles under my eyes.

*At exactly seven thirty in the morning at the Stevens company headquarters*

The doors are only an inch away, my heart is beating so hard I can hear it, I try to control my breathing, I press my briefcase to my chest and feel the blood getting warm, after three years, I haven't kept much contact, nothing but good morning, how are you and take care, that's all. What the hell... After three, searching to ask for something that will take so much money.... I can't give back, I need to ask for help, I did my best during these two years.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes, now is the time, I know Mr. Gustam is behind his desk looking at some papers as he always does, every day, come on Aya, be brave, remember Zenitsu, he is the embodiment of fearfulness, but when it comes to Nezuko he turns into the bravest in the whole universe of the anime Kimetsu no Yaiba, be like him!

With my eyes closed, I open the door without even knocking, he is probably looking at me without understanding anything, I let my briefcase fall on the floor and still with my eyes closed I kneel down, put my hands on the floor and rest my forehead, I always see the anime characters doing this position to beg for something or to apologize, I need to beg for help. I fill my lungs with air, open my eyes and stare at the floor.

"Good morning Mr. Gustam, forgive me for entering your office like this, but I didn't know what to do or who to turn to, I'm desperate, I urgently need help, and ..." I feel a lump forming in my throat, but I can't go back, the words have to come out anyway, "I know it's very abusive of me, but please, BUY THE ZAIN ORFANATE" I shout the last part "I know I have no right to ask this ... But the children... They... They're amazing... They are very special..." tears are already coming out of my eyes, the image of Heloysie giving me her back and holding other people's hands invades my mind and my heart hurts, my voice gets weak and now it comes out only whispers "She can't..."

"Aya..." the voice of Leandro makes me stop talking, I feel my body freeze.

The tears stop, slowly, not yet believing the voice I hear, I lift my head, my eyes widen and tremble, all the leaders of the company are here, my eyes go through them one by one, the disgusted looks coming towards me are those of my parents, all the others look at me either with pity or disbelief. My eyes land on a tall brunette man. I know him from somewhere... Where have I seen those eyes before?

Iuri!

No no no, it can't be him... I don't want it to be him... but my heart tells me yes, it is. He's back.

He is so different, he is no longer as thin as before, now he has a body with more muscles than Leandro's was when he was a teenager - today he is a little chubby, thanks to the delicacies Luana prepares - his black hair is combed perfectly back and his beard is well done, his posture is totally different from what I remembered, he now seems to be dominating everything around him, I feel small and helpless before his superior look?

No, no, no, no... Why is he here? His eyes look at me, not like before, in a warm and loving way, at this moment they look at me in a cold way, for sure he didn't want to see me here. The tears come back, I asked God so much to see him one more time, but now that he is finally here, I realize that I am not ready, even after seven years, I still can't look into his face and apologize.

Unable to hold back the tears I pick myself up off the floor and run out of the room, I shouldn't have gone in there.