I step inside the new house, the sounds of laughter and chatter floating in from the kitchen and drawing room. It’s busier than I expected, but that’s how it always is when family gathers.

The familiar warmth is there, but there’s something different about this place, something I can’t quite put my finger on.

I walk into the living room, empty, as the voices from other rooms hum softly in the background.

I’m still taking in the surroundings when I hear footsteps. Looking up, I see Rafa coming down the stairs, her movements light but quick.

The moment she spots me, her eyes lock on the bandages. Without hesitation, she rushes over.

“Azer,”

she breathes, her voice filled with concern.

“What happened to you?”

I give her a small smile, trying to play it off.

“It’s nothing serious,”

keeping my tone even.

“Got caught in a little landslide on my way back. Some cuts and bruises, that’s all.”

Rafa’s eyes search mine, her worry evident despite my casual tone.

“Are you sure? You look... worse than you’re saying.”

“I’m fine,”

I reassure her.

“Four days in the hospital, and now I’m as good as new.”

I shrug lightly, trying to make it sound like no big deal. Rafa doesn’t look entirely convinced, but she lets it go, her eyes still scanning me for any signs of pain.

Before I can say more, my mom appears from the kitchen, followed closely by my auntie. The moment they see me, their faces shift from joy to worry, and they both hurry over.

“What happened to you?”

my mom asks, her voice tight with concern.

“There was a landslide,”

I explain, keeping it brief.

“I got caught in it, but I’m fine now. Really, there’s nothing to worry about.”

My auntie places a gentle hand on my arm.

“Four days in the hospital? You should have called us, Azer.”

“I didn’t want to worry anyone,” I say, the guilt creeping in.

“I’m sorry.”

As the rest of the family starts to gather around, their questions swirl, but I keep my answers short, reassuring them that everything is okay.

I leave out the details—the fear, the isolation. There’s no point in burdening them with what’s already past.

After a while, the conversation shifts, and I take the chance to excuse myself.

“I think I’ll go to my room for a bit,” I say, trying to sound casual.

My mom nods, her face still etched with concern.

“Go rest, Azer. You’ve been through enough.”

I make my way upstairs, stepping into my new room. It’s different from what I remember—bigger, brighter, more polished.

The walls are freshly painted, the bed neatly made, everything in its place. It feels... unfamiliar, but in a good way.

I walk over to the bed and sit down, running a hand over the smooth sheets. The exhaustion I’ve been carrying these past few days finally hits me, and I take a deep breath. It’s strange, being here, in a new room, in a new house. But it’s home now.

After a quick wash, I change into something comfortable and sit on the bed, leaning back against the pillows.

The light is still on, but the tiredness pulls at me. I switch off the lamp, letting the room fall into a soft darkness, and close my eyes, just for a moment.

The door creaks open, and I hear soft footsteps approaching. I don’t need to open my eyes to know who it is.

“Azer,”

Rafa’s voice breaks the quiet.

I turn to look at her, still standing by the door, her expression a mixture of curiosity and concern.

“Can I come in?”

I nod, sitting up slightly.

“Sure.”

She steps inside, closing the door behind her. For a moment, she doesn’t say anything, just looks at me, her gaze steady but soft.

“You’re not telling us everything, are you?”

she asks, her voice low.

I sigh, running a hand through my hair.

“It’s nothing you need to worry about, Rafa. I’m fine now.”

She sits on the edge of the bed, close but not too close, watching me.

“You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you? The hospital, the landslide...”

I glance at her, offering a small smile.

“It wasn’t that bad. Just had to wait it out. The worst part was not knowing if everyone here was okay.”

Her expression softens.

“We’re fine, Azer. We’ve all been worried about you, though.”

I nod, feeling the weight of her words. There’s a comfort in knowing they were concerned, even if I didn’t reach out.

For a moment, we sit in silence. The tension that had filled the room earlier is gone now, replaced by something calmer. It feels... normal.

“I’m glad you’re back,”

Rafa says, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Things were different without you.”

I smile, though it’s a small one.

“Yeah, I’m glad to be back too.”

She stands up, giving me one last look.

“Get some rest, Azer. We can talk more tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, Rafa,”

I say as she heads toward the door.

“Goodnight,”

she replies, her voice soft, before slipping out and leaving me alone in the quiet room.

I lie back down, pulling the covers up to my chin. The room feels different now, less strange, more like it could become home.

And as I close my eyes, the exhaustion finally takes over, and sleep pulls me under.