As the dinner table filled with laughter and warmth, Liz proudly leaned forward and said softly, "Oh well... I did buy a very beautiful gift for Mama and Papa. And I did it on my own, Papa." Her voice carried a glow of pride as she looked at her father.

Papa, now done with his suspicious phone call that turned out to be just a wrong number, offered a soft smile. "Good girl. But don’t forget to show modesty when you go out," he reminded, his tone gentle yet firm.

Liz nodded, recalling that she only served dinner to Gab when their father had momentarily stepped out. The dining room buzzed again with chatter, and as they began eating joyfully, Liz’s thoughts floated back to earlier that day.

---

That morning, Liz had nudged her sleeping brother with an elbow. “Wake up, sleeping panda,” she whispered.

“Ughh... At least let me sleep peacefully... witch,” Ren groaned, rolling over.

Liz snorted. “Don’t tell me you forgot about Mama and Papa’s anniversary?” she said, grabbing her little money box and tucking it into her palm like it was a royal treasure. “We need to buy gifts. Chop chop!”

Ren sat up with a messy puff of hair. “Fine... But I’m buying better flowers than your boring gifts,” he muttered.

They headed out on separate paths — Liz to school, Ren on a bouquet-hunting quest.

At school, Liz could barely focus. The chalkboard looked like a snow globe itself, her thoughts spinning around what kind of gift could possibly show how much she loved her parents. As the bell rang, she quickly made her way downtown.

The streets buzzed with activity. Shop windows sparkled, people bustled about, and Liz wandered from one window to another, her eyes wide and thoughtful. Then she saw it — a snow globe with two white swans gently gliding across sparkly water. It wasn’t just beautiful. It felt... magical.

She stepped into the elegant shop, which felt a little too fancy for her comfort. The owner, a grumpy-looking old man, looked her over.

“I’d like that one,” she said, pointing at the globe with a small smile.

He handed it to her. Up close, it was even more beautiful. The swans glowed softly in the light.

“How much?” she asked, reaching into her pocket.

“100__,” he grunted.

Her eyes widened. “Uh... Isn’t that a bit much?”

The man frowned. “I bought them at double the price. You think I’m running a charity?”

She hesitated. “Um... I have 50__. Could you reduce the price a little?”

The man scoffed loudly. “Can’t afford it? Then don’t waste my time, poor thing.”

Her heart stung. Her fingers clenched around her tiny coin pouch. She turned away, walking out with her head bowed—but not before one customer saw her.

The customer, a sharp-eyed young man in a clean, dark suit, glanced at the shop owner. “What was she buying?”

The owner grumbled. “Some snow globe. Offered half the price.”

Without another word, the stranger handed over the remaining 50__ and said quietly, “Give it to her. Don’t tell her who paid.”

Outside, Liz was still peering at the snow globes from the shop’s mirror window when the owner came out. “Hey... wait,” he called.

She blinked. “Yes?”

“I suppose I can reduce the price... early customer and all,” he muttered, clearly trying to hide the truth.

Liz lit up. “Really? Thank you so much!”

She skipped out of the shop minutes later, snow globe in hand and heart full of happiness — unaware that someone who knew her father's world had quietly watched and helped.

---

Meanwhile, Ren had his own misadventure.

Instead of heading to school, he hit the streets to find the “most glorious bouquet in the hometown.” His vision? Two luxurious bouquets. His wallet? One bouquet’s worth.

With a sigh, he bought one and carefully carried it like it was a piece of glass. But fate had other plans.

“Hey, Ren!”

He flinched. A group of girls from his school were waving and approaching like a pack of sparkly lions.

“Why didn’t you come to school today?” one asked.

“Is this bouquet for me?” another giggled, touching her hair.

Ren’s face stiffened. *Not this again.*

“I don’t talk to attention seekers,” he muttered under his breath and kept walking.

But the girls weren’t done.

He started speed-walking. They matched him.

He jogged. They jogged.

He broke into a run. THEY RAN.

“It’s not Valentine’s Day! What do you want from me?!” he cried inside.

He darted into a narrow alley and hid behind a stack of crates, holding his breath. The girls ran past.

“Finally,” he sighed, peeking out.

*CRUNCH.* He stepped on something soft.

*WOOF.*

A bulldog, huge and offended, glared at him. Before Ren could whisper an apology, the beast lunged. And another chase began.

He clambered up a nearby pillar like a cartoon character, bouquet still in hand. “Why is life so dramatic today?!” he shouted.

Eventually, he returned home — breathless, covered in dust, but victorious.

---

At the dinner table, Papa chuckled as Ren finished telling his story. “So you outran schoolgirls and a dog in one day?”

Ren huffed, poking his rice. “It was a survival mission.”

Liz added, giggling, “And he called me a witch this morning.”

“Only because witches wake people up before dawn,” Ren retorted.

Their parents smiled, their hearts warmed not just by food, but by the love their children showed. None of them knew that the quiet snow globe sitting wrapped beside the couch was about to tell a bigger story than they imagined...

And none of them knew... the stranger who paid for that gift wasn’t just anyone — he was connected to a shadow waiting to rise again.