When the mature and composed Isaiah saw the scars on Luther's back, he was shocked. The weight of such injuries, something even adults might not endure, left him wondering how this child had managed it all."All done." Isaiah, regaining his composure, finished applying the ointment to the last of the wounds. He returned the ointment to Isabella and said, "Time's up."Isabella smiled brightly. As Luther observed his body, he felt as if the pain he had been experiencing earlier had somehow reduced. He looked at Isabella and calmly declared the result of their game, "I won.""Huh?" Isabella was momentarily puzzled."I won the game," Luther repeated emotionlessly."No, you lost. See, there are still thirty seconds to go until fifteen minutes," Isabella replied, showing him the countdown timer on her watch.Luther was confused. It was the first time he had encountered such a situation. He glanced back and forth between Isiah and Isabella and finally concluded, "You two tricked me?"
"Most importantly, Uncle Joshua can help you. Both Isabella and I can help you too," Isaiah said."No, thank you. I appreciate your kindness," Luther declined. He did not want to engage in a battle of wits with Albert. If he had to fight, he would fight, and once it was over, everything would be done. However, engaging in a battle of wits would subject him to unpredictable variables.Seeing his determination, Isaiah also realized that words would not change his mind."Help me say thank you to your sister," Luther finally said. Isaiah looked at him and did not insist further. "She probably wants to know your name.""You managed to find out about my mom, so there's no reason you shouldn't know my name," Luther replied. He was exceptionally intelligent, but he was simply too cold. "I do know, but unless you say it yourself, she won't accept it. In fact, she might scold me for invading your privacy and disrespecting you." Isaiah was straightforward, not one to beat around the bus
"Doesn't work.""Can you bear to see your cute little sister unhappy?" Isabella shook his arm, looking adorable, and pouted. "If you don't tell me, I'll be sulking all day.""Today is almost over. Being sulky for a while would be fine," Isaiah pointed out.Isabella glared at him. "You're so mean! Hmph!"Isaiah smiled, and his eyes showed a subtle, hardly noticeable trace of affection. While he often appeared mature, he displayed childlike emotions when arguing with Isabella."I won't play with you anymore," Isabella said, shaking his hand away and running to Joshua.The three of them returned home together. Shortly after their return, Isaiah asked Joshua, "How did your conversation go with that uncle?""He'll be quite busy for the next few years," Joshua replied.Children usually deal with surface-level matters, while adults address the root issues."What about the boy?" Isabella expressed concern for Luther. "Who will take him to school and cook for him?""He's been going to
Isaiah exchanged glances with Joshua, who remained composed. In the end, Isaiah yielded."Daddy Joshua, can we go play with Luther tomorrow?" Isabella asked innocently. She was oblivious to the emotional undercurrent between the two. "He's all alone all day, and it must be very boring.""Sure," Joshua agreed to her request, as he often did.Isabella giggled. "You're the best!" Seeing her so happy, Isaiah did not press further. After all, having one more person who loved her was a good thing.Later that night, when it was almost bedtime, Isaiah went to talk to Isabella. She was still quite bothered that he had not immediately told her Luther's name, and she said, "Isaiah, you're a bad brother!""Be mindful of your words," Isaiah advised with a maturity beyond his years."It was your fault. You knew I wanted to know Luther's name, and you wouldn't tell me," Isabella began, pretending to be angry."What about Jojo?" Isaiah inquired."What about him?""Do you remember the promis
Jojo was stunned. He looked at Isabella's adorable face through the screen and cautiously asked, "Didn't you promise me that you wouldn't forget about me?"Jojo's heart felt a little heavy."Jojo, are you upset?" Isabella sensed the change in his mood."If Jojo made friends with other little girls during the holidays and grew closer to them than you, would you be happy?" Isaiah chimed in, understanding that Isabella's behavior might be a bit disheartening for Jojo.Isabella replied, "Of course, I'd be happy."Jojo and Isaiah were taken aback."Our teacher said we should make more friends," Isabella said earnestly. She was not that possessive about most things. "Jojo is a bit introverted, so I'd be happy if he had other friends."Hearing this, Isaiah realized an important point. Both he and Jojo had more possessiveness because of their relatively mature minds compared to kids their age. However, Isabella was different. As long as they shared common interests, she could play with
"Why would I be unhappy?" Isabella asked, looking confused. Isaiah thought of an easier way for Isabella to understand and explained, "Because Jojo played bride and groom with someone else.""Isaiah!" Isabella said with great seriousness.Isaiah was puzzled. Isabella continued, "It's just a game, like when we play hide and seek.""Why did you tell everyone around you that Jojo is the one you want to marry?" Isaiah was somewhat confused about that. If Isabella truly did not care, why announce it to others? Moreover, she appeared serious when she said she wanted to marry Jojo."Isn't that part of the game? Have you never played this game before?" Isabella was surprised that Isaiah could not understand that. Isaiah remained silent. Actually…He had never played this game before. Then, Isabella added, "But Jojo is really handsome. When I grow up and have money, I'll definitely take care of him.""So you're not marrying him anymore?" Isaiah asked again.Isabella replied,
After that, Isabella went to the living room. Isaiah was tempted to call her back despite seeing her determination. However, Isabella was stubborn, insisting on waiting for Luther.Ultimately, Joshua and Isaiah had no choice but to leave, heading outside to wait for her. In the hallway, Joshua glanced at the open living room door, somewhat confused by Isabella's behavior. "Does she like Luther that much?""Her affection for him is probably just a small part of it. More importantly, she wants to bring warmth to Luther and make him feel cared for and loved," Isaiah explained, showing his understanding of his little sister.Despite her young age, Isabella was the family's beloved little ray of sunshine, optimistic and cheerful. She had a unique and magical ability to uplift those around her with her positivity, infectious smile, and boundless joy."However, she might be disappointed this time," Isaiah guessed. Joshua looked at Isaiah, surprised by how mature a child could be. It m
This time, Luther did not chase her away. He knew Isabella would only appear briefly in his long, solitary life, yet he selfishly yearned for this moment to last a little longer.Seeing that Luther did not dismiss her, Isabella began to share the jokes Joshua had told her. Every time she started one, she burst into laughter before she could even finish. Luther could not help but steal a few glances at the giggling Isabella. Her innocent laughter was like a soothing balm to his wounded soul.Isabella was in fits of laughter, tears almost streaming down her cheeks. "Luther, do you think it's funny?"Luther lied with a straight face, "No, it's not funny.""Really?""Mm.""In that case, I'll have Daddy Joshua find some funnier jokes." Isabella was relentlessly optimistic, with no room in her dictionary for pessimism. "Do you like corny jokes or the ones that make you burst into laughter?""I don't like either," Luther rejected.Isabella stood up and came to his side. Then, she sa