The night was dark: The moon was out, and not as many lights were colouring the skyline. Len was on the side of his bed swinging his legs, and Oliver was lying back-side-up, tracing out irregular shapes on the white ceiling.

Suddenly three loud beeps shattered the silence. Len flinched and reached into his pocket. He looked at Oliver, who had sat himself up. Another three beeps and by then Len was staring at his cellphone.

And as it rang again Len pressed the call button.

"Len!"

"Mum?"

Immediately Len could hear her breathe. "Good Len's safe."

"Is—anything wrong?"

The split second after that felt like an eternity. His heart had skipped a beat. Dread loomed over his vision and the silence deafened his ears.

"Rin is missing!"

"What?!"

Len took a deep breath and shifted around, though no position made it any less uncomfortable.

"Rin is gone. Just disappeared tonight and we can't contact her—oh—Len, happy you're safe."

...

"I'm coming over."

"What about school?"

"When my sister is missing? Besides, am—already in Jeppan."

"Huh?"

"No time to explain. I'll be there in about an hour."

Len hung up, dropped his phone into his pocket and looked to Oliver. Brows arched, Oliver raised his fist signalling he was ready to come.

＊＊＊

By the time they had reached Len's mansion, they were both sweating and panting. Oliver took a moment to gaze at the building, while Len caught his breath.

"You have a pretty big house," he said.

Len tilted his head. "Yeah? And don't you have a pretty big castle."

"I mean—" Oliver pouted for a split second, "you know what I mean."

Len tilted his head, "No I don't."

Oliver sighed, "Judging by your apartment back in Inglund, I thought you were..."

"Poor?"

"Something like that."

A pause.

"Didn't I tell you my family are singers?"

"Oh," Oliver said, eyes flickering, "well, yeah, but," he took a moment to think of a response, "I—thought maybe singers didn't earn that much." he giggled sheepishly. "Anyway, why did you choose such a small apartment?"

Len thought for a bit. "Was just sick of it I guess."

"Of the wealth?"

Len shook his head. "The things that came with it."

Oliver nodded. And for a second Len was taken by how Oliver seemingly understood, but quickly he realised that Oliver must've had to go through something worse.

...

"Come on, Let's get going."

"Mhm," Oliver said from behind as they ran. A couple dozen steps later, they reached the front door. Len pushed the bell on the side, and a classic ding-dong tune reverberated.

After a couple moments of quiet fiddling, the door clicked and opened. Immediately Len moved to hug his mother, and after a quick exchange of 'I miss you's Len's mother made notice of Oliver.

She pulled away and stared at him. "Oh. He... who is he?"

Len stammered, "Oliver."

"Hello, Oliver."

"Pleased to meet you—Madame?"

"Ah, Lenka is fine."

The faintest of smiles formed on Oliver's face as he blinked twice.

"Friend? He's very polite."

Len diverted his gaze and nodded. "A-Anyway what happened to Rin?"

"Let's talk inside."

They simultaneously nodded and entered the house. Len kept an eye on Oliver, to see what his first impressions were like. Well, Oliver looked around a bit, but he never really made any notable reaction.

Of course. Has his own castle. What was I expecting.

...

"So," Len asked, "what happened?"

"We don't understand how it happened," Mum answered, "We called the police but—"

Len nodded. "Couldn't find anything?"

"Not yet," she said defeatedly.

Len bit his lip and glanced at Oliver to see if he had anything to say, but he just stood there more awkwardly, so Len just nodded and said what was on his mind, "I'm—sure she'll come back."

But that didn't help. Mum was still down and Oliver was still fiddling with his fingers behind him.

But just before Len could try again, a sudden voice came from the stairway, "Hey, Len——Len!"

Len turned to him and bit a smile. "Dad."

"How you been?" He asked, rubbing and squeezing Len's shoulder.

"I'm fine. Does—father know anything about Rin?"

He took a step back and frowned. "No," he said.

"Good that Len is worried about Rin right, hun. Our Len has grown to be a great man." He tried a laugh.

"Hush," She replied harshly, "Not in front of him. Spoiling him again."

"Da〜d" Len whined.

"Oh. Forget I said anything." He looked to Oliver. "Who's this boy here?"

"Oliver," Len said, "he's—he's a friend I made in Inglund."

Sorry, Ollie.

"Ah, then nice to meet you," he said holding a hand out to Oliver.

Plainly Oliver took it and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you too."

"See, how great. I heard people shake their hands much more in the west," Dad said proudly. Then he turned to confirm, "Is that right?"

"Yes," Oliver replied with a nod.

"Hahahaha."

Len secretly rolled his eyes. His mum caught a glance of it but let it go.

"Len," Mum said, "are you staying? Oliver is welcome to stay too."

Len nodded, "yeah."

"How about you two go upstairs, and Len show your friend the guest room."

They both agreed, and after another long moment of listening to another one of Dad's 'I heard' stories, they were finally able to break away and head upstairs.

Len opened the door and in the instant excitement dropped. He was, frankly, looking forward to seeing his room again, but right then it just didn't feel right. No. Not at all. All the books he owned had always been left scattered carefully around the room, and to see them neatly tidied up on the shelf Father had gotten him three years ago—was less than satisfying.

Len walked in and sat himself on the king-sized bed, looked around as though he were new there. And well, at that point, he pretty much was. He probably wouldn't even be able to find half his stuff now.

Oliver closed the door behind him and the tension in the air vanished.

"Weren't you going to show me to the guest room?"

"You can—stay here," he said, blushing, "If you're okay with it—'ll get the spare bed up."

Oliver chuckled, "Well we've been sleeping in the same room for the past month now."

Len nodded.

"But what about your parents?"

"Oh, them?" Len looked up, "they'll... be okay with it. You're a boy so they won't—suspect anything."