“Papa… when are you coming back?”

The young girl’s voice quivered, her gaze fixed on the ground as her shoulders curled inward, trying to hide the weight in her chest, but failed.

She looked up at the man before her, her wide eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

A warm hand gently patted her head, offering what little comfort it could.

“I can’t promise I’ll be back soon, dear, but wait for me,” the man said, his voice soft yet weighted with uncertainty.

The girl’s lips trembled, but she managed to curve her lips faintly, nodding firmly.

As if her small act of courage could bridge the distance between them.

Arthur sat on the sofa, releasing a heavy sigh. His gaze drifted to Alice, who stood in the kitchen preparing lunch. The soft clatter of utensils and the aroma of cooking filled the air, wrapping the room in a comforting warmth.

Watching her in silence, he couldn’t help but reflect on how much her presence had changed his life in a short period of time.

The nightmares and traumas that had once haunted him were slowly disappearing, replaced by moments of peace he never thought he’d have again.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, breaking him from his thoughts. Alice glanced toward the door and saw him lounging on the sofa.

“Arthur, can you see who’s at the door?” she asked, her voice gentle but insistent.

He stood slowly, crossing the room in a few strides to open the door. But when he did, he found nothing there. The porch was empty, the faint sound of birds chirping the only noise around.

“Mister, mister, I’m here.”

A small voice called out, startling him. He glanced down to find a young girl, no older than eleven or ten, standing in front of him.

Her face was serious; her brown eyes fixed on him with an intensity far beyond her years.

“What can I do for you, miss?” Arthur asked, lowering his voice to make sure it sounded as approachable as possible.

“Where is my father?” she asked bluntly, her tone unwavering.

The question caught him off guard, leaving him at a loss for words.

He brought the girl inside. She sat on the dining chair, her small feet barely reaching the seat, and folded her hands neatly on her lap.

Her eyes flicked around the room, taking everything in with quiet curiosity.

Arthur leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his mind spinning as he tried to make sense of the situation.

Alice placed a bowl of mashed potatoes in front of the girl, her kind smile never wavering.

“Are you hungry, dear?”

The girl nodded enthusiastically, her eyes lighting up at the sight of food.

She picked up the spoon and began eating eagerly, as though she hadn’t had a proper meal in days.

Alice exchanged a concerned glance with Arthur, her expression growing serious.

“Do you know this child?” she asked in a low voice.

He shook his head. “No. But she’s looking for her father.”

The girl set her empty bowl down gently, clasping her hands together as if in prayer.

“Thank you for the food,” she said politely.

“You’re welcome,” Alice replied, taking the bowl and carrying it to the sink.

The girl turned her gaze back to Arthur, her expression once again serious.

“Excuse me for intruding, but do you know where my father is?”

Arthur sat across from her, studying her face carefully.

“What’s your name, miss?”

“I’m An Fredway,” she said softly, her voice polite but tinged with longing.

“I’m waiting for my papa to come back from the war. My grandpa said he’s in a faraway place I can’t reach…yet.”

The room fell silent. Arthur and Alice exchanged uneasy glances.

The war had ended over a year ago, and those who hadn’t returned by now were—

Arthur exhaled deeply, feeling the weight of her words settle over him like a weight.

“Can I ask you something, An?” he said gently.

“Sure. What is it? Mister?” she replied, her eyes searching his face.

“What made you come here?”

She hesitated, her small hands fidgeting with the edge of the table.

“Everyone in the village knows you’re a soldier… My papa is a soldier too. Since you’re here, I thought he’d be here too. But… he’s not.”

Her gaze drifted downward, lingering on the floor as if afraid to meet anyone’s eyes.

The silence lingered through the room for fleeting seconds until—

Alice reached out and patted her head softly, breaking the heavy silence.

“How about we take a stroll through the village, An?” she suggested, her voice bright and cheerful.

An nodded, a faint smile appearing on her lips, though Arthur could see it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“That’s a good idea,” Arthur added, his voice steady. “After lunch, you can go for a stroll. I’ll meet you later by the big tree on the hill to the east. Bring a blanket, and we’ll have a picnic there.”

Alice looked at him, surprised. “You’re not coming with us now?”

He shook his head. “I’ve got something to take care of first. I’ll catch up with you later.”

Alice and An locked eyes with each other, their initial hesitation giving way to excitement at the idea of a picnic.

For a brief moment, the tension in the room lifted, replaced by a flicker of happiness.

As they finished eating lunch, Alice and An went out to stroll through the village.

Arthur watched their backs through the window, a small pang of unease tugging at his chest.

He took a deep breath and went to his room, moving the cabinet aside to reveal a hidden door behind it.

When he opened the door, he found an old telephone inside, once used for secret military communications.

He sat down in the chair and started dialing the number to connect with the headquarters.

For a couple of minutes, the only sound he heard was the rhythmic beep of the line. Thanks to his patience, he eventually managed to get through.

“Hello, good afternoon, officer. How can I help you?” A man’s voice answered from the other side of the telephone.

“Good afternoon to you as well. This is Colonel Arthur. I need you to look for a person named Fredway. He is a soldier who went to war a year ago.” His eyes turned serious. 

“This is very important information for me. Please find his current situation and update me as soon as possible,” Arthur said, his tone firm yet carrying a subtle hint of sadness.

Deep down, he already knew the answer. Most of the survivors who went to war had already returned to their hometowns.

He gripped the telephone tightly, slightly pressing his lips.

“Good to know you’re doing fine, Colonel. Please hold for a couple of minutes while I search for the name Fredway in our military records. I’ll also check the list of our fallen heroes,” the man replied respectfully.

The silence that followed was unbearable. Arthur stared at the ceiling, its dim light seeming to stretch shadows across the room. The darkness felt suffocating, dragging him into his thoughts.

Memories of the war clawed at him. The trauma and nightmares he had been trying to bury surged back with brutal force.

His chest felt heavy. The absence of Alice’s calming presence only deepened the void.

He gripped the armrest of the chair until his knuckles went white, his lip trembling as he fought back the overwhelming emotions.

Suddenly, the telephone rang. The sharp sound jolted him back to his senses. He took a deep breath as if trying to brace himself from whatever was coming.

He lifted the receiver slowly, the faint crackle of the line making him flinch.

The rhythmic beep of the dial tone echoed in his ears, each one a small drumbeat of his rising panic.

“Good afternoon, Colonel. Apologies for the wait. I have the information on Fredway.”

He paused for a brief second.

“Unfortunately, he was one of the soldiers who didn’t survive the war. He died shortly after being sent to the battlefield,” the man continued, his voice tinged with pain.

Arthur was left speechless. Though he had suspected this outcome, hearing it spoken aloud hit harder than he anticipated to the point that he didn't realize he gripped the telephone tighter.

“Colonel, may I ask why you were looking for Fredway’s information?” 

Arthur took a deep breath, forcing himself to respond. His voice was low, almost breaking under the weight of his words.

“Today, I met his daughter… and she asked me why her father hadn’t come home.”

“Daughter?” The man on the other end sounded genuinely confused, which made Arthur frown.

After a few minutes, the call ended. Arthur set the phone down gently, resting his elbow on the table as he buried his face in his trembling hands.

His voice quivered as he whispered to himself, “I-I see...”