DOA

The rainwater had gathered in shallow puddles along the edges of the paved road, reflecting the pale afternoon sky. A few fallen leaves floated on the surface, drifting whenever the wind stirred the water. The air smelled of wet earth, damp concrete, and the faint sweetness of flowers blooming beneath the eaves of nearby houses. Every now and then, a cool breeze swept through the neighborhood, making the fuchsia blossoms tremble and sending tiny droplets of water pattering onto the pavement. The children paid little attention to the weather. To them, the puddles were an invitation to play, and the unusually chilly afternoon was nothing more than another excuse to run around until their mothers called them home. Their laughter carried across the quiet street, mingling with the distant sound of a lawn mower and the occasional bark of a dog from behind a garden fence. Soma carefully lifted the hem of her little dress as she approached a puddle, her small shoes stopping just short of the water’s edge. She glanced at the boy beside her, waiting for him to pay attention before making her next move. “Hell, watch me!” She tightened her fingers around his hand and hopped across the puddle. Her feet landed safely on the other side, and she immediately turned to him with a triumphant smile, as though she had accomplished something extraordinary. Hell chuckled. “That wasn’t even difficult.” “It was for you,” Soma replied confidently. “Your legs are too long. You might fall.” “Then I’ll hold your hand so you don’t fall either.” Soma seemed satisfied with that answer. She took another step, then tilted her head to admire the reflection of her pink ribbon in a nearby window. “My ribbon is pretty, isn’t it, Hell?” She lifted her free hand to touch the silky bow tied around her waist-length curls. Her mother had allowed her to wear her hair loose that morning, and Soma had spent an unreasonable amount of time admiring herself in the mirror before leaving the house. The pink ribbon had been her final touch, its delicate loops resting against her thick, dark curls. Hell looked at her for a moment before nodding. “Yes. It looks pretty on you.” “Really?” “Really.” Her smile widened. She leaned closer to him, evidently pleased that he had given the correct answer. A sharp voice suddenly interrupted them. “Ugly!” Before either child could react, a small figure rushed past and snatched the ribbon from Soma’s hair. The boy followed his theft with a deliberate stomp into the nearest puddle, sending a fan of muddy water across the pavement. Hell barely had time to step back. A splash caught the toes of his white shoes. Soma stared at the empty space where her ribbon had been. For a moment, she looked too astonished to speak. Then her lower lip pushed forward, and her eyes began to glisten. “Give it back, Demon!” The boy was already running away, waving the pink ribbon above his head like a trophy. “Ugly, ugly, Soma is ugly!” he sang, stretching every word to make it more irritating. Soma planted both hands on her hips. Her cheeks turned red, and she stamped one foot against the pavement. “I’m not ugly! You’re ugly!” “Then why do you need a ribbon to look pretty?” “Demon!” Hell crouched to inspect his shoes, rubbing a muddy mark with the side of his hand. The stain only spread farther across the white leather. His expression darkened as he stood. “Come back here,” he called. Demon glanced over his shoulder and grinned. “Why? Are you going to cry about your shoes?” “I’m going to make yours dirty too!” “Nyeh, nyeh, nyeh!” Demon stuck out his tongue and sprinted toward the playground, his laughter echoing down the road. Hell immediately chased after him, no longer concerned about the mud on his shoes. Behind them, Soma hurried to follow, still demanding the return of her ribbon. Wolf emerged from behind a flowering hedge, apparently delighted by the sudden commotion. “What are we playing?” he shouted. “Catch Demon!” Hell answered. Wolf needed no further explanation. He joined the chase with a cheerful laugh, running so enthusiastically that he nearly tripped over his own feet. The four children raced toward the playground beside the unusual house at the end of the main road. Their footsteps splashed through the remaining puddles, leaving muddy prints across the pavement. From a nearby balcony, an elderly woman watched them with an indulgent smile before returning to her afternoon tea. Beyond the playground, the unfinished buildings stood in orderly rows, their exposed concrete and empty window frames contrasting with the colorful houses of the residential complex. One day, the empty stretch of land was supposed to become a commercial district, complete with fashionable shops and luxury apartments. For now, however, the construction had progressed little beyond its skeletal structures, leaving the children with plenty of open space to explore. Their favorite place was the garden behind the large house, where the grass grew unevenly and the trees offered shelter from the afternoon sun. A narrow path led toward the little river at the edge of the neighborhood. On the opposite bank, the landscape changed abruptly. The carefully maintained roads and spacious homes gave way to crowded settlements, where modest houses stood close together beneath a tangle of electrical wires. A high wall marked the boundary between the two worlds. The children rarely thought about what it represented. To them, it was simply another feature of the landscape, as ordinary as the river or the trees. At the playground, Soma finally stopped running. She touched her bare hair, felt the damp curls against her fingers, and burst into tears. “Soma, why are you crying?” The familiar voice came from the house. A beautiful woman stepped outside carrying a tray of cakes and two cups of tea. She wore a simple house dress, and her dark hair was gathered loosely at the nape of her neck. After placing the tray on the small play table, she crouched beside Soma and gently brushed the curls away from the girl’s wet cheeks. “What happened, sweetheart?” “Demon took my ribbon,” Soma sniffled, pointing accusingly toward the slide. The woman followed her gaze. Demon stood near the bottom of the slide, the pink ribbon dangling from his fingers. Wolf was beside him, looking as though he had forgotten why they had been running in the first place. “Kendemon, come here for a moment.” Demon’s grin faltered. “Auntie, I was only playing!” he protested as he approached. “But Soma only wants to play with Hell. What about me and Wolf? We want to play with her too!” The woman tried to suppress a smile. “And you thought stealing her ribbon would make her want to play with you?” Demon lowered his eyes. “No.” “Then why did you do it?” He shuffled his shoes against the ground. “Because she was showing it off.” “She was happy about her ribbon. Is that a bad thing?” “No, Auntie.” The woman smoothed his unruly hair with her palm. “Demon, you and the others are friends. You can tease each other and play together, but you must know when to stop. Soma and Doa are girls, and you should be especially gentle with them. Don’t pull their hair or ruin something they love just because you want their attention. Understand?” Demon nodded reluctantly. “Yes, Auntie.” “Good boy.” He brightened a little at the praise, then leaned closer and lowered his voice. “But Doa never ties her hair up, Auntie. It’s always messy. I think it was already messy when she was inside your tummy.” The woman laughed, her shoulders shaking. “Oh, you naughty boy. Doa has always been a little careless with her hair, hasn’t she?” “Very careless.” “Then perhaps you can help Auntie remind her to comb it properly. You could even help her look as pretty as Soma.” Demon immediately shook his head. “No! I don’t want Doa to look like Soma. Let her stay ugly.” The woman raised an eyebrow. “Why, sweetheart?” Demon opened his mouth, then closed it again. His round cheeks puffed up as he struggled to find an answer that would not get him into trouble. “Just let her stay like that, Auntie!” Another laugh escaped the woman. “All right, all right. I won’t change Doa into Soma. Now, go and give Soma her ribbon back. And what do you say?” Demon looked toward the girl, who was still standing beside Hell with damp cheeks and a wounded expression. “Sorry, Soma.” “Louder,” the woman encouraged. “I’m sorry, Soma.” He walked over and held out the ribbon. Soma snatched it from his hand, but before she could turn away, Demon gently gathered a section of her curls and began tying the ribbon back into place. For once, he worked carefully, concentrating on arranging the pink loops so that they sat evenly against her hair. “There,” he announced when he had finished. “All neat again.” Soma touched the bow, checking that it was secure. Demon admired his handiwork for another second before adding, “But you’re still ugly.” “Ah! Demon!” She smacked his arm, and he darted away, laughing. Behind them, the woman shook her head in fond exasperation. There was never a dull afternoon when these children were together.