It was another quiet afternoon after school. Shun walked through the school gate, dragging his feet. He was tired and just wanted to go home.
Then he heard a small voice.
"Izvinite..." ("Excuse me…")
He turned.
A little girl stood near the gate, holding a stuffed toy. She looked lost.
Her eyes were red. She was trying not to cry.
"Ya ne mogu nayti moyu mamochku…" ("I can't find my mommy…")
Shun blinked. She was speaking Russian.
He slowly stepped closer. "Are you lost?"
The girl looked up. "Da…" ("Yes…")
Shun crouched down to her level. His voice was soft. "Gde ty v posledniy raz videla svoyu mamochku?" ("Where did you last see your mommy?")
The girl pointed behind the school. "U derevyev... Ona skazala zhdát' tam…" ("By the trees… She told me to wait there…")
Shun nodded. "Ladno. Poydyom vmeste." ("Alright. Let's go together.")
Just then, Alice walked by.
She noticed the child. "Shun? Is she okay?"
Shun looked back at her but said nothing. He focused on the girl, holding out his hand gently.
"Ty v poryadke. Poydyom." ("You're okay. Let's go.")
Alice blinked. Did he just speak Russian?
She followed behind, quietly curious.
They walked a short path, and soon, a woman came running around the corner.
"Anya!" the woman cried.
The little girl lit up. "Mama!"
The woman scooped her up and looked at Shun with wide eyes.
"Spasibo bol'shoye! Vy yeyo nashli?" ("Thank you so much! You found her?")
Shun gave a small nod. "Ona byla u shkoly. Vsyo v poryadke." ("She was by the school. Everything's okay.")
The woman smiled deeply, tears in her eyes. "Ya ne znayu, chto by ya delala bez vas…" ("I don't know what I would've done without you…")
Shun just gave a polite bow and stepped back.
After the woman and her daughter left, Alice came closer.
"You speak Russian?" she asked, surprised.
Shun scratched the back of his head, avoiding her eyes. "A little."
Alice smiled. "That was… really cool."
Shun looked away. "It's nothing."
There was an awkward silence.
Then Alice said, teasing a little, "You know… maybe you're secretly a superhero."
Shun sighed. "I'm not."
Alice giggled. "Well, superhero or not, that girl will remember you."
Shun didn't reply, but his face turned a bit red.
Alice looked at him quietly and smiled again.
And for a moment, they both stood there, not knowing what to say next.
But something between them had changed again—just a little.