Chapter 3 - Chance Encounter?

"Where did you learn to cook like this, mom?" Kris asked as he chewed on pieces of tender beef garnished simply with garlic and onions, but it felt like he was eating a gourmet dish. He picked his plate clean of any food before leaning forward and grabbing the serving ladle for another helping.

His dad across him was reading the newspaper as he nibbled on a toothpick.

"That was back when you father was a grumpy young punk guitarist. He'd always be so well, grumpy, so I had to do something to make him soften up a little. It was funny seeing your father smile while he sported a weird spiky mohawk-"

"Dear... Please..." His father interjected, hiding his face and embarrassment behind the newspaper.

"Oh come on, it's funny when you think about it." Kris' mom added.

"A mohawk? Bwahahahahahaha. Imagine that. Dad with a mohawk!! What a contrast! And a punk band!? Woah," Kris exclaimed, almost mockingly. His father didn't reply, probably flustered that he had to relive such an embarrassing phase in his life.

Kris, finally having managed to stop his laughter, prodded further.

"So dad, what made the punk attitude take a backseat?" He inquired as he scooped more beef from a bowl.

"Well..." His father closed the newspaper and placed it on his lap as he started to think.

"I just outgrew the movement, I think. I wasn't feeling as angsty as before. It helped that I needed to have a haircut." He said as he shook his head and smiled in self-deprecation. He also unconsciously fiddled with his hair.

"Jeez, even though you say that," Kris' mom walked towards the table and placed another bowl of beef. The aroma made its way towards Kris' nose, making his hunger almost insatiable. "I did find it very endearing- the do-it-yourself kind of lifestyle, the edginess and the energy of it all. It's the time of your life when we first met, you know?" Her mother said as she took a seat.

"It is, I guess. When we're young, we get all sorts of ideas. Like how everyone is against us and out to get us. But when you finally reach an age, you realize that you were only stuck in your own little world. That your plight had nothing to do with how people lived theirs. You're in control. So, well, if you were angry, you'd find out that you were angry because of yourself. If you don't realize that even as you age, maybe you're just blind or too self-absorbed." He shrugged.

As Kris was just about to bite on another piece of beef, he stopped and thought about his father's words.

"Bro Kris?" He was startled when he came to. Looking beside him, he saw a boy with red hair looking at him confused. The boy wore some simple leather clothes and was short for his age, although it wasn't apparent with him seated. Though he had this dumb look, he was still obsessively nibbling on his food, making loud chewing sounds.

The boy gulped as he swallowed his food, and then tugged on Kris' shirt.

"What are you thinking about, bro? Don't you want to eat?" Though the boy's voice was that of concern, Kris felt that he just wanted Kris' share of the food. Kris shrugged and moved his plate towards the boy's side of the table.

"Yeah, I'm not really hungry. Eat up," Kris said before standing up. The boy, as if on cue, grabbed the foodstuff on the plate and started biting away.

Right now, he was at an orphanage. Around him were kids seated around numerous tables, placed neatly around the center of a large dining room. He heard the clanging of plates on tableware, and the smell of the wooden furniture coalesced with the smell of freshly baked bread. The kids were very lively as they ate, chewing while talking or just outright being noisy and having fun.

He noticed that most of the kids were roughly around 5 to 8 years younger than him, though he himself wasn't exactly sure how old he was. He surmised that he was roughly around 13 years old, not too young but certainly not old enough to do much either.

He walked towards the opposite corner, in the direction of his room. Well, he shared the room with a bunch of other kids, including the boy who set his sights on Kris' bread. As he exited and turned to the left, he almost bumped into a young lady.

"Ooh, excuse me..." Kris stopped in his tracks and looked towards the lady to apologize. She had a mature air around her, her plain leather dress seeming to exaggerate that maturity ironically. Her round eyes' gaze sat gently on Kris, and as she leaned forward, her pony-tailed auburn hair fluttered.

She pats Kris and ruffled his thick, unkempt silver hair. As Kris locked his eyes onto hers, he could clearly see his black eyes on the reflection on her pupils. Kris couldn't help but notice his sharp eyes and pointed nose. His jaw slacked open as he moved his gaze to his prominent cheekbone, surprised of how he looked the same from when he lived on Earth.

Finally noticing how weird he was being, he removed his gaze from the lady. She simply smiled.

"Are you done with breakfast, Kris?" she asked. She was the attendant who received him when he was escorted by the man who found him, who incidentally on their way back, mentioned that they were adventurers on an escort mission.

"Yes, I am. I was just planning to return to my room," Kris replied.

"I see, however, could you hold that off? There's a couple that's looking for a kid who's around your age. There's not many as old as you here, you see, so maybe you'd like to be adopted by them?" Of course, Kris wanted to be adopted by someone. But not just anyone. He didn't want to be adopted by parents with a skewed sense of reality, or anyone sociopathic. As long as they were at least normal when it came to their values, then Kris was sure he'd warm up to them and would be able to treat them like family.

"I see. Then, please introduce me," Kris said as he bowed.

It was odd how his willingness to be adopted was almost calculating, he thought. But he paid it no heed. If he judged correctly, then at most all of the children here were looking for a family to love. So maybe it wasn't all that weird.

"Alright, follow me," she said as she turned around. Kris followed her.

When they arrived at the reception desk, the couple was nowhere to be seen. Instead, they chanced upon a girl, roughly six years old. She was sitting at the waiting area, observing the surroundings. She had long locks of black hair and a slightly chubby face. She was pouting, not bothering to hide her impatience.

"I guess they went out for a bit?" The lady said, perplexed. Kris too was worried about the child, but when he noticed that there were two armored guards standing at the foot of the doorway, he thought that it was a needless worry.

"Are those guards from the orphanage?" Kris asked.

"Well, no. Actually, the couple who came here is well-known as merchants. So it's not surprising that they just left guards. Truth be told, it might be a lot safer for her to just stay here and wait for her parents. They shouldn't take long anyway. I recalled that they happened upon one of their clients on the way here," she seemed enthusiastic about the couple. Kris nodded noncommitally before shifting his gaze towards the little girl.

"Then, maybe I'll entertain the girl for a bit," Kris beamed, receiving a pat on his head in approval.

As Kris walked closer, he noticed that like him, the girl had sharp, black eyes for her age. Though her childish impatience was practically oozing out of her, she still had a look of intelligence as she surveyed her surroundings. She could grow up to be quite the smart girl.

The girl, noticing him, followed his approach with her gaze. Instead of being afraid, Kris felt that she was at the very least curious about him. It was a chance.

He waved his hand before finally close enough to move to a seat in front of the girl.

"Hi, what's your name?" Kris asked while smiling.

The girl, instead of replying, looked as if she was sizing him up.

As if finally deciding, the girl straightened up and looked Kris in his eyes.

"Claire," She said enthusiastically as if finally approving Kris' presence.

"Hi Claire, I'm Kris. Where are your parents?"

"They went outside for a bit. Hey hey, why is your hair silver? Are you old?"

Kris cringed.

"Uhh no... I don't exactly know why either.." Kris answered.

"Hmmm, I've never seen anyone with silver hair before," she jumped up from her seat and moved towards Kris. She tried reaching for his hair, but her short stature proved to be a hurdle. Kris leaned forward to allow her to reach.

"Woahhh, it's so smooth but it's thick," Kris was by now wondering why this girl was so fixated on his hair. No one else made any remark about his hair, although that might be them for him trying to be considerate. Well, even in Earth, white hair was something that doesn't occur naturally in young people with normal circumstances.

"It is, isn't it? Your hair looks cute too," Kris said, trying to reciprocate.

"Really? Really, really? My mom said that too! She said that when she was a kid like me she had wanted long hair, but her parents were strict and didn't allow it until she was older. Sayyyy, are you looking for parents? Do you want my parents to be your parents too?" She asked excitedly. Kris knew that the girl was aware that she was in an orphanage, and that her parents were looking for a sibling.

"Well, let's see. If they like me, then why not? Would you want me as a big brother?" Kris playfully asked. He wondered why a couple who had a young child would want to adopt. It just seemed weird, but he pushed the thought aside for now.

"Yes!! My friends would be jealous that I have a big brother with silver hair! It's so shiny too!" She declared as she ruffled his hair.

Kris only managed an endearing chuckle, and just as he was about to reply, the girl perked up and looked to her left, prompting Kris to do the same. He saw two figures approaching, both dressed in simple but highly refined blue garments. The woman, in particular, had a ruby necklace.

Claire ran towards her parents and hugged her mother's legs as she pulled on the lady's clothes.

"Mom, let's make him our big brother! Look at his hair! Please mommy!" She pleaded, her puppy dog eyes making both her parents giggle.

Both of Claire's parents had black hair. Her mother had deep-set, blue eyes. Their gaze scanning Kris. She had a warm smile plastered on her delicate jaw that reminded Kris' of his mother's own. She was lean and about five feet and six inches, in contrast to the tall man beside her who was rather muscular, but not overly.

The man had a broad, clean-shaven jaw and slightly squinted blue eyes. His square face emanating masculinity, but his sharp gaze, most probably where Claire inherited them, gave the impression of deep wisdom.

"Why, hello there. Could I ask for your name?" The woman walked forward and leaned her body as her eyes squinted while smiling.

"Hello ma'am, my name is Kris," Kris replied before bowing gracefully, his right hand set on his chest.

"What manners... are you from this orphanage?" The lady asked.

"Yes, I am," Kris replied immediately, sullen in his expression.

"I see. Do you want to talk for a bit?" She asked as she straightened her posture.

Kris looked over to her right and saw the man smiling slightly as if he was looking at his own kid. Weird, is it because their daughter warmed up to him?

"S...sure," Kris said, stumbling his words.

He couldn't help but feel that this meeting was more than just from chance.