'How did I end up like this?'
I opened my eyes slowly. I was dazzled by the light shining through the clear water.
'Jess was about to fall into the lake... I followed him and jumped in to save him...'
At that moment, I instinctively moved my limbs because of my choked breath.
However, my body was already sinking to the bottom of the water with tension and bewilderment.
It seemed that there was no use in moving my body any longer. I reached out towards the light, but it felt like I was already too far away.
I closed my eyes so slowly.
~*~
"Iris, Iris!"
I heard through my ears, someone...
There was a voice calling for someone.
"Ugh..."
"Are you awake?"
When I lifted my heavy eyelids, I could see Serena's face, the oldest in the orphanage.
She was soaked just like me as if she had saved me from drowning.
"Iris...!"
Jess, the reason I jumped fearlessly into the lake, came into my arms.
His face was covered with tears as if he was worried that something would go wrong.
"..."
Normally, I would have wiped away Jess' tears and laughed saying it was okay, but unfortunately, I didn't have time for that now.
"Iris, are you sure you're okay?"
Even with Serena's hand on my shoulder, I couldn't move.
What caught my eye was a person hiding behind a tree far away.
I was looking at it.
Theo. The child's red eyes.
"I don't think there's a big problem, so if you rest well, you'll be fine."
"Thank you."
Mr. Haley, who is in charge of the orphanage, looked at me while smiling helplessly.
"I know you wanted to save your little brother in front of you, Iris, but it's not a good thing for you to jump into the water yourself. I don't think I'll even give you a bed if you come to me like this in the future."
He was trying to intimidate me, but there was still a deep concern behind those words.
"Hehe. I'll be careful."
"Somehow every time, you only get hurt trying to help others. You have to think about your body and health too."
Listening to Mr. Haley's bruised nagging, I couldn't help but laugh.
What do you mean, sir? I may have to risk my life as collateral to help this time...
Iris. A child who has been raised since birth in an orphanage established under the auspices of the Goddess Hylia Temple.
Even though her birth is unknown, a bright and beautiful ten-year-old child with golden hair like the goddess who saved the world in the beginning and blue eyes shining like crystals...
Until I jumped into the lake to rescue Jess from drowning.
It was good until I pulled Jess up and sent him ashore. The problem was that, on the contrary, I fell back into the water as my body lost strength there.
