In-between The Pews

"You actually understand that?" Kane asked, leaning over the back of the couch.

"Most of it," Sohan said without looking up.

Kane wasn't sure what unnerved him more: the fact that Sohan could read something that dense or the cold, almost clinical tone in which he said "most of it."

When Kane tried to make small talk, Sohan's answers were short and oddly cryptic.

"Do you have any friends?" Kane asked at one point.

Sohan shrugged. "Friends aren't important."

"Sure they are," Kane said. "It's good to have people you can talk to, hang out with-"

"Talking is inefficient. Most people don't say what they mean."

Kane blinked. "Okay, but don't you ever just want to have fun?"

Sohan closed the book and turned to him, his eyes narrowing. "What's your definition of fun?"

"I don't know. Something that makes you happy."

"I don't need to be happy," Sohan said matter-of-factly.

The words sent a shiver down Kane's spine. He laughed nervously, trying to lighten the mood. "That's... a little dark, don't you think?"

Sohan tilted his head, as if considering the question. "Why?"

Kane opened his mouth to respond but realized he had no idea how to explain it. He settled for a weak, "Because it just is."

Sohan didn't look convinced.

--

Or, Kane's job as a prosecutor has taught him to expect the unexpected, but nothing could prepare him for Sohan-a peculiar boy from his past who has a knack for unraveling secrets. When Kane is unexpectedly pulled into babysitting Sohan years ago, the young boy's eerie insights and odd behavior leave a lasting impression.

Now, as Kane faces mounting pressure in his career and personal life, he crosses paths with Sohan once more-only this time, Sohan isn't a kid anymore, and his unsettling observations have only sharpened. Their lives intertwine in ways Kane never imagined, forcing him to question his own beliefs and the hidden truths that linger in the shadows.