Yoh, Ren, Horo Horo, Lyserg, and Joco strolled through a quiet town on their way to Patch Village. The streets were unusually empty, and the afternoon sun cast long shadows between the buildings. They had decided to take a brief detour and look around before continuing their journey.

As they turned a corner, their eyes fell on an unexpected sight: two young kids sitting on the sidewalk near an alleyway. One was a small girl, no older than seven, her knees pulled up to her chest, arms wrapped tightly around them. She had a tired, wary look in her eyes. Next to her sat an older boy, around eleven, his posture tense and guarded as if ready to defend her at any moment.

Yoh slowed down, blinking in surprise. "Hey, uh… where are your parents?" he asked, concern in his voice.

Horo Horo stepped forward with a puzzled look. "Yeah, what are you two doing out here all by yourselves?"

Ren, Lyserg, and Joco stayed back a bit, silently watching. Their expressions were a mix of curiosity and unease, as if they could sense something deeper behind the situation.

The boy stood slightly in front of the girl, shielding her from view. His tone was sharp and defensive. "None of your business."

Lyserg frowned, crossing his arms. "You don’t have to be rude about it. We’re just trying to help."