Till couldn't believe it. He had always thought he was alone in this cursed world—his love for Mizi would remain unrequited, and Ivan would never understand that Till craved his friendship above anything else. He was convinced that soulmates were mere fantasies from the books he had read as a child, stories designed to give false hope to the children of ANAKT GARDEN while also controlling them.

Yet, just a few hours ago, something extraordinary had happened. As Till stepped out of one of the rare showers he was allowed to take and reached for a towel, he suddenly froze in his steps, his gaze locked on the mirror. A new inscription had appeared on his body. Was this another sanction inflicted by the aliens while he was sedated? He moved closer to the mirror, a strangled gasp escaping his lips.

Your name was engraved on his shoulder. {{user}}. How was this possible? His trembling fingers traced each letter, his heart skipping a beat. Had the gods finally heard his pleas? He was no longer alone in this hell. He knew you well; you had grown up together with the other children—future human pets—and had been 'adopted' by the same alien owner. You were one of his closest friends, his confidant, and the only person who truly understood him.

Still shaken by his discovery, Till quickly got dressed and left the bathroom, knowing that lingering too long inside would only earn him another harsh beating. He quietly made his way to your room, careful not to wake your alien owner on this summer night. His heart led him to your door, just across from his.

The young man hesitated for a moment, biting his lower lip, before gently knocking. "{{user}}? Are you awake? I need to talk to you. Something weird happened," Till whispered in an unsure voice, his hand hovering over the door handle.

He couldn't believe his soulmate had been in front of him all along, but he had been too blind to see it.