"There is no need to know who I am."

  The voice echoed, deep and resonant, though the great bird’s beak never moved. Its sheer size was imposing, a creature of myth and omen. If this had been a city, panic and chaos would have erupted at its mere presence. But here, on this untamed nd, there were no witnesses—only the two sisters.

  The bird lowered its massive beak, and at its tip hung a wooden basket, swaying gently.

  "Take this," the voice reverberated again. "Their name is Serakuza."

  Homo Sapiens stepped forward and accepted the basket with both hands. Inside, wrapped in a soft, silken cloth, was a baby—small, fragile, and peacefully asleep.

  She furrowed her brows. "Whose child is this?"

  "That, too, is not yours to know."

  The bird turned, its golden eyes momentarily lingering on the sisters before it spread its enormous wings. The wind churned violently, whipping through their hair and rustling the grass around them.

  "Care for the child. They should not exist. And yet… they may be the final solution."

  Homo Sapiens flinched. "Wait! What do you mean by ‘final solution’?!" she called out.

  But the bird had already leapt into the sky. With a single, thunderous beat of its wings, it ascended over the ocean, sending a powerful gust outward. The force of the wind crashed into the sea below, creating a massive, circur wave that nearly reached the towering cliff where the sisters stood. Then, with another beat, it shot straight up, piercing the thick white clouds.

  As the sky swallowed it whole, a deep, unnatural stillness followed—until the dense clouds began to shift and break apart, unveiling a bright, brilliant blue.

  Homo Erectus let out a low whistle. "Damn. Now that was cool. You don’t see something like that every day." She shaded her eyes with her hand, gazing skyward as if she could still catch a glimpse of the creature.

  Meanwhile, Homo Sapiens looked down at the baby, whose peaceful slumber had ended amid the chaos. Tiny eyelids fluttered open, revealing round, gssy eyes that blinked curiously up at her.

  "Aww~ he’s awake," Homo Erectus cooed, her voice melting with adoration. "Look at him~! So cute~!"

  Homo Sapiens crouched, setting the basket down before lifting the baby into her arms. He didn’t cry, only wriggled and stretched, his tiny limbs moving aimlessly in the air. Soft, incoherent baby sounds tumbled from his lips—grunts, sighs, a faint coo.

  Her gaze lowered, and after a brief gnce, she muttered, "A boy, huh?"

  His little body, bare beneath the thin fabric, left no doubt. The sight of his tiny, undeveloped manhood—a fragile testament to his infancy—was almost amusing in its innocence.

  Homo Erectus, however, was far too enchanted by his chubby cheeks and wiggling fingers to care about anything else.

  Held against Homo Sapiens' chest, the baby shifted, his mouth instinctively pressing to the fabric of her robe, rooting for something that wasn’t there.

  "Right…" She exhaled, watching him with a mixture of bemusement and something softer—something unfamiliar yet warm.

  A small smile touched her lips.

  "Well, what now?" Homo Erectus asked.

  "Now, we figure out how to feed him," Homo Sapiens replied. She turned, stepping toward their shelter. "But first, we take him inside."

  She gnced over her shoulder. "Grab the basket, will you, dear sister?"

  Homo Erectus huffed but complied, scooping up the empty basket before hurrying to catch up—still unable to get over just how adorable the baby was.

  ongsyukkura