I Ran Away And The Reverse Harem Started Chapter 125

Holis looked much the same as it had ten years ago, when I’d left it. It wasn’t exactly a place I had fond memories of, but it was where I’d stayed for five years, so there was a strange nostalgia to it.

The withering roadside trees, the quiet street in the middle of the shopping district, and the shops with barely any customers.
Across from the stores stood rows of dull, gray houses.

Holis had always been a quiet town—or rather, maybe it was more accurate to say it was a poor town.

Perhaps because life was so harsh, even when they saw orphans around, the townsfolk would just shoo them away like flies instead of helping.

“Still, ten years is a long time. This place really hasn’t changed a bit.”

We parked the carriage in the most inconspicuous spot we could find and walked around the town together.

When I clicked my tongue, the others nodded in agreement.

Some of the stores had stubbornly stayed in business for ten years, while others had been replaced by completely unfamiliar ones that left me feeling off balance.

In a town that had once been so cold to orphans, the one place that gave us a bit of kindness—the candy-giving Grandpa Mark’s general store—was now replaced by a butcher shop.

Still, the roads were just the same, so we were able to wander through the alleys and corners like water flowing through a stream.

“But what happened to the kids after the fire?”

I asked.

In the original story, they should’ve all perished in the fire. But I had managed to evacuate everyone in time, so at least they would have survived.

Colin replied to my question.

“After the orphanage burned down and you disappeared, the kids all scattered. Most went to an orphanage in the next town over, but… if that didn’t work out, they ended up on the streets.”

“Yeah… I figured.”

My heart grew heavy at those words.

Even if they had survived, the orphanage they lived in was gone. Their lives would’ve only gotten harder.

Colin, Daniel, and Lucas had those hardships written into their stories as male leads, but… what about the others?

With slightly solemn expressions, we made our way down a familiar alley. Our destination was the place where the Holis orphanage once stood.

I’d been worried someone might’ve built over it, but thankfully, the area was still a vacant lot.

Like something had been ripped right out of the street, the spot where the orphanage had stood was oddly empty amidst the bustling road.

“It does feel strange. I didn’t think nothing would be left.”

Considering how much time had passed, it made sense—but seeing the bare lot made it feel like the years we spent living there had just been erased.

Then, a large hand gently patted my shoulder. It was Lucas.

“The orphanage might be gone, but a lot of other things are still here, Rosie.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

“Just because the building’s gone doesn’t mean our memories are.”

“If we walk around the town, we’ll probably find someone we know. We can ask them what happened when the orphanage burned.”

Colin chimed in to comfort me as well. Lucas, looking upbeat, grabbed my shoulders and turned me around the other way just as I was trying to smile awkwardly.

“Ahaha!”

A cheerful laugh echoed, followed by the light steps of several children from the alley beyond.

Suddenly, a group of kids burst out and ran toward the open lot.

“Huh? Who are you?”

There were five kids in total. Their clothes were worn but clean, and their faces were full of mischief. Daniel raised an eyebrow at their bold question.

“And who are you kids?”

“Hey, I asked first!”

“Yeah, we asked first!”

“You’re supposed to answer our question first!”

The kids stared at us with wide eyes and cheeky attitudes.

Daniel gave them an incredulous look. They must have been locals. I crouched down to their eye level and smiled.

“We used to live here a long time ago. What about you? Where are your parents?”

“Parents? Don’t have any.”

“What?”

The kids answered casually, as if they’d expected that reaction, glancing between me and the three standing behind me.

Then one of them spoke again, like it was no big deal.

“We live at the orphanage over there.”

“There’s an orphanage here? I thought it burned down.”

“It did. But a new one got built. Not too long ago.”

Apparently, a new orphanage had opened in Holis. It was news to us. The others behind me looked just as surprised.

That’s when a woman’s voice called out from the alley.

“Hey! Kids! How many times do I have to tell you not to run like that? You’ll get hurt!”

I stood up.

A girl around our age emerged from the alley. Her face looked very familiar.

“Huh… you’re…”

I froze as soon as I saw the woman chasing after the kids. She looked at us cautiously at first, then her eyes widened in recognition. Her face brightened immediately.

“Wait, are you Rosieta?!”

She pointed at me and shrieked. I practically jumped in place.

“Sasha! You’re Sasha, aren’t you?!”

“You little brat! You were alive and didn’t even show your face?!”

She ran straight to me and smacked my arm hard. “Ow!” I yelped, my eyes tearing up a little. Her slap stung—just like old times.

It hurt, sure… but more than that, I was happy.

I looked at her with watery eyes, and her brown eyes welled up too.

Still holding onto me, Sasha sniffled and said,

“You horrible brat, you were alive. You have no idea how hard we searched for you. And what’s with these fancy clothes? You’re living the high life now, huh? Did you marry into a rich family or something?!”

“S-Sorry… I haven’t married anyone yet. But you’re okay! You’ve been living in Holis this whole time…”

Sasha had lived in the same Holis orphanage with us.
She was my age.

She spoke through her tears.

“On the day the orphanage burned, you woke everyone from their nap and got them out. We’re alive because of you! But you didn’t come out, and we were all so worried!”

“I’m sorry for worrying you.”

“‘Sorry’ doesn’t even begin to cover it!”

She wailed, big teardrops rolling down her cheeks. Then she plopped down right where she stood. Feeling guilty, I crouched next to her and met her gaze.

Still sniffling, she continued,

“No one ever found your body—not even a single hair. Do you have any idea how panicked we were? All of us who survived that day owe our lives to you!”

“You’re making it sound like a big deal… It’s embarrassing.”

“It was a big deal! Everyone else said you must’ve died, but I—I believed you were still alive somewhere. I really did. I thought you’d show up again someday.
At least for me, I’m alive now because of you.”

Her words made my eyes sting.

She’d survived. Despite being an orphan, even after the place we depended on burned down, they’d made it. At the very least, Sasha—my fellow orphan—had grown up and was still standing here today.

I couldn’t help but think, I’m glad I saved them. I really am.

As I sniffled and took her hand, she glanced over my shoulder and gasped.

“No way—Colin, Daniel, Lucas? You guys are here too?!”

“It’s been a while,” Daniel said with a faint smile, clearly recognizing her. He’d taken a few hits from Sasha when we were kids too.

“I heard about you! You’re rich now, right? Got a fief and a castle from the king!”

“You heard about me?”

“Of course. The entire kingdom talks about you like your lunch menu’s breaking news!”

Sasha was already smiling through her tears.

“I always thought we’d meet again someday. And now… I’m just glad to see you all doing well—Lucas, Colin too…”

She stood up with me and shook hands with each of the three guys. She was still as lively and cheerful as ever. When she shook hands with Daniel, she gripped hard.

“Y-You…” Daniel started to say with a grimace, but Sasha just laughed.

“You were such a pushover back then. You and Ralph—especially Ralph. Oh! Do you know what happened to Ralph? Still in touch? I’d love to see him again.”

Ralph had been another fellow orphan our age. Freckled and gentle, often getting smacked around by Sasha. He was definitely someone I hoped was doing okay.

“Ah… Ralph…?”

I hesitated, but Sasha’s expression turned awkward too. Had something bad happened to him after the fire?

Just as I was about to ask, a man’s voice called from the distance.

“Honey! Bring the kids inside—it looks like rain’s coming!”

“‘Honey’…? ‘Kids’…?”

At the familiar voice, all four of us turned our heads. A man came out of the alley. Dark, dusty brown hair. A pale, freckled face. Very familiar features.

And especially—his large, potato-shaped nose looked just like young Ralph’s.

We stared dumbfounded at the man, then all whipped our heads toward Sasha at once.

She scratched the back of her head and gave an awkward smile.

“Yeeeah… it kinda ended up like that.”

Then she let out a sheepish laugh.

 

 

****

 

 

 

 

Ralph and Sasha ran a produce store at the edge of town. After the Holis orphanage burned down, they lived in an orphanage in the neighboring village. As soon as they turned eighteen, they started working and saving money. After getting married, they pooled their earnings and returned to Holis to open their own shop.

They bought a two-story building—setting up the produce store on the first floor and an orphanage on the second.

“I still can’t believe it. You two, married… and running an orphanage, no less.”

Just like Ralph had said, the sky quickly turned gray, and a sudden downpour began. Thankfully, we were invited into their home. The five children who had been playing in the empty lot followed along quietly, familiar with the routine of tidying up their clothes inside.

At my comment, Sasha—who was helping the kids—grew flustered and raised her voice as if to cover it up.

“Hey, marriage isn’t some big deal. It’s what people our age do! You guys are the weird ones, okay? What’s the big fuss? We just got old enough and did it! So stop looking at us like it’s something shocking!”

“Honey… why are you saying it like that…? Are you embarrassed to be married to me?”

Ralph looked at Sasha, clearly baffled.