"He-Hestia? Isn't that a Greek goddess?" Void mumbled, touching his lips as if he could still feel the kiss.
"Void! Voooid! Why are you spacing out like that?" a mature woman's voice called out.
"C'mon, Mom, don't tease him. Look at his face, he probably kissed a girl today," his younger sister said with a grin.
"Hmm? Is that true, Void?" his dad's rough voice chimed in, followed by a loud thud. "Just don't forget to use protection."
"What the hell are you teaching our son, you old fart?" his mom snapped, swatting him with a dish towel.
Void blinked, his mind still foggy. But all the voice is very familiar.
He look at his surrounding. The scent of roast chicken filled the air. Warm yellow light spilled from the ceiling lamp, casting soft shadows across the kitchen.
The room was small, just enough space for the four of them. The table wobbled slightly, propped up by a folded magazine under one leg.
The chairs didn't match. One had peeling paint, another had duct tape wrapped around the backrest.
The fridge hummed loudly, covered in old magnets, school notes, and faded photos. The floor was cracked near the sink, and the cupboard door hung slightly crooked.
It was not perfect, but for Void it was home.
His mom stood at the stove, apron on, her hair tied back. His dad sat at the table, already digging into mashed potatoes like it was his last meal. His little sister leaned across the table, still smirking at him.
It was the kind of scene he hadn't seen in years. The one that often appear on his dream after heavy hungover.
His eyes glistened with tears. 'It's been twenty years. I saw them burn. I buried them.'
"Void?" his mom said, turning around with a worried look. "You okay, sweetheart?"
"Y-Yeah," he said quickly, his voice unsteady. "Something get into my eyes."
His sister snorted. "Look at him, daydreaming like he's in a romance movie. Who's the poor girl?"
Void tried to laugh, but it came out weak. His heart pounded as he asked, "What's the date today, Elisa?"
She blinked. "October 4th… why?"
He swallowed. "What year?"
That made her pause. "Uh… 2007. Duh? What's with you?"
His dad looked up from his plate. "You hit your head or something, son?"
Void didn't answer. His fingers gripped the edge of the table. '2007… that was the year they died. But wait… something is wrong.'
The memory was still fresh in his mind, it was March 14, the day he came home late and found the house in flames. He'd been out preparing a surprise for his sister's prom.
The fire… it started in the bathroom. He remember reading the report. 'Faulty wiring. The hairdryer.' His eyes widened.
He shot up from his seat. "I, I need to use the bathroom," he blurted, making the whole table fall silent as his family gave him strange looks.
Once inside, his gaze locked onto the wall socket.
In the past, there had been a cheap power strip plugged into it, overloaded with devices: a curling iron, hairdryer, hair straightener.
The load was too much. It sparked, caught the towel hanging above it, and everything went up in flames.
But now… the power strip was gone. Instead, he saw cleanly installed outlets spaced apart, modern and grounded.
Then, there was a knock at the door.
"Brother? Are you alright? Dad and Mom asked me to check on you."
It was Elisa.
When he didn't answer, she pushed the door open and peeked inside, finding him staring at the outlet.
She raised an eyebrow. "Why are you looking at it like that? I was just joking earlier, okay?"
"This socket... has it always been like this?"
She blinked. "We had an electrician replace it a few months ago. Are you okay? You're acting really weird, did something happen?"
Void's eyes narrowed as he looked at Elisa. "A few months ago… What about your prom?"
Elisa tilted her head.
"You're the one taking me, duh. And picking me up after. You even punched Tom when he tried to get handsy with me.
Seriously, I'm so glad you were there. I kept saying no, but the creep wouldn't back off."
She stepped closer to Void, her voice softening.
"You know you can tell me anything, right? Is this about the girl you kissed?
Or, wait, don't tell me you hooked up with someone's girlfriend and now you're drowning in guilt or something?"
Void shook his head. "No, it's nothing like that. Sorry for making you worry."
That made Elisa pause. 'Huh?' That wasn't the reaction she expected at all.
Normally, her brother would've smirked and said something cocky like "Do you even know who you're talking to?" or "Have a little faith in your legendary big bro.."
He never apologized for anything this small.
He felt… off. But before she could say more, Void had already slipped past her and headed back to the dining room.
He sat down quietly, trying to steady his heartbeat as he picked up his fork.
The familiar warmth of mashed potatoes, roast chicken, and buttery corn hit his tongue. His favorite. It tasted just like he remembered, maybe better.
"Everything alright in there?" his dad asked between bites, glancing up. "You weren't fixing the plumbing, were you?"
Void gave a small smile. "No. Just… washing my face."
His mom nudged a bowl toward him. "Eat up before it gets cold, honey. And tell your sister she's only allowed to wear that dress if she brings a taser."
"Mom!" Elisa groaned.
His dad chuckled. "Hey, I say give her a flamethrower. That'll keep guys like Tom away. And if he shows up again, tell me, I'll make sure to have a nice little talk with him."
Void smiled faintly as laughter filled the room. The food, the warmth, the banter, he miss all this.
But in the back of his mind, he couldn't shake the thought.
'Just what happened? Did Hestia really turn back time, and change the power outlet? '
After dinner, the plates were stacked high, crumbs scattered across the table, and the smell of roast chicken still lingered in the air.
"I'll take care of the dishes," Void said, standing and starting to gather the plates. "You and Dad should rest."
His mom blinked. "What? No, honey, you don't have to-"
"I want to," he said, firmer this time. "Really. Just sit down for a bit. You cooked everything. Let me handle this."
She opened her mouth to argue, but stopped when she saw the look on his face, the kind she hadn't seen in a long time.
"…Alright," she said quietly, exchanging a glance with her husband. "But don't break anything."
"No promises," Void said with a small smile.
As his parents settled onto the worn couch and Elisa wandered off humming to herself, Void turned to the sink. The water ran warm over his hands as he scrubbed the dishes, one by one.
While his hands were busy, so was his mind.
'I really did go back in time. I don't know what the payment is… .'
He glanced over his shoulder, watching his mom and dad chat softly in the other room. Their laughter, the hum of the fridge, even the squeaky faucet, it all wrapped around him like a blanket.
'Screw it… I got my second change, this time I'll make sure they're happy. Before I think about anything else.'