They walked together toward an old tree near the field—the same place where they used to meet as children.
As they passed through the neighborhood, people whispered quietly, curious about the well-dressed boy walking beside Noah. Lucas ignored them.
He only wanted to understand what had happened.
Once they reached the tree, they sat down on the thick roots.
Lucas finally asked the question that had been weighing on his mind.
“What happened here?”
Noah took a deep breath before answering.
“Dad got really sick two years ago. He can’t fix cars anymore,” he said slowly. “So now I help Mom however I can. I sell things in the market, feed the chickens, and sometimes collect scrap metal to sell.”
He forced a small smile.
“It’s not easy… but we manage.”
Lucas felt a sharp ache in his chest.
While he had been living comfortably in another country, he had always imagined Noah still running around happily like they used to.
He had never thought his best friend might be struggling like this.
Tears filled Lucas’s eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked. “Why didn’t you ask for help?”
Noah shook his head gently.
“You weren’t here to deal with our problems,” he said. “I didn’t want to bother you.”
The words were said with quiet pride, but they only made Lucas feel worse.
At that moment, Lucas’s mother approached them. She had been watching from a distance and had heard part of their conversation.
Her eyes were already wet with tears.
“Noah,” she said softly, “you should have told us. You’ve always been like family to us.”
That evening, Noah was invited to eat dinner with them.
For the first time in a long time, he ate until he was completely full.
He laughed a little too—something Lucas hadn’t seen since arriving.
But that night was only the beginning.
The next day, Lucas and his mother visited Noah’s house.
When Lucas saw it, he was stunned.
The small wooden home looked as if it might collapse at any moment. Parts of the roof were broken, and there were holes in the walls. Inside, an old fan sat in the corner, barely working when electricity was available.
Noah’s mother greeted them nervously.
“I’m sorry you have to see our home like this,” she said with embarrassment. “We’re simple people…”
Lucas quickly interrupted her.
“Auntie, please don’t say that,” he replied kindly. “I’m not here to judge anyone. I’m here because Noah is my friend.”
Hearing those words, Noah’s mother suddenly began to cry.