Chu Lian's gaze lingered on the departing girl, catching that single tear as it fell. She felt a pang of confusion and something faintly wistful. Why had she cried? Was it because of Chu Chu's words? It seemed that way—but somehow, Chu Lian sensed that wasn't the true reason.
At the top of the winding mountain road, a narrow path branched toward other hills, leading into seven more routes beyond. Perhaps that girl was now sitting quietly in her car, heading toward the distant horizon.
After a brief moment of stillness and the girl's unexpected appearance, the sun had already dipped low, and the fiery clouds had faded into the soft glow of dusk. Everyone understood—it was time to go back.
The nine girls divided into two groups, entering their cars once more. After confirming that everything was fine, both vehicles started up and drove off, following the same direction as the girl who had just left.
Inside the car, silence reigned. Only Chu Chu sat with her head turned toward the window, pretending to be entirely absorbed by the scenery outside.
"Chu Chu, do you know how rude you were just now?" Chu Lian finally spoke after a long stretch of silence. "She was only someone I'd just met. Why did you have to speak to her like that? Have you forgotten mother's teachings? We were raised to act as proper young ladies. Why would you say such a thing?"
But realizing her tone was too harsh, she stopped, took a slow breath, and continued in a gentler voice. "I'm not angry at you. You're my sister—no matter what happens, I'll always be on your side. I just want to know why you said that."
Chu Chu stayed quiet, not responding, as though she hadn't heard. Or perhaps she had—but chose to ignore it. That silence spoke volumes. Her anger wasn't for anyone else—it was aimed squarely at Chu Lian.
When Chu Lian opened her mouth to continue, a soft hand reached out to squeeze hers, stopping her. She turned to see Inori's wine-red eyes watching her, calm and serious, her reflection trembling faintly within them.
If Inori stopped her, there was always a reason. Chu Lian trusted her completely. Furrowing her brow slightly, she looked to her friend, waiting for an explanation.
"Chu Chu is crying," Inori said quietly.
The words hit her like a bolt of lightning.
"Chu Chu… cried?" Chu Lian repeated in shock.
Without thinking—despite the car still in motion—she unbuckled her seatbelt, climbed into the back, and gently cupped Chu Chu's face in her hands. There, glistening in the corners of her eyes, were unshed tears.
The sight pierced Chu Lian's heart. What kind of pain could make her sister cry like this?
Chu Chu had often wept before—but those had always been fake tears, little tricks to earn her sister's affection. Chu Lian had never seen her truly cry. Not until now.
Her thumbs brushed away the tears gathering under her sister's lashes. "So… you finally let me see you cry," Chu Lian murmured softly.
Chu Chu didn't respond. She only shook her head faintly, trying to escape her sister's touch but too afraid of hurting her to use force.
Without a word, Chu Lian pulled her close, pressing her sister's cheek against her own. She could feel the warmth of her skin, the quiver of her breath, the fluttering of her heartbeat. "Don't cry… Big Sis is here," she whispered tenderly.
"She's not here, she's not here, she's not here, she's not here, she's not here, she's not here, she's not here, she's not here, she's not here, she's not here, she's not here, she's not here…"
Chu Chu's voice trembled as she repeated the same phrase again and again, as though trying to refute her sister's words, as though denying the world itself.
Chu Lian didn't understand what she meant—but she could hear the sorrow in her trembling whispers. It was the kind of sadness born from the fear of being left behind, the pain of someone who felt abandoned.
She didn't try to speak again, only stroked her sister's long hair, nuzzling her cheek softly, her touch as gentle as if she were soothing a frightened kitten.
"Big Sis… will you ever leave me?"
After a long silence, Chu Chu finally spoke, her voice hoarse and broken, each word trembling under the weight of her sorrow.
"What nonsense," Chu Lian said softly, startled but smiling gently. "Big Sis will always be here. I'll always stay by your side. Don't think such silly things, okay?"
"Then why does Big Sis keep so many things from me?" Her tone wasn't accusatory—only filled with sadness. As she had said before, Chu Chu would never truly blame Chu Lian. Never.
"Because it's for your own good," Chu Lian said softly. "There are things you're not ready to face yet. But once you're stronger, Big Sis will tell you everything you wish to know."
"If what Big Sis calls 'for my own good' means taking all the pain and danger alone, then I don't want it. I don't want safety built on Big Sis' suffering. I don't want to live forever under your protection. I don't want you to get hurt because of me. I don't want it—I don't want it—I don't want it…" Her voice trembled as she repeated herself, each word like a cry from the heart.
"Because that's what being an older sister means," Chu Lian replied softly. "As your sister, it's my duty and my responsibility to protect you and everyone else. Is it so wrong for me to do that?"
As she spoke, a memory flickered through her mind—of a woman in red, her presence blazing like fire. Perhaps she, too, had once carried this same mindset, shouldering everything for the sake of others. And now Chu Lian realized—how much she herself resembled her sister Chu Chu in this very moment.
"But that doesn't mean you have to bear everything alone," Chu Chu whispered, her voice gentler now.
"Hey, isn't Inori here too?" Chu Lian said with a faint smile. "She helps me carry some of the burden. That alone makes things easier." Indeed, Inori's presence had lifted much of the pressure off her shoulders—and that, at least, was something to be grateful for.
"It's exactly because Inori is here," Chu Chu murmured, "that I can't keep holding it in anymore." Her voice was calmer now, but her words carried quiet weight.
"Why? Isn't that a good thing?" Chu Lian tilted her head slightly, puzzled. "Shouldn't you be glad she's here?"
"Yes… it's good," Chu Chu said faintly. "But does that mean there's nothing left to worry about?" Her tone grew sharper.
"Inori and I are both strong," Chu Lian replied confidently. "There's no need to worry that much."
"Strong, yes," Chu Chu said quietly. "But then why did you get hurt this time?" As she spoke, her hand moved—slipping to Chu Lian's waist, pressing lightly.
"Mm…" A soft sound escaped Chu Lian's lips at the sudden pain. That small reaction alone was enough to confirm everything.
"I told you, the enemy was too strong. That's why I got hurt," Chu Lian said, though her voice faltered slightly. "I think I mentioned it before."
"Did you?" Chu Chu asked, her eyes narrowing slightly. "If I hadn't overheard you talking outside the door, how would I even know you were injured? You didn't tell me directly. And when I brought it up later, you didn't deny it—which means you knew I knew."
"I knew you were eavesdropping," Chu Lian muttered, a hint of guilt in her tone. "That's why I didn't deny it."
"Then what about what you said afterward—that your wounds were healing? Why haven't they? The wound on your waist, and Satsuki's injuries—they're still there. The things you said would heal… haven't."
Only then did Chu Lian finally realize what her sister truly wanted to ask.
But it was too late. The earlier questions had been easy enough to answer—believable, even. But this one… she couldn't.
Her lips parted, yet no words came out. For once, the girl who always faced the world with calm confidence hesitated.
Chu Chu slipped free from her sister's arms, cupped Chu Lian's face between her hands, and looked into her eyes. "Big Sis," she whispered, "I'm not trying to force the truth from you. I just want an answer."
"Because… because…" Chu Lian stammered, unable to speak the real reason aloud. Her silence told everyone what her words could not—that this was a secret, one that shouldn't be pursued further.
After a moment, Chu Chu sighed softly. "If Big Sis doesn't want to say it, then I won't ask anymore. But… do you still want to know why I said what I said earlier?"
Chu Lian blinked in surprise. "Why?"
"When Big Sis fought all those men—while badly wounded—and then defeated those mutated monsters afterward, are you really telling me you didn't feel pain? I don't believe that. You may not fear pain, but you're not immune to it."
"I'm sure you'd come up with excuses—say it didn't hurt much, or that the wounds weren't deep, or that the movements didn't strain them. But I think…" Chu Chu took a breath. "Big Sis wasn't feeling pain because, before we noticed, you took a pain suppressant. Isn't that right?"
Chu Lian's eyes shifted slightly, betraying the truth. She couldn't hide it.
"If I hadn't said what I did earlier," Chu Chu continued quietly, "Miss Yuki would've kept talking with you, and you'd have invited her to keep discussing music. You'd have gone somewhere together to talk—and by then, the painkiller would've worn off, wouldn't it?"
If Chu Chu hadn't spoken up, things might indeed have gone that way.
There was nothing left to say. Both of them understood. The rest of the journey passed in silence.
"Next time we meet, I'll apologize to Miss Yuki myself," Chu Chu murmured at last. "But before that, just let me be the bad one this time."
The night stretched long ahead of them. The road, too, seemed endless—and the future, even farther still. What awaited them beyond that darkness… no one could know.