The heavy steel gate of the prison clanked shut behind him.
Ryker stepped out, hands tucked in his pockets, yawning as if he'd just woken from a long nap. He cracked his knuckles lazily, eyes squinting against the sunlight.
Aria-sensei stood at the edge of the path, waiting.
"Ryker," she said gently, "they're all waiting for you."
Ryker didn't look at her. His eyes were already on the road beyond.
"Where's my sister?" he asked.
"She's… home," Aria replied, her voice soft. "Waiting."
He didn't say anything more.
Aria watched him walk away—each step quiet, but heavy with something more than just the weight of his body.
"You're going home," she whispered to herself.
"Yeah," Ryker muttered. "Home."
At the Appartment
The front door stood quietly, as if holding its breath. Dust gathered at its corners, but it was still the same door Ryker remembered.
He placed his hand on the handle and turned it slowly.
The creak echoed through the house.
And then—
"Brother!"
A small voice, full of disbelief and years of bottled-up pain.
Hinata stood at the hallway's end, her eyes wide. The moment her eyes met his, she ran.
"Brother!!"
She threw her arms around him, her face burying into his chest. Her shoulders shook as the tears came pouring out.
"You're… you're really back," she sobbed.
Ryker gently wrapped his arms around her. "Yeah… I'm back."
"Brother… you came back to me…" she whimpered. "No one else came. No one ever came but you…"
"I know," Ryker whispered, holding her tighter. "I told you before… in this world, we have no one."
Hinata's voice cracked through the tears. "But why, brother? Why is it just us?"
Ryker closed his eyes for a moment.
"…Because the world doesn't care about monsters, Hina," he said. "And they think we are."
Hinata clung to him as if letting go would make him vanish again.
"I wanted to meet you…" she sniffled. "But they wouldn't let me. They said I couldn't see you…"
Ryker gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Don't cry, Hina. I'm here now."
He gave her a soft smile—rare and tired, but real.
"I'll make curry for you."
Hinata blinked, her tears pausing for a second. "Curry? Really?"
He ruffled her hair. "Yeah. Just like before. You always smiled for curry, right?"
A small, shy smile appeared on her face, fragile but beautiful. "Hehe… yeah."
Ryker chuckled. "There it is. That smile. You're still you."
He stood up and headed toward the kitchen.
Behind him, Hinata wiped her eyes and whispered to herself, "And you're still my brother…"
The smell of onions sizzling in oil filled the small kitchen.
Ryker stood in front of the stove, lazily stirring the pot, his sleeves rolled up and his hair a bit messy from the steam. Hinata sat at the table behind him, legs swinging, eyes sparkling.
"You still remember how to cook?" she teased.
Ryker glanced back, smirking. "I survived a prison full of lunatics. Cooking curry is easy compared to that."
Hinata giggled. "I missed your bad jokes."
He added the spices like muscle memory. The scent deepened. Warm. Comforting. Like home.
A few minutes later, he brought the plate over, setting it in front of her with a little bow. "Your royal curry, princess."
Hinata clapped. "It smells soooo good!"
They both dug in. Silence, but the happy kind.
"Mmm! It tastes just like before," Hinata said with her mouth full, cheeks puffed.
"Of course," Ryker replied, eating with a calm smile. "I promised I'd come back, didn't I?"
"Yeah," she whispered. "But... this time, you'll stay, right?"
He didn't answer immediately. He just looked at her, then at the window where the sun gently poured in.
"Yeah," he finally said. "I'll stay. For now… this is enough."
They kept eating. No battles. No secrets. Just curry, laughter, and the warmth of two souls who'd lost everything—finding peace, if only for a night.
The room was quiet, wrapped in the soft hum of the night. The TV glowed faintly, casting a warm light across the living room.
Ryker sat on the couch, his body finally at ease. Hinata rested her head on his lap, her arms wrapped around a pillow.
"Brother," Hinata whispered, her voice gentle. "I want to ask something."
"Yeah, of course," Ryker replied, fingers lazily brushing her hair.
"Is… is our mom still alive?"
His hands paused.
For a moment, he said nothing. His expression dimmed with a shade of sadness he rarely let anyone see.
Hinata turned her head slightly to look up at him. "Don't be sad, brother. If you don't want to say anything, it's okay. They… don't matter. Only you do."
A faint smile pulled at Ryker's lips.
"Our mom… she was beautiful," he said softly. "She had long black hair and blue eyes… Eyes just like yours."
Hinata's eyes widened. "Ahh… really?Mom was like you, brother."
"Yeah, I never saw person like her," Ryker admitted. "But I remember her from the stories… from the way our father talked about her. She was strong, kind, and brave."
"She sounds like a warrior," Hinata said with a soft giggle. "Maybe that's why you're like this."
Ryker chuckled. "Maybe."
"Tell me more about her," she asked eagerly, her voice filled with innocent curiosity.
"Hmm…" Ryker leaned back, smirking. "I'll tell you—but only on one condition."
"Condition?" Hinata blinked.
"You beat me in a video game."
"Aahh!" she puffed her cheeks, turning them pink. "You always win!"
"But this time," he said, picking up the controller, "you have a reason to win."
Hinata sat up, her face determined. "Okay! I'm gonna beat you, and then you're gonna tell me everything!"
They started playing, laughter filling the room.
For a while, they weren't warriors, or victims, or prisoners of fate. They were just a brother and sister, trying to win a game—and hold onto the memories of a mother they never got to know.
The morning sun peeked through the curtains, casting a soft golden hue across the small room. The scent of last night's curry still lingered faintly in the air.
Ryker stood by the doorway, quietly observing his little sister.
Hinata was curled under the blanket, her breath steady and calm, her face peaceful. A faint smile rested on her lips—as if she were having a sweet dream. Her hand loosely held a plush doll that Ryker had won for her years ago.
He walked closer, careful not to make a sound. Gently kneeling beside her bed, Ryker brushed a few strands of hair from her face.
"You've grown," he whispered, almost to himself.
"But still... you're my little sister."
For a brief moment, the cold world outside didn't matter. The past didn't weigh him down. It was just the two of them—like always.
He stood up, grabbed his coat, and cast one last glance toward her.
"I'll be back soon," he said softly. "Sleep well, Hina."
Without a sound, Ryker stepped out of the room, the door clicking shut behind him as he left for the guild.
The soft chirping of birds drifted through the open window.
Hinata's eyes fluttered open slowly, her lashes brushing against the pillow. For a moment, she lay still, warmth cocooning her. The lingering scent of curry comforted her, reminding her of the night before.
Her hand reached beside her.
"Brother?" she mumbled, her voice still soft with sleep.
But there was no response.
She sat up, rubbing her eyes. The room was quiet. The air felt... a little colder without him.
Slipping out of bed, she padded through the hallway barefoot, peeking into each room. Empty.
Finally, she found a note on the table.
"Gone to the guild. Be good. I made breakfast.
— Ryker"
Hinata smiled softly.
"He's always like this…" she whispered, clutching the note to her chest.
She walked over to the small kitchen table where warm food sat, neatly covered. Her stomach grumbled a little, but instead of eating, she sat on the couch, hugging a cushion to her chest.
"I'm not scared anymore," she whispered. "Because... brother is home."