As the last embers of Yuima's form began to scatter into the wind..her face the last to fade.. something flickered before her.A soft pulse. A shimmer. And then…
another figure appeared.
Standing just a few feet away from where Yuima's ashes had touched the earth.
A girl.
The same build. The same voice. The same eyes.
But not quite her. Yuima's fading gaze caught the figure, and her eyes widened in stunned disbelief.
"…So you're my replacement," she whispered, her voice barely holding together.
The other version of her just stood quietly, expression gentle. Yuima gave a soft, sorrowful smile.
"I hope you do better than I did," she said, the wind already thinning her silhouette.
"Let Noah enjoy his life… and be happy. Please."
The new girl stepped forward. There was no malice in her eyes..only understanding. She smiled back softly.
"…Call me Yuinia," she said.
Yuima blinked one last time, her lips curling into a faint, bittersweet smile.
And then.. She was gone. Ashes riding the wind.The girl named Yuinia stood there quietly, placing a hand over her heart. The world had chosen. The adjustment was complete.
The sunlight was warm on his face.
Daiki's eyes flew open..wide and gasping. He jolted upright in bed, chest rising and falling. His gaze darted around the room. The posters. The books. The faint hum of the city outside the window. His voice came out hoarse.
"This is... my room?"
He threw the blanket aside and stood, legs unsteady beneath him.Still aching, but alive. He ran to the hallway. The scent of food. The sound of the TV in the background.
He stepped into the dining room, and stopped. His parents were there. His mother turned first, eyes widening.
"You woke up!"
Daiki blinked, confused.
"Woke up…?"
She rushed over, hugging him tight, her tears already falling.
"We thought you weren't coming back…"
He stood still for a heartbeat. Then slowly..softly wrapped his arms around her.
"…I'm sorry, Mom."
She shook her head.
"I'm just happy you're here."
He winced as she hugged him tighter..groaning softly in pain.
"Oh! Sorry, baby..your wounds.."
she pulled back gently, hands hovering over the bandages on his arm.
"You were hurt badly… I treated what I could."
Daiki looked down at his bandages, blinking.
"What happened? How… am I in my room?"
His father finally spoke.
"I found you collapsed outside the door last night. You were unconscious. You didn't say a word."
Daiki didn't answer. His eyes sharpened. He turned and ran without a word.
"Daiki!" his mother called after him.
"I have to check on someone!" he shouted over his shoulder.
He didn't stop running..not for streets, not for lights. His feet knew where to go. His heart was already there. And just as he reached Aria's house , raised his hand to knock..
The door slammed open. And Aria ran straight into him.She had been running, too. Running to check on him.
They crashed into each other hard, both stumbling, both falling to the ground.
And she didn't hesitate..she hugged him tightly, fiercely, burying her face in his chest.
"I..I was coming to check on you too," she sobbed.
"Easy… easy..ahh.."
Daiki groaned softly, the ache in his body pulsing under her hold. But he didn't pull away. He let her cry. He let himself breathe.
He wrapped his arms around her slowly, gently, his hand resting on the back of her head.They both stayed there..on the floor, in the doorway, clinging to each other like waking from a nightmare.
The tears, the silence, the weight..they let it fall together. They were home. The silence between them hung heavy.
As Daiki and Aria remained wrapped in each other's arms, just a few streets away, Yona passed by..head down, eyes blank, steps heavy like dragging through a dream. He didn't see them. Didn't see the streets. Didn't hear the birds.
Didn't feel the sun rising behind him. He just walked.
His feet moved like they had nowhere left to go, but still… couldn't stop.
And then..
"Yona?" a voice called gently.
He didn't lift his head.
"Yonaaa… Yona!"
Lena's voice cracked, louder this time, filled with something close to fear. Still, he kept walking, like the world was distant..like her voice couldn't reach whatever place he'd fallen into.
But then..
He stopped. Still not looking back. Still unmoving. And when he finally spoke, it was barely a whisper, broken and dry:
"…He's dead."
Lena's heart dropped.
She took a step forward, confused.
"Who…?"
Yona's voice was thinner this time. Crumbling.
"…Grandfather."
It hit like thunder. Her breath caught.
Her feet moved without thinking. She ran forward..arms wrapping around him tightly from behind, pressing her cheek into his back.
She didn't speak. She just held him.The weight in his chest trembled beneath her arms. The silence cracked. After a long, aching moment..
"…Lena?"
he whispered, like a child waking from a nightmare. She nodded softly, her grip tightening.
"I'm here… I'm here, Yona."
Then his voice shattered completely:
"…He left me…"
And with it..tears broke free. Slow and silent at first. Dripping from his chin. From his nose.
Onto her hands, onto the pavement. Lena felt every tear land on her skin like glass. Still, she didn't let go.
She pressed herself closer, arms around his chest like she could shield him from the truth. From the world. From the loneliness.
"I know…" she murmured. "I know, Yona. I'm so sorry…"
And still he stood there. In the middle of the road.
Bent by sorrow, held up only by her arms and the last threads of his strength.
And then..
the sky darkened.Clouds rolled in without warning, swallowing the morning light. A low rumble echoed in the distance..deep and sad, like the sky was mourning too. And the rain began. Soft at first.A mist. Then..heavier.
Cold drops falling through the silence, tapping against rooftops, soaking the street, the trees, the two of them still frozen in the middle of the road.
Yona didn't move. He didn't flinch when the rain hit his back. Didn't blink when it poured over his face, mixing with his tears. Lena held him tighter, her clothes quickly drenched, her hair sticking to her face, but she didn't care. Her arms stayed locked around him like an anchor.
He was trembling now. But not from the cold. From the grief. And still, the rain kept falling.. washing the dust from the streets, the blood from old wounds, the silence from between them. Lena whispered, barely audible through the sound of water:
"You're not alone, Yona…"
"Not anymore."
He slowly turned in her arms..finally looking at her for the first time, his eyes red, swollen, and soaked. And for a long moment, they just stood like that in the rain. Not needing to speak. Letting the sky cry with them.
Lena gently took Yona's trembling hand, her fingers lacing through his. She didn't speak. Words weren't needed now. She simply tugged him forward, step by step, as the rain soaked through their clothes.
He followed, silently. She led him through the empty streets..past the puddles, past the echo of memories..until they reached her door. She opened it quietly and guided him inside.
Inside, the world felt softer. Warmer. Without letting go of his hand, she led him to the couch and sat beside him, her shoulder pressed against his He didn't speak, but he leaned into her..head low, eyes closed..as the storm outside whispered its sorrow.
At the same moment, not far away, Aria finally led Daiki into her house, both of them soaked and shivering. She grabbed a towel from the shelf and started drying his hair roughly, still sniffling from earlier.
He grunted in protest, but didn't stop her. He just stood there, letting her fuss, a small smile tugging at his lips as her tears slowly dried along with the rain outside.
Elsewhere, on the other side of town, Ayumi.. drenched, soaked to the bone..stood at Noir's doorstep. Her hair clung to her cheeks, her clothes heavy with rain. She knocked twice, firmly. The door creaked open. Noir blinked at her, unimpressed.
"Are you crazy?" he snapped. "Coming in this storm?"
She exhaled, cheeks red and breath catching from the cold.
"If falling in love makes me crazy… then, yes. I am."
His expression faltered..just for a second..before he sighed and stepped aside.
"Get in before you freeze to death."
The moment she crossed the threshold, before he could even close the door..She launched forward, wrapping her arms tightly around him, her wet frame pressed against his. Noir stiffened , arms still at his sides, blinking in surprise.
"I'm happy…" she whispered into his chest, her voice shaking. "So happy to see you again."
He didn't move at first. The rain dripped from her onto his floor, but she didn't care. She just held him tighter.
"…Tch." He exhaled, rough as ever, but then slowly..almost reluctantly.. his arms lifted and wrapped around her.
"Clingy," he muttered near her ear. "And demanding."
She smiled against him.
"But I guess…" His voice dropped, gentler now. "I missed you too."
Her grip tightened again, as though she never wanted to let go. His fingers curled around her back, one hand lifting to brush her damp hair from her face. Their hearts beat quietly, together.
The storm raged on outside, but inside Noir's home..it was finally calm. Noir looked down at her soaked clothes now pressed tightly against his own, water dripping onto the floor between them.
"You wet me,"
he muttered, arching a brow with a slight frown, though there was amusement in his eyes. Ayumi tilted her head, grinning through damp hair.
"Don't you like my wet?"
Noir blinked, then gave a sharp exhale of laughter.. a rare sound, short but real.
"I guess I have no option."
Ayumi stepped back, hands on her hips with a playful pout.
"Hmm… are you saying I'm disgusting?"
He leaned slightly toward her, smirking.
"I'm saying you're soaked. And reckless. And ridiculous."
"And you're secretly enjoying it," she shot back with a wink.
Noir shook his head, but the edges of his mouth curved into something warmer. He reached for a towel from the chair, tossing it over her head with a soft grunt.
"Dry off before you melt into a puddle."
She giggled from under the towel as she rubbed at her hair, then flopped dramatically onto the couch.
"Well… at least I made it here."
Noir leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching her with a faint smile still tugging at his lips.
"Why did you even come?"
Ayumi pulled the towel down, revealing her slightly flushed face. Her voice softened.
"Because… I was scared when I woke up and didn't know what was real anymore. I thought if I saw you, it would make everything feel solid again."
Noir's gaze lingered on her. Then she looked up, more serious now.
"Noir… when you woke up… where were you?"
He blinked, like he hadn't expected the shift in tone.
"…My bed," he said slowly, eyes narrowing in thought. "It was morning. Light was coming through the window."
Ayumi nodded.
"Same. It felt… normal. Too normal."
She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees.
"At first, I thought it was a dream. That everything was. But I could still feel the weight of it. The pain. You. Them. All of it."
Noir walked over and sat beside her, his arm brushing hers.
"I thought I imagined it too," he admitted. "But when I looked at my hands… I felt like I carried something back. Like the world tried to reset us, but couldn't erase everything."
Ayrmi turned her head slightly, looking at him.
"It didn't erase me." She whispered. "Not how I feel. Not what I saw."
He met her gaze, quieter now.
"Me neither."
For a moment, they just sat there, listening to the soft patter of rain against the windows. The kind of silence that didn't need to be filled. Then Ayumi smirked a little.
"So… I'm clingy and demanding, huh?"
Noir gave her a sidelong glance.
"Absolutely."
She leaned against his shoulder.
"Too bad. I'm not changing."
He exhaled a soft laugh, resting his chin lightly atop her damp hair.
"Didn't ask you to."
As the rain outside softened to a steady rhythm against the windows, Ayumi rested her head gently against Noir's shoulder.
"Do you think all of them are okay?" she asked quietly.
Noir nodded without hesitation.
"I think so."
She sat up a little, thoughtful.
"Maybe we can call them? Just to be sure?"
He gave a small shrug.
"As you like."
Ayumi reached for her phone and began calling, her fingers slightly shaky. First, Aria answered, her voice laced with relief and warmth. Then Lena, who was still catching her breath from crying, but smiled through the phone. Each voice felt like another stitch being sewn back into reality..real, alive, present.
When she hung up, Ayumi stared at the screen for a moment before reaching for it again, scrolling, about to tap..then suddenly, her finger stopped in midair. Noir caught the hesitation.
"What happened?"
She looked at him, brows slightly furrowed, then glanced back down at the phone.
"…I… I don't know. I was going to call someone but…"
Noir leaned in, confused.
"But you already called everyone. Yona and Daiki are with them, right?"
Ayumi nodded slowly.
"Yes… but… there's someone else."
Her voice grew distant. A long pause followed, as if a memory was just out of reach..like a name on the tip of the tongue that never quite came. Eventually, she lowered the phone gently onto the table, her expression lost in fog.
"I think I'm still tired. From everything. Maybe I just need to rest."
Noir nodded in quiet agreement, standing.
"Come on."
He led her to a small guest room in the apartment, where soft gray light bled through the curtains. She lay down slowly on the bed, her breath steadying.
As Noir turned to leave, her hand suddenly reached out and caught his wrist. He stopped and looked down. Her eyes were pleading.. vulnerable in a way that needed no words.
He gave a small smile, sat beside her, and gently laced his fingers through hers. The moment she felt his touch, her whole body relaxed. Her eyes fluttered closed, and within seconds… she was asleep.
Noir didn't move. He sat there, watching the way her chest rose and fell with every breath. And then, a thought crept in..unbidden, but sharp.
"…There was someone else with us."
His brows drew together.
"…But who? Why can't I remember?"
The silence of the room deepened. Somewhere inside him, a strange emptiness stirred. A shape without a name.
The soft patter of rain tapped gently against the window of Aria's room , blurring the world outside into shades of silver and gray. Inside, it was quiet, but not empty. There was something in the air. Something fluttering. Nervous. Unspoken. Tender.
Aria stood by her desk , her fingers brushing lightly over its edge, sneaking quick glances toward Daiki , who sat cross-legged on the floor beside her bed, pretending to look around the room but clearly aware of every move she made.
"So…" Daiki finally broke the silence, glancing up at her. "How's Ayumi and Noir?"
Aria looked over her shoulder.
"They're okay. They're together… in Noir's house."
Daiki raised a brow and smirked.
"Together, huh? I leave the world for one minute and love stories just keep happening without me."
She smiled faintly but didn't answer.
He caught her gaze and grinned.
"You know," he said casually, "if you keep staring at me like that, I'm gonna start thinking I look really good today."
Aria turned quickly, face burning.
"I..I wasn't staring! I was just… making sure you're not fainting again!"
Daiki chuckled.
"Fainting? Please. I only pass out dramatically when I need your attention."
He gave her a wink.
"Worked like a charm, didn't it?"
She looked down, biting her lip to hide a smile. The tension between them was strange, but not uncomfortable. Like something both of them had been carrying for too long was finally allowed to breathe. He stood up slowly, walking to stand beside her, his voice softening.
"Hey…" he said, looking at her. "You okay? Really?"
She nodded.
"I think so. It's just… it's a lot. Everything we went through. It feels like…"
"Like we weren't supposed to make it back,"Daiki finished for her.
She nodded again. This time slower. Then, gently..awkwardly.. Daiki reached out and tugged on the sleeve of her sweater.
"Come sit for a second. With me."
She hesitated for only a moment, then let him guide her to sit beside him on the edge of the bed. A pause. Then he gave her a nudge with his elbow.
"Soooo… is this the part where you finally confess your undying love for me?"
She laughed..a little too loud, covering her face.
"D-Daiki!"
"What?" he said innocently. "I almost died. Twice. I think I earned at least one dramatic love declaration."
Aria shook her head, smiling despite herself.
"You're impossible."
He leaned closer, eyes gentler now.
"Yeah, but I'm your impossible."
That made her freeze just slightly..just long enough for the silence to say everything she couldn't. And then, without thinking, she leaned her head against his shoulder.
"I'm glad you're here, Daiki."
He swallowed hard.
"…Me too."
Then added with a grin, "Though your room smells like lavender and existential dread."
Aria hit him lightly.
"Shut up."
But she didn't move away. And neither did he.
To be continue ...