The last orange streaks of sunlight faded behind the trees as the truck crawled down the cracked highway. Matsumoto was closer now. The roads widened again, lined by the skeletal remains of guardrails and road signs riddled with rust.
Suzune sat in silence, eyes scanning the city skyline that loomed beyond the haze. "We're about two kilometers out," she said. "Should hit the industrial zone first."
"Good," Riku replied, his voice steady. "We'll camp there before nightfall."
Ichika leaned forward between the seats. "And if the locals aren't friendly?"
"Then we leave," he said simply.
The hum of the diesel engine was the only sound for a while. The wind had died, leaving only the soft rattle of loose metal against the truck bed. Hana sat beside her brother, her head resting against his arm, half-asleep but clutching her stuffed rabbit tightly.
Suzune watched her for a moment. "She's holding up better than most adults would."
Riku gave a faint nod. "She always does."
