The forest was silent, but their hearts screamed.
The four—Ren, Ryota, Yui, and Haruka—moved quietly. Ashes of the destroyed Alora village lingered in their memories. The haunting cries, the smell of smoke, and Hana's sacrifice etched into their souls.
Ren said nothing. He walked with hollow eyes, numb and broken. Not even the whispering trees could comfort him. Yui wiped her face now and then, and Haruka held her tears behind an empty gaze. Ryota looked strong—but inside, he was shattered.
After hours of walking, they stumbled upon an old house hidden in the woods. It looked abandoned, its wooden frame covered in dust and moss, roof crooked from age.
"Someone used to live here," Ryota murmured.
They decided to stay.
While the others started cleaning the house—sweeping, patching windows, clearing the fireplace—Ren sat alone in the corner, knees pulled to his chest. He hadn't moved since they arrived.
Ryota watched him in silence… then finally walked over.
Without warning, SLAP!
The sound echoed in the small room.
Ren looked up in shock.
"Get a grip!" Ryota shouted. "You're not the only one hurting, Ren!"
Ren's lips trembled. "My mom… she—"
"I KNOW!" Ryota's voice cracked. "I lost my parents too! All of us lost someone! You think I don't want to scream? You think I don't want to cry till I can't breathe?"
Tears welled up in his eyes. "But sitting in the corner won't bring them back! It won't stop what's coming next!"
Yui and Haruka turned away, silently wiping their tears.
Ren finally spoke, voice low. "Why did the kingdom attack us? We didn't rebel… our village was part of the kingdom. There was no reason..."
Ryota looked down. "I don't know... and that scares me the most."
That night, they agreed to rest there. The wind outside was cold, but the fire they made brought a little warmth.
Ren fell asleep.
But deep into the night, he awoke.
The house was still. Except... something was off.
He got up slowly and peeked into the next room.
Ryota, Yui, and Haruka were laughing. Smiling. Yui was sweeping the floor while humming. Ryota was fixing a chair. Haruka arranged wildflowers in a jar.
It was as if nothing had happened.
Like yesterday didn't exist.
Ren stepped closer, heart pounding. "Why are you all acting so happy…? After everything that happened yesterday, after the attack… how can you smile like nothing ever happened?"
The three looked at him, cheerful.
Haruka tilted her head with a confused smile. "What kind of attack are you talking about, Ren?"
Ren froze in place. His eyes widened.
"What…?" he whispered.