Three days passed in the blink of an eye. The busy days at the restaurant did nothing to distract Hoshi from thinking about Sora's offer.
"Everyone in this world will forget about you."
Each time those words echoed in his mind, an unsettling feeling gripped him tightly. It was as if his body was being torn in two—one half wanting to reject Sora's offer, while the other longed to live like an ordinary person. But deep down, he knew he couldn't lie to himself. He wanted to see his mother, even if it seemed impossible.
Hoshi sat on the bench designated for staff, wiping away the sweat that trickled down his face. Today marked the third day—the day he was supposed to make his decision. Yet, he remained frozen at the starting point, unable to take a step forward onto a path filled with countless unknown possibilities.
"Are you okay?" Eda approached him with a concerned expression. He had noticed that Hoshi had been lost in thought lately.
"It's nothing, Dad. I'm just tired," Hoshi tried to hide his confusion behind a smile.
"Do you think I've only started living with you today? Tell me what's really on your mind." This time, Eda's voice was more serious, filled with genuine concern. He truly wanted to understand what was troubling his son.
Hoshi lowered his gaze to the floor, unsure of what to say. After battling with himself for a few moments, he finally spoke.
"If you were given a choice—to fight for something you deeply wanted, but at the cost of losing everything you have—what would you choose?"
Eda closed his eyes, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. After a brief silence, he smiled and placed a firm hand on Hoshi's shoulder.
"It depends. If what I was chasing was your mother, then maybe I'd be willing to risk everything. If I lost you, I know you'd find your way back to me because of her. But things like that don't happen in real life," Eda finished his words with a lighthearted chuckle before walking away.
A cold sensation ran down Hoshi's spine, making his hairs stand on end. For a moment, it felt as if Eda had read his mind.
But at the same time, those words became the key to his final decision. Today was the day—the day he would follow Sora.
★
The clock hands pointed to 9:30 PM. Hoshi packed up his room, knowing he would be leaving it behind in just a short while. His clothes were neatly arranged—only a few essential pieces were placed in his bag for daily use. On his desk, he carefully set down Aoi's diary, an item more precious to him than anything else. At the very end of its pages, he had left a note, just in case Eda ever decided to open the book. Though deep down, Hoshi knew that his father would no longer remember him.
Hoshi slipped on Aoi's black jacket. The outer fabric, made of soft cotton, provided warmth, while the inner lining—dyed deep red—was made of smooth nylon, offering a cool, comforting touch. He had never washed it, afraid that doing so would erase the memories attached to it.
Once everything was in order, he moved to the window and carefully slid it open. He took one last look behind him, exhaling a deep breath. His hand hovered over the window frame, ready to shut it again, yet his feet remained frozen in place. His breaths were uneven.
If he left now… would he regret it?
Did he have another choice?
If another path existed, maybe he would take it. But in the end, he had to find a way to bring Aoi back.
"I'm leaving now, Dad."
With that, he stepped out. From this moment on, there was no turning back for Hoshi.
Without hesitation, he made his way toward the meeting place with Sora. Each step felt lighter than before. He finally understood what he had to do—bring Aoi back and find a way to restore Eda's memories.
After thirty minutes of walking, Hoshi arrived at a place all too familiar to him. The path ahead was overgrown with weeds, enveloped in total darkness, making his journey even more challenging. Anticipating this, he had come prepared, bringing along a small knife and a flashlight.
"I thought you wouldn't show up."
A soft yet firm woman's voice startled him. Hoshi quickly pointed his flashlight in the direction of the sound, and at once, he saw Sora, her amethyst necklace glowing brilliantly against the night.
"I came. And I'm not turning back."
A confident smile adorned Hoshi's face—he had finally cast away all his doubts.
Sora turned away from him and began walking. "Follow me. Don't fall behind. Oh, and turn that light off. We won't be needing it."
Without question, Hoshi followed her, his mind focused solely on what lay ahead. The longer they walked, the stronger the strange energy around him became. Maybe it was just his imagination—but the feeling was deeply unsettling.
"We're here," Sora announced.
Before them lay an open clearing—the grass was short, and unlike the rest of the forest, there were hardly any trees.
Was this some hidden place, concealed deep within the woods?
Hoshi quickened his pace, eager to see what awaited him.
"What is this...?"
A grand castle stood tall in the heart of the wilderness. Strange. No one had ever known of this place. In fact, the castle was completely invisible from the city.
Was this also part of Sora's magic?
"Don't fall behind."
Sora kept walking, leaving Hoshi frozen in place, still in awe of the magnificent structure before him.
"Eh, wait up!" Hoshi hurried after her.
Sora slowly pushed open the massive castle doors, towering twenty feet from the ground. They were enormous—large enough to fit an entire tank. As they creaked open, a powerful gust of wind rushed out from within, like the heavy breath of a slumbering beast disturbed from its rest.
Inside, there was nothing but darkness—thick, heavy, suffocating.
"Are you scared?" Sora smirked, her violet eyes glinting as they watched Hoshi's face pale slightly. Without waiting for an answer, she stepped forward and vanished—swallowed by the shadows in an instant.
Hoshi shivered. His mind raced with countless thoughts, trying to comprehend what lay beyond those doors. But in the end, this was his choice. He had come this far.
He had to move forward. Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside. The moment he entered, the castle gates slammed shut behind him. The deafening bang of the doors locking into place sent shivers down his spine. The silence inside was eerie—so thick that even his own breath sounded too loud.
"Sora! Where are you?" His voice echoed through the vast emptiness, but no response came.
He glanced left, then right—but it was no different than shutting his eyes. Everything was black.
Step by step, he began to walk. At first, cautiously. Then faster. And faster. Strangely, he never bumped into anything. No tables, no chairs, no walls—nothing. Just an endless void stretching into nothingness.
Hoshi's chest tightened. Panic crept in.
"What is this place...? I don't understand..."
His knees buckled. His heartbeat pounded violently in his ears. Sweat dripped down his forehead as his mind desperately scrambled for a way forward.
Then—he smelled it.
A rotting stench burned his nose, sharp and suffocating. Black smoke coiled around him, thickening with every passing second. It slithered into his lungs, clawing at his insides like invisible knives. Hoshi coughed violently, clutching his chest, struggling for air.
Move. He had to move.
Blindly, he threw his hands out to push through the suffocating fog. His eyes stung, blurred with tears, but he kept going.
And then—
A door.
It stood before him—pale white, aged and worn, as if it had existed for centuries. The wood was weathered and cracked, the peeling paint barely clinging to its surface. Vines and thorny branches coiled tightly around it, as if nature itself refused to let it open. Its rusted handle was encrusted with more thorns, sharp as daggers, guarding it like sentinels.
Then—another door appeared.
Behind him.
It was larger, glowing with golden light that spilled through the cracks. Intricate carvings adorned its surface, the kind only found in royal palaces—a door meant for nobility.
Both doors stood at equal distance from Hoshi, as if silently urging him to choose.
"You're afraid, aren't you?" Sora's voice boomed through the void, cutting through the silence.
"A mere human like you shouldn't have sought me out. You don't belong in our world."
Her words dripped with disdain.
"So take the door behind you—the beautiful one, the easy path. The one fit for weak humans."
"But if you're stubborn enough to continue..." Her voice turned mocking.
"Then the door in front of you is yours. Ugly. Thorned. Waiting to sink into your flesh if you dare to touch it." And then, her presence vanished.
Hoshi was left alone.
His head still spun from the lingering effects of the smoke, but it did not stop him. His choice had already been made. Without hesitation, he stepped forward.
His eyes locked onto the thorn-covered handle. His hands trembled slightly—but not from fear. From resolve.
Slowly, he reached out—his fingers wrapped around the handle.
Pain.
The thorns dug into his flesh, piercing deep without mercy. Crimson droplets seeped from his skin, staining the floor beneath him. Yet—Hoshi did not cry out. His grip tightened instead. With unwavering determination, he turned the handle.
At first, it refused to budge. But he didn't let go. His blood flowed freely, the pain growing sharper. But he kept turning.
And finally—the door creaked open.
Hoshi staggered back, his breath uneven. His wounded hand dripped a steady stream of blood, painting the floor beneath him in deep red. Yet, there was no hesitation in his steps. No turning back.
With his numbed fingers and his weakened body, he moved forward—even as the thorns still clung to his flesh.
Step.
By step.
By step.
Until—
His knees buckled.
The world tilted.
And he collapsed, face-first onto the cold ground.
★
"Mom... Mom!"
"I... I don't want to die!"
"Someone, please help me..."
"?!#@!"
"$¥€!#?"
"This is the agreement."
A thousand voices whispered faintly in Hoshi's ears, their echoes weaving through the void.
Whose voices are these...? His head throbbed. I... I can't open my eyes… My head… too dizzy... too heavy...
"This is the agreement."
Help me... Someone... Sora... Mom...
Suddenly, a searing pain tore through his shoulder, like small flames licking at his skin, relentless and unyielding. But there was nothing he could do. His body refused to move. He was merely there, waiting—waiting for whatever fate had decided for him.
★
"Are you sure he's the real 'Hoshi'?" The voice belonged to a man, yet it carried the tone of a child.
"Honestly, I don't believe it. But my instincts tell me it's him." Sora replied.
The man exhaled sharply. "I don't want to get involved in this mess. If he really is the one, call me again. If he's not… you deal with it yourself." With that, he turned and walked away.
Sora remained silent, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable.
"I don't know why... but everything about this Hoshi..." Her gaze darkened. "Reminds me of 'him'.".