The truck rattled down the empty road, headlights cutting through the misty night.
Nobody spoke.
Not after what had just happened.
Not after Roko had fought himself.
Not after a machine had worn his face and nearly won.
Kisimoto's hands were tight on the wheel, knuckles white. His mother sat beside him, eyes distant, fingers trembling slightly in her lap.
Serena had her head against the window, staring at nothing, while Roko sat in the back, arms crossed, silent for once.
The road stretched endlessly ahead.
Then—
A familiar sign came into view.
Sasukan Residence.
Their childhood home.
It had been abandoned for years.
Nobody dared speak as Kisimoto turned onto the cracked driveway.
The house loomed in the dark, its once-pristine walls covered in dust and vines. The windows were clouded, and the old wooden door had warped from time.
It was lifeless.
And yet, somehow, still theirs.
Kisimoto killed the engine.
Silence.
Then—
Roko sighed. "Man. Feels weird coming back."
Kisimoto stepped out first, stretching. His bones ached from the fight. "It's still standing. That's something."
Serena slid out next, staring up at the house. "…I don't remember it being this quiet."
Their mother hesitated. Then, slowly, she got out.
Her lips trembled. "…Home."
It was the first word she had spoken since the fight.
Roko smirked. "Bet the inside's a disaster."
Kisimoto nodded toward the door. "Only one way to find out."
He pushed it open.
The door groaned, dust swirling in the air as they stepped inside.
The hallway was exactly how they had left it—only dirtier.
Furniture covered in white sheets. Cobwebs in the corners. A faint musty smell lingering in the air.
But the memories were still here.
Roko whistled. "Damn. This place really fell apart without us."
Serena ran her fingers across a dusty table, leaving a clean streak behind. "…It's still home."
Kisimoto exhaled. "Alright. Let's clean this up."
Roko groaned. "Dude, we just fought for our lives. And you wanna clean?"
Kisimoto shot him a look. "You wanna sleep in this dust?"
Roko grumbled but grabbed a broom. "Fine, fine."
Their mother smiled faintly. "I'll check the kitchen."
She disappeared into the old hallway.
Serena grabbed a cloth and wiped down the windows, while Kisimoto took a mop to the wooden floors.
For the first time in what felt like forever—
They weren't running.
No alarms. No shadows lurking in the dark.
Just… cleaning.
And peace.
For now.
TO BE CONTINUED…