Chapter Revision
As Kaito dozed off, he found himself standing in a place he had never seen before.
An endless white field stretched before him, with no landmarks, no horizons. The sky above was pure blue, not a single cloud in sight.
The air was warm, yet a deep sense of isolation settled in his chest. Something about this place felt off — unnatural, even. It was peaceful, but the silence was suffocating.
"Kaito..."
A soft voice broke through the stillness, gentle but urgent.
He turned quickly.
Standing a few feet away was a girl.
She looked about his age — maybe a little older — with long silver hair that shimmered like moonlight, flowing effortlessly despite the lack of wind. Her eyes were a deep, sorrowful violet.
She wore a simple white dress that fluttered softly, though there was no breeze.
Kaito blinked, struggling to process her presence. "Who... are you?"
The girl smiled faintly, her lips barely curving upwards. "You don't know me yet. But you will."
He frowned, the unease in his chest growing. "What's that supposed to mean?"
The girl walked toward him, barefoot on the glowing ground. Every step was silent, graceful. She stopped right in front of him, her violet eyes filled with something between pity and sorrow.
"You're about to lose something... very important to you."
Her voice trembled, as though saying the words pained her.
Kaito's confusion deepened. "What are you talking about?" His voice came out sharper, the unease now turning into fear.
The girl paused, her sad smile deepening. She raised her hand slowly, as if unsure of whether to touch him. "I'm sorry, Kaito. I can't stop it. But…" She touched his chest, her fingers cold against his skin.
"You will have a choice soon," she whispered, her voice trembling, "A choice to protect… or a choice to forget."
His heart pounded wildly. "Protect who? Forget what?!" His voice grew frantic, the questions tumbling out without any sense of clarity.
She leaned in closer, almost as if she were about to speak again. But then, with one last sorrowful glance, she whispered something so faint, Kaito couldn't make it out.
Before he could ask, the sky above cracked like glass.
The world shattered.
Everything fell into darkness.
Kaito woke up with a jolt, his breathing erratic. He sat up, drenched in sweat, the remnants of the dream still clinging to his mind like cobwebs.
"What... was that dream?" he muttered, rubbing his eyes and trying to shake off the lingering sense of dread.
The sun had set outside the window, casting long shadows across the room. But the strange, gnawing feeling in his chest wouldn't go away. The girl's words echoed in his mind like an unanswered riddle: "83 97 118 101 83 109 101"
---
Riku's POV
Time: 7:00 PM
The warm orange glow of the evening sun spilled through the windows, casting long, soft shadows across the floor. Riku groaned softly as he stirred from sleep, blinking blearily at the clock on his nightstand.
"7 PM...? I overslept again," he muttered, rubbing his eyes.
Yawning, he dragged himself out of bed, his limbs heavy with sleep. After washing his face and brushing his teeth, he moved downstairs, hoping the fresh air would clear the fog in his mind.
As he walked into the living room, he saw Kaito already sitting on the couch, his head propped up against the cushion, half-asleep.
Riku chuckled, walking over to him. "Good morning, bro," he teased, his voice still groggy from sleep.
Kaito blinked slowly, clearly not fully awake. "Morning..." he mumbled, his voice soft and sluggish.
Riku ruffled his brother's hair affectionately. "You look like a zombie. Didn't sleep well?"
"Had some weird dreams," Kaito replied, blinking up at him. "But it's fine now."
Riku smiled softly, though he noticed the distant, lost look in his brother's eyes. But before he could say more, they both joined the rest of the family at the dining table. The scent of miso soup filled the air, mixing with the comforting aroma of rice and eggs. Their mother served the meal with a quiet smile, while their father read the newspaper, lost in his thoughts.
It was a quiet, peaceful moment — the kind they'd shared countless times before.
"Dad," Riku said between bites, trying to break the silence, "can I join the soccer club at school?"
His father glanced up, the corner of his lips curling into a smile. "Sure, go for it. Just don't let your grades drop."
"Thanks, Dad!" Riku's face lit up, the excitement clear in his eyes.
After breakfast, Kaito grabbed his bag and waved goodbye as he left the house.
"Don't get in trouble!" Riku called out playfully.
"No promises!" Kaito shot back with a grin, already out the door.
Riku smiled to himself before turning back to the now-quiet house. He looked around, stretching his arms lazily. "Now what...?" he mumbled, considering his options.
He tried gaming for a while, but got bored. He tried vacuuming the house, still bored. The walls felt too silent, and the loneliness crept in. Eventually, he flopped onto the couch, closing his eyes.
---
SCREAMING.
A woman's scream sliced through the silence, ripping Riku from his rest. His heart thudded against his ribcage, and adrenaline flooded his system.
"Mom?!" he shouted, leaping to his feet.
He dashed downstairs — the same stairs he'd walked down earlier, with peace in his heart. Now, the air felt thick, charged with fear.
What he saw next would haunt him forever.
Blood. Fire.
The house was in flames. The kitchen was engulfed, and their living room was a smoking ruin.
His parents lay motionless on the floor, their bodies riddled with bullets and stab wounds.
"No… no no no—" Riku staggered back. "MOM! DAD!"
Then, he remembered.
"Aiko!"
He bolted through the flames, ignoring the searing heat that licked at his skin, his lungs choking on the smoke. "Aiko! Where are you?! Please—answer me!"
A soft, broken sob came from under the dining table.
Riku dropped to his knees, coughing violently. There, curled into a ball, was his little sister, Aiko.
"Aiko!" he cried, crawling toward her. "It's okay, I'm here now. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you."
Aiko looked up at him, her eyes wide with terror. "Riku… I'm scared…" she whimpered, trembling in his arms.
Riku held her tighter, desperately trying to keep the panic from overwhelming him.
"W-what happened to Mommy and Daddy?" she asked, her voice small and innocent.
Riku's throat tightened. He couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth. Instead, he whispered, "They're just sleeping, okay?"
"But... they're not moving..." Aiko said, her voice shaking.
"Just... trust me, Aiko. We need to get out of here. Now."
Aiko nodded against his chest, gripping his shirt with trembling hands.
"I promise," Riku whispered, tears welling in his eyes. "No matter what happens, I'll protect you."
Just then, the sound of footsteps came.
Riku froze, his protective instincts kicking in. He shielded Aiko with his body, his eyes scanning the smoke-filled room.
A man stepped forward, his black clothes blending into the darkness. His face was partially covered with a mask, his eyes cold and indifferent.
Riku took a step back, his heart pounding in his chest. "Who are you?" he demanded.
The man tilted his head slightly, his gaze never leaving Riku. "Doesn't matter. You're too dangerous for this world, Riku."
Riku's breath caught in his throat. "What the hell are you talking about?!"
The man raised a gun, his finger curling around the trigger. "Time to go."
BANG!
The shot pierced through Riku's side, ripping through his flesh. The pain was excruciating, and he stumbled backward.
BANG!
Another bullet grazed his arm.
Aiko screamed, her voice high-pitched, frantic.
Riku collapsed, blood soaking through his clothes. "Aiko..." he gasped, reaching out weakly to her. "Stay with me... please..."
Tears streamed down Aiko's face. "Riku… please don't die!"
"I won't… I won't let go…" he whispered, his voice shaky. "I love you… you're... my precious little sister..."
Her small hands gripped his, trembling with fear.
"Riku..." she whispered.
Then—another shot.
Silence.
30 seconds later…
Kaito arrived.
He rushed through the burning house, choking on the smoke. His eyes scanned the charred remnants of the living room.
He froze.
There, on the floor, lay Riku, his body covered in blood. Aiko's tiny hand rested in his.
Kaito's breath hitched. He stumbled forward, his heart slamming against his chest. "No… no no no…"
Riku's eyes fluttered open. Barely.
"...Kaito?" he whispered, his voice faint, weak.
Kaito knelt beside him, tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm here... I'm here, bro. Just hold on!"
Riku's smile was faint, almost imperceptible. Blood spilled from his lips as he tried to speak.
"I'm sorry… bro…" he choked.
"No! Don't say that!" Kaito cried, gripping his brother's hand tightly.
"I... couldn't protect Aiko..." Riku's voice cracked, his eyes welling up with tears. "I was too late… I failed her..."
Kaito shook his head, desperate. "No… no, Riku... you didn't fail anyone... Please... don't leave me..."
Riku's breath slowed. "I'm sorry... bro... I couldn't protect Aiko... I couldn't..."
His hand slipped from Kaito's, and his body went still.
Kaito stared at him, his heart crashing.
"Riku...?" he whispered, his voice breaking.
There was no answer.
Kaito's scream echoed in the room.
And then—silence.
He collapsed beside them both, shaking, tears streaming down his face.
"I'm sorry... I should've been here... I should've..." he sobbed, holding them both close.
The fire crackled in the background, but Kaito didn't care.
He had just lost everything.