It was already night when Haruto and Ayaka arrived at the secluded village hidden behind the high mountain.
They stopped in front of Ayaka's house, standing on the very edge of the village, its back facing a dark forest where tall trees rose like shadows.
The forest was so black that Haruto couldn't make out anything beyond the first row of trunks.
The house itself was dimly lit only by a lonely streetlamp. Vines and creeping plants wrapped around the walls, giving the place a ruined, abandoned look.
Yet the terrace was swept clean, as if someone tended it every single day.
"Are you sure we're staying here?" Haruto asked, eyeing the house. "This place… it must bring back a lot for you."
Ayaka drew in a steadying breath, then pushed open the gate first.
"Yeah. But that's why I came. I want to relive it, not run away. I won't get stronger if I keep backing down."
She smiled faintly over her shoulder.
