Mira guided Takumi back to his apartment. The moment they stepped inside, he sank to the floor, his body folding in on itself like a puppet with its strings cut. He sat there—motionless, empty. His eyes stared ahead, unfocused, seeing nothing.
"…Takumi," Mira called softly.
Silence.
She stepped closer, lowering herself to his level. "Takumi-kun…" Her voice wavered as she reached out, pulling his head gently against her chest.
For a moment, there was nothing—no reaction, no movement.
Then, in a voice devoid of life, he finally spoke.
"Mira-san… am I going to be hunted like that?" His tone was flat, hollow. His eyes, once filled with fire, were now nothing but dull voids.
Mira tightened her embrace. "We— No. I won't let them."
But even as she said it, she felt his emptiness pressing against her like a weight she couldn't lift.
Dr. Kenji's incident became the spark that set the world ablaze. What began as outrage erupted into full-scale chaos, spreading like wildfire across nations.
In a world already drowning in corruption, his revelation was the final crack in a fragile dam. Within a single day, everything unraveled—governments across the globe faced relentless protests, their authority crumbling under the weight of the people's fury.
In desperation, leaders turned to the military. Some nations deployed soldiers merely to guard government strongholds, forming barricades against the raging crowds. But in others, the response was brutal—protesters were silenced with bullets, blood staining the streets where cries for freedom once echoed.
The world had reached its breaking point. And now, there was no turning back.
Mira remained in Takumi's apartment, TV flickered in the dim room, broadcasting endless scenes of riots, gunfire, and collapsing cities. Chaos had consumed the world.
Takumi lay curled up on the bed, his body trembling, hands pressed tightly over his ears as if trying to shut it all out. His breath was uneven—shallow, frantic. Fear clung to him like a shadow, swallowing him whole.
Mira watched him for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, without a word, she reached for the remote and switched off the TV. The room fell into silence, but the weight of everything remained.
"You haven't eaten anything, Takumi-kun…" Mira's voice was gentle but firm.
"I'm not hungry," he murmured, barely audible.
She sighed, glancing around. "Let me make you something. What do you have here?"
Walking over to the kitchen, she opened the fridge. "…Nothing but instant noodles?"
Takumi remained silent, curled up in his own world.
She stood up, adjusting her hoodie.
"I'll check the situation outside and restock some groceries," she said softly. "You stay here, Takumi-kun."
Takumi didn't respond. He just curled up tighter, as if trying to disappear.
Just as Mira reached for the door, a weak voice stopped her.
"Let me go with you, Mira-san…"
She froze for a moment before turning back to him. His voice was quiet, fragile—barely holding itself together.
"No, you can't," she said firmly. "The situation out there is still unknown. Don't worry…" She gave him a reassuring look. "I'm strong."
Takumi looked up at her, his hollow eyes searching hers. For the first time in what felt like forever, something stirred inside him.
A small, smile formed on his lips.
"My wakizashi… Edenfall gave it to me. It's inside that bag," Takumi murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "Take it with you, Mira-san… just in case."
Mira glanced at the bag, then back at him. With a small nod, she reached inside and pulled out the sheathed blade.
"Alright," she said, securing it at her side. Then, before stepping out, she looked at him once more.
"Once again—stay here, Takumi-kun."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and left, the door clicking shut behind her.
Takumi sat alone in his apartment, his mind drowning in memories of her—Yuki. His thoughts drifted back to high school, to a time when the world was still peaceful. She was different. While others barely noticed his existence, she did. Yuki always paid attention—to everyone, even to someone like him.
Now, curled up in bed, his eyes half-closed and empty, the echoes of the past played in his mind.
—A flash of her smile.
—The sound of her laughter.
—Her voice, calling his name.
First year of high school.
"It's been almost a month since school started, and I've been talking to you without even knowing your name," she said one day, tilting her head.
"Yeah… we never introduced ourselves."
"Ah, okay! I'm Yuki Hanazawa. Since we're classmates, just call me Yuki."
"I already knew that… you're pretty famous here, Yuki-chan. I'm Takumi Asahiro. Call me whatever you want."
Her eyes lit up with amusement. "Takumi Asahiro, huh? Then… I'll call you Takumi-chan!"
"Okay then," he replied flatly.
But instead of laughing it off, she smiled warmly at him.
"Let's support each other, Takumi-chan."
His eyes widened. In that moment, the dull, monotonous world he lived in burst into color.
That day, Takumi fell in love.
Back in the present, Takumi unlocked his phone and opened her Instagram.
Yuki's latest post appeared at the top of his feed—a picture of her at dinner, smiling as her boyfriend slipped a ring onto her finger. The caption read:
"Another birthday surprise, Thank you Aki-chan❤️"
Takumi stared at the screen, his chest tightening.
"Huh… my present was nothing compared to that."
His mind wandered bitterly. She probably threw it away. And if she didn't… Kirishima would have.
Shaking the thought away, he scrolled further, only to be met with a flood of terrifying headlines. The world had spiraled even further into chaos.
Governments were being overthrown by people's uprisings, history repeating itself like the coup of 1998, led once again by college students.
Corrupt governors were executed, assassinated by unknown gunmen.
The military fired on protestors, turning demonstrations into full-scale civil wars.
The death toll kept rising. The news was endless.
Takumi shut off his phone, squeezing his eyes shut. But the chaos followed him into his thoughts.
Dr. Kenji's words echoed in his mind.
"They died as heroes… in the name of humanity's freedom."
His breathing grew unsteady. His mind, already fractured, finally shattered.
Takumi's mind and spirit were completely shattered.
Living alone in poverty, his love continued to wound him. Just when he finally found hope—getting accepted into his dream university—the world collapsed into chaos.
"It's too much… I can't take it anymore."
A choked sob escaped him as he curled into himself, hugging his own trembling body. Tears fell freely.
Then—memories flickered before his eyes.
Mira & others who had helped him. The training, the sacrifices. Edenfall.
They had believed in him. They had saved him.
"I don't want their efforts to be in vain."
A thought took shape—a desperate resolution.
"If I'm going to die… then at least I'll die as a hero. If my life is worthless, then I'll give it to someone who has a future. Someone who can keep going."
He looked down at his palm, then slowly clenched it into a fist. "Maybe for you..." Yuki's face appeared in his mind, smiling.
His tears didn't stop, eyes still empty, but for the first time in a long while, a genuine smile crossed his face.
Giving his life for someone who still had hope.
Mira walked down the street toward a nearby convenience store. Chaos surrounded her—protesters gathered in front of government buildings, their voices rising in anger. Military personnel stood guard, their presence heavy as the crowd demanded answers.
When she reached the store, she found it nearly abandoned. The glass windows were shattered, the door barely hanging on its hinges.
Stepping inside, she scanned the shelves. Most of the instant food was gone—either bought in a panic or looted.
"Excuse me?" she called out, but the store was silent. No cashier, no workers—just eerie stillness.
With a sigh, she gathered what little groceries remained. Before leaving, she placed some money on the counter.
"I'll leave the money here. Thank you," she murmured, knowing no one was there to hear her.
Then, with her bag in hand, she stepped back into the unrest-filled streets.
As Mira walked back to Takumi's apartment, a middle-aged woman suddenly stopped her, desperation etched into her face.
"Please… I haven't eaten in two days," the woman pleaded. "I'm too afraid to go out and buy groceries with everything happening. Can you spare anything?"
Mira studied her for a moment. In times like these, trust was a luxury. But hunger was real.
Without a word, she reached into her bag and handed the woman a loaf of bread.
The woman's eyes filled with gratitude. She clutched the bread tightly, bowing deeply. "Thank you… thank you so much."
Mira gave a small nod but said nothing. Without looking back, she turned and walked away, her guard still up. She couldn't afford to trust anyone—not now.
Mira arrived at Takumi's apartment, letting out a quiet sigh as she glanced around the small, dimly lit space. The world outside was unraveling, but in here, an eerie silence lingered.
"Mira? I'm glad you're back," Takumi said, his voice carrying a hint of relief.
"Yeah," she replied, her voice steady but carrying the weight of what she'd seen. "But things are getting worse out there. Avoid crowds if you can."
Mira crossed her arms, her tone grim. "I passed by an abandoned convenience store near the protests. It was wrecked—shattered glass, broken doors, no cashier in sight. This might escalate into something bigger."
Takumi exhaled, his gaze drifting toward the window. "If it's already this bad, I don't know what's going to happen when night falls. Dr. Kenji's incident was just last night…"
The night before, Mira had dragged Takumi back to his apartment. He had been in shock after hearing about Dr. Kenji's incident. Overwhelmed, he had finally fallen asleep after she hugged him. She ended up staying the night, watching over him in silence.
"Are you still scared tonight? Maybe I'll stay here tonight too if you want," Mira said, her face slightly flushed as she offered him reassurance.
"Thank you, Mira-san," Takumi replied, his expression serious. "I was so scared, but I've made up my mind. I feel so calm now, like my worries have vanished. At first, I thought I couldn't take this anymore, that I wanted to end it all. But then I realized—Mira-san, and everyone who believes in and protects me… it would be a waste."
He looked at her with a newfound resolve. "But if I want to die, at least as a hero, like Dr. Kenji. I'll give up this useless life, for someone who still has hope."
Mira's eyes widened in shock. She dropped the grocery bag and, without thinking, pushed Takumi hard against the wall. Her hand slammed against the wall beside his head, her voice fierce with determination.
"I will never let you die!"
Being pressed against the wall like that by a girl was Takumi's first experience. His heart fluttered, and for a moment, he couldn't even find the words to respond.
"I just want this pain to disappear," he murmured, his gaze unfocused.
"Not like that!" Mira's voice cut through the silence, firm and unwavering. "Don't you ever think about it."
"Sorry, Mira-san," he whispered.
She exhaled, her tone softening. "I'll make you something to eat. You'll eat, and you'll get better. Understand?"
"...Okay, Mira-san."
After finishing dinner, Takumi leaned back with a satisfied sigh.
"Mira-san, this is really good... It's been a long time since I had a homemade meal."
Mira gave a small smile. "I'm glad you liked it. Now, finish up and get some rest. Don't think about anything for now."
As she stayed in Takumi's apartment, she kept checking the internet and monitoring the situation outside.
"Seems quiet for now," she muttered.
Takumi glanced out the window. "People are mostly targeting government buildings and the wealthy. This is just a cheap apartment... no one's paying attention to places like this."
"That's good. We're safe for now." Mira turned to him, her voice gentler. "But you need to rest, Takumi. Your mind is wearing down your body."
"I'm okay now, Mira-san. Thank you for the food."
With that, Takumi settled into his bed. Mira, still at his desk, eventually dozed off, her head resting on her arms.
Takumi couldn't sleep just yet. He turned, watching her peaceful figure, then quietly got up and draped a blanket over her shoulders.