As Arashi kept sinking deeper and deeper into the endless darkness, the cold pull of nothingness wrapping around him like invisible chains, a sharp, desperate voice suddenly tore through the silence.
"ARASHI!"
Mizuki's cry was filled with so much fear and pain that it shattered everything around him. It was loud, raw, and broken — the kind of scream that comes from the deepest part of the heart. The sound reached him from far above, cutting through the darkness like a bright blade of light. It was strong enough to stop his fall completely. For the first time in what felt like forever, the sinking halted.
Arashi's eyes flew open.
The heavy, suffocating darkness had completely vanished.
He found himself standing in the middle of a vast, completely empty white space. There were no walls, no floor, no ceiling — nothing. Just pure, endless white stretching out forever in every direction. The light was soft and gentle, yet it was everywhere at once. It wrapped around him, bright but not harsh. The whole place felt strangely peaceful, almost holy… but at the same time, completely unreal and empty. There was no sound except the faint beating of his own heart.
He turned his head slowly left and right, his eyes wide with shock and confusion. His breathing became faster. He looked down at his hands, then touched his own chest, his face, his arms. Everything felt solid and real. Yet nothing around him made any sense.
"What… what is this place?" he whispered to himself, his voice echoing softly into the emptiness. "Did I… die? Is this the end?"
The thought sent a cold shiver running down his spine. A wave of fear and disbelief washed over him. He took a few hesitant steps forward, but there was no difference — every direction looked exactly the same. The white went on forever. He felt small, lost, and completely alone.
Then, without any warning, he felt two warm hands gently rest on his shoulders from behind.
Arashi's whole body tensed up instantly. A rush of fear shot through him like electricity. His heart pounded hard in his chest. He spun around quickly, stepping back in panic, ready to face whatever was there.
Right in front of him stood a man and a woman. They were dressed in simple, flowing white clothes that almost blended perfectly with the empty space around them. Their faces were calm and kind, with a strange sense of peace in their eyes. The man had gentle features and a slight smile playing on his lips. The woman eyes were soft and full of understanding. Their sudden appearance made Arashi's mind race with questions.
"W-who are you?" Arashi asked, his voice shaky and unsteady. He took another small step back, still trying to understand what was happening.
The man and woman glanced at each other for a brief moment, sharing a quiet look, then turned back to him with small, gentle smiles.
"We are the ones," the woman said softly, her voice warm like a distant memory, "because of whom you and Mizuki were able to meet again… in the dream."
Arashi blinked several times. None of it made any sense to him. His mind felt foggy, struggling to catch up.
"Huh? What do you mean?" he asked, frowning deeply in confusion. "I don't understand… What dream? Who are you really?"
The man tilted his head slightly, his expression patient. "Do you remember the story your grandfather told you? The old tale about the princess and her loyal worker who stayed by her side through everything?"
Arashi's mind went completely quiet for a second. Then something clicked deep inside him.
"Yeah… I remember now," Arashi said slowly, his voice barely above a whisper. "But… how do you know about that story? I never told anyone about it."
The woman smiled softly, her eyes shining with quiet emotion. "Because we were them," she said simply.
Arashi froze. For a long moment, he just stared at them, completely speechless. His mind tried again and again to process what they had just said, but it felt too big, too impossible. The words kept echoing in his head.
Before he could find any words to respond, the man stepped forward, closing the distance between them with calm confidence. With a playful grin on his face, he reached out and pinched both of Arashi's cheeks, pulling them gently but firmly.
"Tch. What's your problem, huh?" the man said in a light, teasing voice. "Why do you always make things so complicated for yourself?"
Arashi winced from the pinch. "Uhh… it hurts!" he complained, quickly pulling his face back and rubbing his cheeks. "What did I even do? Why are you saying all this?"
The man and woman looked at each other again, but this time their expressions became more serious. The playful mood faded. The man let go completely and spoke in a calm but heavy voice.
"When Mizuki was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia, she had no reason left to live. She didn't even want to stay alive anymore. Every single day was filled with pain, exhaustion, and loneliness. She had given up. But the moment she saw you again… something inside her changed completely. She found a new reason to fight. She fought with all her strength, every day, just so she could stay by your side and live a life with you. And you? When you were floating lost in that empty dark space earlier, you didn't even try to come back. Not even once. You were ready to let go."
Arashi stood there silently. The weight of those words pressed heavily on his chest, making it hard to breathe.
Then the woman, who had stayed quiet until now, stepped closer. Her voice was soft, but it carried a deep, ancient sadness.
"He's right," she said. "And it's not just about Mizuki. Do you know how many prayers we made over the years? We prayed again and again… that if we couldn't find each other in this lifetime, then at least our future children — our son and daughter — would meet and finish what we started. Everything was finally falling into place. You two were so close to being together again… and you just gave up so easily."
Arashi's chest tightened painfully. A storm of guilt and regret began to rise inside him. He wanted to say something, to defend himself, but the words wouldn't come out. His throat felt completely dry.
The man and woman stepped closer at the same time. Without another word, they both wrapped their arms around him in a warm, gentle, and surprisingly comforting hug. They held him tightly for a long moment, as if pouring all their care and hope into him.
"Please," the woman whispered softly near his ear, her voice full of emotion, "did you see how Mizuki was crying for you? Did you hear the way her voice was breaking as she begged you not to leave her? You have to live for her now, Arashi. No matter what happens in the future… you have to keep living. You cannot give up again."
The man slowly pulled back, looked straight into Arashi's eyes with firm but kind intensity, and said, "Got it?"
Arashi could only nod slowly. His throat felt tight with emotion, and his eyes were burning.
After that, both of them stepped back. They looked at him one last time with calm, kind, and hopeful smiles on their faces.
"Now everything depends on you," they said together, their voices blending into one. "Best of luck, Arashi. Live a long… and truly happy life."
The moment the last word left their lips, their bodies began to fade away. They slowly disappeared into the white space, as if they had never been there at all. The air where they stood shimmered for a second, then became empty once more.
And then everything around Arashi started to shatter.
The pure white world suddenly cracked like thin glass. Long lines spread across the emptiness. Pieces broke off and dissolved into sparkling dust. The ground beneath his feet began to vanish. Before he could react or even take a breath, Arashi felt himself falling again — fast, helpless, and spinning — back into the cold, dark, empty void.