"She's still sleeping soundly, huh...?"
Kirashi said quietly as he stood tall—unshaken, unbroken. The shield, the wall between the fragile and the chaos.
Kara nodded with a soft chuckle, her arms still wrapped around the frail, pink-haired child.
"Yeah... seems like it."
Aldrin raised a brow, still puzzled by the sudden presence of the girl.
"Where did you guys get her?"
Kirashi's gaze stayed firm yet uncertain.
"We have no idea."
Aldrin rubbed the back of his neck, processing the odd situation as he rose to his feet.
"Oh well! We should protect her."
He concluded with a grin.
"Yeah... Umm, Aldrin?"
Kirashi asked.
"Yeah?"
"If these Seele decide to come out again, help me out, alright?"
His voice was steady but carried an edge of caution.
Without hesitation, Aldrin replied.
"I'll try my best!"
Kara's eyes lingered on Jayu's peaceful face, watching over her like a silent guardian. Then something subtle caught her attention.
"Oh!"
She leaned closer—Jayu's eyelids twitched ever so slightly. A faint ripple of movement beneath them.
"She's dreaming...!"
The soft rise and fall of Jayu's chest deepened, her breathing slow but steady—as though her mind was wandering somewhere far away, chasing echoes of a life once bright, or memories just out of reach.
[Jayu's POV]
With boundless excitement, Jayu hurried toward the airport, her steps light yet urgent. She tugged at the heavy luggage, barely feeling its weight, driven by the thrill of the journey ahead.
"Jayu! Wait!"
Her mom called out, voice soft but steady.
"Wow!"
Jayu's eyes scanned the airport, sparkling with wonder—it was her first time stepping into such a place, her first journey into the skies.
The bustling sounds, the bright lights, the sea of unfamiliar faces—all filled her with awe and excitement. Her heart swelled, each new sight and sound a glimpse into the adventure ahead.
"Save your 'wows' for later! Hehe!"
Her mom caught up, smiling warmly, amusement shining in her eyes.
Jayu nodded.
"Ok!"
Her mom patted her head, then pointed forward.
"Let's go! Okinawa flights are this way!"
Jayu grabbed her mom's hand with her left, pulling their luggage with her right. A small backpack rested on her back, swinging slightly with every step. Her hair swayed playfully as excitement danced in her every move.
They soon arrived at the boarding gate, where two flight attendants welcomed them with warm smiles.
In unison, the flight attendants greeted the pair as they arrived.
"Good evening, passengers! Welcome aboard the safest and most luxurious flight in the country. We're so happy to have you with us!"
"Good evening!"
They greeted back.
One flight attendant blinked, curious about Jayu's energy.
"Oh, hi, little one! First time flying?"
Jayu's head wouldn't stay still, but when spoken to, she locked her eyes with the attendant and smiled.
"Yeah!"
"Nice, nice! Whatever your adventure will be, you're surely going to enjoy it!"
Jayu beamed, nodding enthusiastically.
Passengers behind them couldn't help but smile, charmed by the sheer energy and infectious positivity radiating from the little girl.
"She's so cute, dear!"
A woman hushed to the man beside her, probably her husband.
"She really is! Quite the energetic one!"
The man replied with a chuckle.
The second flight attendant kindly asked for their tickets, offering a warm and welcoming smile.
"May we have your tickets, please?"
In unison, Jayu and her mom handed over their plane tickets to Okinawa.
"Here you go!"
Excitement shimmered in Jayu's eyes as the moment drew closer.
The attendants checked their tickets with a smile and gestured for them to board.
"Ok! Welcooooome aboooard!"
Jayu jumped with joy as they stepped through the plane's door, eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"Yay!!"
Her mom gently took Jayu's hand again and smiled.
"Let's go, dear," she said softly, leading her toward their seats.
Some of their luggage was left for the staff to store, while the most important things stayed with Jayu and her mom. Jayu's mom lifted their backpacks into the overhead compartment.
"Jayu! You'll be on the window side!" she hushed.
"Okaay!"
Jayu settled by the window, eyes wide with wonder as she watched the runway lights flicker against the cold evening sky.
Her mom sat beside her, letting out a soft sigh. Jayu turned to her with a gentle voice and concerned eyes.
"Mama? Are you okay?"
Her mom paused, turning her head to Jayu before smiling softly.
"Yes, baby! I'm alright. Just a bit tired from the travels... What about you? Are you hungry?"
Jayu's stomach rumbled loudly. She clutched it and gave her mom a playful smirk.
Her mom chuckled as she pulled out a small snack from her coat pocket.
"Here you go, baby."
She patted Jayu's head and kissed her softly before handing over the snack. Jayu eagerly opened it and started nibbling.
"By the time we're in the air, we can order some rice!" her mom added.
"Okay! Oh, mama, do you want some?"
Her mom's eyes widened with surprise, then softened into a warm smile.
"I'm good, baby! I'll wait for the flight meal."
"Okay!!"
As they waited for the passengers and for the flight to depart, they sat still—filled with energy and excitement.
It was a silent, cloudless night in Okinawa. The moon was bright, and the tides were high.
[Plane Cockpit]
In the cockpit, miscommunications emerged between the co-pilot and his more experienced captain.
"Huh? What the hell are these navigation controls?"
The pilot muttered, annoyed.
"I'm not sure either..."
The co-pilot frowned, scanning the cluttered display.
Their flight company had recently changed the design and layout of the navigation system without proper orientation. The pilot crumpled the confusing map and tossed it behind him in frustration.
"Ugh! We've got no time for this shit. Why did they suddenly change the layout?"
A veteran with countless hours of flight experience, he decided to rely on instinct. Confident and impatient, he ignored the digital navigation aids altogether.
The co-pilot hesitated.
"Ugh... Ah... Ok, sir..."
Reluctantly, he took his seat. The pilot grabbed the walkie-talkie to contact the flight attendants outside. Both settled in, strapping on their headsets and adjusting switches in preparation for departure.
"Ehem... Are we ready?"
The pilot spoke through the microphone.
A faint buzz followed before a flight attendant's voice came through.
"Closing the gate!"
"Ok!"
The pilot switched the comms channel so the announcement would reach all passengers.
He cleared his throat, his voice crackling through the cabin speakers.
"Good evening, everyone—ladies, gentlemen, and little travelers alike!"
Jayu sat by the window, eyes bright as she watched the workers moving around the runway. The pilot's voice echoed through the speakers, and she froze in awe—mouth slightly open, listening with full attention.
"You're aboard... uh... Japan Airlines. Flight number... uhh... 20042... uh... 169! We're preparing our way onto... uh... Okinawa. This is your Captain Takashi Yamamoto speaking. Uh... we're glad to have you with us tonight, uh..."
The pilot rambled on, trying to sound composed.
Jayu turned to her mom, her smile glowing.
"Mama? We're gonna go?"
Her mom giggled softly.
"Yes! You better listen to their announcement!"
The pilot continued.
"Our flight time will be approximately, uhh... two hours, and we're expecting, uhh... smooth skies along the way. For your safety, please, uhh... ensure your seatbelts are fastened, your tray, uh... tables are up, and uhh... all electronic devices are set to airplane mode as we prepare for takeoff."
Flight attendants demonstrated safety procedures as Jayu watched, fascinated, eyes glimmering with curiosity.
"Our wonderful, uhh... cabin crew is here to ensure you have a comfortable flight, so please don't hesitate to ask for assistance. Sit back, relax, uhh... and enjoy the journey. We'll update you as we get closer to our destination, and uhh... we'll be on our way shortly!"
Jayu looked up at her mom with excitement, her eyes reflecting the cabin lights.
Her mom smiled—then noticed something.
"Jayu... you should buckle your seatbelt."
"Ok!"
Jayu flinched, then quickly fastened it before turning back to the window.
Inside the cockpit, switches flicked, lights blinked, and dials moved as the engines hummed to life. Outside, the aircraft began taxiing onto the runway, guided by the crew vehicles.
"Aha! It's moving!!!"
Jayu exclaimed, voice bursting with excitement.
The plane rolled forward, picking up speed. The vibrations deepened, engines roaring as the cabin tilted. With a thunderous push, the aircraft lifted off—ascending into the night sky, carrying every heart aboard toward the stars.
By the time they reached cruising altitude, Jayu and her mom enjoyed their dinner in quiet comfort, the steady hum of the engines lulling them toward peace.
As night deepened, they closed their eyes and drifted into sleep—unaware of the shadow of fate waiting beyond the horizon.
The once-clean scent of the cabin air slowly turned into the burning stench of a cackling flame.
~~~To be Continued~~~