"How long can we keep running?.."
Hushed a soft girl's voice.
"How far can I make it?.."
She asked herself.
She sat in a dark room. Only the fractured pane of a broken window allowed a thin line of light to cut into the abyss. Dust floated lazily in that pale beam, swirling with every faint breath.
She brushed her palm against the carpeted floor — slow, hesitant — her fingertips tracing over the rough fibers as though grounding herself. Her hand trembled.
Beside her, a friend slept with head resting lightly on her lap, chest rising and falling in the steady rhythm of exhaustion.
"Tomori-san... Jayu-chan..."
She thought, the names echoing like fragile glass inside her mind.
Her eyes wandered to the window again. Through the gap, the outside world seemed impossibly far — a place where the air was freer, but also sharper, crueler. She tightened her hand over the carpet, feeling its threads bite her skin.
"Koya..."
Somewhere beyond the walls, a faint rumble stirred. Not loud enough to be a threat, but enough to remind her... safety here was only borrowed.
As the sun dipped toward the horizon, its light brushed against the walled city of Fukuoka, painting its towers in tired gold. The city pressed forward in its usual rhythm, unaware of the small fractures forming beneath its surface.
The reason for Ryo's arrival — and his sudden interest — remained a mystery to the public. Yet not a trace of doubt stained the minds of the people. To them, he was still their hero, their hope, the bearer of a better future.
But to those in Ryujin's squad... the eyes they had looked into told another story entirely. No warmth. No justice. No trace of a hero at all.
In the carpeted halls of the hotel across from Hara Sanshin Hospital, hurried footsteps broke the quiet. A staff member rushed from door to door on the twelfth floor, knocking quickly, breath short but resolve unshaken.
Room by room, he searched, until his knuckles rapped on one door and no answer came. He pushed it open.
A dark room. The only light bleeding in came from a broken window, spilling across the floor in an uneven glow.
Relief washed over him — he had found what he was looking for.
As the orange light of the sunset pressed against Ryujin's back, he still stood there — right arm raised, form upright, straight, and strict. Still saluting even though Bao-shi was long gone.
Ayro, Itoshi, and Kirashi were still bowed, giving their regards to the higher-up who had just left them. Silent, just like their leader.
But Itoshi's patience was thinning.
"Ayro-san!" he whispered aloud.
"When can we go?! Where is Kara?!"
He pressed.
Ayro didn't answer. He kept his bow, still waiting.
Just as Itoshi was about to stand, Ryujin dropped his salute. The three noticed it instantly and looked at him in unison.
Ayro took a deep breath as the sun cast his shadow long across the rubble. He closed his eyes, then turned to Itoshi.
"Be a bit more patient..."
"How can I be patient?! Kara is nowhere to be found!"
Itoshi shot back.
Ayro crossed his arms, breathing in again before glancing toward the tall building across the road. His eyes locked on the jagged hole torn in the hotel's side.
"She's right there... with Jayu and her."
He patted Itoshi's shoulder.
"They're alright. Tomori protected them."
Footsteps echoed against the rubble. At the same time, Kara and Jayu emerged from the hotel.
Kara's long coat draped over her, her lips tight, eyes fixed on the ground, head now bound by a gauze. She gripped Jayu's hand firmly while Tomori lay on a gurney, carried by two male nurses.
Kara raised her head and spotted them — Itoshi, Ayro, Kirashi, Ryujin. Her eyes widened the moment she noticed something strange in Ryujin's expression.
Itoshi apologized to Ayro, still oblivious to Kara's presence across the road.
"Okay... ok... sorry."
The three turned toward Ryujin as he stepped forward.
"Yo... Ryujin—"
Bam!
Ryujin's palm cracked across Itoshi's left cheek. Kirashi jolted in surprise, but Ayro didn't flinch.
The force sent Itoshi to the ground. His cheek flushed red — redder than Bao-shi's grip earlier.
Hands clutching his face, eyes wide, his whole body trembled.
Kara saw everything. Tears welled as she raised her hand to cover her mouth. She could do nothing but watch.
"Kara-nee... are they fighting?"
Jayu's innocent voice broke the silence.
Kara crouched beside her, covering Jayu's eyes from the scene. She forced a smile, eyes closed, though her tears still slipped through.
"No..."
Jayu just blinked beneath her hand, confused.
Ryujin loomed behind Itoshi, brows furrowed in anger.
Ayro turned away, deadpan, while Kirashi lingered with a baffled look. Ayro grabbed his ear and tugged.
"Okay! Okay! I get it!" Kirashi yelped as he followed.
Ryujin's fist tightened.
"Itoshi... what the hell was that?.."
Ryujin pressed his right hand to his forehead.
"Tsk... because of what you did... our situation with Ryo just got even more complicated."
Itoshi turned to Ryujin, still on the floor,
"But!"
Ryujin's voice dropped, but the edge stayed sharp.
"No Itoshi! Because of what you did... you almost killed us both!"
He stepped closer, voice rising again.
"Think about it! If we both died back there, what would happen to the squad?! What would happen to Kara and Jayu?!"
Itoshi lowered his head, jaw clenched, fighting to keep the tears from falling.
Ryujin crouched to his level.
"Think about what you did... very carefully, Itoshi. I cannot tolerate members who don't follow direct orders — especially when they risk everyone else getting hurt."
He stood and turned away.
"We were so close... so close... and now look what happened."
His head shifted slightly, his back still turned, but his eyes locked on Itoshi.
"Be thankful Bao-shi-sama arrived."
Without waiting for a reply, Ryujin marched toward the SUV.
"Bjorne-san... fire her up."
Bjorne nodded, moving to the driver's seat. The electric engine hummed to life as Ryujin sank into the passenger side, leaning back, eyes on the ceiling.
Bjorne glanced at him.
"What you did wasn't wrong."
Ryujin flinched at the words.
"It was right. What he did was risky... but he had a good reason. You were doing your job as a leader — but he's also a brother to someone. You have to remember each one's place... never forget that, Ryujin."
Ryujin exhaled slowly.
"I get it... but we can't stay like that forever."
Bjorne didn't answer. He looked forward instead, watching Itoshi wipe his tears. Nearby, Kirashi yelped after a bonk from Ayro, while Kara and Jayu rushed toward Itoshi.
"Koya!!"
Kara hushed as she ran toward Itoshi, Jayu close at her side.
Itoshi's eyes widened, a small smile flickering across his face before fading.
"Kara!"
She crouched down to his level. Itoshi quickly lowered his head, as if trying to hide his face.
"Koya?.. What happened?.."
"Itoshi-nii! Are you okay?"
Kara and Jayu asked together.
Itoshi avoided their gaze, one hand over his cheek.
"I–I'm okay..."
He paused, then muttered,
"W–wait, I should be the one asking you that!"
He glanced back at them — and in doing so, revealed his cheek.
Kara gasped.
"Koya..."
"Ah."
Itoshi immediately slapped his palm back over the mark.
"Oi! We saw that!"
Little Jayu declared.
"You can't play dumb on us!"
She added, kneeling on the rubble, eyes determined.
Itoshi turned away, refusing to meet their gaze.
Kara drew a slow breath.
"W–what did you do?.."
"What the hell... just because I always get into trouble, you already think I'm at fault?"
He muttered calmly.
"Well... who is it then?"
Kara's voice softened.
Itoshi jolted, unable to answer. His back now faced them completely.
Kara sighed, rising to her feet — then suddenly, Itoshi felt a gentle weight press against his back.
"Ah..."
Kara's arms were wrapped around him from behind.
"S–sorry... Koya..."
A faint green glow wrapped around them. Kara's healing spell.
Neither spoke. Jayu quietly joined in, adding her own small healing light.
"Feel better?.."
Kara asked.
Itoshi only hummed.
"Mhm..."
Kara leaned closer, her voice a whisper against his ear.
"Koya... whatever you've done... you gotta fix it."
Itoshi closed his eyes, brows furrowed, arms crossed as he sat in place.
"I get it, I get it!"
As the evening of July 7th, 2169 settled over the city of Fukuoka, the squad had managed to retreat safely to their current base of operations.
The quiet between them had returned.
Itoshi emerged from the shower, yawning, a towel draped over his shoulder. His hair was damp, tank top clinging faintly to his frame.
Glancing around, he saw Kirashi idly tossing a ball into the air, Aldrin buried in a book, and Kara with Jayu, sitting cross-legged on the floor as always. Ayro and Ryujin were nowhere in sight.
Itoshi blinked, then wandered over to join Kara and Jayu, settling on the floor beside them.
"Kara?" he asked.
She looked up and smiled softly.
"Yes?.. Koya?.. Having trouble making up with Ryujin-sama?"
"No!"
Itoshi shot back instantly.
From across the room, Kirashi gave a small "pfft—" at the response.
"Why did you jump to that so fast?!"
Itoshi snapped, voice edged with annoyance.
Kara touched a finger to her chin, glancing upward as if in thought.
"Well... that's—"
"Alright, stop, stop!"
Itoshi cut her off, waving his hands.
"I'm struggling a little, sure, but that's not what I was going to ask."
Her smile returned, her gaze meeting his again.
"Oh?.. Then what is?"
"Umm..."
He hesitated.
"Hai?.."
Kara leaned in slightly.
"Did she really protect you two?"
Itoshi asked quietly. Kirashi's ball kept bouncing softly in the background.
Kara froze, silence stretching between them.
She opened her mouth—
"Yes! And Tomo-nee was amazing! So cool!"
Jayu suddenly blurted, leaping to her feet with arms thrown high.
Kara glanced at her in surprise, then her expression softened into a small smile. She lowered her gaze, fiddling with her fingers.
"Yes... she did."
"Oh?.."
There was silence before Itoshi asked his last question for the evening.
"How is your head feeling?.."
Kara's eyes were wide open, mouth too. But she quickly smiled, reassuring.
"The doctors did a good job! Jayu-chan too! It was just a small cut.. So the healing was very quick!"
She paused.
"Though.. It was still very painful.."
Itoshi then nods,
"Ok... Just don't touch it alright?"
Kara nods with a smile.
That was all. Itoshi pushed himself to his feet.
"I'm gonna go dry my hair."
"Ah! Um... okay!.."
Kara replied, blinking.
She and Jayu exchanged puzzled glances. They'd been bracing for a long talk — but were left only with the quiet again.
On the rooftop of the apartment complex, Itoshi stepped out into the open air.
The cold wind swept through his damp hair, whispering faintly against his ears.
He walked to the metallic fence, leaning his elbow on it, palm pressed under his chin.
The wind tugged at his long blue hair as he gazed over the city lights of Fukuoka.
Below, electric cars hummed and beeped. Nearby chatter drifted up from the streets.
Itoshi let out a sigh...
Then another...
And another...
Until—
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
He clutched his head with both hands, screaming into the night.
Down on the street, startled passersby looked up in confusion — but quickly brushed it off and went about their evening.
Back on the rooftop, Itoshi's breathing came fast and ragged. He took a few moments before forcing himself to relax again.
He returned to the fence, resting his chin in his hand, letting the silence settle.
"Hmm... a chance, huh?.."
"A chance?.."
The thought echoed in his head as the evening of their first week in Fukuoka drew to a close.
Witnessing the sudden arrival of something that should not walk this earth — a neck without a body, a skull without a soul — and what everybody expected to happen but never imagined they'd witness: their leader breaking his hero's mask to scold a hard-headed member.
Itoshi's mistakes still hung in the air like smoke.
Will he find a way to burn them off... or will the fire consume him first?
Only time — and his will — will tell.
~~~To be Continued~~~