Part 2 — People Keep Disappearing
Ayame quietly placed a glass of water in front of Haruto.
"…Drink slowly."
Haruto nodded faintly and took the glass carefully.
His hands still felt slightly weak.
Kaito sat back down afterward—
but not fully relaxed.
His eyes kept drifting toward Haruto every few seconds unconsciously.
Like he was making sure Haruto would not suddenly collapse again.
Haruto noticed eventually.
"…I said I'm okay."
Kaito immediately looked away slightly.
"…I know."
But even he didn't sound convinced.
Outside—
another distant alarm echoed faintly somewhere across the village.
Not as loud as before.
But enough to remind all three of them that the situation still hadn't ended.
The room became quiet again afterward.
Then Haruto finally spoke softly.
"…What happened after?"
Ayame answered first.
"…Yuji-san said the barriers are still holding."
"…A lot of shinobi got redeployed."
Haruto slowly lowered his gaze again.
Redeployed.
More people leaving.
Kaito's fingers tightened slightly against his sleeves again after hearing it.
Haruto noticed that too this time.
And suddenly—
he remembered something.
He slowly looked toward Kaito.
"…You knew before me."
Kaito stayed quiet.
Haruto's voice softened slightly.
"…About Misaki's father."
Kaito nodded once.
"…Miri told me."
A pause.
"…Then Daigo Sensei confirmed it."
The room became quiet again afterward.
Haruto slowly leaned back against the sofa.
"…She still came to academy…"
His voice sounded smaller now.
More confused than anything else.
Ayame quietly answered:
"…Maybe staying home hurt more."
That thought made the silence feel heavier somehow.
Haruto slowly stared toward the floor.
Then quietly spoke again.
"…I thought…"
He hesitated briefly.
"…I thought if people were in hospitals… they'd be safe."
Neither Ayame nor Kaito answered immediately.
Because all three of them already knew reality didn't work like that anymore.
Another faint sound of distant movement echoed outside.
Shinobi crossing rooftops again.
The village still hadn't calmed down.
Kaito suddenly spoke quietly afterward.
"…People keep disappearing."