Blink.
Close.
Blink.
Close.
It hurt to even open his eyes.
Even tears felt like they would break him if they came out.
His breathing sent pain through his chest every time he tried to move.
A gust of wind touched his body.
Cold.
"…at least… I'm not alone…"
"…will you welcome me… if I come to you…"
Everything went silent.
Even the wind—
as if it had nothing to say.
"…I knew it…"
He slowly closed his eyes.
Then opened them again.
"…I forgot… I was never alone…"
"…you were always here…"
"…will you let me rest…"
The tree shook slightly.
Leaves rustled like an answer.
A weak chuckle escaped him.
"…yeah… we're still family… even if I die here…"
A tired smile formed.
"…good night…"
His eyes closed.
A leaf drifted down, landing gently over them.
Darkness followed.
Everything faded.
—
A voice came again.
At first soft.
Far.
Hard to understand.
Like someone shouting from a distance.
"…what is this…"
"…someone calling me…"
"…can't you let me die in peace…"
He tried to open his eyes.
Too heavy.
"…fine… one last time…"
"…what do you want…"
Fragments reached him.
"…r…"
"…ru…"
"…run…"
"…run…?"
A faint smile touched his lips.
"…I can't even move… and you're telling me to run…"
It almost felt like a joke.
But the voice sounded desperate.
It kept calling him.
Again.
And again.
A pressure built in his head.
"…this feels wrong…"
"…shouldn't it be memories before dying…"
"…then why does it feel like this…"
—
Darkness.
He stood alone.
"…where am I…"
"…is this hell…"
"…maybe I never deserved anything else…"
His head lowered.
"…cold…"
No wind—
yet cold.
A pause.
"…warm…?"
He opened his eyes.
A white light stood in front of him.
Soft.
Warm.
He slowly raised his hand toward it.
The light moved—
like it was alive.
Then it formed a gate.
Made of light.
Right in front of him.
His hand moved closer.
Closer.
Almost touching—
Two bright hands appeared from the other side.
They pushed him.
Hard.
—
He fell.
Darkness swallowed him.
Then—
the voice.
Clear now.
Loud.
Sharp.
"RUN!"
"RUN! RUN!"
"RUNNN!!"
—
His eyes snapped open.
His body jerked forward.
A leaf slid off his face, carried by the wind.
His vision shook.
His hand trembled.
He didn't understand why.
But it wouldn't stop.
His gaze shifted.
His other hand—
still holding—
a sharp piece of glass.
He stared at it.
Quietly.
His breathing was still heavy—
each breath forced out of him.
The place around him felt dead.
Not just empty—
dead.
Nothing moved.
Nothing lived.
Even the ground looked tired.
Like it had given up on everything.
He looked up.
The sky was empty.
No clouds.
No birds.
No color.
Just emptiness.
"Hey…"
His voice came out dry.
Broken.
"How is it there… everyone…"
A faint smile appeared.
"Looks like… I'm coming too…"
His grip on the glass tightened.
His eyes slowly began to close.
His body loosened—
like it had finally decided to stop fighting.
—
A voice.
"RUN!"
"RUN! RUN!"
"RUNNN!!"
The scream tore through him again.
Not from outside.
From inside.
His eyes snapped open.
His body jerked forward.
Silence returned.
He slowly stood up.
A small smile formed on his lips.
"So… you put a curse on me… didn't you…"
His voice wasn't fully angry.
But it wasn't calm either.
Something in between.
He looked at the glass again.
Then turned away.
"I can't even die properly."
He let it fall.
The glass hit the ground with a dull sound.
He didn't look back.
He started walking.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
His heartbeat dragged—
slow.
Weak.
Like it didn't want to continue.
But a thought rose inside him.
Quiet—
but firm.
I will live.
No matter what… in this cursed place.
An image flashed in his mind.
A woman.
Screaming.
Holding someone.
"Don't look back!"
"RUN!"
His teeth clenched.
Silence.
Only anger remained.
—
The smell hit him first.
Food.
Warm.
Fresh.
Then voices.
Laughter.
Light.
Carefree.
He stopped.
People were walking, talking, smiling—
living.
As if the world wasn't broken.
They didn't look rich.
But they looked alive.
That alone felt foreign to him.
—
He moved away from the crowd.
Toward a narrow path.
A place with fewer people.
A place where no one looked closely.
He hid.
Waited.
Time passed.
Then—
footsteps.
Two people approached.
The boy moved.
He jumped out.
The shard of glass raised.
"Stop."
A man and a woman stood before him.
Well-dressed.
Calm.
Not afraid.
"Where did this child come from?" the woman asked.
The man looked at him.
"Boy. Drop that."
The boy smirked slightly.
"So you can beat me?"
His grip tightened.
"Give me food… just give it… or I'll—"
His voice faltered for a moment.
"I'll hurt you."
The man raised a finger.
"Look at your hand first."
The boy glanced down.
Blood.
Thick.
Fresh.
Dripping.
He froze for a moment.
Pain rushed back.
But he forced himself to stay steady.
"So you see it?" he said with a strained grin.
"This can hurt."
His voice hardened.
"So give me what I asked."
The woman stepped forward slightly.
"Your hands are bleeding. We need to—"
"I'm not stupid!"
He stepped back.
"Don't come closer!"
Inside, his body screamed.
Pain burned through his hands.
His muscles trembled.
He wanted to scream—
but he didn't.
This is nothing.
Nothing compared to what's coming.
The woman slowly crouched.
She took out a piece of bread.
"Let's make a deal," she said softly.
"You drop that and come here. We'll help you."
She held it out.
Before she could finish—
he moved.
The glass fell.
He lunged forward.
Grabbed the bread—
and ran.
—
The woman froze.
Then stepped forward—
but the man stopped her.
"My lady."
"But he needs help!"
"That boy… won't die so easily."
His eyes followed him.
"His will to live is stronger than those who seek help."
She looked confused.
"He's just a child…"
"Child or adult—it doesn't matter."
"When it comes to survival… they're the same."
A pause.
"If I'm right… you'll meet him again."
She stayed silent.
Then nodded slightly.
—
The boy ran.
His breath tore through his chest.
His hands burned.
Each step heavier.
His heartbeat slowed.
Faded.
Still—
he didn't stop.
—
He reached the tree.
Finally.
He stopped.
Looked at his hands.
Covered in blood.
He didn't think.
Didn't hesitate.
He devoured the bread.
Fast.
Desperate.
The taste of iron filled his mouth.
He choked.
Coughed.
Looked around.
No water.
Nothing.
His eyes fell to his hands again.
Blood.
—
The bread dropped.
He stared.
Hesitated—
just a second.
Then raised his hand to his mouth.
And squeezed.
Pain exploded through his body.
His teeth clenched.
Blood flowed.
He drank.
Desperately.
Until he could breathe again.
—
He collapsed.
The ground felt cold.
Heavy.
Still—
his hand reached for the bread.
He kept eating.
Even as his vision blurred.
Even as everything faded.
—
"…I'm about to die…"
A faint smile appeared.
"Even your curse… wasn't enough to keep me alive…"
A whisper—
"Sis…"
—
Memories flashed.
Faces.
Voices.
Gone.
—
Then—
warmth.
—
A small boy sat surrounded by people.
Laughter.
A birthday.
A girl clapping.
And in front of him—
a girl with black hair.
A red and black dress.
She smiled.
"Make a wish, little brother."
He closed his eyes.
This is enough.
I am satisfied.
I am happy.
—
He blew the candles.
The flame went out.
—
Not the candle.
His life.
—
His heart stopped.
A smile remained.
Peaceful.
—
A soft wind passed.
Leaves scattered.
Then—
one green leaf fell.
Alone.
Carried far away.