Kenji tried to help Yume stand up, but she pushed him away, saying she was fine and that she had already expected that reaction from Jun.
"But why? Can you explain to me what just happened?"
"You knew they were together, right? You hid it from me too, Yume…"
"It wasn't exactly like that, I found out by accident."
Kenji interrupted:
"And even so, you didn't tell me anything. What amazing friends I have!!!"
"No, no… I wanted to. Sayuri asked for some time, she wanted to tell you carefully…"
Kenji, visibly in pain, started laughing.
"You guys are so innocent. I wasn't even into her, you know? She's not my type."
Yume looked confused, not understanding what her friend was trying to say.
"You must've hit your head hard. You're not making any sense."
"No, Yume, I'm telling you the same thing I told Sayuri. I was only provoking Jun. I never liked her as a woman, and maybe she thought I did, I don't know…"
"But… that doesn't make any sense. And Jun knew?"
Kenji laughed sarcastically.
"And why do you think he punched me, Yume? He knew, and I told Sayuri. He had to know."
She started getting worried about everything, because she knew that revelation would come with a price, and she had no idea what the outcome would be.
"You guys never think about the consequences of your actions? Imagine how she must feel right now, deceived by both of you. She must feel betrayed."
Kenji pretended everything was fine and that things would work themselves out soon, but deep down, he felt terrible.
"Ah, Yume, relax. They'll make up soon enough. I'm gonna take a shower."
He went upstairs and headed straight to the shower. His shoulders were stiff and heavy, as if he were carrying thousands of stones.
Meanwhile, Yume stayed in the living room waiting for Sayuri to come back so they could talk. An hour passed… and nothing. She started to worry. Something about this didn't feel right, and outside, the temperature kept dropping.
"Something happened…" she murmured. "She should've been back by now…"
She ran upstairs to Jun's room and knocked several times, but he didn't answer. Then she rushed to Kenji's room.
"Kenji!! Please, open up."
"What is it, Yume?" he asked sleepily.
"Sayuri still hasn't come back, and the temperature's dropping fast."
"Relax, did you check her room? And Jun's?"
"He's not answering. Come on, Kenji, what if something happened?"
"Nothing happened, calm down. Come on, let's go find Jun. She's probably with him."
Knock knock knock. Nothing.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!!
Louder this time.
Jun pulled off his headphones and heard the pounding on the door.
"What the hell…" He put the headphones back on.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!!!!
"WHAT DO YOU GUYS WANT????" Jun shouted.
"Jun, is Sayuri in there?" Yume asked with a trembling voice.
"Sayuri? No." He removed the headphones and stood up. "Why?"
Yume and Kenji exchanged looks, and she started trembling.
"Oh my God, where is she? Where did you see her last, Jun?"
"Why? What's going on?"
"Jun, because she still hasn't come back, and it's getting colder outside."
Jun looked at the clock and realized it had already been hours since he left her alone in the forest. Without thinking, he grabbed his coat and ran out. Yume and Kenji followed after him.
"Yume, stay here. Let us know if she comes back."
Kenji ran into the forest, trying to catch up with Jun.
"Hey, Jun, calm down. Let's search together, okay?"
Jun nodded, and Kenji noticed something in his eyes he had never seen before: Fear.
"SAYURI! SAYURI! SAYURI!"
The snow started falling harder between the pine trees, and Jun struggled to breathe.
"SAYURI!" he shouted again.
No response.
The freezing wind cut against his skin, but he couldn't even feel it.
Kenji followed close behind.
Then Jun stopped for a second. His hands were trembling. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm himself down, but he couldn't.
"She couldn't have gone that far…"
His voice came out weak.
"This is my fault…"
Jun turned and grabbed Kenji's arm for the first time since they met. He looked completely desperate. His eyes were watery.
"Please…" He took a shaky breath, trying not to lose control. "Help me find her…"
Kenji froze.
Because in that moment, he recognized that look. The same look from years ago. The same desperate expression. In that instant, Kenji didn't see the Jun from now. He saw the little boy from years earlier, standing in the rain, crying while his mother's car disappeared without ever coming back.
Kenji swallowed hard and hugged his friend.
"We're gonna find her, I promise."
They searched through several dark paths in the forest until Jun finally saw her. Sitting on the ground. Crying with her head buried between her knees. He ran to her, dropped to the ground, and hugged her tightly.
"I finally found you," he said as he took off his jacket and wrapped it around her.
He looked down and noticed her injured knee and the cut on her hand.
"Baby… what happened? This is all my fault…"
She slowly lifted her cold, trembling hand.
"You found me… I fell… and got lost…"
Jun started crying, apologizing over and over. He was panicking.
"I was an idiot, this is all my fault… I'm sorry… please… forgive me…"
"Jun… cough cough…"
Kenji approached them.
"Let's get out of here. You two can talk later. The snow's getting worse, and we'll end up trapped out here."
Jun stood up and picked Sayuri up in his arms, carrying her back to the cabin, even though he himself was weak and freezing.
"BESTIE!!! OH MY GOD!!!" Yume screamed in panic.
"I'm okay… I just got lost."
"Okay? Look at these injuries, and you're freezing…"
Kenji held Yume back while Jun carried Sayuri upstairs.
"Calm down, Yume. You're only gonna make them more nervous… I'll go make some tea and warm water."
"I'm coming with you…"
When they reached the bedroom, Jun carefully laid Sayuri on the bed, taking off her shoes and adjusting the pillow.
"I'll ask Yume to help you change."
"No need, I can change by myself."
Jun turned around, giving her space to change clothes.
"Done."
"Come here, I'll help," Jun said as he adjusted the pillow beneath her injured knee.
He couldn't look her in the eyes. He felt guilty for everything. It was eating him alive. He couldn't stop feeling like a horrible person.
"I knew I should've stayed away… look what I did to you…"
"Don't say that, Jun…"
"It's true… maybe I should disappear from everyone's life…"
She hugged him tightly, interrupting him.
"Never say that again!! Never! Please, never leave me…"
Jun finally looked at her.
"But look at everything that happened…"
"Nothing else matters anymore…"
Yume came in carrying tea and warm compresses. She also left some medicine beside the bed.
"Bestie… you have no idea how scared we were. Never do that again."
She hugged her while crying.
"I'm never leaving you alone again…"
"Okay, Yume, now let her rest."
"Okay, okay…" she sniffled. "If you need anything, call me."
"Okay, bestie. Go get some rest now… cough cough."
Jun noticed Sayuri trembling and checked her temperature.
"You have a fever. Come here, take this and lie down."
Jun stayed by her side the entire night, changing the compresses and checking her temperature. And every single time she took too long to move… His heart stopped.
Meanwhile, overwhelmed by everything and carrying an unbearable guilt in his chest, Kenji grabbed the car keys and left without saying a word.
Without a destination.
He just needed to be alone for a while.