Sana is in deep sleep.
But something pulls him back.
Slowly, he opens his eyes.
His vision is blurry.
He hears someone crying… very close to him.
Did I… die…?
But then—
A warm sensation spreads through his body.
Something soft is holding him.
The pain fades… just a little.
His vision clears.
And then—
He realizes.
Alice is hugging him tightly, her face buried in his shoulder.
His heart starts racing.
His face turns red.
Carefully, he lifts his hand…
and gently strokes her back.
They don't say a single word.
Time passes—
Only her quiet sobs fill the room.
Sana relaxes his mind, slowly stroking her hair, trying to comfort her.
Alice feels weak in his arms…
But she doesn't want to let go.
After a while, she finally realizes what she's doing.
Her face turns red.
She slowly tries to pull away—
But—
The door suddenly bursts open.
"Alice! Where are you?!"
A man rushes in.
And then he freezes.
His eyes lock onto the two of them—
still holding each other.
Shock fills his face.
Who… is that boy…? Why… why…?
/ POV: Leto /
Leto's life used to be simple.
He met his wife online.
They were poor… but happy.
And then—
They had a daughter.
A cute, shy little girl.
She was everything to him.
His reason to keep going.
But tragedy came.
His wife fell ill.
And he couldn't save her.
He didn't have enough money for the treatment.
That day—
He lost her.
And from that moment…
He started hating himself.
He felt guilty—
toward his wife…
and toward his daughter.
He became afraid to face her.
So he ran away.
Not physically—
But emotionally.
He buried himself in work.
Day after day.
Trying to forget the pain.
But in doing so—
He forgot something even more important.
His daughter.
One day, he met a boy living nearby.
His name was Zure.
Leto could see it immediately—
The boy liked his daughter.
Even at such a young age.
So he approached him.
Zure looked nervous.
"G-Greetings… father of Alice…"
Leto smiled.
"Just call me uncle. Are you her friend?"
He gently patted the boy's head.
"Yes… uncle."
Leto watched him quietly.
This boy… maybe I can trust him…
"Can you… protect my daughter?"
Zure looked confused.
"I mean… I'm busy. I don't have time for her…
Can you stay by her side? Be her friend?"
The boy didn't fully understand.
But he nodded firmly.
"Yes, uncle. I promise.
She's… my precious friend."
Leto smiled.
"You're a good boy… I'm counting on you."
But he never realized—
That decision…
Would push his daughter further away from him.
And one day—
She would suffer because of it.