Sunny lay still.
His violin rested nearby in broken pieces, its wood splintered, its strings twisted and lifeless.
Among those fragments, something sharp had struck him.
Mari dropped to her knees.
Her hands trembled as she lifted him gently, as if afraid he might break even more.
"…Sunny…?"
No response.
Her breath grew heavier.
Then she saw it—
A thin stream of blood trailing from his eye, dark against his pale skin. It moved slowly at first… then faster, slipping down his cheek like something that should never have existed.
Mari froze.
Her thoughts collapsed into nothing.
Knock Knock
The sound echoed through the house.
Mari's entire body stiffened.
Another knock.
Knock Knock.
Her breathing became shallow, uneven, as if the air itself had grown too heavy to inhale.
"Mari… are you there?"
A familiar voice.
Hero.
"I'm coming in."
Panic surged through her.
Her mouth opened slightly—
but no sound came out.
Her voice was gone.
The door creaked open slowly.
Light from outside spilled into the hallway, stretching across the floor like a quiet intrusion.
Hero stepped inside.
At first, he smiled.
A small, gentle smile—
the kind that belonged to normal days.
But then—
he saw.
The broken violin.
The still body.
The blood.
The smile faded.
Not quickly.
But slowly… painfully… as if reality itself was forcing it away.
Mari's hands tightened around Sunny.
Her voice finally broke through, fragile and shaking.
"…Help me, Hero."
That was all she could say.
No explanation.
No context.
Just a plea.
Hero didn't move at first.
His eyes stayed locked on the scene, trying to understand something that refused to make sense.
Then everything hit him at once.
His expression changed—
from confusion…
to fear.
He stepped inside quickly.
And without a word—
he reached back and closed the door
The soft click of the door shutting echoed louder than anything else.
It was a small sound.
But it meant everything.
Outside, the world continued as normal.
Inside—
time had stopped.
Hero moved closer, his breathing uneven now.
He knelt beside them, his hands hovering for a moment before finally reaching out.
Sunny's body felt too still.
Too quiet.
Mari's hands were shaking uncontrollably now, stained with red.
Her eyes were wide, unfocused, as if she was
no longer fully there...then tears fell from her eyes to her cheeks.
The room felt colder.
The air heavier.
And the truth unspoken, undeniable hung between them.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
The air felt thick, as if even breathing required effort.
Then, slowly, Hero reached out.
His hand hovered for a second before gently resting on Mari's shoulder.
It was a careful touch—soft, steady—like he was trying to keep her from falling apart completely.
Mari flinched at first.
Then she trembled.
He understood what this meant.
What would happen if anyone found out.
What it would do to her.
To everyone.
To everything they had left.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment.
And in that moment—
he made a choice.
The silence lingered, heavy and unmoving.
Mari still clung to Sunny, her arms wrapped tightly around him as if letting go would make everything even more real.
Her grip was desperate.
Unwilling.
Unready.
Hero knelt beside her.
For a moment, he didn't move.
He simply watched—her trembling hands, her shaking shoulders, the way she held on as if time could be reversed through sheer will.
Then, slowly…
he reached out.
Careful.
Gentle.
His hands rested lightly over hers.
She resisted at first.
Her fingers tightened, clutching Sunny's clothes as if she was afraid he would disappear the moment she let go.
But Hero didn't force her.
He waited.
His movements steady, patient, almost protective.
Little by little—
her strength faded.
Her grip loosened.
Not because she wanted to let go…
but because she couldn't hold on anymore.