"My lord, it seems we've arrived," Ji-San said softly.
Hide opened his eyes and blinked at the warm morning light. Sona was still asleep, her head resting against his shoulder. He carefully shifted her into a gentle piggyback, stepping out of the car with Ji-San at his side.
They both noticed the other car parked out front. "Looks like you have guests," Hide said.
Ji-San nodded. "It seems so, my lord."
"They're probably still sleeping," Hide murmured. He glanced at Ji-San. "Get some rest. You drove all night."
Ji-San bowed and disappeared into the house. Hide carried Sona inside, found a quiet guest room, and laid her down gently on the bed. He pulled a blanket over her, brushing her hair back before he left.
His own room waited down the hall. He paused at the door, glancing around. The room was bigger than Sona's, furnished with a master-sized bed and shelves stacked with old books and letters — fragments of a life he'd left behind.
"Still collecting dust," he muttered, running a hand over the covers.
He lay down, closed his eyes, and drifted off at last.
Downstairs, Priscilla was already up, humming softly in the kitchen. Pam — Mrs. Fujishi — stood beside her, sleeves rolled up as they prepared breakfast.
"You know," Pam said, "Hide taught me this dish. He said he learned it from his master."
Priscilla laughed. "I didn't know he could even cook."
"He could do a lot more than he let on," Pam said with a fond smile.
Yumi joined them, moving slowly but helping set the table. "Sorry if I'm in the way."
"You're fine, Yumi," Pam said warmly. "I'm Pam."
"Yumi," she said, shaking her hand. The three women formed a quiet bond, laughter blending with the smell of food.
"Priscilla," Pam said, glancing out the window, "Ji-San's car is here."
"They must be resting," Priscilla said. "Let's leave them be. They've been gone a long time."
"Wait — them?" Yumi said, startled.
"Yeah," Priscilla confirmed.
Yumi's eyes widened. Relief and worry crossed her face.
By midmorning, the whole house was awake — except Hide and Sona.
"Should I go wake him?" Minami asked, peering up the stairs.
"Minami, that's rude," Pam scolded. "He's been gone for so long. Let him sleep."
Minami sank back into the couch, grumbling.
"I'll check," Priscilla said with a small smile. She climbed the stairs and knocked lightly. "Master Hide? Breakfast is ready."
No answer.
She opened the door — but the bed was empty. "Where did he go…?"
Behind her, a soft voice broke the silence. "He went out for a bit."
Priscilla turned — Sona was sitting up on Hide's bed, hair messy, blinking at the gathering faces now peeking into the room.
"Sona!" Priscilla laughed. "You're here too."
Sona smiled and swung her legs off the bed. She followed Priscilla downstairs, where Minami stared at her in disbelief.
"Hey… you look like—" he started.
Sona just winked. "I get that a lot."
Pam leaned forward, suspicious. "Sona… were you in Hide's room?"
"I wanted to be near him," Sona said plainly. Pam's cheeks turned faintly pink.
Yumi studied her carefully — then a smile broke through. "So you're the real Sona."
"That's right. And you must be Yumi — the one who watched over him."
"Yeah," Yumi said softly.
"Thank you," Sona said, bowing deeply. "For being there when I couldn't."
Yumi had no words, only a nod.
The door creaked open. Hide stepped inside, shaking the rain from his shoulders.
"Master," Priscilla called, relief flooding her voice.
Everyone crowded around him. He could see the questions on their faces. He sat down and braced himself.
"What happened to your eye?" Pam asked.
Hide tapped the cloth over his left eye. "If they knew I was alive, they'd keep hunting me. This keeps me hidden."
One by one, he answered their questions. He told them everything — about Shin, about the experiments, about the other God's Eye.
Outside, in the open forest clearing, Hide stood across from Minami, Rylan, and Scylla. All three held weapons, eyes locked on their master.
"Come on then," Hide called, smiling. "Show me what you've got."
Priscilla, Pam, Ji-San, Yumi, and Sona watched from the porch.
"You think they can touch him?" Pam asked.
"Not a chance," Priscilla laughed.
"Don't be so sure," Sona said. "He's not fully awake yet."
"Three!" Hide called.
The three vanished like sparks. Minami's blade shot acid — Hide dodged. Scylla's arrows flew — Hide twisted away, counting them. Rylan lunged from the shadows — but Hide parried the twin daggers barehanded.
"Good!" Hide shouted, blocking an arrow with a flick of his palm. "Better! Try again—"
The three attacked together, movements blending — acid, arrows, blades.
"Got him!" Scylla yelled.
Hide grinned. "Good effort— but we're done."
He stopped. His head turned sharply to the tree line.
"What's wrong?" Rylan asked.
"Someone's watching."
He motioned them back. The three trotted to the porch while Hide stepped into the trees.
Minami panted, rejoining the adults. "Dad — someone was watching."
Priscilla's eyes narrowed. "Who?"
"Hide's finding out," Scylla said.
In the shadows, Hide appeared like a ghost behind three figures — Killian, Shinichi, and Fujikawa. They jumped at his voice.
"Watching my training? Kinda rude."
"Hide—" Fujikawa stammered. "We were just— we followed Minami. We didn't expect—"
Hide laughed. "Relax. I figured you'd come sniffing."
"Is it true?" Killian asked. "That they tried to kill you?"
"They did," Hide said. "And they'll try again. There's more — but not here."
"Master Hide!" Priscilla's voice called through the trees. She, Mr. Fujishi, and Sona emerged, tense.
Hide raised a hand. "They're friends. Let's go inside — there's more you need to hear."
Back in the living room, the truth spilled out: Shin, the Zodiacs, the God's Eye, the hidden fiends living among humans. Everyone sat in stunned silence.
"You're saying," Shinichi asked slowly, "there are more like you?"
Hide nodded. "Humans, fiends, beasts — we were never so different. But the world won't accept that truth easily."
"So what do we do?" Yumi asked.
Hide's eyes darkened. "We bring them out. We draw Shin out. And then we end this."
Outside, Hide sat on a fallen trunk. Sona joined him.
"Is that why you kept it secret?" she asked.
"I didn't want you to carry it too," Hide said.
"You idiot." Sona rested her head on his shoulder. "You don't have to carry it alone."
Far away, Shin lounged in his dim study, lips curled in a grin. "He's awake," he murmured. "Perfect."
Later that evening, Hide stood. "There's one more place I need to go."
Sona followed him to a sunlit cliff — three old gravestones stood weathered by time and rain.
Sona knelt, hands folded. "I'm sorry, everyone. We couldn't be here sooner."
Hide placed flowers by the stones — Jin, Rin, Lucy. Old friends that never was forgotten.
For a moment, neither said anything — only the wind whispered over their heads.
Far below, the ocean glimmered — endless, waiting.
Luck, Hide thought, wasn't on their side. But maybe it didn't have to be.