The knocking came again.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Ren stared at the door.
His father didn't move.
"Dad," Ren whispered, "who is outside?"
His father looked at him.
"People who should never have known you were here."
Kazuki stepped toward the door.
"Is there another way out?"
His father nodded. "Behind the bookshelf."
Ren looked at the old wooden shelf.
"How do you know?"
"Because I built the passage."
A loud удар shook the door.
Ren flinched.
The books rattled on the shelves.
His father hurried toward the bookshelf and pulled out an old black book. A hidden mechanism clicked.
The shelf moved aside.
Behind it was a narrow passage.
"Go," his father said.
Ren didn't move.
"I'm not leaving you again."
His father looked at him for a long moment.
"You don't understand."
"Then explain it."
Another удар hit the door.
A crack appeared across the wood.
His father lowered his voice.
"The people outside aren't looking for me anymore."
Ren's face tightened.
"They're looking for me."
His father nodded.
"And if they find you, they'll take you to the second door."
Kazuki stepped closer.
"What happens at the second door?"
His father looked at him.
"You already know."
Kazuki's expression hardened.
Ren turned toward him.
"You knew?"
Kazuki remained silent.
His father answered for him.
"Kazuki was there the last time the door was opened."
Ren stared at Kazuki.
"Is that true?"
Kazuki finally nodded.
"Yes."
Ren felt betrayed.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I promised your father."
"To keep me ignorant?"
"To keep you alive."
Before Ren could answer, the door began to break.
His father pushed the hidden passage open wider.
"There's no time."
Ren looked at him.
"What about you?"
His father gave a faint smile.
"I'll hold them back."
"No."
"Ren, listen to me."
His voice became firm.
"Whatever happens, do not open the second door."
Ren hesitated.
His father placed the silver key into his hand.
"But you gave me the key."
"For the first door."
He closed Ren's fingers around it.
"Never use it on the second."
The door behind them cracked again.
Someone spoke from the other side.
"We know you're in there."
Ren's father stepped backward.
"Go."
Ren looked at him one last time.
Then he entered the passage.
Kazuki followed.
The hidden bookshelf began closing behind them.
Ren turned around.
"Dad!"
His father stood alone in the room.
Their eyes met.
Then the passage closed.
Darkness surrounded Ren and Kazuki.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Finally, Ren whispered,
"You promised him."
Kazuki looked at him.
"I did."
"And you promised me nothing."
Kazuki lowered his eyes.
"I was afraid that if I told you the truth, you'd never trust me again."
Ren looked ahead.
"Maybe I don't."
They continued through the passage.
After several minutes, they reached a stone staircase.
At the bottom was another door.
Ren stopped.
There was a symbol carved into it.
A rose.
But this one had four petals instead of three.
Kazuki stared at it.
"This wasn't here before."
Ren slowly raised the lantern.
Something was written beneath the symbol.
THE SECOND DOOR IS ALREADY OPEN.
A cold silence filled the passage.
Then they heard footsteps coming from the other side.
Ren looked at Kazuki.
"Someone's there."
Kazuki nodded.
The handle began turning.
And the door opened from within.