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Chapter 5—Siege of Gold
part I
3.47 AM.
It was almost 4 AM. The clock's ticking too fast.
It felt like a time bomb haunting the silence. None of them were saying anything.
Kazuna sat on the edge of his bed, her legs tucked beneath her hands, watching the numbers flicker. At this point, she hopes that she has the power to stop the time.
What a funny hope.
She didn't even realize she was fidgeting all this time. Her nails almost broke off.
The bandage on her forehead itched. Her whole body ached like crazy, but the adrenaline was gone now, at least—it was replaced by something heavier... exhaustion, that sat in her bones like lead.
Itsuki was curled up on the floor, using a folded jacket as a pillow. His breathing had evened out a few minutes ago.
While Riku sat against the wall near the door, arms crossed, eyes half-closed but not quite sleeping. Keep watching.
And Tanaka was staying beside her on the bed-not too close, but close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating off him.
He'd been quiet for the last hour. They all had.
She looked down, stared at her hands. Dirt under her nails. Some small cuts she hadn't noticed until now.
She really wanted to just cut off the whole fingers if she could—only to get rid of the dirt.
But she tried to ignore it instead. Clenched her hands really tight.
Then, "...I should go home," she started.
Tanaka's head turned. "It's still dark outside."
"Yeah," She pulled her knees closer to her chest. "But my parents—what if they wake up and I'm not there..."
"They'll search for you," Riku finished. Not a question.
Kazuna nodded.
Tanaka rubbed the back of his neck. "I get it, but you can barely stand. You want to walk back like this?"
"I'll figure it out—"
"You'll pass out on the sidewalk, that's what you'll do."
Itsuki had already stirred, mumbling something in his sleep before rolling onto his side. Riku shot Tanaka a look—'keep it down', and Tanaka exhaled through his nose, frustration bleeding into something softer.
"Stay," he said. Just that. One word.
Kazuna almost opened her mouth to argue.
"Just until the morning," he added quickly. "A few hours from now, then—we'll walk you back. Together."
She wanted to say no. Every instinct told her to leave quickly, to handle it herself. She didn't want them to look at her like this, pathetic, all curled up.
But she failed anyway. Her body didn't move.
A pause.
"...If they ask," she said—finally, "I'll just say I went for a walk with friends. In the morning. Sorry for not letting them know."
Tanaka blinked. Then a tired smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "That's your plan?"
"Do you have a better one?"
He didn't. They both knew it.
Riku let out a quiet snort from the corner. "A morning walk. With friends." He looked at Kazuna, something almost warm in his tired eyes. "That part's not a lie, at least."
Kazuna didn't know what to say to that. She looked away, tucking her hands under her thighs.
Tanaka leaned back against the headboard, closing his eyes. "Wake me if you need anything."
She nodded. But she didn't wake him.
Instead, she sat there in the quiet, listening to three people breathe. The steady rhythm of them—alive, safe, here—washed over her like something she didn't have a name for.
Her eyes grew heavy, slowly—her head drooped.
And for the first time since the bat swung, she fell into deep slumber peacefully.
——————————————————
Morning came in soft shades of gold.
Kazuna woke to light filtering through thin curtains, painting lines across the floor. She was lying on the bed now—someone must have moved her. A blanket was draped over her shoulders.
She sat up slowly—and as she looked around, the room was empty.
For a moment, panic flickered in her chest. But then, she heard voices from somewhere deeper in the house. Laughter. Itsuki's, high and bright. Riku's low chuckle. And Tanaka saying something she couldn't make out.
She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, wincing as the movement pulled at the bruise spreading across her ribs. Her head throbbed, but the world stayed steady, thankfully.
When she stepped into the hallway, she found them in the small kitchen—Itsuki was sitting on the counter, legs swinging, holding a rice ball in both hands like it was treasure. Riku leaned against the stove, cup of tea in hand. Tanaka stood by the window, the morning light catching in his hair.
They all turned when she appeared.
"You're awake," Tanaka said. He looked at her for a moment—checking, she realized. Making sure she was still standing.
"Did you sleep at all?" she asked.
He shrugged. "A little."
Itsuki hopped off the counter, holding out a rice ball wrapped in plastic. "Here. You should eat."
Kazuna stared at it for a second. Then she took it. "Thanks."
It was simple—just salt and nori. But her stomach growled the moment she unwrapped it, and she had to stop herself from eating too fast.
Riku watched her with something unreadable in his expression. "How are you feeling?"
She swallowed. "...Better."
"Liar," Tanaka said, but there was no heat in it.
She didn't argue.
They ate in comfortable silence. The morning light kept shifting, stretching across the floor, and somewhere outside, a bird was singing. It felt strange—to be here, like this, after everything. Like stepping into a different world.
After a few moments, Kazuna finally finished her rice ball and looked toward the window. "What time is it?"
"Almost six," Riku said.
She stood up slowly. "I should go."
Tanaka grabbed his jacket from the back of a chair. "I'll walk you."
"We all will," Itsuki added, already heading for the door.
"You don't have to—"
"Too late," Tanaka said, slipping past her. "We already decided."
Kazuna opened her mouth, then closed it.
There was no point arguing. She could see it in their faces—they weren't going to let her walk home alone.
So she had no other choice but to follow them out.
Tanaka leads the way in front, he even opens the door for them. He looks ridiculously gentle and she couldn't tell why.
Finally, as she stepped outside—the morning brew immediately greets her with a warm welcome.
The kind of warmth that didn't bring chaos, just calmness.
The streets were quiet this early. The kind of quiet that felt sacred, like the world was still holding its breath before the day began.
The sky was painted in shades of pink and orange, bleeding into blue at the edges.
Itsuki walked ahead, pointing out things as they passed—a cat sleeping on a car hood, a vending machine that still had his favorite drink, a poster for some festival neither of them had heard of.
Riku walked beside him, answering his questions in that calm, steady way of his. Such a figure for a brother to his younger one.
While Tanaka stayed beside Kazuna. Not touching, but close enough that their shoulders almost brushed.
She kept her eyes on the horizon. The sun was just starting to crest over the buildings, spilling gold across the rooftops.
For a moment, everything was quiet—the city still holding its breath before the day even began.
Her fingers brushed against the camera under her jacket pocket. She'd almost forgotten.
She pulled it out slowly, her movements careful, like the moment might shatter if she rushed.
The viewfinder framed the sky in shades of faded pink and orange bleeding into blue, the sharp edges of rooftops softened by the glow, making such a gradation like it was a painting.
Then. A soft click.
She lowered the camera, but didn't put it away. Just held it against her chest, watching the light shift and settle.
The sunrise would be gone in any minute now, but the photo would stay forever. A piece of something beautiful, caught between all the chaos.
A simple camera. A digital one.
Didn't need an expensive one. The one that the quality is poor, but held the richest memories.
"You really love that camera, huh?" Tanaka suddenly said.
She just nodded.
That nod seemed to answer everything for him.
"...You know—" She finally put her camera away. "You didn't have to do this," she said quietly.
"Do what?"
"Walk me home. Stay up all night." She paused. "Any of it."
Tanaka was quiet for a moment. Then, "Yeah, well. You didn't have to save Itsuki that night. But you did."
She frowned. "That's different."
"Is it?"
She didn't have an answer for that.
Ahead, Itsuki had stopped to look at the sunrise, his face tilted up toward the light. "It's beautiful," he said softly.
Riku stood beside him, arms crossed, but there was a softness in his expression that hadn't been there before. "Yeah," he said. "It is."
Eventually, they all slowed down.
Kazuna let herself watch it too. The way the light touched everything; the pavement, the windows, the faces of the people beside her.
She felt heavy, but lighter than before. Tired, but not alone.
They stood there for a while, none of them speaking, watching the sun rise over a city that had almost swallowed them whole the night before.
——————————————————
Her house came into view, soon.
Kazuna stopped at the gate, her hand hovering over the latch. She could see the lights inside. Her mother would be awake by now.
Maybe her father too.
Itsuki shifted behind her. "Do you want us to wait?"
She shook her head. "I'll be fine."
Tanaka stepped up beside her, lowering his voice so only she could hear. "If you need anything—"
"I know." She finally looked at him. "You guys need to go to school right after this."
Then, before they step back.
"...Thank you. All of you." She hesitated.
Itsuki beamed. Riku gave a small nod. Tanaka just looked at her for a moment, something unreadable in his eyes.
She opened the gate, stepping right inside the yard of her house.
But before she went straight to the front door, she stood still for a moment. Her hand lingers above the handle.
A soft sigh, gathered the courage to open the door.
For a second after she got in, the front door clicked shut behind her.
"Kazuna? Is that you?" Her mother's voice came from the kitchen suddenly.
She slipped off her shoes, wincing at the ache in her feet. Her clothes wrinkled, the rim of the hoodie torn, her forehead wrapped in bandages.
There was no hiding it.
She walked into the kitchen.
Her mother turned from the stove, spatula in hand. "Kazuna—"
Her smile lasted exactly one second, "What happened to you...?!"
Kazuna braced herself. She'd practiced this on the walk over. It had to sound natural.
Not too dramatic, not too casual.
Just enough truth to make the lie stick.
"I was walking along the river this morning," she said, keeping her voice steady, almost too steady. "And I saw a kitten. It was stuck on a branch over the water. I tried to reach it, and—" She gestured vaguely at herself. "I slipped."
A lie.
Her mother's hands flew to her mouth. "You fell into the river?!"
"Just my head, really. My friends were there—thankfully, they pulled me out just in time."
That's true.
Her mother was already moving toward her, hands reaching for her face, tilting her head to examine the bandage. "Friends? Who—"
Her mother slightly shakes her head. "A—Are you okay? Did you go to a clinic? Hospital?"
"It's just a cut. One of my friends knows first aid. He patched it up."
It was kinda messy, but it's alright.
Her mother's hands were trembling. Kazuna could feel it. The same way Tanaka's hands had trembled when he cleaned the wound.
It looked new.
"Oh, Kazuna..." Her mother pulled her into a hug, careful, like she was afraid she'd break. "You should have called. I was so worried."
Kazuna stood there, stiff at first. Then slowly, she let herself lean into it. Just slightly.
"Sorry," she whispered. "...I didn't mean to scare you."
Her mother pulled back, cupping her face, eyes glassy. "Just-tell me next time, okay? Before you go running off to save kittens."
Kazuna almost smiled. "...Okay."
Her mother frowned at the bandage again. "We should go to the clinic. Make sure it's clean."
"I'm fine, Mom. Really."
"You're not fine. You fell into a river."
"A small river." she replied.
Her mother gave her a look that said we are not done discussing this. But for now, she let it go. "Sit down. I'll make you breakfast. And then we're checking that wound."
Kazuna sat.
Her mother moved back to the stove, muttering something about reckless daughters and daring rescues, but her shoulders had relaxed. The panic was fading.
Kazuna watched her for a moment. Then she looked down at her hands.
The dirt was gone now. She'd washed them before leaving Tanaka's. But she could still feel it-the grime, the blood, the ropes.
All of it.
It felt too real to be a dream.
She tucked her hands under the table.
For once, her mind had gone quiet. Not peaceful. Just... nothing.
As if she was trapped with the time between the reality and the unreality.
But at least, she doesn't feel any threat. That's the important thing.
Then, a mug.
A hot chocolate.
She raised her head. Her mom smiles tenderly, as if there's a warm radiating off her face.
They both don't need another word to be said. They both already know.
Kazuna pulls the mug in front of her, looking down on the chocolate swirls around, she already could feel the rich flavour in her tongue by just smelling it.
Without her noticing, her lips almost curled up into a smile, just almost.
"...Mother,"
"What's wrong?"
Kazuna traced the rim of the mug with her finger, not quite meeting her eyes. "I... want to go to school today."
It feels like she's asking instead of giving a statement.
Her mother's expression flickered—concern, hesitation, something softer, and anything else that mixed up beneath it.
"Are you sure?"
She nodded. "I don't want to stay home just doing nothing, I just—" She stopped. Swallowed hard.
"I can't skip class, there's a test today..."
Silence.
It took a few seconds for her mother to process it. It was hard indeed.
"Alright—but don't push yourself," Her mother took her hands, holding them tight but not too much. "...Okay?"
She nodded, "Okay... mom."
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Do I really need to continue this?
She glanced at her own reflection. The white fabrics wrapped around her head. Clinging like it will not go away, just like a flea on your head.
A sigh.
She knows that it was pointless to give up.
But thinking that she might have the chance. The thing on her hand.
Drugs.
Knife.
Rope.
Alcohol.
Cigarettes.
Can you really call a kid innocent if they already have those things on their hands?
No.
Not now.
It is funny to see someone thought they could survive in a world that was slowly crushing them. In and out. No escape once you fall in.
Kazuna gripped on the sink tightly, her knuckles began to turn white slowly. Teeth gritted hard.
Her own eyes stared in that questioning black.
Hollow. Tired.
But still there, at least. Even though she was barely holding on.
At least she has the chance to show that she's here, existing.
"...Kazuna?" A sudden call. "You'll be late,"
She blinked. The sink was still under her hands. And as she raised her head, the reflection was still staring back.
Right into her soul.
"...Coming—"
Kazuna quickly snapped back into her sanity. Right. There's no time to think about that. As long as she keeps playing the act as a student—anything will be fine... right?
Okay… Kazuna, be calm. Keep it cool…
She brushed it off while fixing her hair just right. Keeping the white fabric stay hidden with her hair.
She had prepared herself and the things she needed. She'd even take her time to study a little, just in case.
Now, she was wearing her shoes right before she left. The blood was still there. Evidence. Maybe after school she will clean it up...
As she stood, she thought she'll just go and leave. Thinking the argument was over.
She was wrong.
Her mom was already waiting behind her.
"I'm walking you to school."
Kazuna looked around. Her mother stood by the genkan with her coat already on, house keys in hand, that particular expression on her face-the one that said this is not a discussion.
"I'll be fine—"
"You just fell into a river," Her mother's voice was calm, but firm. "And, you still have a bandage on your forehead, then you want me to let you walk alone?"
"What about dad and brothe—"
"Don't worry, they'll be fine, mom already told dad about it." Her mother cut her words.
She widened her eyes. "Mom told dad—" She held her breath, "About it...?"
"About mom will walk Kazuna to school today,"
Kazuna felt relieved upon hearing that.
It was a close call.
"That's what I thought, now come on—before you're late." Her mother nodded once, satisfied, then opened the front door quickly.
The morning light spilled in, softer than before-the golden hour had faded into something gentler, more ordinary. But the feeling remains the same.
The kind of feeling that she couldn't quite explain.
They walked in silence for the first block.
Kazuna kept her eyes on the pavement, watching her shadow stretch and shrink. Her schoolbag felt heavier than usual. Or maybe she was just more tired than she wanted to admit.
Of course, she only got sleep for a couple of hours.
Then beside her, her mother matched her pace exactly. Not rushing. Not slowing either. Just... there. Accompanying.
Kazuna wasn't used to this.
Not the walking together part—they'd done that before, when she was younger. But the quiet between them. Usually, her mother filled the silence with questions.
Are you sleeping enough? Have you done your homework? How was school? Did you eat lunch?
But today, she just walked.
And somehow, the silence was louder than any question.
Finally, Kazuna couldn't resist it anymore. Her grip on the bag tightened. "...You're not going to ask?"
Her mother glanced at her. "Ask... what?"
"Of what happened. Really."
A pause. Even though they were still walking. A car passed on the road behind them, the sound fading as quickly as it came.
Not going to lie, Kazuna was almost distracted.
"Do you want to tell me?"
She stiffened. Only stared straight ahead, at the intersection coming up, at the convenience store on the corner, at anything that wasn't her mother's face.
A sharp sigh.
"...No—"
Her mother nodded. Not disappointed, neither frustrated. Just... accepting.
"Then I won't ask."
As she said that, she just stared at her mother. Took a few moments until she nodded slightly in relief.
"Okay…"
The time's still moving on as they walk. They crossed the street together. Staying on the sidewalk. The society had woken up. Starting the day like it was just another day.
"You don't have to face it all alone," her mother added quietly, "When you're ready, I'll listen."
That was the nicest thing everyone had said to her, something that could prove that someone really cares about her.
But Kazuna didn't respond. She couldn't. Her throat felt too full.
They walked another block in silence. But it was a different kind of silence now. Less heavy. More like... breathing room. And she's glad about it.
Her mother stopped first.
They were at the corner before the school gate. Other students were starting to appear—some walking alone, some in small clusters, all of them in the same uniform. Normal. Ordinary.
Like there was no chaos. Just—quiet.
"I'll leave you here," her mother said. "Is it okay?"
Kazuna turned to look at her. Nodded. Small. And that's enough.
Her mother smiled, small, but real. "Alright, take care—okay?"
But before she could turn away, her mother reached out and adjusted the collar of her uniform. A small gesture. Unhurried.
"Make a call if something happened. Let me know, got it?"
Her mother's hand lingered for a moment. Then she stepped back.
"Go," she said softly. "Before you're late."
Kazuna nodded. She took two steps, then stopped.
"...Mom?" She turned around for once more.
"Yes?"
She hesitated. Didn't know why. But she got to say it, better than say nothing at all.
"...Thank you. For walking me."
Her mother was quiet for a moment. Then,
"Always."
Kazuna almost smiled. Almost.
But she turned around quickly. Lighter on her shoulders. Kazuna walked toward the school gate. She didn't look back. No need.
Because she felt her mother's gaze on her back until she reached the entrance—warm, steady, waiting. It felt like watching your own daughter getting so much grown up quickly. Even though they were not blood related.
As she walked, she could feel the eyes staring at her. The bandage. It was annoying how it stood out so clearly.
Eyes. Whispers. As if she was the whole attention of the whole school.
It creeped her out, like there was something crawling on her back. And it felt like it could make her die if she didn't run from there.
Stay calm, stay calm…
She took a deep breath before quickening her pace gradually, didn't care if it was gonna hurt her head.
As she finally got in, she swapped her shoes. Put them in the locker. And run again—to her class.
Kazuna swiftly dodged everyone in the hallway. There was no point in stopping. Because those eyes still pointed at her.
She kept her head down, hair falling over the bandage on her forehead. Hoping that no one would look at her face at this point.
Finally, her class.
She slammed the door open, almost. Then goes to her desk like usual. Put her bag on the side and let herself sit down.
Gasping for air. Her head throbbed like it had been shot by a gun.
The room buzzed from the students talking about everything. It was normal, like usual. A chaos in the morning before the class even started. The students are shuffling papers, whispering across desks, someone at the back laughing too loud.
She just needed peace for now.
Please.
But it was already pointless to even have a hope when she first landed her foot here.
The students were scattered everywhere. Talks. Laughs. Footsteps. And weirdly, every sound that they make feels louder and louder.
The thing is, she couldn't try to ignore all of that voice. She can't. She doesn't know how. She got distracted easily. Maybe that's why.
And, no one looked at her. Yet.
Or maybe they did, she just didn't notice.
Because that is true.
Then—
BZZT. BZZT
It sounds like a phone vibrating against a desk. Itsuki's. His desk is not too far away from her rows. Violent.
Kazuna didn't look around. She didn't want to. She couldn't even calm herself right now.
But everyone could easily notice the sound that he's making while typing. Fast. Desperate. His thumbs hammered the keyboard like he was defusing a bomb.
Meanwhile, a message appeared on Riku's phone while he was walking to his own classroom.
[come to my class, now.]
[urgent.]
[pls]
[!!!!!]
Riku, who was in the hallway, stared at the screen for half a second.
Then he ran.
——————————————————
In the middle of the noise—her mind started to feel calm like the water.
She let herself drift away into the deep of the ocean of peaceful mind.
But then.
The door slammed open so hard it bounced off the wall.
Every head turned.
Riku. Stood in the doorway, chest heaving, eyes wild, scanning the room for—something. A threat. Blood. His brother on the floor. Or anything.
But instead, he saw Itsuki sitting at his desk. Unharmed. Confused by his own brother's reaction.
"...Brother?" Itsuki tilted his head. "A—Are you okay?"
Riku didn't answer right away. He could feel his heart almost dropped right away.
"You think I'm okay after you send me that?"
Itsuki chuckles awkwardly. "Oh—well, uhm... I'm sorry..."
The older brother just nodded slowly while trying to catch some air. But his gaze turned on the familiar girl two rows over.
Kazuna.
Sitting at her desk. Bandage still on her forehead. Alive.
His breathing slowly steadied. Moving forward.
"Inoue...?"
Riku. She didn't even realize that he was already standing in front of her all this time. Almost flinched for a second.
Kazuna looked up, expression unreadable. "...Yeah—"
"Aren't you supposed to be at home now?"
She shook her head, "I wanted to come."
Behind Riku, another figure also appeared in the doorway.
Tanaka. Also out of breath. Scanning the room. Then, eyes found Kazuna—who wasn't supposed to be here, and something flickered across his face-relief, frustration, and something else he couldn't name.
"You," Tanaka firmly calls out.
Kazuna sighed. "Me."
He stepped into the classroom, ignoring the stares from every student around him. "You just got hit with a metal bat. And now you're here?"
"I have a test. And anyway, could you try not to sound so obvious?"
"That's not—" He stopped. Ran a hand through his hair. "You're crazy."
Riku crossed his arms, still standing in the doorway like a guard who forgot he wasn't on duty. "Does your mom know you're here?"
Kazuna hesitated. Just a fraction of a second.
"She walked me to school." She shrugged her shoulders.
That wasn't a yes. Riku noticed. Tanaka noticed. Itsuki noticed too.
But before either of them could push further, Kazuna gestured vaguely at the room around them. "Also—you're both seniors. In a junior classroom,"
True.
"People are staring." she darted.
True... again.
Whispers had already started. Students leaned toward each other, eyes darting between the two older boys.
But they also whispered to the girl with the bandage on her head.
"Isn't that senior Tanaka...?"
"And Riku too—what are they doing here?"
"Why are they talking to her?"
"The weird kid?"
A girl in the front row tugged at her friend's sleeve, voice barely concealed. "Since when are Inoue friends with them?"
Kazuna kept her face neutral. But she couldn't help her fingers tightened around the edge of her desk.
"So, you guys seemed pretty popular, huh?" She said sarcastically.
Tanaka smirked. That damn smirk.
"Heh... what now? You want our photogra—"
Riku nudged his stomach by the elbow. Shut it.
Ouch. That must hurt.
Tanaka stepped back, raising his hands like he meant no harm.
"...Fine, fine. We're leaving."
"Good," Kazuna said.
Riku grabbed Tanaka by the shoulder, already pulling him toward the door. "We'll talk later," he said, glancing back at Kazuna.
"Don't do anything stupid." Tanaka said, almost like a threat.
Kazuna tilted her head. "Define stupid."
"Anything you would normally do."
She rolled her eyes.
The door closed behind them, but the whispers didn't stop.
Kazuna stared straight ahead at the chalkboard, ignoring the eyes on her back.
While the boy widened his eyes and raised his eyebrows like it was a tragic event. Well it is... they did face a tragic event.
Kazuna noticed that, "I'm fine, don't worry about me." A pause. "What about your injuries?"
Itsuki raised his hands. "I'm… pretty fine, I've bandaged my hands." He gulped down. "You…"
"I've told you I'm fine—"
"But—look at your head, it looks like it would blow up in any second...!"
"Don't make it dramatic, just keep it hush." She hushed him down.
He closed his mouth, and nodded with a worried look before he went back to his seat.
A relief, she didn't have to argue about it.
——————————————————
It was finally lunchtime.
For this time, she decided to spend the time on the school yard. Not noisy, not quiet either.
Kazuna sat with her back against the fence, bento box balanced on her knees that her mother prepared for her. The bandage on her forehead itched in the afternoon sun, but at least there's a tree that makes shade above her.
Thankfully, there were no people around her. Well they were, but not close.
So no whispers. No eyes crawling on her back.
Just the wind. The sky. The tree, and the distant sound of the city breathing.
Just as she thought she would be alone during lunchtime.
Itsuki.
He noticed that Kazuna eats alone.
"...H—Hey." He calls as he approaches.
Kazuna raises her head. "Oh, hey."
"Can I sit here?"
She just nodded.
Itsuki sat beside her. Not too far. Not touching. Just quite. He crossed his leg, unwrapping a tin foil bundle with careful hands.
"Riku made a little too many this morning," he said, holding out half a sandwich. "Want some?"
Kazuna looked at it. Egg salad. Simple. The bread slightly squished from being in his bag.
"...Sure."
She took it. Then comes a bite.
It was good. Really good. But she didn't say anything.
She wonders how Riku can make such a good meal...
They both ate in silence for a while. Not the heavy kind. Just two tired kids chewing their own lunch
And, it didn't take too long for them to finish their lunch.
Then Itsuki shifted, reaching for his bag. "Oh, I almost forgot—"
Something fell out of his pocket.
A small charm. Leather cord. A single silver bead.
Kazuna's eyes caught it before it hit the ground.
Familiar.
Itsuki picked it up quickly, brushing off the dust. "Sorry—it's just fell like that,"
Kazuna stared at the bead.
Have I seen it before?
"Itsuki."
He blinked. "Yeah?"
"Can I... see that?"
He hesitated for a second, then handed it over. His fingers were warm. And the charm was oddly cold.
"...It's a good luck charm, they said," He scratched his head. "My brother gave it to me years ago."
She turned it over in her palm. The silver bead wasn't just a bead. It had a symbol carved into it. Small. Almost invisible unless you were looking.
A deer.
Antlers curled into a circle.
Her thumb traced the shape without thinking. The world around her fuzzed—just for a second. The wind stopped. The city went quiet.
Then, everything snapped back.
Kazuna's hand was shaking.
"Itsuki," She said again, voice lower now. "Where did your brother really get this?"
Itsuki's face paled. "I... I don't know. He just said someone gave it to him a long time ago."
"...Why?"
She didn't answer.
Because she didn't have one.
But there was something scratching at the back of her mind.
Something she couldn't quite explain.
Snow.
Wait, snow what?
Kazuna tilted her head, just slightly. There's a memory that wasn't hers. Warm eyes watching her through glass.
A deer.
Deer? Why a deer?
No. This doesn't make sense...
"Inoue? Are you okay?"
She snapped back to her senses. "Wha—I'm fine..."
"I think you're not—"
"I'm fine. Really."
Itsuki was unsure about it. But he didn't ask further.
While her mind feels like spinning over the world. Her head is in a lot of pain now.
The charm. That symbol... where?
Then.
A necklace.
Right—she had a necklace.
She took it out quickly. Taking it off from her neck.
Then. Side by side.
The bead. Both beads are exactly the same.
"Itsuki," She calls once more.
"Yeah?"
"Do you know where your brother is right now?"