Darkness.
Then—
"Again? Seriously, Raito?"
A woman's voice snapped through the hallway.
Haruka sat on the cold floor beside a door left barely cracked open. His small hands rested in his lap — bruised, wrapped in bandages, scraped raw. A dark boot print stained the back of his shirt.
He lifted his head.
Across from him, behind glass, a case of trophies gleamed under fluorescent light.
Gold. Silver. Perfect smiles frozen in time.
And there—
Himself.
Younger. Smaller. So small he couldn't see below the reflection's eyes.
The mask wasn't there.
But it still felt like it was watching him.
"Ma'am, please calm down," a man said softly.
Haruka leaned closer to the door.
Inside the office, Raito stood rigid. His fists were clenched at his sides, knuckles dark with dried blood. His eyes burned — red, furious, restless — like something caged and shaking its bars.
"I can't calm down," their mother said, her hands shaking as she pressed them to her head. "It's only a matter of time before he actually kills someone."
Raito didn't speak.
"I've confirmed with the hospital," the man replied gently. "The other boy will recover."
Silence.
"Have you considered anger management?" the man added.
Raito flinched.
"Come again?" the man asked.
Their mother turned to Raito.
"Raito?" she said softly.
The fire in his eyes flickered.
"I—I'm not angry," she whispered, sinking to her knees and pulling him into a tight embrace. "I'm not angry, my baby."
Raito's hands trembled.
His eyes faded back to their normal color.
And for just a second—
He looked past her.
Straight at Haruka.
Not angry.
Broken.
Begging.
The man noticed Haruka at the door.
The door closed.
Darkness.
Haruka woke to the smell of smoke.
His vision blurred. Shelves lay overturned. Glass crunched beneath his fingers.
A pharmacy.
And there—
Raito stood on the counter.
Firelight painted his face orange. Blood dripped from his hands, his gun still warm. Zombies groaned outside, pounding against the doors.
Raito smiled.
Not wide.
Free.
Like the world had finally made sense.
Then—
Darkness.
They walked together.
A crowd pressed around them, shuffling forward through ruined streets.
"Where are we going again?" Haruka asked.
"The next city over," Raito said. "Uncle's place. That's where it'll all be over."
He smiled down at Haruka.
"Oh—while you were out, I found bread. The sweet kind."
He pulled out half a banana loaf.
"I'm hungry," Haruka said.
"How long was I asleep?"
"Six hours. Maybe."
Haruka broke the bread in half and handed some back.
Raito hesitated.
Then took it.
Darkness.
Screams.
The crowd shattered.
Zombies poured in like water through broken glass.
Hands grabbed.
Teeth snapped.
Raito was dragged away.
A zombie latched onto his shoulder.
Haruka screamed—
Pain exploded through his torso.
The world went quiet.
"I'm sorry, Mama," Haruka whispered. "I couldn't protect Raito. I never could."
A voice answered.
"You disgust me, Haruka."
Darkness.
"Papa?" Haruka asked.
Another voice — softer now.
"Come with me, my baby."
"You've done all you could."
"…Okay."
"But Raito?" Haruka asked. "Is he coming too?"
"Of course," the voice said. "He's right here with me."
"Wait—"
"—RAITO!"
Haruka jolted upright, arms reaching for nothing.
Sweat soaked his skin.
Beside him sat Alice, calmly slicing an apple.
"Alice…" Haruka whispered.