The TV blared — just a random news channel spouting on about recent events back on earth: worker revolts, resources becoming scarce, martial law taking over the core state across the planet.
Kanesaki sat slouched back on the couch, eyes growing numb as the voice of the reporters faded out into a static gibberish, the screen turning to just a bright light emanating into his face.
His head still hurt, occasionally throbbing and aching — all he could do was sit, stare and zone out.
Beside him, Yasuko stretched, arching her back as bones cracked. She let out a happy sigh before relaxing again, sliding her legs onto Kanesaki's lap, her arms cradling the back of her head as she turned to face the TV, an expression of sheer distaste on her face.
She eyed Kanesaki, noticing how he'd zoned out for ages now, choosing to lightly kick his leg to snap him out of it.
'Oi, Kanesaki' she said, a look of slight concern and confusion on her face as she raised her leg, nudging his side with her foot. 'you tired?'
He glanced down at her, catching her gaze for a second, his vision partially blurry as he nodded in silence.
Slowly sliding her legs from his lap, Yasuko stood, wandered over to one of the other chairs, grabbed a pillow and brought it to Kanesaki, placing it on one end of the couch before she grabbed his shoulders and helped lay him down against the soft fabric, his eyes closing as his breathing eased up.
Hours passed.
Yasuko laid on the floor, having brought a pillow to rest her head on as she switched through channel after channel.
Kanesaki snored quietly above her, having finally gotten some rest since waking up.
Dashing the remote onto the TV stand, Yasuko sighed and groaned, turning onto her back as she stared to the ceiling, eventually feeling drowsy as her eyes fought to stay open, finally succumbing to her tiredness and closing.
'It's getting late, you two', Akami's voice rang out from down one of the halls. She stepped into the room, noticing that it was nearly pitch black, the TV the only source of proper light. She stood over the couch, her lips curling onto a wholesome smile as she saw Kanesaki sleeping on the couch whilst Yasuko lay sprawled out on the carpet, her loud snores echoing through the room.
***
Kanesaki opened his eyes.
Light poured down on him — bright, almost sacred — forcing him to shield his face as he blinked against it. When the glare softened, he pushed himself upright.
He wore a long-sleeved white shirt. Black trousers. Clean. Untorn.
His head didn't hurt.
That alone told him this wasn't real.
He stood slowly.
Flowers stretched endlessly in every direction, rolling beneath a pale sky. The wind moved through them in gentle waves, brushing against his legs, tugging at his hair. The air was cool. Still.
He took a step.
The grass bent beneath his feet and sprang back soundlessly. Another step stirred something small and weightless.
A butterfly burst upward.
It fluttered once, then drifted down, settling on the bridge of his nose.
Crimson red. Edged in sharp black.
Kanesaki recoiled instinctively, falling back into the grass as a sudden cold crept through his limbs. His hands trembled, fingers digging into the earth.
The butterfly lifted away, vanishing into the flowers with a soft rustle.
Warmth returned. His breathing slowed.
'Beautiful, aren't they?'
The voice echoed unnaturally, folding over itself as if spoken inside a vast hollow space. Kanesaki froze, a shiver tracing his spine as he turned toward the sound.
A small figure knelt among the flowers in the distance.
Child-sized.
The figure carefully lifted a bloom, revealing another butterfly perched upon it. Then he stood.
A boy — no older than twelve.
His hair was a soft peachy red, almost glowing at the tips, like embers catching light. His eyes held a steady warmth, calm and unreadable. He wore white, simple and unmarked, one hand tucked casually into his pocket as the other released the flower, watching it fall back into the field.
The boy turned fully.
His gaze met Kanesaki's.
Pain detonated behind Kanesaki's eyes.
The sky collapsed into darkness, light swallowed by a blood-red eclipse. Static tore through the air, violent and shrill, drowning out thought. Kanesaki dropped to his knees, clutching his head as sound crashed into him — screams layered over screams, glass shattering, reality stuttering as if tearing itself apart.
He forced one eye open.
The boy was gone.
A man stood in his place.
Tall. Pale.
He looked unfinished — like a sketch left incomplete. His outline was drawn in deep black, his hair and clothes stark white. A thick black streak obscured his eyes, as if someone had tried to erase them.
Disappointment was etched into his expression.
The flowers around them began to rot. Petals blackened and crumbled, the grass bleeding red beneath Kanesaki's trembling hands.
The man lifted a finger.
The crimson butterfly landed on it obediently.
'Watch,' the man said quietly. 'Watch it break free.'
The butterfly convulsed.
Its body swelled, splitting from within as something forced its way out. The shell tore apart, collapsing into wet fragments as new wings unfolded — jagged, malformed, coated in the remains of what had once been beautiful.
Kanesaki gagged.
A grotesque butterfly now stood where the other had been, twitching softly as the man smiled faintly.
'You will feel it,' he said. 'The hunger. The need. The fear.'
The creature lifted into the air and descended, landing beneath Kanesaki's chin. Its antennae pierced his lips, prying his mouth open as it crawled inside, scraping against his teeth and tongue.
Kanesaki reached up blindly.
The man's foot slammed down on his wrist, pinning it to the ground.
'But what you become,' the man murmured, leaning closer, the black smear where his eyes should be turning toward Kanesaki. 'That's what interests me.'
The butterfly disappeared down his throat.
Kanesaki choked, the world folding inward as the red eclipse warped into a spiraling void. The field dissolved. The sky tore apart.
Everything went black.
And then—
'Kanesakiiii!'
The voice hit him like a shockwave.
Kanesaki jerked, lungs dragging in air as his eyes snapped open. The world swam — stone ceiling, warm lanternlight, shadows crawling along the walls. His vision blurred, doubled, then slowly pulled itself back together.
Yasuko stood over him, hands on her knees, breathing hard. Relief flickered across her face before she scowled.
'There you are,' she muttered. 'You've been out since yesterday afternoon.'
Kanesaki groaned, rubbing at his face. Everything hurt. His skull felt packed with sand, his thoughts grinding against each other when he tried to line them up.
'Y… Yesterday…?' His tongue felt thick, words slurring awkwardly.
'Don't,' Yasuko said quickly, grabbing his wrist as he tried to sit up too fast.
He ignored her anyway, pushing himself upright with a hiss of pain. His legs wobbled beneath him, the room tilting sharply to one side.
'Need— need to stand,' he muttered, blinking hard. 'Head's— not right.'
'That's what being half-dead does to you,' she shot back, though her grip tightened, bracing him. 'Come on. Akami wants to see us.'
She hauled him to his feet, practically dragging him off the couch. Kanesaki stumbled, feet scraping against the stone floor as they moved into the tunnel-like halls beyond the living space. The walls closed in again — smooth, orange-tan rock lit by dim electric strips embedded along the ceiling. Each step sent a dull throb through his spine.
He tried to speak again. 'Yasu—ko— wait— slow—'
'Not happening,' she said, tugging him along. 'You walk now or you get carried.'
'…Might prefer— carried,' he mumbled.
She snorted despite herself and kept going.
They rounded a bend and emerged into a wider chamber, dominated by a massive, reinforced door set into the stone. Thick cables snaked into its sides, power conduits humming softly, blue indicator lights pulsing in steady rhythm. It looked heavy enough to stop a tank.
Someone leaned against the wall beside it.
Akami straightened as they approached, arms crossing loosely. Her gaze flicked over Kanesaki — assessing, sharp — before settling into something more serious.
'Tired, are we?' She smiled to herself.
Kanesaki squinted at her, head pounding. 'Akami,' he said slowly, as if testing the name. 'Right?'
She arched a brow, subtly keeping her smirk. 'Memory's intact. That's promising.'
Yasuko eased him to a stop, keeping a hand at his back. 'You said you needed us,' she said. 'What's going on?'
Akami glanced toward the door. The hum of the power units deepened slightly, as if responding to her attention.
'The one who brought you here,' she said. 'The masked one.'
Kanesaki's chest tightened.
Akami continued, calm but deliberate. 'They didn't stay. Dropped you off, left for a job, only got back now.'
Akami's eyes flicked to the sealed door as a low, distant rumble vibrated through the stone — something moving far beyond.
The lights above the door flickered once.
And somewhere beyond the stone and steel, something powerful began to wake.
It roared, echoing through the walls, practically shaking the tunnels entirely. Then came the sound of something moving, the whirring grind of gears and wires zipping down as the noise drew closer, finally coming to a smashing halt just beyond the doors.
Yasuko's fingers clenched Kanesaki's shirt, finding some form of safety in his presence.
Sounds of steam rushed through the pipes along the walls as the gears hidden by stone began to turn, the doors sliding open carefully.
Kanesaki stared ahead, two silhouettes stood beyond the doors — he caught the glimpse of one of their eyes, a red glint shining off under the elevator light.
Chapter 62 — end