Saō Hyun was not sure whether what he was living now was real,
or merely a short dream that would be taken from him the moment he fully opened his eyes.
The warmth was still there.
And that alone was suspicious.
In his life,
warm things did not stay.
He lay slightly on his side. Pain moved through his leg, and he let out a soundless groan.
The girl noticed.
She lifted her head toward him quickly, as if she had been watching him even when he was not looking.
She said softly,
"I told you… don't move."
There was no command in her voice.
Only concern.
That unsettled him.
He thought,
Why do you care?
Is it because I might die here?
He opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Words do not come easily when you do not know whether you are allowed to speak.
A moment of silence passed.
The fire crackled.
The wood sighed.
Then she said,
"Are you… thirsty?"
He did not answer at once.
He thought.
Thirst?
Yes.
But the question felt too large.
As if admitting thirst meant admitting need.
He nodded slowly.
She stood, took a small clay vessel, came closer, and helped him lift his head slightly.
Her hands were warm, but they trembled faintly.
He drank.
The water was ordinary.
But it felt rare.
He breathed deeply.
"Thank you…" he said hoarsely.
The word came out strange, unfamiliar.
The girl froze for a moment.
Then she gave that same small smile.
"It's alright."
A young man was sitting near the entrance.
Only now did Saō Hyun see him clearly.
He was a little taller than the girl, his shoulders slender but firm.
His face was sharp — not harsh, but tired.
His eyes were black, holding something of doubt, and something of protection.
His arms were scratched — the marks of hard work, and of hunting that was not gentle.
The young man said,
"Don't worry."
Then added, as if he did not know how to continue,
"We won't hurt you."
Those words…
They made Saō Hyun's heart tighten.
He thought,
Everyone who has said that…
was lying.
But he said nothing.
He lowered his eyes.
The girl noticed.
She said,
"This is… my brother."
Then she looked at the young man.
"And he doesn't know how to speak gently."
The young man breathed out through his nose, as if used to the accusation.
"And you trust people too quickly," he said — without sharpness.
She looked at him.
"Because he was going to die."
Silence fell.
Saō Hyun felt something strange in his chest.
They were arguing…
because of me?
He lifted his gaze slowly.
"I'm… sorry," he said, very softly.
Both of them turned toward him.
"For… causing you trouble."
He did not know why he said that.
He only felt that he should.
The girl shook her head quickly.
"You didn't."
Then she added, after a pause,
"We… only found you."
The young man said,
"You were lying near the forest. If the sun hadn't fallen—"
He stopped.
He did not finish.
He did not need to.
Saō Hyun closed his eyes.
I was very close… he thought.
He opened them again.
He looked at the girl.
"Your name?"
The word came out hesitantly.
As if he were testing whether he was allowed to ask.
She exchanged a quick glance with her brother.
Then she said,
"My name is… Ara."
She said it calmly — without pride, without fear.
A simple name.
A name that does not hurt.
He looked at the young man.
"And I'm… Jon," he said, as if placing a boundary between them.
Saō Hyun hesitated.
His name…
It was heavy.
His name was tied to things that had died.
He thought,
If I say my name…
will something bad happen?
He stayed silent for a long time.
Ara did not press him.
Jon did not look at him.
The warmth remained.
The fire did not go out.
At last he said, in a voice barely audible,
"Saō… Hyun."
The name fell into the room.
Nothing happened.
The ceiling did not break.
No one died.
Ara smiled.
"It's nice to meet you, Saō Hyun."
Jon said after a moment,
"You'll stay here until you recover."
It sounded almost like a decision.
Saō Hyun felt afraid.
And something else.
Something that felt like…
relief.
He thought, as he stared into the fire,
If I stay a little…
will I get used to it?
And is getting used to things… painful?
He did not know.
But he closed his eyes.
And he was not afraid.
For the first time in a very long time.