Silence was the first thing to return.
A heavy silence, spread wide, as if a cover had been laid over the world.
Saō Hyun was holding Ara.
Holding her tightly, as if he feared she would melt if he let go.
Her body was trembling.
And his body was trembling with hers.
He thought:
It's over… isn't it?
This is what silence means… isn't it?
He did not know why he did not believe the silence.
He did not know why his heart was still beating so fast.
He did not know why he felt that something had not closed yet.
Ara was crying silently.
Burying her face in his chest.
"I was scared…" she whispered.
He held her tighter.
"I'm here."
He said it without knowing what the word here even meant.
—
Then…
The voice came.
From behind.
Calm.
Cold.
As if it had never left.
"Ah… right."
Saō Hyun's body froze.
The sound of the world froze.
He turned slowly.
The man was there.
Standing as he had been.
As if the distance had not moved.
As if time itself had bent only for him.
He said while looking at Ara:
"I forgot this."
He smiled.
"The leader will like her."
Ara did not understand.
Saō Hyun did.
And his understanding was heavier than he could bear.
He screamed:
"No—!"
He moved.
But his body was slower than terror.
In one step, the man was in front of them.
He reached out his hand.
And took Ara.
Simply.
As one takes something from the ground.
Ara screamed.
"Saō Hyun!!!"
He reached out.
He touched the air.
Nothing.
No weight.
No warmth.
Only emptiness.
The man carried her over his shoulder, as if she weighed nothing.
He turned slightly.
Looked at Saō Hyun.
And said with indifference:
"Don't follow me."
Then he disappeared.
—
Saō Hyun remained standing.
His hands were still outstretched.
As if they could not believe there was nothing in them.
He thought:
He took her…
He took her so easily…
Like breath being taken from the chest.
He ran.
He ran without knowing where.
He fell.
He stood up.
He screamed her name.
But his voice could not reach her.
—
Then he remembered.
Jon.
He turned.
Ran toward Jon.
Jon was on the ground.
So much blood.
His face pale.
His eyes half open.
Saō Hyun knelt beside him.
"Jon… Jon look at me… I'm here… I'm here…"
He pressed on the wound.
The blood did not stop.
Jon looked at him.
Smiled.
A very small smile.
"You're… slow."
He laughed softly.
Then coughed blood.
"But… thank you for… trying."
"Don't talk," Saō Hyun said quickly. "You'll get tired."
"I'm tired already."
Jon looked at the sky.
"She's… strong… she'll live."
Saō Hyun held his hand tightly.
"Don't leave us… please… don't leave us…"
Jon looked at him.
A long look.
Quiet.
As if he were saying goodbye to the whole world through the eyes of one child.
"Take care of her… if you can."
Then…
His hand went still.
It grew cold.
Its weight became light.
Saō Hyun kept holding it.
Not moving.
Not breathing.
He thought:
If I let go… he will really die.
But he had already died.
From the moment his heart went silent.
—
Saō Hyun remained sitting.
The sky was blue.
Birds were flying.
The world was working.
Only one thing was broken.
Him.
He thought:
They took Ara.
They took Jon.
They took the house.
They took the silence.
They even took escape.
He lifted his head.
His eyes were dry.
His voice had no tears.
"I will look for her."
He said it like someone deciding to breathe.
"I will look for her until the world ends… or I do."
He pressed his hand into the dirt.
"And when I find you… I will not be a child anymore."
And that was the first promise that had no innocence in it .