Chapter 39: What the Blue Ink Remembered
The headquarters corridors…
The traces of battle had yet to fade. Burn marks stained the walls, dried blood marked the floor. The lights flickered, and long shadows stretched across the ground.
Haruto walked in front. His steps were fast, but uneven.
Kaito followed behind him—silent, alert, and unusually tense.
At the end of the corridor, a small door came into view.
"REST ROOM – TWINS"
Haruto stopped.
He was still holding the paper they had taken from Nitta.
There was nothing on it—just a single smear of blue ink.
Haruto stared at the paper, frowning.
Haruto:
"This paper… it was blank just a moment ago.
But now… I have a strange feeling."
Kaito didn't look away.
Kaito:
"Because it isn't blank."
Haruto turned to him sharply.
Haruto:
"What do you mean, it isn't blank?
There's nothing written on it."
Kaito took a step closer.
For the first time, his voice carried something different—
something old, deeply old.
Kaito:
"This is Doctor Mitsuni's ability."
Haruto's eyes widened.
Haruto:
"…What?"
He paused, then raised his voice.
Haruto:
"Wait— Mitsuni had an ability like that?
I… I didn't know."
Kaito fell silent for a brief moment.
Then Haruto asked the question that had been forming in his mind.
Haruto:
"How do you know?"
Kaito slowly moved his hand toward the paper.
The blue ink rippled, as if it were breathing.
In the dim corridor light, letters began to appear one by one.
Haruto held his breath.
"Yuki, Zen, and Shin are on their way to the shelter.
They are using the southern route.
When Taro headed to the shelter while injured,
I did not see the children.
Please check anyway."
Haruto whispered.
Haruto:
"…Zen… Shin…"
They were standing right in front of the door now.
A faint light leaked out from inside.
Without taking his eyes off the paper, Kaito spoke.
Kaito:
"This is how Mitsuni's ability works.
Not everyone can see the message."
Haruto was still stunned.
Haruto:
"Then why can you see it?"
Kaito didn't answer.
For a moment, the corridor fell silent.
And that silence…
shifted into another time.
Years Ago – The Orphanage
A cold room.
Wooden beds.
Pale daylight seeping in through the window.
A small boy sat curled up in the corner.
Kaito.
Bandages wrapped around his hands.
His face looked tough, but fear lingered in his eyes.
The door creaked open.
A man in a white coat stepped inside—tired, calm,
with a faintly playful smile on his face.
Mitsuni.
He crouched down until he was at Kaito's eye level.
Mitsuni:
"Does it hurt?"
Kaito didn't answer.
Mitsuni took out a small piece of paper from his pocket.
With blue ink, he drew a single line on it
and placed it in front of Kaito.
After a short while…
Words appeared.
"You are not alone."
Kaito couldn't take his eyes off the paper.
Kaito:
"…How did you do that?"
Mitsuni smiled softly.
Mitsuni:
"You'll understand when you grow up.
But some bonds…
aren't formed by blood—
they're formed by remembering."