Back at Zuki's resident...
The apartment had grown quiet.
Fresh from his shower, Zuki sat at the foot of the staircase, drying the last traces of water from his hair with a towel. His little brother had finally fallen asleep upstairs, leaving the house wrapped in a rare moment of peace.
Outside, the sky had changed.
The clouds that had gathered throughout the evening now stretched endlessly across the horizon, dark and heavy, "...Looks like it's finally raining."
He stared through the window for another moment before folding the towel over his shoulder.
Just then...
"Big brother..." A weak voice drifted from upstairs.
Zuki immediately stood, "I'm coming."
He hurried up the stairs and entered the bedroom.
His seven-year-old brother lay curled beneath the blanket, breathing unevenly. Sweat soaked his forehead despite the cool evening air, "...You're burning up again." Zuki knelt beside him and gently placed a hand against his forehead, still hot, he reached for the bottle of medicine resting beside the bed.
"Here..." Supporting the boy carefully, he helped him swallow another dose before laying him back down, "There... You'll feel better soon." His little brother managed a weak nod before closing his eyes again.
Then...
RING...
The telephone downstairs rang.
Zuki glanced toward the hallway, "...I'll be right back." He hurried downstairs and lifted the receiver.
"...Hello? ...this is the Takamine residence."
Silence.
Then a deep voice answered, "So... We finally reached you."
Zuki frowned, "...Who is this?"
Before the man could answer...
"...ZUKI!"
His eyes widened, That voice.
"...Mom?"
"M-Mom!"
Another voice shouted somewhere beyond the receiver, "Shut her up!"
A sharp crack echoed through the line; his mother's cry was cut short.
Zuki froze.
The man on the phone spoke again, his tone calm enough to be terrifying, "So your old man's still hiding... Tell him this ....He owes our boss money, and we're done waiting."
Zuki couldn't breathe...
the voice continued "We've already got your mother."
"If your father doesn't pay... We're coming to collect the rest of the debt ourselves."
His grip tightened around the receiver, "...No..."
Then...
"Zuki!" His mother's voice broke through again, desperate this time "Take your brother—Run!"
Another blow, her voice disappeared beneath a muffled cry.
The man sighed, "...Looks like she doesn't know when to stay quiet."
He leaned closer to the receiver, "We're on our way."
"You and your little brother... Don't go anywhere."
Click.
The line went dead.
Silence, Zuki remained standing exactly where he was.
The receiver slowly slipped from his hand, swinging gently against its cord, his mind refused to move.
Mom...
His father...
Debt...
Then
"Big... brother..." The weak voice upstairs snapped him back to reality, his little brother.
Zuki bolted upstairs, the boy had begun coughing violently, his small body trembling beneath the blanket.
"I'm here."
"I'm here." He knelt beside him before instinctively reaching for the medicine bottle.
Empty.
His heart skipped, "...No." He shook it again.
Nothing, at that exact moment...
CRASH!!
Glass exploded downstairs, Zuki jerked toward the bedroom door.
Another crash followed, heavy footsteps entered the house, his blood turned cold.
Slowly... He crept toward the staircase and lowered himself enough to see into the entrance hall below.
Three men, the had already climbed through the shattered window, the other two were forcing themselves inside.
"...Search the house."
"If the father's hiding..."
"We'll drag him out."
Zuki's breathing became shallow, this wasn't a threat anymore, they were here.
Mom...
They really took Mom... His eyes darted upstairs. Hs brother, without thinking, he rushed back into the bedroom.
Rain suddenly hammered against the roof, within seconds, it poured across the city.
His little brother shivered violently, "...Hold on."
"There has to be a way." His eyes searched the room desperately.
Blankets.
Books.
Drawers.
Nothing.
Then...
The wardrobe.
He pulled it open, Clothes spilled onto the floor, he grabbed the thickest coat he could find and carefully wrapped it around his brother before securing the bundle tightly against his own chest.
Heavy footsteps echoed from below, "They're upstairs!"
Zuki's heart nearly stopped; his eyes shot toward the only remaining exit. The window, he forced it open, cold rain immediately lashed against his face,
Beyond it... The sloping rooftop.
Without another thought, he climbed through, rain soaked him instantly, his shoes slipped across the wet tiles as he pulled himself onto the roof while shielding his brother with his own body.
Behind him...
"There!"
"Found the kids!" Voices erupted inside the house.
One of the men climbed through the same window, "Hurry!"
Zuki stumbled backward across the roof.
His breathing came in panicked gasps, his eyes searched desperately; nowhere, no escape.
Then...
The edge, he looked down, darkness, only mud and shadows below.
Too high.
Too dangerous.
But behind him... The goon was getting closer.
Zuki tightened his grip around his brother, "...I'm sorry." He jumped; the world disappeared beneath him.
CRASH!!
Pain exploded through his body.
Something sharp tore into his side before he slammed into the soaked earth, for several seconds... He couldn't breathe, rain hammered against the ground around him, "...Ah..."
Ignoring the agony, he immediately looked down, his brother was still wrapped safely against him, still breathing, relief flooded through him, "...Thank goodness..." Using what strength remained, he forced himself upright.
Every movement sent fire through his ribs, he staggered into the rain; house after house, door after door, he pounded desperately.
"Please!"
"Help!"
"Please!"
No answer.
The neighborhood slept through the storm; no lights appeared, no doors opened.
His little brother shivered against his chest, "...Just a little farther..." He couldn't stop, not now.
Eventually the houses disappeared behind him.
The road stretched onward through the rain, his breathing became heavier, his legs weaker.
Each step hurt more than the last, something warm trickled beneath his shirt, he instinctively pressed a hand against his side, when he pulled it away... Blood.
Dark even beneath the rain, "...I..." His vision blurred, but he kept walking.
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He adjusted his little brother gently against his back, making sure the cloth stayed wrapped around him, "...Hang in there .... I can't scene anyone following us, for now"
Zuki swallowed hard, forcing his aching legs to keep moving, "Everything's going to be okay ...Big brother will protect you... I promise."
The rain gradually eased as he crossed the railway crossing, streetlights appeared farther ahead, their reflections shimmering across the wet pavement, his feet stumbled.
Again.
And again.
His body no longer obeyed him, "...Just... A little..."
Then...
"...ZUKI!!" A voice is head lifted weakly, two small figures were running toward him through the dimly lit alley beside the tracks, one waved frantically, the other shouted his name again.
Even through his fading vision...
He recognized them, Neyo... Kairo.
The last of the strength left his body, for the first time that night.... He felt safe just darkness swallowed him.
Next morning....
A warm ray of sunlight slipped through the hospital curtains.
It fell across Zuki's face, "...Mm..." His eyelids twitched, slowly, they opened. A white ceiling greeted him, the faint scent of disinfectant lingered in the air, accompanied by the steady rhythm of medical equipment somewhere outside the room.
For several seconds... He simply stared upward, "...Where..." His voice came out hoarse.
Confused, he slowly turned his head, the room was unfamiliar; A hospital room.
His gaze drifted toward the opposite wall.
Two men were already there, one leaned quietly against the wall with his arms folded, his dark hair had been tied into a shoulder-length ponytail, parted neatly down the center. His expression was calm, though his eyes never seemed to stop observing....
Beside him stood another man, tall, relaxed, messy afro-like hair.
"..." Zuki blinked, he knew that face, "...You..."
The man smiled, "Morning...."
"I don't think we've been properly introduced... My name's Finn."
Recognition finally clicked, he was the man Kairo had spoken to at the market yesterday.
Before Zuki could ask anything; The hospital door slid open, "Kairo!"
Neyo stepped inside first, followed closely by Kairo, who carried a small basket of fruit in both hands, behind them came Rina.
The moment they saw Zuki awake, both boys hurried over, "You're awake!"
"How're you feeling?"
Zuki looked from one familiar face to another, nothing made sense, the last thing he remembered...
Rain.
Darkness.
The railway crossing... His eyes suddenly widened, "...My little brother!" He tried to sit upright, pain shot through his ribs..
"Easy!" Rina gently rested a hand on his shoulder, "He's alright."
Neyo nodded immediately, "Yeah... He's safe, He's in another ward... Doctors are taking care of him."
Zuki froze, "...Safe?"
Rina smiled warmly, "Kairo and Neyo found both of you."
"...Thankfully, they reached you in time."
Neyo puffed out his chest proudly, "I told you we should go check on him."
Kairo slowly turned toward him, "...but I was the one who suggested it."
"Huh?... you only agreed because it looked like it was going to rain."
Kairo stared at him, Neyo grinned shamelessly "...So still counts."
Despite everything...A faint smile almost reached Zuki's face, "...But..."
He looked between them, "...How did you know something was wrong?"
Neyo glanced toward Kairo, "He noticed."
Zuki followed his gaze, Kairo rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "...Yesterday .... You kept zoning out."
"And... You didn't seem like yourself."
"We thought... Maybe we should check on you."
Silence filled the room...
Zuki lowered his eyes, "...I..." He didn't know what to say.
Neyo folded his arms, "You know... You don't always have to deal with everything by yourself, we're your friends."
"If something's bothering you ...Tell us, You don't have to carry it alone you know."
Zuki's fingers tightened around the hospital blanket, "...I'm..." His voice failed him.
Before the silence became uncomfortable
The man leaning against the wall finally spoke, "...Allow me."
Everyone turned toward him.
He stepped forward, "My name is Zai." His voice remained calm, "I owe you an apology."
He looked directly at Zuki, "You and your little brother were caught in something much larger than either of you realized."
Zuki listened quietly, "Our team has been investigating the group responsible."
"Our investigation began months ago ....Back in Clay-Haven."
Kairo's eyes widened slightly.
Zai continued, "We suspected the men your father owed money to weren't acting alone... They were connected to a larger organization ...one involved in underground human trafficking."
The room fell silent.
Finn nodded, "We recently received information that members of that organization had entered Star Sand, That's why we came here."
Kairo suddenly looked at him, "...Is that why we saw you at the market yesterday?"
Finn scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed smile, "...Yeah... You caught us in the middle of work."
"The woman you met .... She's my partner."
"We're on the same investigation team."
Neyo smirked, "So it really was work."
Finn laughed awkwardly, "...I wasn't lying."
Even Kairo smiled faintly.
Zai spoke again, "As for your mother..." He looked back at Zuki, "...She's safe and receiving treatment here in this hospital."
"When you're feeling better... You'll be able to see both her and your little brother."
Silence.
A long... Heavy silence, Zuki stared blankly at the blanket covering his legs.
Safe.
His mother...
His brother...
Safe.
The words echoed over and over inside, his mind, the crushing weight he'd carried since last night; the fear, the helplessness... The guilt over his father's choices, it all began to loosen.
His vision blurred a single tear landed on the blanket, then another, "...Thank..."
His voice cracked, "...Thank..." More tears followed, no matter how hard he tried...
He couldn't stop them, "...Thank you..." His shoulders trembled, Neyo looked at him for only a second before stepping forward Without saying a word... He wrapped both arms around him, "...Dummy." His own voice had grown quieter, "You don't have to thank us."
Zuki broke completely, the sob he'd been holding back escaped before he could stop it.
"...I'm..."
"...I'm sorry..."
"...I'm so sorry..."
Neyo hugged him tighter, "It's okay... It's over now."
Kairo stood beside the bed, for a moment... He simply watched, unsure, then... Awkwardly, He stepped closer and wrapped one arm around both of them.
"..." He didn't know what to say, there weren't any words, so he simply stayed there. The three boys remained together in silence.
Across the room... Finn quietly looked away, even Zai's usually unreadable expression softened, Rina watched the scene with gentle eyes.
A relieved smile found its way onto her face.
For the first time since that terrible night...
Zuki wasn't carrying the weight alone anymore.
Few minutes later....
The hospital rooftop overlooked the quiet city below, the storm had long since passed.
Puddles still shimmered beneath the afternoon sun while a cool breeze swept gently across the rooftop, carrying with it the clean scent of rain.
Rina stood near the safety railing, the wind brushed strands of her hair across her face as she gazed silently toward the skyline of Star Sand City.
The rooftop door creaked open behind her, footsteps approached, she didn't need to turn around to know who they belonged to.
Kairo and Neyo stopped a few steps behind her, for a moment... No one spoke, only the wind filled the silence, "...Big sis." she glanced back over her shoulder.
The boys stood side by side, unusually quiet, there was none of Neyo's usual grin, none of Kairo's absent-minded curiosity, only resolve.
Neyo was the first to speak, "...We've been thinking.... A lot."
Kairo gave a small nod, "About what you told us, the day we passed the certification program."
Rina listened quietly...
Neyo lowered his gaze, "...Back then..."
"...You said that we'd have to decide what kind of path we wanted to walk." He took a slow breath, "I didn't really understand what you meant ...Not until now."
Kairo's eyes drifted toward the city below, "...I've been thinking about that night, the night you found us.... In Black Capital."
The memory lingered between them.
Silence settled once more, then Rina turned to face them completely, A gentle smile rested upon her face, "...You don't have to bare that burden." The boys looked at her.
"What happened back then... Was my choice."
"I helped you because I wanted to... So don't spend your lives trying to repay me."
She stepped closer, "I've never expected anything in return."
Kairo lowered his eyes, "...Maybe... But," He searched for the right words, "...Seeing Zuki back there at the alley night..." He paused, "I felt ...Different in my heart"
Neyo slowly nodded, "When we found him ....I finally understood... It wasn't about paying someone back."
"It was..." He looked down at his own hands, "...Wanting to protect someone because they're important to you."
Kairo continued quietly, "When Zuki smiled ....When we found out his family was safe...I don't know ...It made me feel something
"Something I can't really explain ...But ...It felt right."
The breeze passed between them again.
Rina looked at the two boys, at the children they had once been... And at the young men slowly beginning to emerge, her vision blurred, she hadn't noticed the tears until the wind cooled her cheeks, "...You've both grown."
Before either of them could react, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around them, the embrace was gentle, warm, just as it had been on the night she first met them, "...I'm proud of you."
Her voice trembled slightly, "So very proud." Neither boy spoke. They simply returned the embrace.
After several quiet moments, Rina slowly let them go, she wiped the corner of one eye before smiling again, "If this..." She looked from Kairo to Neyo, "...is truly the path you've chosen, Then I won't stop you."
Her expression gradually became more serious, "But you need to understand something." She turned toward the city stretching beyond the hospital, "The world outside .... isn't kind."
"The work of a missionary isn't an adventure, it isn't a fantasy, there will be people you can't save... there will be choices that hurt and there will be days when doing the right thing costs you more than you ever imagined." She looked back at them, "If you walk this road .... You'll be stepping into the real world."
The rooftop fell silent...
Kairo slowly raised his head, His answer came without hesitation, "...I understand."
Beside him, Neyo's usual carefree smile was gone.
He gave a firm nod, "...me too." The breeze carried their voices into the open sky.
Rina looked at the two boys one last time, then smiled; not because she believed the road ahead would be easy... but because for the first time, they had chosen it for themselves.