(Kiro’s Call: Greetings)
[Kiro’s Route – Intro]
Genial sunshine took the edge of the winter chill and coated the world in a warm golden glow.
I finally had a weekend free of work, so I decided to take a walk.
Snowflakes fluttered down like confetti, highlighting the smiles on people’s faces.
Everything was quiet and normal, but a dark undercurrent sometimes welled up in my heart.
Starting about a week ago, scattered snippets of disaster had been flashing in my mind.
It was like a nightmare, but as vivid as real life. It was like another person’s memories.
As I looked at the peaceful, placid day, I couldn’t help but ask myself again and again–
Was it real? Or an illusion?
Then, my consciousness seemed to retreat on its own. Those scenes were all buried in mist.
In those fragments, there was only one, distinct smile that again and again encouraged me.
Kiro: You didn’t realize it at the time, but we’ve met before.
Kiro: We shall stand in darkness as we defend the light.
Kiro: If you want to go play the superhero and save Loveland City, then you can’t go without me.
The sounds in my mind overlapped with the ones around me.
I turned my head and was met with Kiro’s image on the big screen.
Those sky-blue eyes so deep and gentle drove away the clouds from one’s heart.
Passers-by came to a halt to listen to that pure voice alongside the swaying melody.
His new album was a little different. It didn’t take your heart by storm, more like a mild invasion.
Every note of the melody seeped into the veins of the listener, down to the marrow.
Dulcet tones weaved a tale of springtime, making one forget the current chilly weather.
The album was playing on a loop on the screen. Fans began to gather around in a steady trickle.
They held their phones up high, snapping photos as they screamed.
{{MC}}: Still a crowd-pleaser.
???: Seeing that everyone likes my new songs so much makes me happy!
???: Miss Chips, do you like the new album too?
That inimitable voice from the big screen was now whispering into my ear.
I turned around in surprise, but all I saw were a few fans standing around.
???: Hee-hee. I’m over here.
This time, the playful voice came from the other side, along with a smug chuckle.
Having learned my lesson, I turned in the opposite direction and caught Kiro mid-laughter.
As always, he had on a full disguise, and most of his face was in shadow.
But those azure eyes and golden hair swaying as he laughed were as bright as a spring day.
{{MC}}: …Kiro!
I had so much I wanted to say to him–
Like, what fun location he recorded the new album in, or what new foods he’d discovered…
or if he’d found any new inspirations, or gotten any new work…
I also wanted to ask, why he said all those encouraging words to me…
But amidst all these questions, the one that popped to the fore was of course–
{{MC}}: What’re you doing here… mmph!
Before I’d finished talking, he put his finger up to my lips.
Kiro: Shh–
Kiro: I snuck out today…
Kiro: If anyone finds out, Savin will read me the riot act!
As he spoke, he cocked his head and gave me a wink so I wouldn’t blow his cover.
{{MC}}: But, your work…
Thinking that he must still be busy with the release of the album, I couldn’t help worrying.
Kiro: Are you turning into Savin now too, only caring about my work?!
Kiro: Doesn’t anybody care about actual Kiro…
Even through his air-tight disguise, I could clearly see he pretty eyebrows drooping.
I knew he was very likely putting on an act, but it was enough to melt anyone’s heart.
{{MC}}: I– I care about you too!
{{MC}}: First tell me, why did you sneak out all of a sudden?
He had done something like this before when he was going through a creative slump.
If that really was the case, then I hoped I could be of at least some help to him.
Kiro: There is something. And it has to do with you, {{mc}}.
Kiro: As for the details, let’s take a walk and I’ll tell you.
He took me by the hand and walked toward a large street filled with people coming and going.
As we were walking past his fans, my heart felt like it was going to jump out of my throat.
But he looked cool as a cucumber, stepping briskly down the snow-covered street.
Kiro: I hear the stage for the celebration is all set up. Wanna go check it out?
{{MC}}: You’re sure you wanna go to a place with so many people?!
Kiro: Don’t worry. Kiro, the “Master of Disguise”, wouldn’t be recognized so easily!
{{MC}}: Is that a title you just now gave yourself…
Kiro: Enough about me!
Even though his mouth was complaining, his hand kept a tight hold on me.
Kiro: Don’t worry about work stuff. I’m a consummate professional who always makes his deadlines!
Kiro: In order to enjoy an early celebration with you today, I’ve put in a lot of hard work!
Hearing him say this, I finally noticed under his luscious lashes were two streaks of dark blue.
But, I still couldn’t make head or tail of what he was talking about.
{{MC}}: …For me?
He leaned in mysteriously. I even thought I could feel his bangs swipe against my nose.
Kiro: You can’t hide your little secrets from me!
Kiro: When I called you earlier, I noticed that you sounded a little down.
Not even I had realized it. I guess those weird images in my mind had been getting to me.
{{MC}}: …I…
Kiro: You see! There really is something on your mind.
Kiro: If that’s the case, then just leave everything to me!
Kiro: Cotton candy, meat skewers, takoyaki… let me and great food put a smile on your face!
Seeing him gesticulate about, I couldn’t help but laugh and mutter under my breath:
{{MC}}: Those are all things that you like to eat.
Kiro: Hey, hey! Don’t second guess my motives!
Kiro: It’s true, they are things I like to eat. But without you, it would all be meaningless.
Kiro: Let’s go, let’s go! Where should we start?
As he spoke, he grabbed my hand and strode for the park’s main stage, humming a tune.
The happy music and colorful decorations imbued an otherwise bleak winter day with excitement.
It was just a prelude, but it was enough to make you want to dive in.
[Kiro’s Route – 1]
The celebration venue was still being set up with great fervor.
The faces of the busy people not only showed some sweat, but also expectant smiles.
Some booths that had set up earlier were already open for business, like Kiro’s cotton candy.
Kiro: {{mc}}, what flavor do you want?
{{MC}}: I want strawberry… No, wait! I’ll go buy it. You wait here.
Thinking of the commotion that would ensue after he gets recognized, I hastily held him back.
Kiro: Don’t worry! It’s time for you to witness my extraordinary abilities of disguise.
He confidently held a “thumb’s up” at me and then dashed off.
My nervous heart was not only in my throat, but beating wildly because of his smile.
Not to mention, if he gets found out in a place like this, it’ll make the headlines instantly…
I waited anxiously, and soon Kiro came skipping back with two sticks of cotton candy.
Kiro: See, I told you I wouldn’t fail!
Even with his whole face hidden behind a hood, his dazzling smile still outshone the sun.
That gloom shrouding my heart really did seem to be driven away by his charm.
Is that why his fans like him too?
Just seeing him, just hearing his voice, you get infected by this ceaseless vitality.
Thinking this, a smile spread across my lips. I reached out and took the strawberry cotton candy.
But he didn’t let go. Instead, he grabbed my hand and pulled the pink confection to his own mouth.
A few wisps of it stuck to his face, but he didn’t care in the slightest.
The melting candy glinted in the light, reflecting his similarly-glimmering eyes.
Kiro: After a live taste test, I give this cotton candy a Kir-rating of five stars.
Kiro: You try it. It’s really good!
He tore off a huge piece as he spoke and shoved it in my mouth.
The fluffy texture instantly melted into a burst of sweetness, just like the smile on his face.
{{MC}}: Yeah, so sweet.
Kiro: Isn’t it?
Kiro: And now, which lucky contestant will we try next!
With one hand he held the half-eaten cotton candy, and with the other he pulled me along.
It felt like a long time since I’d strolled around like this with him.
If I could, I wanted to treasure every second of it.
But I had a faint feeling that if I just let my hand go, all this beauty would slip away.
I unconsciously squeezed his hand harder. The warmth helped reassure me a little.
Before I could choose the next booth, a familiar prelude sounded from the stage.
It’s “Love of the Stars”!
Kiro: It’s your favorite song!
Before the prelude was over, he pulled me up to the stage still busily being set up.
Workers were as busy as bees, not realizing at all that the actual artist was before them.
A trickle of snow fell from the sky, like delicate stars falling among us, like a special effect.
Kiro picked up a clear umbrella from the seat next to us and held it just over my head.
Kiro: Now’s our chance. Want to hear me sing a song live?
Kiro: It’s a live show just for you!
I nodded and listened as he softly sang into my ear the words of this song I knew so well.
Kiro: I got a song that I wanna sing for you. It may not be perfect, but it’ll have to do…
Fluttering snow fell softly on the umbrella, tinged with brilliant hues from the stage lights.
I was drawn by those lights, but I couldn’t take my eyes off that brilliant azure blue.
I was the only thing reflected in his eyes. The tiny image of me was smiling a heartfelt smile.
Everything was pure, good, and precious.
The complete opposite of those memories disturbing my nights as of late.
At the chorus, he leaned in closer, and even gently brushed a strand of my hair behind my ear.
The heat from his fingertips and his breath washed over my ear, making his words even more tender.
His pure voice mixed with the aroma of cotton candy, so sweet it felt like I was bathing in honey.
If this moment could last forever…
If the world could pause in this moment…
I clapped along to the song, then his hand suddenly covered mine as he made an irresistible invite:
Kiro: Will you sing the last verse with me?
Shimmering waves rippled across his ocean-blue eyes, washing away all my worries.
Yes, this moment of beauty may not last forever, but just having had it is enough.
{{MC}}: Okay, let’s sing till the end!
I started singing after him, a little off-key at first.
I blushingly lowered my head, but he just laughed, adjusted his pitch, and sang with me to the end.
When the last notes faded, we both simultaneously started clapping for and smiling at each other.
On stage they switched to another song, still one of his. But this time he just sang a few lines.
Kiro: {{mc}}, can you stay like this and not move?
He suddenly hunched in close to me, as if hiding from someone.
His golden hair tickled my forehead. I was so nervous my back tensed up straight.
He took hold of my slightly-perspiring palm and explained the situation to me:
Kiro: Our cover may be blown.
Kiro: But don’t worry. We just need to get out of here before they react.
Kiro: When I count to “1”, we’ll both make a break for that little path. Run as fast as you can, okay!
I looked him in the eyes and nodded my head, then heard his soft voice counting down in my ear.
Kiro: 3… 2… 1– Run!
With that, I was pulled along at a run to a little path not far from the stage.
I wanted to look back and see if those people were following us, but his voice stopped me.
Kiro: Don’t look back! Just keep running!
After running quite a way through the park, I felt I couldn’t keep going and slowed down.
{{MC}}: *Huff* *huff*… They didn’t follow us, did they?
Kiro: No, they didn’t! We made it!
I looked back on the path with only our footprints in it and let out a big sigh.
My body felt hot after all that running, and yet a strange cold feeling crept up from my feet.
I shivered, then got a feeling of deja vu at the expanse of pure white before me.
This world of nothing but wind and snow looked clear and bright, but also somehow lacking something.
Even the deepest depth of my heart felt empty.
[Kiro’s Route – 3]
Muffled sounds of music came from afar, no longer a familiar tune.
We plumped down panting onto a roadside bench. He was flushed from the exercise.
Seemingly unaware of his own face, he pointed at mine with a wide grin.
Kiro: Haha, your face is all red! Like you’ve been roasted!
{{MC}}: Well, so is yours…
Kiro: How about I fan you to cool you down? Then you can fan me after!
He earnestly fanned me, obviously to little effect. In fact, his own face grew redder still.
Kiro: Phew– It’s been a while since I had a good run like that! Feels kinda nice working up a sweat!
{{MC}}: I think the sweat is more from fright…
Not only because we were almost discovered, but because of a thought I just had.
At first I thought Kiro had driven away my worries, but they were still stuck firm in my mind.
He sat up straight beside me and looked around, finally spotting a vending machine not far away.
Kiro: I’ll get you something to drink to help soothe your nerves!
Kiro: Also… I’ll throw in a Kiro bear hug!
Seeing him stretch his arms out wide, I closed my eyes tightly.
But the warm embrace I was expecting didn’t come. There was only his enigmatic voice in my ear.
Kiro: We can’t be sure they didn’t follow us, so the hug will have to wait until it’s just the two of us!
The warmth from his breath faded, and when I opened my eyes, he had already run off.
His golden hair glowed with sunlight reflecting off the snow, like he was an angel fallen to earth.
He pored over the vending machine offerings, and after a long while he came back with two drinks.
Kiro: I can’t believe they sell these in such an out-of-the-way machine. I had to get you one!
He expertly popped the top and handed the fizzing can to me.
He’d made it sound like such a rarity, I couldn’t help look the can over first.
{{MC}}: I’ve never seen this brand before.
Kiro: Taste it first. I guarantee you’ll love it!
The lively, bubbling noises sounded particularly enticing after our workout. I took a huge gulp.
A pleasantly sweet and refreshing sensation swirled in my mouth. I quickly took two more swigs.
Kiro sat close and watched, legs swinging. The look on his face was more refreshing than the soda.
Kiro: I came across these before when I was abroad shooting a music video. You don’t see them much here.
Kiro: Maybe it was just fate that I was able to find them here with you.
{{MC}}: Haha, people’s fates are entwined with sodas now, are they?
Kiro: Of course.
He said this seriously, not like he was joking. His eyes fell upon me, more blazing than the sun.
Kiro: Every kind of encounter has some unseen destiny behind it.
Kiro: That goes for this can of soda and you, or that bag of chips and me that day.
Kiro: Or, me and you. From birth, every encounter is destined by fate.
His words were supposed to be sweet, but why did he look so lonely as he said them?
I looked into his eyes deep as pools, suddenly getting an indescribable sense of deja vu.
Maybe we had already crossed paths before then.
Maybe what I thought was a first meeting was actually a long-awaited reunion ordained by fate.
While I was lost in thought, Kiro, now smiling again, snatched the soda from my hand.
Perhaps not intentionally, as he drank he put his lips to the can right where I had put mine.
The harsh winter wind stopped for but a moment, and I could already feel the heat rising on my face.
The individual responsible, instead of showing remorse, just swung his legs and joked.
Kiro: Haha, actually that was all just lines from a script. It’s a new character I’m playing.
Kiro: Judging by the dumbfounded look on your face, you thought it was all real, didn’t you?
{{MC}}: Perhaps a certain someone’s acting ability is too good…
Kiro: Don’t get angry. The reason I remembered those lines is because I really like them!
{{MC}}: So you believe in things being “ordained by fate” like most little girls do?
Kiro: Yes, but I only believe the “first encounters are arranged by fate” part.
Kiro: Whether you meet again, that’s up to you.
He held his hand up to the sunlight, and then closed it tightly as if grabbing something.
As if he had a sunbeam in his hand, he slowly brought it down in front of me, then suddenly–
In his just-now-empty hand lay the other can of soda that hadn’t been opened yet.
He stuffed the can in my coat pocket and leaned in to say some parting words to it.
Kiro: It seems the two of you were meant to be, so I won’t get in your way.
Kiro: But you’ve gotta promise me you’ll watch over her. Don’t let her stay up all night!
{{MC}}: You of all people are going to call me out for staying up late…
Kiro: I usually have Savin looking out for me! Today is a special occasion!
We teased each other back and forth as we wandered around the concert venue.
All the way until Kiro had to go back, we weren’t discovered by anyone at all.
Kiro: {{mc}}, are you feeling a little better?
{{MC}}: Not just a little… Thank you!
I couldn’t help throwing open my arms and hugging him.
He was taken aback for a moment, and then lightly put his hands on my back.
Kiro: Well that’s good.
Kiro: Promise you’ll stay happy and cheerful when I’m not around, okay?
I couldn’t look up to see his face, but there seemed to be a tinge of sadness in his voice.
{{MC}}: Kiro…?
Kiro: Alright. Your ride’s here. You get back and rest up!
Without giving me time to question, he loaded me into the taxi he’d arranged ahead of time.
I kept looking back from the car. He stood there, waving and smiling that unsinkable smile of his.
Even when his face became a blurry dot, his arm was still waving, sending me positive vibes.
Radiant, upbeat, like a sun without a speck of negativity.
Maybe that lowness in his voice was just my imagination after all…
I took out the soda from my pocket and carefully opened it, only to cut my finger on the pull-tab.
{{MC}}: Ouch!
The blood ran down my fingertip, dripping onto the words “get one free” on the back of the tab.
{{MC}}: Does this count as good luck or bad…
After dealing with the wound, I stared at the little tab, thinking I should share my luck with him.
I carefully wiped away the traces of blood, took a picture, and sent it to him.
My phone remained silent in my coat pocket all the way until I fell asleep.
The notification beep I was so looking forward to didn’t sound once.
[Kiro’s Route – 4]
Another dream.
This time the dream wasn’t bloody, cruel violence, but an expanse of white.
Snow and mist intertwined. I was surrounded by snow white in all directions.
I stepped blindly forward, not knowing where to go.
Except, there was a voice in my mind that kept pushing me:
“Find him! Find him!”
I didn’t know who “him” was. I could only feel my way along a little path.
Suddenly, a familiar streak of gold swept past in front of me.
Clutching at this clue, I quickly followed, but I couldn’t keep up.
Seemingly having heard my following footsteps, that person’s head turned slightly.
Just a little more, and I’d be able to see who he actually was…
{{MC}}: Don’t go!
I sat up in bed, clutching at air tinged with golden dawn sunlight.
Before I had time to think back on my dream, an urgent ringing sounded.
Savin: {{mc}}! Can you get in touch with Kiro?
{{MC}}: …Huh? Hang on, I’ll check.
Savin: Please see if you can, thanks!
Savin: I tried calling his phone, and it said the number doesn’t exist!
Savin: And not just me. Everyone who’s tried has said the same thing…
Savin: I hope nothing’s happened…
Hearing him say that, I woke up completely out of my drowsy stupor.
{{MC}}: Don’t panic yet. I’m trying right now!
Although I was trying to comfort him, I could feel a tide of anxiety rising in me.
I tried to calm myself down and not jump to the worst conclusions. My hand gripped the phone.
I scrolled through my contacts, and with a trembling finger, I dialed Kiro’s phone.
A long dial tone set me on edge. I tried to stay patient, but I got the same response as Savin.
After confirming that was Kiro’s number, I obstinately dialed a second time.
But waiting for me was still the same old response–
“Sorry, the number you have dialed does not exist…”
The cold robotic voice rang cruelly in my ear, swallowing me in endless despair.
Was that dream of the white expanse a precognition dream after all?
No. Perhaps before that he had already tried to warn me.
That bitter smile on his face as he said goodbye yesterday… maybe that was goodbye for good.
If only I’d paid a little more attention to it at the time…
If only I’d held on and not let go of him…
If only I’d come out and asked what was on my mind…
…maybe he wouldn’t have just disappeared like this.
I rushed out the door and hailed a cab, not sure at first where to tell the driver to go.
Driver: Where to, miss?
{{MC}}: I…
Places we’d been together flashed through my mind, but none of them seemed right.
I squirmed in the seat, suddenly remembering what I’d seen in my dream. Was it a hint?
A high place where I could see cloudy mist…
Driver: Miss, are you going somewhere or not?
{{MC}}: Yes! Take me to the TV tower, please!
I wasn’t completely sure, but I clung to this last shred of hope nevertheless.
I hoped I wouldn’t be like me in the dream, that I’d run faster and grab hold of him tight!
After many twists and turns, the TV tower loomed closer.
My heart raced, all the way until I got to the roof and saw his shining figure amidst the snow.
{{MC}}: Kiro!
He turned, a trace of shock flashing through his clear, pure eyes, but fading just as fast.
Kiro: {{mc}}, what are you doing here…
Even with that look on his face, I felt actual anger at him for the first time ever.
{{MC}}: Well why shouldn’t I be here!?
{{MC}}: Savin and everyone else are all looking for you. Did you know that?
I wanted to say something like, “I’m glad you’re okay”, “Whatever it is, we can talk about it”…
…but for some reason, the words just stuck in my throat. I couldn’t bring myself to say them.
He stood a few steps away, not moving, seemingly deaf to my question.
The air between us seemed to become a force field, cutting us off from understanding one another.
{{MC}}: …Kiro.
As I called his name, I seemed to hear him whisper mine too.
His voice wasn’t clear like it usually was, but like the sun hidden behind clouds.
Kiro: I will explain everything to Savin and the others.
Kiro: But before I do, can I ask you a question?
Wind swept back his bangs. There wasn’t a ray of sunshine, but his eyes dimly shone all the same.
I stared straight into his pupils and nodded firmly, awaiting his question.
Kiro: If I wasn’t Kiro the superstar anymore, would you still like me, {{mc}}? Would you still think of me?
This was a question that he’d actually asked quite a few times before.
And every time, my answer was always the same.
{{MC}}: No matter what kind of life you have, you’ll always be “Kiro”, and I’ll always think of you.
A familiar light flashed through his eyes, and the gloom was lifted him from him for a moment.
Kiro: Thank you, {{mc}}.
He finally walked toward me. Then I realized, his blue eyes somehow had turned gold.
The haze over my memories was suddenly blown away, becoming clear and distinct.
The same rooftop, the same weather, the same sorrowful Kiro.
And the same me, still unable to change a thing.
I wanted to close my eyes, but I was already too late.
Kiro: {{mc}}, I command you–
Everything that just occurred fell like a sky full of snow and melted into nothingness.
The wind blew his hair, blocking his handsome features.
My feet walked back the way I’d come, beyond my control. I couldn’t even turn my head.
In that last moment, I clearly saw a bright scar creep down the side of his face.
It looked just like a shooting star.
The noise of traffic sounded beside me. I looked at the commotion in a daze.
Static seemed to blanket the other parts of my memory. Only one thought came through clearly.
I hailed a taxi and told the driver the one thing that was on my mind–
{{MC}}: Sir, I want to go home.
[Kiro’s Route – 6]
The roads were gridlocked. I started regretting taking a taxi.
The blaring of car horns finally drove the driver to turn on the radio.
A familiar melody played. To my surprise, the driver was more excited about it than me.
Driver: I know this song! Kiro, right? My daughter loves him so much.
{{MC}}: Yeah, I like him too.
The car creeped forward as the crystal clear voice soothed my restless heart.
Without knowing it, I was at that big screen from the day before, now playing some ad.
After watching the same ad play for the sixth time, it was suddenly cut off mid-way.
The screen darkened, flashed a few times, and then showed Kiro dressed in a suit!
Thinking this must be another promo for his new album, I stared unblinkingly at the screen.
Just then, the flow of traffic started speeding up almost little by little.
The screen receded in the distance. I kept looking back until Kiro was long gone.
I couldn’t see his oddly stern face, but the sound from the video came through clearly.
I rolled down the window, and along with a chill wind came the sound of unbelievable news.
Kiro: Thank you all for the support and love you’ve shown me all this time.
Kiro: But for the time being, I will be going into temporary retirement…
It felt like a bomb had gone off in my head.
I couldn’t hear the rest of what he said. There was a ringing in my ears louder than the car horns.
I urgently wanted to give Kiro a call and ask him what had happened.
He loved the stage and his fans so much. How could he suddenly make such a decision!?
I reached into my pocket, but instead of finding my phone, something sharp sliced into my hand.
I drew back my hand reflexively and tossed the hard, flat thing onto the empty seat next to me.
It glinted in the light, as if giving off a signal, trying to remind me of something.
{{MC}}: What am I doing with this thing in my pocket…
I placed it carefully in my hand. Faintly printed words about winning a prize reminded me–
I was planning to share this with Kiro!
The little tab sliced open a crack in my memory, and a trail of clues formed.
Kiro putting me in a car. The prize-winning pull-tab. Savin calling me in the morning, and then…
Suddenly I was at the TV tower.
I was looking for Kiro!
{{MC}}: Driver! Stop the car, please!
Driver: Lady, we’re still a long way from your destination…
{{MC}}: Sorry, I’m not heading back.
Right now, I had somewhere more important to be!
After getting out of the car, I pushed my way through the crowd, dialing him again and again.
But aside from the same robotic reply, I never got a response.
The streets were filling with people, apparently all going to the celebration.
I was still worrying about how to contact Kiro when someone knocked my phone to the ground.
He said sorry without turning his head and then slipped into the dense crowd.
Nobody was looking out for objects underfoot, so my phone was kicked several times.
I bent over trying to catch it when a leather boot stepped on the side of it.
{{MC}}: Aah!
The owner of the boot stopped walking, and I took the opportunity to pick it up.
But before I could, a silver-haired person bent over quicker than me.
Holding my phone between two fingers, he lifted his head, and I almost screamed.
{{MC}}: K– …Helios?
Helios: Do you want this?
{{MC}}: I want it!
Without another word or another look, he placed the smudged phone back in my hand and turned away.
I wanted to chase after him, but he wouldn’t slow his pace to wait for me like Kiro would’ve done.
Seeing that he was about to disappear in the crowd, I grabbed at his sleeve in panic.
At this, he turned and shot me a glance, without a hint of friendliness in his eyes.
Clearly the same blue eyes as Kiro, but more like polar ice than an azure sky.
Helios: What do you want, money?
{{MC}}: No, I just… wanted to say thank you.
Helios: Alright. Accepted.
He seemed to be a man of few words. Each reply was curt.
Although we’d only met a few times, he always seemed like he was too busy to stop for anything.
I don’t know why I didn’t let go. It just felt like I was clutching my final hope.
After tugging his hand free and walking away, he stopped again after a few steps.
Helios: Want me to say, “You’re welcome”?
Ignoring his cold tone, I still asked that question he’d already denied countless times:
{{MC}}: Are you really… not Kiro?
Helios: I’m not gonna play 20 questions with you.
Helios: If you really want an answer, go find it yourself.
I felt a firm force on my shoulder, pushing me just outside of the crowd.
I stood dazed for a few seconds, until a big piece of snow fell on my nose.
When I snapped to, he was long gone. All around was silver-white, but no sign of that demonic man.
My cracked phone vibrated in my hand. I looked down and saw a message from an unknown number.
???: You have to act if you want to destroy it all.
{{MC}}: Destroy it all?
Countless fragmented memories surged into my mind.
Not just the rooftop just now, or yesterday, but everything from even earlier.
These past few days and those cruel scenes weaved together into a strange, incongruous tapestry.
If outside of the beauty here, everything else still hasn’t been resolved…
If that chaos and fighting was still going on somewhere I couldn’t see..
The snow fell harder on me, melting into icy water that seeped into my skin.
The chill in my bones told me that this was the time to make my decision. The time to act.
I walked forward into the deserted snowy landscape, my heart finally feeling at peace.
The wind howled in my ear, as if playing a song of war just for me.