The black smoke was growing thicker—spilling into the sky like ink in water. It curled violently, turning the air around it hot and suffocating.
Kaito Ishida froze, heart racing.
"No, no, no... not again," he whispered, breath trembling.
His legs moved on instinct, faster than his thoughts. This time, he didn't stop to ask anyone. No random guy. No confusion.
Only panic.
Only fear.
"How can I save them?"
That question pounded in his head like a war drum.
He burst through the streets, nearly stumbling as his shoes scraped the pavement. The smoke was thicker now, licking the sky above his home. His lungs burned, but he didn't care.
"Mom! Dad!!" he screamed as he reached the front gate, his voice raw.
"Aiko!! Riku!! Where are you?! Please answer me!!"
He stormed through the open door. The heat hit him like a wall.
"No..." he whispered.
There they were.
His father—Ren—slumped over the dining table.
His mother, Miyuki, collapsed near the kitchen.
Aiko and Riku… together, holding hands. Still. Silent.
Stab wounds. Blood. Smoke. Burnt walls.
Everything was so loud—but so quiet.
Kaito didn't cry.
He couldn't.
His body just… gave up.
He dropped to his knees, fingers trembling as they brushed the floor.
"Why does this keep happening…?"
"Why can't I stop it…?"
And then—
CRACK.
A deafening snap above him.
The ceiling creaked and groaned… and gave way.
A massive piece of the burning foundation collapsed.
He had no time to react.
And everything went dark.
He see the hallway again
Kaito Ishida sat by the window of the empty classroom. The orange light of the setting sun spilled over the desks, casting long, tired shadows. He stared out, his thoughts a mess.
"Why can't I save them…?" he whispered to no one.
His voice cracked. He didn't understand what was happening. The pain kept coming back, and every time it felt worse—like something inside him was being ripped apart.
A voice behind him startled him.
"You okay?"
He turned, surprised.
It was a girl from his class. She had long blond hair and clear, sharp eyes behind thin-rimmed glasses. Calm. Observant. Smart-looking.
"What?" he asked, wiping his face quickly and sitting up straighter.
"You were talking to yourself," she said. "Are you alright?"
He shook his head. "It's nothing."
"You sure? You looked… broken."
Kaito gave a half-hearted laugh. "You really think I'm gonna spill my life story just like that?"
She shrugged. "Didn't ask for your story. Just wanted to know if you're okay."
Her voice wasn't mocking or dramatic. Just simple. Real. That made him freeze.
He looked at her for a second longer. "...Thanks. But I'm fine."
"You don't have to pretend with me," she said, walking closer. "I know what it's like to hold everything in."
That hit him harder than he expected. He didn't say anything back. He couldn't.
But then—his heart skipped.
The clock on the wall caught his eye.
4:05 PM.
Kaito stood up so fast his chair screeched against the floor.
"I need to go."
"What? Wait—" the girl stepped forward. "Why?"
"No time," he said quickly, grabbing his bag and running out of the room.
Down the stairs.
Through the halls.
Out the door.
His legs were burning but he didn't stop. The street blurred past him.
"Come on, come on—" he gasped.
He turned the final corner and saw it—
His house.
Still standing.
He ran up the path and shoved the front door open.
Silence.
No screams.
No blood.
No smoke.
Kaito's heart thudded painfully in his chest. He ran room to room—nothing. Everyone was gone.
He stood still, frozen in place.
Then—
His vision dimmed.
The air folded in on itself.
And suddenly…
He was back in the hallway.
That same cold hallway.
That same flickering light.
"Huh…?"
He blinked.
Alone again.