Several days have elapsed. Ervin is in Kai's house meticulously packing up Kai's belongings. Kai occupies a nearby chair, his silent presence palpable. A heavy silence envelops the room.
Today, Kai, Ervin, and Dan are heading to the intercity school, but not everyone is going. Others will join them in a month, busy wrapping up work in the village.
After a while, Ervin finished packing things for Kai. Growing tired of the silence, he moved closer, stood in front of him, and gazed at his face with a mix of anger and sadness.
"Hey, look at me. I understand it's tough for you to move on, but right now, you really have to. Take a look around; you're not alone in facing these challenges. We're all going through tough times, and you're not the only one who has lost a loved one."
Ervin, frustrated by Kai's lack of response, grew even angrier and resorted to slapping his cheeks in an attempt to capture his attention.
Clap!
Kai slowly looked up, expressionless, only to meet Ervin's teary gaze. Despite the lack of response, Ervin continued.
"Do you know something? Even Eva got injured that night. Do you think I'm not going through a tough time? You're wrong. It's not just me... even my father is struggling."
Ervin wiped away his tears.
Moments later, Kai's lifeless eyes slowly widened, tears gathering and giving life to them. He stood up abruptly, hugged Ervin out of the blue, and began crying, saying...
"I'm sorry, Ervin. I'm really sorry. It's just that I can't even process my thoughts correctly at the moment. I don't know what to do. I'm all alone. I... I don't... I don't know what to do now. It's just that I feel like I lost something very precious."
"It's okay, Kai. It's okay. Everything is going to be alright. Just remember, we are in this together, okay?"
Ervin consolidate Kai
A short while later, Kai and Ervin diligently covered all the furniture with white cloths to guard against dust. In the absence of Kai's mother, the house felt empty as Kai, about to go to the academy. After securing everything, they moved on to Ervin's house to gather his belongings and bid farewell to Tommy and Eva.
As they strolled through the village, both Kai and Ervin began to comprehend the true state of the village. A sense of chaos enveloped them, revealing itself to Kai as they continued their walk.
Amidst the village, disoriented souls roamed aimlessly, gathering remnants in a futile attempt to restore the once vibrant community they shared with loved ones....now vanished. The echoes of joy and harmony were replaced by a haunting silence, and cherished memories lingered as the only remnants of a life that once thrived.
In a muted tone, Kai murmured, "The village is...gone"
"Of course it is. I'm sorry to involve your mother at this moment, but didn't she say everything already!?" Ervin assumed Kai's mother had shared all the secrets in detail before she transformed into...!. Nearly everyone in the village held the same belief. However, she hadn't.
"No, mother just sai..."
Kai started to share what his mother had said, but Ervin abruptly kicked the back of his head, interrupting him.
"Moron! What are you doing? Did you lose your brain or something? Please consider thinking before acting in such important matters."
He sighed, muttering to himself,
"Talking to a stone would probably be more productive."
At that moment, Kai contemplated the situation. Initially finding it odd, he struggled to grasp why Ervin had hit him. However, the realization struck him quickly.
If he had disclosed more, he might have met the same fate as his mother, 'a lifeless corpse'.
Acknowledging Ervin's crucial intervention, Kai looked up at him and approached, silently expressing gratitude.
After a few minutes, they arrived in front of Ervin's house, a stark contrast to its former self. Parts of the house were missing, including the Smithy, now replaced by a charred and blackened space.
A heavy feeling settled in Kai's heart, realizing Ervin had concealed his pain all along to keep him calm.
Kai gritted his teeth in frustration. As they entered the house, another pale face with reddish eyes greeted them near a bed. Uncle Tommy stood, appearing perfectly fine outwardly, but the person on the bed looked anything but fine.
On the bed, Eva is lying. On the right side of her face, there is plaster, and her right pinky finger is missing as well.
Tommy noticed their presence, wiped his eyes, and said as if nothing had happened.
"Hey, you guys are already here. Eva, check it out , your boyfriend's here to see you," Tommy chimed in, putting on a smile to uplift Eva's spirits. Mentioning Kai did seem to make an impact. her eyes brightened.
Eva tried to turn her attention to Kai, but a sudden movement brought a wave of pain. Though her injury wasn't life threatening, the discomfort and pain was evident.
In a soft, sweet voice, she slowly mumbled
"Kai."
Shortly after, Uncle Tommy interrupted, saying,
P
"Well, let them have some romantic chit chat. Ervin, come with me; I have something to discuss with you."
Following that, Tommy and Ervin stepped outside. Meanwhile, Kai moved closer to Eva, taking a seat beside her.
"Hey, how are you holding up? Are you in pain?"
He asked in a slow voice
Despite not sharing a romantic relationship, Kai genuinely cared for her. Their bond went way back to the time he met Ervin, and in their family, he was never considered an outsider but treated as one of their own.
She nodded slowly, pointing to her face, and replied,
"Moving hurts, and talking is a bit tough too."
She put in considerable effort to express herself, and as she prepared to continue, Kai, saddened by the visible strain, halted her gently. "Please, don't talk more. it's difficult to see you in pain."
Despite his request, she responded with a happy smile, her eyes wide, and a blush gracing her cheeks as she continued speaking.
"Sure, I'll stop talking, but would it be okay if I just look at you?
You're leaving today, and I'm not sure when we'll meet again.
So, you don't need to speak right now, but could you stay with me a little longer? Okay?"
Kai understood her intentions. Despite being younger than both Kai and Ervin, she often displayed a remarkable cleverness surpassing even his brother's. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, she refrained from pressuring Kai to speak comforting words. However, like any kid, there was a hint of selfishness in her desire to keep Kai by her side for as long as possible.
For a while, neither of them moved. However, as time passed, Kai began to feel increasingly awkward because she never diverted her gaze from his face. She considered him like some edible thing just out of reach, and at one point, she even started to drool while looking at him....
Cold sweats formed on Kai's forehead. He was about to tell her to stop but hesitated, Fortunately or unfortunately, just then, Dan entered the house and said,
"Oops, wrong timing! Carry on with whatever you were doing."
However, Kai now viewed Dan in a different light. 'Dan, you're a lifesaver,' Kai thought and hurried over to him, expressing gratitude with a heartfelt hug.
"Never been this happy to see you, Dan."
"Hmm! Sure, I guess."