The night had grown eerily silent, save for the faint sounds of our breathing. The ruins around us, once a fleeting sanctuary, now felt like a trap. Aiko and I exchanged glances, our unease growing as the moments stretched on.
Suddenly, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from the darkness.
Aoi and Arakan, who had been sleeping on makeshift pillows, stirred. The commotion jolted them awake, and they bolted toward us, their faces pale with fear as they clung tightly to us.
"Onii-chan, what's happening?" Aoi whispered, her voice trembling as she buried her face in my chest.
"Onee-chan, is he here?" Arakan asked, his wide silver eyes filled with terror as he clung to Aiko.
I pulled Aoi closer, trying to shield her. "It's him," I growled, my gaze fixed on the faint silhouette growing clearer in the darkness.
"How the hell did he find us?" I demanded, my voice low but tinged with frustration.
