The sun began to sink beneath the horizon, casting a golden glow over Umbra Nexus Shopping Centre. In the food section, Yuki stood before the shelves of snacks, carefully scanning through them. To her, this was a celebration—one step closer to fulfilling her mission, to giving Sang a better life.
Her fingers trailed along the neatly arranged packages until they stopped on a familiar candy—the same one Sang had eaten the night before as they sat together beneath the moonlit sky. A small smile crept onto her lips as she recalled finding the empty wrappers in his pockets.
"The forest really changed you, didn't it?" she murmured, picking up a few.
Then, she hesitated. Maybe I should get something for myself too. Introduce him to something new.
She continued browsing until her eyes landed on a particular snack—yellow in the middle, green on the top and bottom. Her body stiffened.
A flood of memories rushed in.
She was a child again, seated around a small campfire with her comrades, the flickering flames casting shadows on their weary faces. They were celebrating a hard-earned victory, their laughter mixing with the crackling of the fire. One of them pulled out a snack—this snack—and passed it around.
She blinked, snapping back to the present.
A group of boys, around Sang's age but physically larger, passed by. Yuki watched them closely. They moved with an air of cocky confidence, their hushed whispers and occasional glances toward the hooded boy in their midst making their intent clear.
Curious, she followed them discreetly.
The group led their target into a dimly lit alleyway. As soon as they stopped, the atmosphere shifted. Yuki could tell—this was a setup.
But just as she was about to intervene, the hooded boy struck first.
A sudden headbutt sent one of the bullies crashing to the ground. Then the fight broke out in full force. Outnumbered three to one, the boy fought with everything he had. He managed to mount one of them, landing vicious haymakers, but the other two seized his arms and pinned him against the wall. Struggling to free himself, he thrashed against their grip.
The downed bully scrambled to his feet, rage burning in his eyes. He stepped forward and threw a punch. Then another. And another. The boy slumped slightly from the impact before the other two released him, letting him collapse to the ground.
The three kicked and stomped on him, their laughter mixing with the dull thuds of impact.
A bag hit the ground with a soft thump.
The bullies stopped, turning to see Yuki standing at the alley's entrance. Her piercing gaze burned into them, her steps slow and deliberate as she advanced. There was something terrifying in the way she moved—controlled, yet brimming with an unmistakable promise of violence.
For a brief moment, the bullies hesitated. Then, as if realizing they were in an abandoned alley with no witnesses, fear overtook them.
They bolted, vanishing into the shadows.
Yuki exhaled, shaking off the lingering fury before kneeling beside the fallen boy.
Etsu stared blankly at the distant concrete wall, graffiti marring its surface. He leaned against the wall, his bruises fresh, his eyes fixed on the orange sky above. He heard the hurried footsteps approaching, but didn't move an inch, keeping his gaze fixed on the wall.
Yuki crouched beside him, placing her bag carefully on the ground. She hesitated before gently cupping Etsu's face, inspecting the bruises.
"That's one hell of a fighting spirit you have there," she said, her voice soft, yet filled with a mother's warmth. Etsu's eyes flickered toward her, widening slightly. He'd heard that voice before.
The silence stretched between them as Yuki continued to treat his wounds.
"He has the same dead eyes Sang has, poor boy. He almost reminds me of Sang," Yuki murmured to herself, her hands steady as she applied the bandages.
The orange sky deepened into twilight, and Yuki finished wrapping the last bandage around Etsu's wounds. She took a step back, looking down at him.
"You sure don't talk a lot for someone your age," she remarked, breaking the silence. "You know, you remind me of a boy—he's about your age, same height too. He's very quiet as well," Yuki added thoughtfully.
Her eyes flicked to his shirt. "Oh, you're going to the same school as him? That's nice." She smiled, packing away her aid kit. "I hope the two of you can become friends and protect each other."
She stood up, brushing off her pants, and began walking away, turning to give him one last piece of advice.
"And don't forget—don't corner yourself when you're outnumbered."
Etsu turned his gaze to her, his eyes widening. He had seen her before, but it was too late. She was already walking away. Yuki gave him a warm smile and a playful wink before disappearing into the distance.
Etsu stood slowly, his body bruised, his hoodie dusty, and his bag torn to shreds. He turned away from the alley and began to walk in the opposite direction. As he glanced back, he caught a glimpse of Sang, standing in the distance with Yuki, holding her hand.