After escaping the tense chase, Lila's car quietly stopped in front of an old wooden house nestled in the woods on the outskirts of Tokyo. The night wind blew through the trees, creating a rustling sound, as if to ease the stifling atmosphere that had enveloped them throughout the journey.
"We'll stay here overnight," Lila said, breaking the long silence.
Kaito nodded, his eyes tired but still alert. He stepped out of the car, feeling the cold air on his skin. The space around him was strangely peaceful, but deep down Kaito knew this peace was only temporary.
Inside the house, the warm yellow light made everything seem more intimate. Lila quickly checked the security devices she had installed earlier. Kaito sat down on the old chair in the living room, his eyes stopping on a painting on the wall – a simple painting but with an indescribable sadness.
"Is this your place?" Kaito asked, breaking the silence.
"Not really," Lila replied, without turning around.
"This is where a friend of mine helped me set up. A great hacker."
"Your friend?" Kaito raised an eyebrow, curiosity evident in his eyes.
"Akari Minase," Lila said softly, her voice carrying a hint of nostalgia.
"She's someone I trust, but she's also someone the Nexus is hunting. It's thanks to her that I was able to access information about the Nexus without being detected."
Kaito was silent, but a question crossed his mind:
"If Lila has such a friend, why is she here alone?"
"We don't see each other much. Akari is a careful person, she doesn't trust anyone easily. But if necessary, ! can contact her." Lila seemed to guess his thoughts, turning back with a faint smile on her lips.
The atmosphere lightened as Lila placed two cups of hot tea on the table. She sat down across from Kaito, her eyes softening.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice sincere.
Kaito looked at her for a moment before nodding.
"I'm fine, it's just... everything is so confusing. My memories, Nexus's, and yours too. Everything seems so messed up."
"It's normal," Lila said, sipping her tea.
"You don't need to try to understand everything right now. Let time guide you."
Kaito silently looked at the cup of tea in front of him. Part of him wanted to believe Lila's words, but the other part still couldn't escape the feeling of doubt.
"You said I was part of the group against Nexus," Kaito said, breaking the silence.
"But why don't I remember anything about that group? Where are the others?"
Lila sighed, putting down her teacup.
"Nexus didn't just erase your memories. They broke the entire network of connections between you and others. To regain those memories, you must face the lost pieces step by step."
"So where do those pieces come from?" Kaito asked, his eyes shining with determination.
Lila didn't answer right away. She stood up, took out a small hard drive from her bag and gave it to Kaito.
"This is information Akari has gathered. I haven't had a chance to check it out yet, but I believe it may lead us to a new lead."
Kaito picked up the hard drive, feeling its weight not only in physical terms, but also in the hope of an answer to the questions in his head.
"We need time to decipher it," said Lila.
"And to do that, I need Akari. But this won't be easy. Akari doesn't like being dragged into unclear matters. If you want to meet her, you need to prove that you can be trusted."
Kaito looked at Lila, his eyes filled with seriousness. "I will do whatever is necessary."
Lila smiled slightly.
"I hope you keep that resolve."
Outside, the wind blew harder, carrying the chill of the Tokyo night. But inside the house, the yellow lights still shone, creating a warm space amidst the storms that awaited.
After putting the hard drive aside, Kaito and Lila fell into silence once more. The space became so quiet that even the faint sound of breathing could be heard. Kaito leaned back in his chair, his eyes looking out the small window, where the dim light from the street shone on the gently swaying trees.
Lila stood near the small fireplace, her hands gently rubbing together to keep warm. Her eyes were turned outward, as if searching for something in the darkness. Every movement she made was experienced, every pain of the past etched on her face.
"You had another life," Lila said softly, as if reading Kaito's mind.
"Everything before losing his memories, was part of a world he had left behind. But now, it's back. Everything good and bad has a reason."
Kaito nodded, feeling the pain in her words.
"I understand. But those memories aren't the only thing I have to deal with. What else did Nexus do besides erase my memories?"
Lila turned back to look at Kaito, her eyes more serious.
"Nexus didn't just manipulate memories. They created a total control system. Anyone who didn't comply was erased or turned into their tool."
Kaito clenched his fists, his heart seething with complicated emotions. Faint fragments of memories in his mind began to slowly glow, but still not clear enough to connect.
"My whole life is under that control?" Kaito asked, his voice coming out as a low growl.
"Not all," Lila replied quickly, as if afraid Kaito would sink into despair.
"There are people like me, and like Akari, we have escaped the darkness of Nexus. But escaping is one thing, finding freedom is another."
Silence fell between the two, but the atmosphere was no longer as tense as before. Kaito leaned back, his eyes still following the darkness outside the window. Thoughts were intertwined in his mind, he tried to sort out everything that had happened, find a way out of the spiral of the past.
Lila turned back to the table, grabbed a laptop from a corner, and turned it on as bright blue lines of code raced across the screen.
"We'll start here," she said, her voice soft but determined.
"Akari's data will help us track down the trail that Nexus has been trying to hide."
Kaito stood up and walked over to her. They both silently watched each line of text appear on the screen. Each passing second brought a new hope, but also a lot of worry.
"I need to know more," Kaito said, unable to hide his excitement and unease.
"Why did Nexus have to erase my memories? I know I'm not just an ordinary victim. But there's something deeper lurking, right?"
Lila didn't reply right away, instead she typed rapidly on the keyboard, as if searching for something extremely important. Finally, she raised her eyes, her gaze cold but determined.
"Because you are the key," she whispered, her voice a warning.
"Nexus doesn't just manipulate memories, they manipulate reality. And they will do anything to prevent you from remembering your past."
Kaito swallowed, a heavy feeling filling his heart.
"If I'm the key, then it's something they'll never let go of, right?"
Lila nodded, without hesitation.
"That's right. But you're not the only one with that key. Together with people like me, like Akari, we won't let Nexus control our fates again."
Kaito took a deep breath, determination shining in his eyes.
"So where do we start?"
Lila smiled, the light from the screen illuminating her face.
"We start from the smallest clues. Akari's data will be the key that leads us to the truth."
Lila silently typed, her eyes following each line of code on the screen. Kaito stood beside her, occasionally glancing at her face, where the intense concentration was evident. Part of him felt reassured by her presence, but he couldn't completely shake off the growing sense of unease.
"If Akari helped us break the Nexus' control system, then where is she now?" Kaito asked, trying to keep his voice as calm as possible.
Lila paused for a second, looking away from the screen and turning to Kaito.
"She... doesn't appear easily. Akari is very careful, and she will only help if she feels it is necessary. But this time, with a danger as great as Nexus, I believe she won't refuse."
Kaito nodded, his eyes becoming sharper.
"So we just have to wait?"
Lila smiled, but didn't reply right away. She continued working on the computer, new lines of code running across the screen. Occasionally, a strange symbol would flash, but then quickly disappear.
"We won't have long to wait," Lila said softly, but her voice still carried caution.
"Akari won't let us get lost for long."
Kaito fell silent again, looking at the painting on the wall. He remembered it from when he first entered the house, a simple yet emotional image. They both had secrets, but could they trust each other completely?
"Lila" Kaito finally spoke,
"Is there something hidden about you? Or about my past?"
Lila tilted her head slightly, her eyes looking sharply at Kaito.
"You know, everyone has secrets. But with me, what I share is what I feel you need to know. The rest... will come when it's necessary."
Kaito sighed, but did not argue further. He understood that the truth would not come quickly, but this wait was not easy. In a world full of danger and contradiction, trust was the most elusive thing.
Lila stood up, offering the cup of tea to Kaito.
"Have some tea, it will help relax your mind."
Kaito picked up the cup of tea and took a small sip. The taste spread gently in his mouth, but his mind was still filled with unanswered questions.
"Do you ever think you'll get all your memories back?" Lila asked, softly but hauntingly.
Kaito leaned back in his chair, thinking for a moment.
"I don't know. But one thing I'm sure of, if I don't find it again, I won't be able to live in peace."
Lila smiled, her eyes gentle but sharp.
"You'll see. The world isn't as simple as a picture of light or dark. It's complex and full of hidden nuances."
The room fell silent again, except for the clicking of the keyboard as Lila continued to search for data. Kaito looked at her, a sense of relief creeping into his mind. Even though everything was still vague, at least for now, he had someone by his side, helping him through every difficult turn.
Lila stared intently at the screen, her fingers flying quickly across the keyboard. She was so focused that she seemed to have forgotten the passage of time. Kaito sat beside her, silently observing her every move, his eyes occasionally straving into his own thoughts.
"Lila" Kaito spoke again, breaking the quiet atmosphere,
"Do you ever think about giving up?"
Lila paused for a moment, looking up at him, her eyes sharp but also very deep.
"Giving up is easy, Kaito. But I've never chosen that path. Not when things are still unfinished, and people like us still stand on the brink of greater mysteries."
Kaito smiled slightly, but his eyes were still not completely calm.
"Nexus took so much from us. Time, memories, and everything we thought was certain. I wonder if we will ever truly win against them."
Lila sighed, her voice soft but filled with determination.
"Maybe you don't see the whole picture, Kaito. But winning or losing isn't the most important thing. For me, surviving, holding on to what's left, and finding a new way out is the biggest goal."
Kaito nodded, quietly taking another sip of tea. The feeling of fatigue still weighed heavily on his shoulders, but Lila's words were like a small light that filtered through the darkness in his mind.
The main door of the house opened gently, breaking the silence. A small figure entered, quickly closing the door behind her. Akari Minase, Lila's mysterious friend, made her first appearance in an unexpected, yet impressive way.
Kaito turned around, his eyes landing on the newcomer. The girl had short hair, bright eyes, and a confident demeanor. Her appearance was no different from a professional hacker's – cold, sharp, and seemingly needless to say.
"Akari," Lila spoke, a small smile on her lips.
"I told you about Kaito, right?"
Akari nodded slightly, not answering right away. She walked over to the desk where Lila was opening her computer, and quickly took over the work.
"This world is never easy," Akari said softly, her tone carrying sarcasm but also tact.
"But Lila, I will help you this time. But just this time."
Lila did not object, just smiled gently.
"We all have our own goals, Akari. Don't forget that he's fighting for the same thing."
Kaito silently observed every interaction between the two. Akari's words were a reminder to be cautious. She wasn't exactly easy to approach, and Kaito understood that he needed to prove himself before he could fully trust her help.
"Thank you for the support," Kaito spoke, his voice calm but not lacking in sincerity.
"Every step carries risks, but with companions like you, perhaps we will find a way out."
Akari didn't reply right away. She typed rapidly on the keyboard, her eyes shining with concentration. Numbers, data, and codes flashed across the screen. Occasionally, she would reach out and edit a line of code, as if tapping into an endless pool of information.
Lila stood by, occasionally helping Akari when needed. The atmosphere between the three of them suddenly became tense but meaningful. Every moment seemed to carry a great responsibility – deciphering data, searching for clues, and gradually revealing secrets from the past.
After a moment of silence, Akari took one last look at the screen before typing a few lines of code.
"I need more time," she said softly, her eyes still focused on the lines of code ahead.
"Everything is still vague, but I'll try to decipher it step by step."
Lila nodded gently, her expression softening somewhat.
"We won't force it. Sometimes, slowness also brings unexpected discoveries."
Kaito silently observed the two women before him. He could feel the patience and determination in their every move.
"Thank you everyone!" he said, his voice low but full of emotion.
"We're taking baby steps, but I know I'm not alone on this journey."