Scene 1: Glimpses of the Past
(A bright afternoon sun filters through the windows of the Ryoma family home. The golden light spills onto a wooden dining table where the family sits in peaceful harmony. Across from Ryoma, his mother—a woman with gentle features and eyes that hold a shadow of sorrow—places food in front of him and his younger sister, who is only ten years old.)
Ryoma: Mom, you seem distracted today… Is everything okay?
(His mother pauses for a moment as if his question pulls her back from a deep whirlpool of thoughts. She tries to smile, but the worry in her eyes betrays her.)
Mother: Yes, don't worry, dear… I'm just thinking about some things.
(Ryoma eyes her suspiciously but doesn't press further. He knew there were secrets in his family, things his mother never told him. But he had no idea that the truth would soon hit him in a way that would change his life forever.)
Scene 2: A Sense of Danger
(Later that day, Ryoma walks through the city streets, the cool air brushing against his face. The sound of his footsteps echoes through the narrow alleys. There was something strange in the air… a heavy feeling pressing against his chest.)
Ryoma (internal monologue): Why do I feel like someone is watching me? Is it just my imagination?
(He stops for a moment, glancing behind him, but the street is empty. Still, he can't shake the unsettling feeling that something lurks just beyond his sight.)
(In a dark alley nearby, a mysterious man in a black coat stands hidden in the shadows, watching Ryoma. His eyes, glowing with an icy stare, hold no emotion—as if they belong to a beast waiting to pounce.)
Scene 3: Buried Secrets
(Back home, Ryoma's mother sits alone in her room, flipping through an old photo album. She stops at a picture of her late husband, who was murdered under mysterious circumstances years ago. She stares at his face, a sad smile forming on her lips before she whispers in a trembling voice.)
Mother: Why, Kazuma? Why did they take you from me?
(Memories flood back—his last glance at her, filled with love and concern. How he held her hand and said, "If anything happens, don't tell Ryoma… Don't let him know.")
(But she couldn't hide everything. She couldn't protect him forever…)
Scene 4: The Threat Approaches
(Late at night, the silence shatters with rapid knocks on the back door. The mother glances out the window and sees a shadowy figure standing outside. Hesitantly, she steps forward, opens the door slightly, and meets the gaze of a masked man, his face half-hidden in the darkness.)
Mysterious Man: There's no time. You're being watched. You need to leave—now. Take your children and run.
(She steps back, her body trembling with shock.)
Mother: Watched? By whom? Why now?
Mysterious Man: No time for questions… They're closing in.
(At that moment, the low hum of a black car stopping in front of the house fills the air. A foreboding silence follows.)
Scene 5: The Beginning of the End
(Ryoma returns home to find his mother frantically packing their belongings, her eyes filled with panic and fear.)
Ryoma: Mom! What's going on?!
Mother: We have to leave now! No time to explain!
(Ryoma stands frozen, the sense of danger growing heavier. He runs to the window and sees men in black uniforms approaching with steady, ominous steps.)
Ryoma (internal monologue): Who are they? Why are they after us?
(Before he can process it, the front door shatters open, and several men storm inside, their cold, merciless eyes locking onto the family.)
Scene 6: The Breaking Point
(The house erupts into chaos. The intruders flood in like a black storm, and Ryoma's mother stands in front of them—a living shield for her children. Her heart pounds wildly, but her eyes hold no fear… only unwavering determination.)
Mother (with fierce defiance): Don't you dare come near my children!
(One of the men smirks, stepping closer, his gaze predatory.)
Man: Do you really think you can stop us?
(With a sudden burst of speed, he lunges at her. She dodges, fighting with a courage she never knew she had. She lands a powerful strike on one attacker, sending him stumbling back. Another reaches for her, but she twists away, slamming her elbow into his chest. But… she was alone. And they were many.)
(A shadow moves behind her… a glint of silver under the dim light… and then—)
"Shrrkk!"
(Ryoma's breath catches. Time slows to a crawl. He watches, helpless, as the blade sinks into his mother's body… slowly… as if the world itself refuses to accept what is happening. Crimson seeps into her clothes, dripping onto the floor like a wilting flower under the rain.)
Mother (barely a whisper, as if she herself doesn't understand): Ah…
(She staggers, her hands trembling as they reach for the wound on her abdomen. Her eyes widen in slow realization before… her legs give way. In the next moment, she crumples to her knees, then collapses entirely—her body lifeless like a puppet with its strings cut.)
Ryoma: Mom?
(His mind rejects reality. He stares at her unmoving form. The sound of blood dripping onto the wooden floor is deafening. His body freezes… his breath shallow… the air thickens, suffocating him.)
Ryoma (his voice trembling, barely escaping his throat): Mom…?
(He stumbles forward, kneeling beside her, his hand reaching out—hesitant—touching her face… but she's cold. Too cold.)
Ryoma (screaming, as if his voice could bring her back): MOOOOOOOM!!!
(His little sister, who had been hiding behind him, breaks into uncontrollable sobs, grabbing his shoulder, shaking him desperately.)
Sister: M-MOM!!! NOOOO!!!
(Ryoma clutches his mother's limp hand, gripping it as if letting go would erase her existence.)
Ryoma (his voice shattered, barely a whisper): No… no… please… please don't go… Mom… Mom… wake up…!!
(But she doesn't wake up.)
(Ryoma's entire world crumbles. His tears fall uncontrollably, his body shaking violently.)
Ryoma (mumbling through his sobs, his mind breaking apart): Why… why… why why why why why why why why why why why why WHY WHY WHYYYYYYYYYY!!!
(He slams his fist against the floor—once… twice… dozens of times. The pain doesn't matter. His cries grow louder, his screams tearing through the night.)
"WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!"
(The air shifts… a dark energy seeps from his body. His eyes turn pitch black, his breaths ragged and heavy. The wind in the room whirls violently, responding to his grief, shaking the walls. The intruders take a cautious step back.)
One of the men (his voice laced with fear): W-what… is this?!
(Ryoma sees nothing. Hears nothing. Feels nothing but agony. The darkness inside him consumes him, his cries turning monstrous until—)
"BOOOOOOOOM!!!"
(A black explosion erupts, shaking the house. Walls crack, windows shatter, and the intruders are thrown back like ragdolls. His little sister covers her eyes, her scream lost in the chaos.)
(And then… Ryoma collapses, unconscious.)
Final Scene: The Savior
(The house lies in ruins, dust and debris filling the air. As the intruders struggle to rise, a lone figure appears on the rooftop. Standing with absolute confidence, he cradles Ryoma in his arms, his icy gaze sweeping across the scene.)
Saito: Tch… I was too late.
(He glances at the mother's lifeless body, and for a fleeting moment… regret flickers in his eyes. Then, he turns toward the intruders, his eyes gleaming with quiet menace.)
Saito (his voice low, yet deadly): Take another step… and you won't see the morning sun.
(The men hesitate, realizing they are facing someone far beyond them.)
(Saito glances at Ryoma once more, then disappears in an instant—leaving behind only destruction and a night that has never felt darker.)
(End of Chapter.)