[Come on, don't stay behind!]

  I zip up the collar of my jacket, freezing wind prickling at my skin.

  The soles of my feet run through the pavement, wet as it reflects the scarce yet warm light of the lamps.

  Raindrops fall, soaking my hair.

  Hinozu stays behind, wiggling his arms as he struggles to keep up.

  Mist spreads as he gasps for air.

  [Shut... Up.]

  I chuckle, glancing at him over my shoulder. White locks brush my forehead, causing a stinging sensation.

  Hinozu: [I... Need a rest…]

  Ayumu: [No way. We've been running for just 45 minutes.]

  His steps falter before he stops, hands on his knees as he breathes raggedly.

  I take a few steps back, jogging in place.

  [Don't stop moving. It's what you taught me, right?]

  With a last strained breath, Hinozu throws a few weak punches in the air before running past me.

  [Whatever.]

  I follow suit, catching up to him.

  Ayumu: [Look, Hinozu. Blue Dragon's Breath!]

  I fill my mouth with rainwater before shooting it ahead. Hinozu pays no mind, his mind focused entirely on running.

  His face falls immediately.

  Hinozu: [Not this one...]

  The short strip of pavement leads to the mountain, turning into a muddy path ahead.

  [It's about time we jogged on an incline like this.]

  [Aren't bridges enough for you?]

  [Not at all!]

  I chuckle, running upward into the dense forest. The rain intensifies, lightning crackling in the sky. I sit down on a rock, waiting for Hinozu.

  [We should return home. It's raining too much.]

  Ayumu: [What's the worst thing that can happen? An injury's not that much of a big deal.]

  [It is.]

  I sigh, standing up.

  [Well, you can turn back. I'm going to do it because I'm not afraid of failure.]

  [I'm not either.]

  He responds immediately. The lack of lighting hides his expression.

  Ayumu: [Now that I think about it... I can't see anything. Alright, you win. We'll retur—]

  [Let's go.]

  I watch as he warms up, doing so myself after him.

  Ayumu: [Don't you trip and fall, eh?]

  Hinozu: [I'm not as clumsy as you are.]

  Chuckling, I take a step, then another, following the trail.

  Faster.

  We jog through the muddy soil, being careful not to trip over stones or slip.

  The forest around thickens, birds taking flight to search for shelter from the rainfall.

  Breathing becomes harder and harder as my mind fogs.

  Somehow, it pours even more.

  My footsteps and controlled breathing are the only sounds recognizable in the rain.

  I trip over a stone, scratching my arm as I use it for protection. After, I keep running.

  Beads of sweat roll down my back.

  Ayumu: [It sure is suffocating, isn't it?]

  I turn around, a mirthless smile playing on my lips.

  Nobody.

  My heartbeat quickens as I feel it drumming in my chest.

  Where?

  Desperately, I sit down, using my hands and legs to descend the slippery, rocky path.

  When?

  I spit out the rain, droplets drowning my face as I search around with blurry vision.

  The faint sound of screaming catches my attention. I jerk my head towards the source of the sound.

  Just below me.

  I'm stepping on his face.

  Tears flow from his eyes.

  I step back, kneeling.

  [Hinozu! What's happened?]

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  My voice comes out muffled. My ears are filled with water.

  It was a bad idea.

  A tree branch peels his side, piercing between his ribs.

  His arm is broken.

  My stomach churns.

  I freeze.

  Rain stops.

  Though the sound still lingers in the back of my mind.

  Too much light.

  Too cold.

  Too clean.

  Relief courses through my veins.

  I sit next to it.

  The bed.

  [The doctor said you'll be fine, Hinozu. Rest well, and let's get back to it!]

  [But she said...]

  I turn around, staring at her. She coils a finger around her red hair.

  [It's nothing to worry about. Plus, she said it was just possible.]

  [Not confirmed. So, after two weeks, he'll come back stronger than ever!]

  Kanna: [Yeah. You're right, I guess.]

  She smiles. I stand, stretching.

  Ayumu: [Let's let him be.]

  [Right. See you soon, Hinozu.]

  We walk towards the door, leaving the room.

  Lights shine in a faint yellow light.

  I spot Jenneah at the reception, pacing around.

  Ayumu: [She looks like a crazy woman.]

  I whisper to Kanna's ear. She shoots me a hostile glance.

  Kanna: [Have some respect.]

  The old woman spots us, approaching. I expect her to say something.

  She parts her lips.

  Closing it shortly after.

  [Let's return home. You must be tired.]

  Ayumu: [Sure!]

  We exit the hospital, stepping carefully on the wet ground.

  Crickets chirp, the only sound that breaks the silence.

  A cold breeze grows, making me shiver.

  I rub my eyes.

  [What time is it?]

  [3:02 AM. Now hurry up, I'm exhausted.]

  I nod, dragging my feet to the car.

  Sitting inside, I sloppily fasten my seatbelt.

  Jenneah starts the car, the constant hum of the engine and the bumps acting as fuel for my sleep.

  I try to keep my eyes open, though they're as if pulled by magnets.

  [Why did this happen?]

  A whisper.

  [I should've been there.]

  [There's nothing I can do.]

  Kanna: [Jenneah.]

  [Shut up.]

  She clenches her jaw.

  [Is it that hard to listen to me?]

  [Why didn't you do something, Ayumu?]

  [Now I have another problem to deal with.]

  [He might never recover.]

  [It's all my fault.]

  [It's because of you.]

  [I should've never agreed to a thing you asked.]

  [You three can't ever seem to get enough.]

  [Isn't what I do enough?]

  [I'm starting to...]

  Kanna opens her mouth to speak, but I shake my head. She falls silent.

  [I'm starting to feel... Like I hate myse—]

  I despise them.

  People who don't suffer enough.

  People who don't suffer for something great.

  People who complain.

  I close my eyes, drifting off to sleep.

  As she continues rambling deep inside my dreams.

  ——

  [Alright. This is serious progress.]

  I set my pen down, stacking about a dozen sheets of paper on the bench.

  Kanna leans against the wooden log, sliding down as she sits on the grass.

  Ayumu: [Great job, Kanna! You can rest now.]

  [A-alright.]

  She says, her voice barely above a whisper.

  She concentrates, biting her lower lip.

  I wait patiently.

  The skin on her arm is twisted gruesomely, straining against her tendons.

  And in an instant, it turns to normal. As if the injury wasn't there in the first place.

  She recoils, an expression of deep pain etched on her features.

  I pick up my pen, grabbing a sheet of paper.

  [Amazing! What did you do?]

  [I... U-used Ruddii to... Like, carefully place it back. And... To tighten the skin.]

  I scribble on the paper, growing curious.

  [I see. It seems like a long procedure. How did you do it that quickly?]

  Heavy clouds settle on the sky, casting dark shadows beneath.

  [I don't know. There's this... Instinct, something like moving your hand exactly where you want to.]

  [So... You have great control over it, but if something goes slightly wrong, everything does?]

  She blinks.

  [That's... About it.]

  Ayumu: [That's crazy. Well... Let's end this for today. I'm hungry.]

  Kanna: [Me too.]

  Ayumu: [Let's return inside.]

  I pick up the papers, holding them with a clip. Sliding the door open, I enter the living room, striding towards the kitchen.

  The corridor seems dustier today.

  [Ayumu.]

  [Yeah?]

  [Will I... Be okay?]

  I stop.

  [What kind of question is that?]

  [Of course you'll be alright! I mean, you've improved so much, with Mr. Herrig's classes and our research. You can do anything.]

  I poke her arm playfully, making way to the kitchen.

  She follows behind.

  [Thanks, Ayumu.]

  [No need to thank me.]

  I reach for the door's handle. Locked.

  Ayumu: [She left it locked again.]

  Kanna: [Too bad... What do we do, then?]

  I tap my chin.

  [We've already seen several aspects of Ruddii, but we don't know its origin yet. But then, you've got no way to know...]

  She blinks.

  [You can use Ruddii for basically anything, if you know how to do it. Could it be possible to even...]

  [Hurt yourself deliberately?]

  A heartbeat.

  [I won't do that.]

  [Ah... Yeah. I understand.]

  A shift in her posture.

  Kanna: [Are you... Hiding something from me?]

  [Not at all. Why?]

  I chuckle, running a hand through the walls as I head to my room.

  [Nothing.]

  [Alright. I'm going to my room to take a nap.]

  Kanna: [Oh, okay.]

  I wave her goodbye, taking the stairs before entering my room.

  Shutting the blinds, I slide into bed.

  Twiddling a strand of hair.

  [It's necessary. It really is.]

  I close my eyes.

  [I had never thought I stood a chance.]

  [I just didn't have what was needed.]

  [Now, it's different.]

  The constant ticking of the clock fogs my thoughts.

  [I'm sorry, Hinozu.]

  [I shouldn't have pushed you further.]

  Guilt claws inside me.

  Disappointment claws inside me.

  [I should've known.]

  [You weren't capable of it.]

  ——

  [...Eh?]

  I messed up.

  I really messed up.

  [As... I was saying, he has survived. The injuries have healed enough, yet they've left some lasting effects.]

  [I will be an Exterminator.]

  [Damage to his lung and the scarring inside the chest mean he won't be able to breathe as deeply as before. So, his stamina and endurance will be reduced.]

  [Keep working, I believe in you!]

  [The broken arm healed, but the injury to the bones and the nerves means he may have weakness and reduced movement in that arm.]

  [Great, right? We can both work towards the same goal!]

  [This will make certain everyday tasks harder. Anything that requires both strength and a good lung capacity, like carrying heavy things or physical work, will be more difficult for him. He may also have chronic pain in the chest and arm... Which can limit what he feels like doing.]

  [Let's work hard and achieve it together!]

  [We've worked on rehabilitation, and it's having little effect for now, so we'll work on it.]

  It isn't real.

  [Unfortunately, some of these changes are likely permanent.]

  This isn't how this was supposed to work.

  [I'm sorry. Hinozu, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. This isn't... I wanted for us to—]

  I cut myself short.

  It doesn't matter.

  Not in front of those eyes.

  Empty.

  Even more so than the day I met him.

  [I wanted to go to the IEM. And... A-and be an Exterminator.]

  [I still want to.]

  I clench my fists, blinking rapidly to dissipate the tears.

  The doctor looks at him solemnly.

  [I'm sorry. It won't be possible.]

  Hinozu's eyes widen, his lips quivering as tears fall from his eyes.

  [It is...]

  [Heal me.]

  He grips the sheets.

  [Do something.]

  [It's all... It's all I have.]

  [Please...]

  [Fix me.]