The sky was once filled with the vibrant color of blue daylight. But now, it is covered in darkness.

Where once the air was fragrant with the scent of flowers, it is now filled with the reek of blood and disgusting smell.

Not long ago, people were brimming with joy. Now, that joy has been replaced by some crying out while desperately clinging to their loved ones, some running to save their lives, and the growling of monsters.

".....Longer?"

"..."

"How much longer does she need to suffer?"

".."

"Answer me."

In the middle of this, a boy is shouting at someone. The vein on his head was clearly visible from anger. Yet, his tears aren't stopping.

“How much are you going to make me suffer?”

[... I'm sorry.]

The boy didn't like it when that figure apologized. He took something beside him and threw it at that figure.

That object flew toward the figure with such speed that a few bodies between them were swept away by the force of the wind created at that moment.

Yet, when it approached the figure, the object fell to the ground.

The boy's body was wounded. Some scars were so deep that treatment was impossible. Yet, he was looking at the figure with fierce eyes.

Because he moved a little, the body he was holding almost fell from his lap. The boy stopped moving and hugged the body.

“Nothing changed.”

He couldn't revive the body he was holding. That body wasn't breathing anymore and was slowly losing its warmth. Blood had stopped coming out of the big cut in their stomach.

From a lot of blood loss, the boy's body weakened, and he was closing his eyes.

At that moment, the boy feels warmth in his back, as if someone is hugging him from behind. The hug is so reassuring, even though there is no one alive to provide it.

After a few moments, the boy breathes his last breath while hugging the body. The figure watching this whole scene remains completely silent. 

Although they are standing in the middle of the monster, it explodes and turns to ashes when they try to attack the figure. The figure doesn't even blink an eye.

After that, the figure looks at the black sky, and a tear falls from their eyes. Without wiping their tears they say,

"9928.”

                             **********

Click…

“Biaaaaaa… uff.”

“Shh, she is sleeping.”

“Ethan, what are y…”

Jia's expression shifted to shock and disbelief. Even if I had been in Jia's shoes, I would have reacted the same way.

As Bian went back to sleep, I decided to leave. When I made my way to the door, a gleam caught my eye in the door's reflection. I became startled and immediately took my phone to see my face.

My eye color has become blue once again.

I pondered what to do now, but before I could think of anything, Jia entered the room.

"Did something happen again?”

She is worried about me. A rare reaction from her.

I remained silent for a moment and pressed my forehead.

"Bian called me by my name."

Jia's head tilted in confusion, but her eyes widened once more.

Her eyes might pop out if she widened them any more.

"Aethaneil."

I simply nodded my head. Jia's gaze shifted between Bian and me before she let out a heavy sigh.

"Calm your emotions before going out."

She went back to her usual cold self. I'm her older brother, yet her worries lasted just for a second. Should I knock some more sense into her?

"But why did she suddenly call you by ‘that name’?"

"What do you mean by ‘that name’? It's my real name."

"Then who is the one that cried when Bian called his real name?"

I tried to say something, but I just shut my lips.

When Bian called me by my name for the first time that day, I unexpectedly started crying. After that, she never called me by my real name.

“I don't know. She was having a nightmare, then woke up and called my name and fell asleep again.”

Jia didn't say anything. She just looked at Bian and sighed again. It's not a new thing to us that Bian always has nightmares, but I still question her.

"Did something like this happen previously?”

"I didn't see her having nightmares, but one time I got the feeling that…”

“...”

“.....she was disappearing from everyone. The funny thing is I don't remember what happened in five minutes and…”

“And?”

Jia averted her eyes, and her face slightly turned red. She must have done something she shouldn't have. I pinched the middle of my eyebrows.

What kind of thing did she do?

“Jia… 

What are you guys whispering over there?”

[What are you guys whispering over there?]

As I heard the faint sound of Bian's voice, I instinctively paused. I looked to my left and right.

Before I could look back, Jia's sudden grip on my arm startled me back to reality.

"What are you doing? Your eyes turned blue again."

I blinked a few times, trying to shake off the strange pheromones that had veiled me for a second.

I forced myself to calm down and took a deep breath.

"I thought I heard Bian say the same thing twice."

“No, she didn't.”

“I said I thought so.”

But Jia's expression made me realize I shouldn't have said that to her. She was looking at me as if I had gone mad. She tapped my shoulder.

"We have a psychiatrist in our hospital, you know."

I became irritated when she said that. I flick her forehead to relieve my irritation.

"Ouch."

Jia rubbed that spot. I regained my composure, exhaled slowly, and turned to Bian.

"Did you finally wake up?"

She was still in a state of half-asleep, fluttering her eyes open and closed.

"I thought you went back when I fell asleep."

I want to ask her why she said that, but what if she said it in her half-asleep state and doesn't remember anything?

I think I would be disappointed... wait, why would I feel that?

Click...

Before I could think of anything, someone entered the room. But I didn't need to look to see who it was.

Bian became stiff for a moment, then her expression turned to fear, and she lowered her eyes. She shows this expression only to one person.

“Cough…”

I turned back. I always try to act like an easygoing person in front of everyone, but I became cold in front of this person.

"Hello, Dad."

"Aethaneil and Jianna are also here. How are you?"

"Hello, Mr. Garcia. We are fine."

Despite the fact that Bian greeted him first, he didn't even look at her. Just remembering how Bian's hand was trembling at the sight of her father really irritates me.

I have never liked this person.