The inn was wrapped in the hush of morning. The smell of warm bread and freshly brewed tea drifted gently through the halls. Yume walked slowly, balancing a tray laden with breakfast. She stopped at Kaito’s door and tapped it lightly with her foot.

«Kaito, it’s me. I brought you something to eat,» she said softly.

«You can come in,» the boy’s voice answered, muffled by the door.

Yume pushed the door open with her hip, careful not to drop anything. As soon as she entered, she saw him kneeling by the small table. In front of him lay a half-open backpack and neatly folded clothes scattered around.

«Good morning,» Kaito said, rising slowly.

Yume’s smile vanished the moment she noticed the backpack. She froze mid-step.

«K-Kaito... what are you doing?» she asked, trying to hide the hurt from her voice.

Kaito looked her in the eyes, serious.

«My body’s healed enough. I’m leaving for Shinkase tomorrow.»

There was a moment of silence.

«Of course… you’d told me. Well, have a good trip then,» Yume said, forcing a smile as she hurriedly set the tray on the bed. She started to leave.

«Yume, wait,» Kaito’s voice stopped her.

She paused in the doorway.

«Are you all right?» he asked.

Yume turned toward him, her smile still strained.

«Yes, I’m fine.»

«Good then,» he replied, watching her in silence as she left and gently closed the door behind her.

Yume remained motionless outside his door.

—Why... why does this hurt so much?— she thought, clenching her fists.

The morning at the inn carried on as usual. Yume and Hauromi served the customers efficiently, but something about her was off. Her smile felt forced; her gaze was distant.

«Excuse me, Hauromi,» said an elderly customer at the counter — clearly a regular.

«What’s wrong, Ichibei?» the man replied, filling a mug of beer with familiar movements.

«I got the wrong dish. I ordered meat, not a soup,» the old man said, puzzled but polite.

«Sorry — must’ve been a mistake, Yume. We’ll fix it right away.»

CRASH.

A sharp sound of breaking glass cut through the air.

Everyone turned.

Yume stood frozen; the tray had slipped from her hands. Three beer mugs shattered on the floor, spraying foam and shards everywhere.

Her gaze was vacant, as if she weren’t even there.

All the customers who had been talking fell suddenly silent.

«Yume, are you okay?!» Hauromi asked, worried. Yume, lost in thought, didn’t answer at once.

«W-what? Y-yes, I’m fine — I’m so sorry everyone, I’ll clean it up right away,» she replied, mortified, bowing her head.

She began gathering shards from the floor while the people around her murmured in surprise at such an unusual mistake.

—What am I doing?— Yume wondered, her mind in turmoil.

Footsteps suddenly approached behind her. She spun around.

«Kaito?» she whispered.

He stood there, holding a broom and dustpan. He had left his room without saying a word.

«I’ll handle this. Go serve the customers,» he said in a calm, flat voice.

«You don’t have to... it was my fault,» she stammered.

«Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it,» he insisted.

Yume looked at him, struck by his thoughtfulness.

«T-thank you,» she murmured uncertainly, rising slowly.

She moved toward the counter where Hauromi was waiting.

«Yume, come out back with me for a moment,» the man said, serious.

The two of them went to the back of the inn.

In front of them stood a faded fence and a couple of old trash bins. A light wind ruffled their hair.

Hauromi pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, placed one between his lips, and lit it with calm hands.

«Nice day, isn’t it?» he asked.

Yume looked at him with a doubtful expression.

«You’re not going to scold me?» she asked, surprised.

«Ahaha… for what? For a mistake like that? Ever since I met you, you’ve helped me out more than I can count.»

He exhaled smoke, watching the ember of his cigarette. «You know, Kaito leaves for Shinkase tomorrow.»

«...I know,» she answered softly.

«That’s why you’re so distracted today, right?» Hauromi continued, blunt. «After all, you two have gotten to know each other pretty well these past weeks.»

«I-I... yes. That’s it. I want him to stay. I know it’s selfish of me, but—» she said, twisting the fabric of her dress between her fingers.

«Youth... it’s a wonderful thing. Often people don’t realize the meaning behind certain desires,» he said, his tone ambiguous.

«Yume, we’ve known each other a long time. When I offered you work here, I never imagined this place could become a cage for you.»

«A cage?! No, it’s not!» she retorted instinctively.

«Maybe not yet... but now, because of Kaito, you have the freedom to go wherever you want. You’ve never told me much about your past, but… isn’t there someone you’d like to see again?»

At his words, the face of Yume’s mother filled her mind.

«Yes… there is someone I’d like to see,» she whispered, a veil of nostalgia in her voice.

Hauromi paused, inhaling slowly. Then he added:

«Then do it, Yume. Find her. Travel, discover the beautiful things the world has to offer. Why don’t you leave with Kaito? Help him... and then go visit that person.»

THE NEXT DAY

Kaito’s room window was ajar. The cool morning air drifted in under a sky heavy with storm clouds. The boy was packing the last items into his backpack.

—This will do— he thought, taking a deep breath as he slung it over his shoulder.

He approached the door, ready to leave, but paused for a moment.

He turned and looked around the empty room.

«Strange...» he murmured.

«It’s been a long time since I had a safe roof over my head. And now that I have one... I have to leave.»

A bitter smile touched his lips. He took one last look at the room, then gently closed the door behind him.

Kaito descended the inn’s stairs for the final time. His footsteps echoed in the morning quiet until he reached the main hall.

«Hey, Kaito. Looks like you packed well,» Hauromi said, looking up from his newspaper and grinning as he indicated the bulging backpack.

«All right then, let’s go. I’ll see you off,» he added.

«You sure it was a good idea to close the inn for this?» Kaito asked.

«Of course. I wanted to give you a proper send-off,» the older man replied with a wide smile.

For a moment Kaito’s gaze dropped, almost caught off guard, then returned to his usual composure.

The young man glanced around. The hall felt tranquil, as if it kept silently all the moments they had shared these past days.

«Where’s Yume?» Kaito asked.

«She had an errand to run. She’ll catch up with us before the train leaves,» Hauromi explained, slowly opening the inn’s door.

«I see...» Kaito said, stepping out with measured pace.

The two of them began walking through the town’s quiet streets toward the station.

«Kaito,» Hauromi said suddenly, his tone turning serious. «I want to take a moment to talk to you.»

Kaito nodded, ready to listen.

«Even if you don’t show it, you’re a good kid. I don’t know what’s happened to you, where those blades came from… or why it’s so hard for you to trust others.» Hauromi paused and lowered his gaze.

The first drops of rain began to fall.

«But… take care of yourself, Kaito. Open up. Trust people a little more.»

He looked him in the eyes.

«Hauromi…» the boy murmured. «I’ll try. You too… take care. And watch over Yume — she’s capable, but she tends to overdo things.»

«Ahaha, no need,» the man laughed heartily.

«What do you mean?» Kaito asked just as a metallic announcement cut through the air from the station speakers:

«The train to Shinkase is about to arrive at the platform.»

«We’ve reached your destination,» Hauromi said, glancing up at the gray sky. The rain had grown steadier.

They pushed through the crowd and reached the platform. It was open-air, sheltered by a wooden canopy. A few benches and trash cans made up the simple furnishings. The two sat on one of the benches to wait.

«They got the train fixed quickly after the fight with Shirogane,» Kaito observed, watching the tracks gleam with rain.

«Perhaps you don’t know, but Shinkase is the most advanced city among the four great nations. For them, getting a train running again is nothing,» Hauromi explained.

«Imagine that,» Kaito commented, a hint of surprise in his voice.

Time passed and the train’s arrival neared. Kaito, nervous, turned to the old man.

«Hey, Hauromi… what are Yume’s intentions?» he asked.

«Be patient. She’s on her way,» the man replied calmly.

«Are you sure?»

Again, the boy’s words were drowned by a metallic sound as the train pulled into the station.