The New WorldSilent Resolve
A Night of Restless Thoughts
The wooden floor creaked softly beneath Rein’s bed as he lay awake, staring at the ceiling. The dormitory was silent, save for the rhythmic breathing of the other children. But inside his mind, a storm raged.
The fight from earlier played over and over—the way his fists had struck without power, the way the goons had laughed at him. If Orin hadn’t stepped in, he would’ve lost. No, he had lost.
Weak. I was too weak.
A sigh came from the bed next to him. Orin. By morning, he’d be gone, taking his first steps toward becoming a government officer. Toward their shared dream. But only one of them had earned that future.
Rein clenched his fists. He refused to stay like this. He wouldn’t.
The Last Morning
The sky hung gray and heavy as Rein walked with Orin toward the orphanage gate. Orin’s uniform was crisp, his bag slung over his shoulder. His usual easygoing expression was unreadable.
“You didn’t have to come all the way,” Orin muttered.
“I wanted to.”
A brief silence stretched between them before Orin spoke again. “You’ll try again in four months, right?”
“Yeah.”
Orin paused before placing a hand on his shoulder. “You’re not weak, Rein. You just need time.”
Rein didn’t answer. He just nodded.
The gate creaked open, and Orin took a step forward. Then another. He didn’t look back. Rein watched until he disappeared down the street.
Now, I’m alone.
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A Graveyard of Promises
That evening, as the sun bled into the horizon, Rein found himself on the outskirts of town. The cemetery was eerily still, rows of stone markers stretching endlessly into the dusk.
He stopped at two graves, the names barely visible beneath layers of dirt and neglect. His parents' resting place.
For a long time, he stood there, saying nothing.
Then, without warning, the memories came flooding back.
FlashbackThe Night Everything Changed
The restaurant was warm, filled with chatter and clinking dishes. Golden light flickered from oil lamps, casting a comforting glow. Rein sat between his parents, listening to their voices blend into the background noise.
Then, chaos erupted.
Gunfire. Shattering glass. Screams.
The doors burst open as armed men stormed in, their faces twisted in rage. A rival group retaliated, and the restaurant transformed into a battleground.
“Rein!” His father’s voice cut through the chaos. “Come with me!”
His father’s grip was tight as he pulled Rein toward the back. The air reeked of burning oil and gunpowder. A stray bullet shattered a lantern, sending flames licking up the walls.
His father yanked open the washroom door, shoving him inside. “Stay here. Don’t move.”
The walls trembled with the force of the battle outside. He heard his mother scream his father’s name—then a wet, gurgling sound.
Silence.
The door opened, and his father pulled him out. “We need to—”
They stepped into a nightmare.
Blood pooled across the wooden floor. Bodies lay twisted, some groaning, others lifeless. His mother stood in the center, searching desperately for them.
Then—
A blade plunged into her chest.
Rein’s breath caught. He tried to move, to scream, but his body refused.
The man yanked the knife free, and she crumpled. Her empty gaze locked onto Rein one final time.
“NO—” His father barely got the word out before a gunshot tore through him. His body jerked, then collapsed beside his wife.
Rein’s world shattered.
The killers didn’t even glance at him. To them, he wasn’t worth the effort.
By the time the officers arrived, the gangsters were gone. The restaurant lay in ruins.
Just another crime. Just another incident.
Back to the Present
Rein’s breath hitched as reality returned. His hands were clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms. He exhaled slowly, forcing himself to release the tension.
The scent of blood was gone. The gunfire was gone. Only the whispering wind remained.
Their deaths had been reduced to a simple report. A forgotten page in an officer’s file.
But to Rein, it was everything.
His fingers brushed the cold stone. “I wasn’t strong enough.” The words barely reached the wind.
A deep breath.
“I will be.”
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting shadows across the graves. But for the first time, the darkness didn’t frighten him.
From this moment on, he would carve his own path.
Alone.
Stronger.
No matter what it took.
