Night had fallen over Greenfall Village, the quiet hum of cicadas blending with the soft rustle of leaves outside the motel window. In their shared room, the group settled into an unusual calm. The glow of a lantern cast shadows on the walls, flickering like distant memories.

  Sonnet stretched out on the bed, her head hanging off the side. "Hey, Kazuki."

  "Hm?" Kazuki sat on the floor, resting his back against the wall, arms behind his head.

  "Don't you… miss your old life? Back in the real world. Friends, family, all that?"

  The room grew quiet. Even Andreas and Lumi turned their attention to him, waiting for his answer.

  Kazuki closed his eyes for a moment, reflecting. His voice was calm, steady, but carried a weight that none of them had heard before.

  "I did," he said, eyes slowly opening, a faint smile forming on his face. "But I've learned something since coming here. The past… it's a chapter already written. We can read it as many times as we want, but it won't change the ending. So, instead of clinging to what's gone, I've decided to embrace the story that's still being written."

  He looked at each of them, his gaze unwavering.

  "Fate brought us together for a reason. I don't know what that reason is yet, but I'm not running from it. My life didn't end when I came to Eidolon. It started over. So no, I'm not going back. I'll keep moving forward… no matter what's waiting ahead."

  A silence followed, heavy but filled with unspoken understanding.

  Lumi leaned back in her chair, a proud smile on her face. "I don't think I've ever heard you talk like that before."

  Sonnet sat up, grinning. "Damn, Kazuki. That was almost poetic. You've been practicing that, haven't you?"

  "Totally off the top of my head," Kazuki said with a playful smirk. "Pretty cool, right?"

  Andreas nodded approvingly. "You're not wrong. Sometimes, life isn't about going back. It's about surviving what's next."

  The first light of dawn painted the sky in soft hues of orange and pink. The village was still asleep, wrapped in silence as Kazuki slipped out of the motel room. He glanced back at the chaotic mess inside—Sonnet sprawled across two beds, one leg dangling off, while Andreas somehow managed to sleep upside down. Lumi, on the other hand, had buried herself under a mountain of blankets, only a tuft of hair visible.

  Kazuki shook his head, amused. "Yeah… I need some fresh air."

  He wandered into the streets, the cobblestone paths glowing faintly under the morning light. The village seemed different at this hour—calm, almost magical. His thoughts drifted back to the rumors about the witch girl.

  "She draws things and makes them real... sounds kinda cool" Kazuki thought, kicking a small pebble as he walked." I mean, who wouldn't want that kind of power?"

  He continued down the path, his footsteps echoing in the stillness, until he found himself at the edge of a serene lake. The water shimmered like glass, reflecting the morning sky. Tall trees surrounded the lake, their leaves swaying gently in the breeze.

  Kazuki stood there, hands in his pockets, watching the ripples on the surface. "So, this is where I end up, huh?" he muttered to himself.

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  Suddenly, he noticed something—or someone—on the other side of the lake. A girl with messy green and white hair sat on a large rock, her knees pulled to her chest. She seemed lost in thought, her gaze fixed on the water.

  "Is that… her?"

  Kazuki's curiosity sparked even more. He took a step closer but stopped, not wanting to scare her off. Instead, he leaned against a nearby tree and watched quietly.

  "Guess I'll wait and see what happens…"

  Kazuki leaned against the tree, watching the girl in silence. Her messy green and white hair fluttered slightly in the morning breeze, and her eyes seemed distant, almost lost in a dream. She hadn't noticed him yet, too focused on the calm water.

  He was about to turn back when, without warning, the girl stood up on the rock and—jumped straight into the lake.

  Kazuki's heart raced."Wait… what the hell?!"

  Without hesitation, he sprinted toward the lake, kicking off his shoes as he splashed into the cold water. The girl hadn't surfaced yet. His mind ran wild with worst-case scenarios. Was she… trying to end it?

  But then, just as he reached her, the girl popped back up, holding her breath and looking utterly calm. She blinked at him with a blank expression as if nothing was wrong.

  Kazuki grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the shore. "What were you thinking?! Are you okay?"

  The girl didn't answer right away. She glanced down at their hands, then back up at him, her eyes unreadable. She gently tugged her hand away and took a step back, avoiding eye contact.

  Kazuki caught his breath. "I—I thought you were… you know…" He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Jumping in for other reasons."

  The girl tilted her head slightly. "No," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I was… picking a flower."

  "A flower?" Kazuki repeated, baffled. He looked around, seeing nothing but water and lily pads.

  She nodded, pointing toward the center of the lake. "Lunis Bloom. It only grows here... at dawn. It appears for a few seconds, then disappears back into the water. If you miss it, you have to wait until the next morning."

  Kazuki stared at her for a moment, then back at the lake. "So, let me get this straight… You weren't trying to end it all. You were just trying to pick a rare flower?"

  The girl gave a small nod. "...Yes."

  Kazuki's jaw dropped. "And here I thought I was being a hero!" He laughed, shaking his head. "Seriously, you scared me half to death!"

  The girl's lips curved into the faintest smile, though she quickly hid it behind her hand. "Sorry."

  Kazuki grinned. "Well, I guess we missed the flower today, huh? What's it called again—Lunis Bloom?"

  "...Yes." Her voice was still quiet, but there was a gentle warmth to it.

  "Alright, Lunis Bloom," Kazuki declared. "We'll get it next time. How about I help you tomorrow? Two sets of eyes are better than one, right?"

  The girl glanced at him, surprised. "You'd… help me?"

  "Of course! I've already jumped into a freezing lake for you. Might as well see this flower mission through," he said with a playful wink.

  Kazuki chuckled softly, wringing the water out of his shirt. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow—"

  "Don't."

  Her voice stopped him in his tracks. She stood a few steps away, her back half-turned, her expression barely visible.

  "It's better if you… keep your distance," she said quietly. "It'll only hurt you more if you don't."

  Kazuki blinked in surprise. "Wait, what do you mean by that? Hurt me how?"

  The girl didn't answer. She clutched her sleeves tightly and looked down for a moment before taking a deep breath and walking away, her steps quick and slightly unsteady, like she was fleeing.

  "Wait! At least tell me your—"

  Before he could finish, she was already gone, vanishing around a bend in the path with surprising speed. It almost made Kazuki wonder if she had some kind of superpower.

  He sighed, running a hand through his wet hair. "Man… she walks really fast." He stared at the empty path for a moment, then muttered to himself, "I didn't even get her name…"

  The soft ripple of the lake was the only response.

  After a moment, Kazuki shook his head with a grin. "Mysterious witch girl with green and white hair, huh? Guess I'll just have to find you again tomorrow."

  With that, he turned back toward the village, the morning sun beginning to rise over the horizon.