Far away from them, back at Juson's house, someone else had arrived.
"Yokina… Juson…"
The maid stood outside their house, calling out.
No answer.
She frowned.
"Must've gone out…"
She turned to leave.
Then stopped.
The air felt… wrong.
Heavier.
Still.
A faint humming sound crept into her ears.
She turned back toward the gate.
Slowly.
Peered inside.
Nothing.
Just silence.
The wind began to move lightly.
She exhaled. "Just wind…"
But she didn't leave.
Something held her there.
Watching.
Waiting.
Then—
A shadow fell over her.
Large.
Unnatural.
She froze.
Turned—
And screamed.
---
The door opened.
A young woman stood there, holding a baby.
"Oh, Yokina! Welcome!"
Wanna smiled warmly.
She stepped aside, letting them in.
Juson entered last.
And immediately—
He felt it.
That same unease.
Like the building.
Like the dream.
He ignored it.
For now.
---
Inside, Wanna placed her baby in the cot.
Moments later, a man stepped out of a room and locked it behind him.
Hakiten.
He greeted them casually, but his eyes held something else.
Something restrained.
---
They sat.
Wanna went to the kitchen.
Yokina followed.
Leaving Juson and Hakiten alone.
---
For a few seconds, silence.
Then Juson spoke quietly—
"You disappeared."
Hakiten leaned back.
"I needed to."
His voice was steady, but his fingers tightened slightly.
"That place…" he continued, "I wanted nothing to do with it anymore."
Juson watched him carefully.
"That night," Juson said, "what happened to you?"
Hakiten paused.
"I got out."
Too quick.
Too simple.
Juson didn't push further.
But he didn't believe it either.
---
"Hakiten!"
Wanna called from the kitchen.
Hakiten stood up, picked up his daughter, and handed her to Juson.
"Hold her for a moment."
Juson took the baby.
The moment he touched her—
Something felt wrong.
The child's body tensed.
Her breathing changed.
Sweat formed instantly across her skin.
She grew restless.
Uncomfortable.
Juson frowned.
---
Across the room, Herik watched.
That same feeling again.
He looked at the baby.
Then looked away.
---
Wanna returned and quickly took the child back.
"She's warm…" she muttered.
Then noticed—
Fine dust on her clothes.
She brushed it off absentmindedly.
"Probably crumbs," she said.
---
They sat down.
Cookies.
Juice.
Normal conversation.
But not normal atmosphere.
---
Hakiten kept glancing at the clock.
Then at his locked room.
Again.
And again.
Juson noticed.
Said nothing.
---
Herik stood up.
Walked slowly toward the locked door.
Before he could reach it—
Hakiten rushed forward and picked him up.
"Not there," he said quickly.
Too quickly.
Wanna laughed lightly. "Let him explore."
"Next time," Hakiten replied.
His smile didn't reach his eyes.
---
Juson leaned forward slightly.
"What do you do now?"
Hakiten hesitated.
"Supermarket… cashier."
Yokina frowned. "With your science degree?"
Silence.
---
Then she turned to Juson.
"Tell them about Itagawa."
Juson exhaled slowly.
Wanna looked confused. "Who's that?"
"You forgot?" Yokina said. "That man from the picnic… after graduation?"
"The one with the mark?" Wanna asked.
"Yes. Him."
Juson spoke quietly—
"He's dead."
Silence filled the room.
"You never told me," Yokina said.
Juson looked at her.
"Some things don't need to stay in your head."
---
A sudden thunderclap broke the moment.
Everyone looked toward the window.
Dark clouds swallowed the sky.
The air turned cold.
Heavy.
---
"We should leave," Juson said immediately.
Wanna shook her head. "Stay tonight. Weather's bad."
Yokina agreed.
"But he'll check the house once," she added.
---
Outside, Juson walked toward the car.
Herik followed.
"I'm coming."
"No," Juson said.
Herik didn't move.
Hakiten stepped in.
"Let him go. He wants his father."
Before Juson could respond, Hakiten placed Herik inside the car.
The storm paused.
The sky remained dark.
Hakiten smiled faintly.
"Looks like the weather agrees."
Juson stared at him.
Then got into the car.
---
As he drove away—
Hakiten turned back toward the house.
A smirk covers his face.
And closed the door.