Part 4 — She Left Last Night
Haruto was still asleep on the sofa exactly where he fell asleep last night.
Curled slightly against one side.
His face still looked tired even while sleeping.
Kaito gently shook his shoulder.
"…Haruto."
No response.
"…Wake up."
Haruto moved slightly.
Then slowly opened his eyes halfway.
Still disoriented.
"…Mm…"
Ayame stood nearby silently.
Kaito tried speaking more normally.
"…Wake up properly."
Haruto slowly sat up while rubbing his eyes tiredly.
"…What…"
Kaito hesitated briefly.
Then quietly:
"…Aka's not here."
Haruto blinked once.
Still half asleep.
"…What?"
Ayame calmly spoke this time.
"…We can't find her."
Haruto stared at both of them for a few seconds.
Confused.
Then slowly stood up.
"…Maybe she's downstairs…"
"She's not."
"…Outside?"
"Her shoes are gone."
Silence.
Haruto's expression slowly changed.
But before fully processing it—
Ayame quietly spoke again.
"…Go wash your face first."
Haruto stayed silent for a moment.
Then slowly nodded.
"…Okay…"
He walked toward the bathroom quietly afterward.
The sound of water soon echoed softly again through the house.
Kaito sat down near the table silently while waiting.
Ayame remained standing near the window.
Outside—
shinobi movement still occasionally crossed distant rooftops.
The atmosphere beyond the village still hadn't calmed fully.
Several minutes later—
Haruto finally stepped back out.
More awake now.
His hair still slightly wet.
"…Did you check everywhere?"
Kaito nodded.
"…Yeah."
Haruto looked toward the entrance.
Toward the empty space near the door.
Then suddenly—
something returned to him.
Last night.
The deployment.
The goodbye.
Akari leaving.
"…Oh…"
The sound escaped quietly from him.
His expression slowly fell.
Kaito immediately noticed.
"…Haruto?"
Haruto lowered his gaze.
And little by little—
his eyes began trembling again.
"…She left…"
Silence filled the room instantly.
Kaito froze slightly too.
Because deep down—
he already suspected it.
But hearing it aloud made it real.
Ayame quietly looked toward Haruto.
"…Last night?"
Haruto nodded slowly.
"…The army came…"
His voice weakened slightly.
"…They called her too…"
Kaito stared silently.
"…And she left…?"
Haruto swallowed hard.
Then nodded again.
"…Yeah…"
A painful silence followed afterward.
Morning light still filled the house peacefully.
But inside—
Everything suddenly felt emptier than before.