The wind roared in his ears as Kaito pushed himself forward, his body moving faster than it ever had before. Instinct drove him now, forcing his legs to keep going even as his mind struggled to catch up.
His thoughts were a mess.
Why did she collapse?
She had been laughing. Just a moment ago, she had been laughing like nothing was wrong.
"Kai…"
Her voice echoed in his memory, bright and full of life. He could still see her face, the way her eyes lit up as she held out the bracelet.
"Look, big brother! Now you can't forget me!"
The memory hit him harder than anything else.
"Don't do this…" he whispered, his voice breaking under the weight of rising fear. "Hina… stay with me…"
He looked down at her in his arms.
Her eyes were closed.
Her body felt far too light, as if it might slip away at any moment. Fragile in a way that made his chest tighten painfully.
For the first time in as long as he could remember, Kaito felt something he couldn't push aside.
Fear.
Real fear.
The gates of the Kaze Estate came into view ahead of him, tall and familiar, but he didn't slow down. He rushed straight through them.
"Lord Kaito—?!"
The guards barely had time to react before he passed them, their voices trailing behind him. Servants turned in alarm as he sprinted across the courtyard, a small unconscious girl in his arms.
"KAEDE!"
His voice rang out across the estate, sharp and desperate.
"KAEDE!"
Footsteps moved quickly behind him, and then she appeared.
Kaede took one look at Hina, and the calm composure she always carried slipped.
"What happened?"
"She collapsed," Kaito said, his words stumbling over each other. "She just grabbed her chest and then she just… she fell…"
Kaede didn't hesitate.
"Inside."
They moved quickly. Within moments, Hina was laid gently onto a futon in one of the rooms. Kaito dropped to his knees beside her, his breath uneven, snow still melting from his clothes onto the floor.
Kaede sat at Hina's side and placed her hands over the girl's chest.
A soft blue light began to form between her palms, warm and steady. The air in the room shifted as the healing energy spread, wrapping around Hina's small body.
Kaito watched closely, his hands clenched so tightly they trembled.
The Vital Pulse flowed into her.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Kaede's expression changed, subtle but unmistakable. Her eyes sharpened slightly as she focused, increasing the flow of energy. The glow grew brighter, filling the room with a steady, calming light.
But something wasn't right.
She could feel it.
Hina's pulse didn't respond the way it should. It wasn't just weak. It was unstable, erratic, like something inside her was breaking apart.
Like violent currents clashing deep within her body.
Kaito saw the shift, even if it was small.
His chest tightened.
"…Kaede?"
She didn't answer. Her hands pressed closer as she pushed more energy into Hina, her focus narrowing completely.
Still, nothing changed.
The unease in the room grew heavier.
"Kaede."
His voice came out sharper this time.
She exhaled slowly, the tension in her shoulders barely contained.
"…We need Lady Hana and lord Toru."
Kaito felt his stomach drop.
The words spread quickly through the estate. Within minutes, hurried footsteps echoed through the halls.
The door slid open.
Hana entered, Toru close behind her.
They both stopped the moment they saw Hina lying there.
Hana didn't waste a second.
She moved forward immediately, her expression steady, her focus absolute. No panic showed on her face, only urgency sharpened into control.
She knelt beside Hina.
Kaede stepped quietly to the side, giving Hana space without needing to be told. The room had gone still in a way that made every small movement feel louder than it should.
Hana placed her hand gently on Hina's forehead and closed her eyes. Her breathing slowed as her awareness spread inward, searching, listening. She found Hina's pulse easily enough, but the moment she focused on it, her expression began to change.
"…Strange," she murmured.
Toru, standing a short distance away with his arms crossed, frowned. "What is it?"
Hana didn't answer right away. Instead, she concentrated more deeply, following the flow of energy within Hina's body. It wasn't calm. It wasn't steady. There was a tension to it, something unstable beneath the surface. The pulse felt like it was building, rising in pressure as though something had been sealed away and was now pushing back.
Her brows drew together.
"…This shouldn't be happening."
On the other side of the room, Kaito stood completely still watching and waiting.
His hands trembled faintly at his sides, though he didn't seem to notice. His mind was stuck, replaying the same moment over and over again no matter how hard he tried to stop it.
Hina laughing. Hina holding the bracelet.
The sudden pause.
The way her small hand had pressed against her chest.
Her voice, weak and confused.
"Big brother…?"
Then she collapsed.
Kaito's breathing grew uneven. A quiet panic crept in, tightening around his chest.
Was it something she ate?
Did I miss something?
Should I have noticed sooner?
The questions wouldn't stop.
His throat felt tight, his thoughts spiraling faster and faster as fear settled in.
What if she doesn't wake up?
His fingers curled slightly, trembling now, and when he spoke, his voice barely came out.
"…Hina…"
Toru noticed.
He walked over without a word. Kaito didn't even realize he was there until he was suddenly pulled into a firm, steady embrace.
Kaito stiffened in surprise.
Toru's voice came from above him, low and calm. "She'll be fine."
Kaito's hands slowly tightened against Toru's robe.
"…What if she isn't?"
The words came out small, fragile in a way that didn't suit him.
Toru held him a little closer. "She will be."
Kaito's eyes shook as he tried to hold himself together.
"I should've noticed something…"
Toru placed a hand gently on the back of his head, steadying him.
"This isn't your fault."
Kaito swallowed hard. "…She was just laughing."
"And she will laugh again," Toru said quietly.
Kaito didn't answer.
But he didn't let go either. He clung to Toru's robe like a child who had nothing else to hold onto.
Across the room, Hana suddenly went completely still.
Her hand remained on Hina, but her focus shifted sharply, as if she had just sensed something she couldn't ignore.
Her eyes slowly widened.
There was something there.
Buried deep within Hina's pulse.
A presence.
Ancient. Vast. Far too powerful for what it should have been.
And worst of all… it felt like it was beginning to stir.
"…No," Hana whispered.
Toru looked up immediately. "What is it?"
But Hana didn't look at him. Her gaze was locked onto Hina, disbelief spreading across her face as the realization settled in.
"…That's impossible."
The room fell into a heavy silence.
Even the wind outside seemed to die away, as if the world itself had paused.
And for the first time—
real fear showed in Hana's eyes.