Kai opened his eyes slowly and saw a clear, cloudless sky above him—a blue expanse without a single cloud. He felt strangely calm, but as he tried to understand where he was, he realized that something was off. Looking at his own body, he noticed that he was completely healed, even his right arm, which had been severely injured. When he lifted his gaze to assess the situation further, he realized he was leaning against something rough and irregular. Only then did he notice that he was no longer in the city's alleyway.
He was in an enormous tree. Kai looked up and saw thick branches and peculiar leaves, half blue and half black. The tree seemed to be over a hundred meters tall, and he was on one of its branches, about fifty meters from the ground. The scenery around him was even more impressive: he was on an island surrounded by crystal-clear water, and the giant tree dominated the entire space.
"How... did I end up here?" He didn't have much time to think; suddenly, the tree began to shake violently, as if an invisible force was trying to topple it. Kai clung to the trunk, his arms tightening against the rough bark as he struggled not to fall.
After a few minutes, the shaking stopped, and Kai relaxed for a brief moment. He took a deep breath and tried to assess his situation, sitting on the wide branch, which was at least five meters in diameter. If he fell from that height, he'd probably be reduced to "a meat paste," as he thought to himself.
Suddenly, he heard a deep sound of something running in the distance. Looking down, he saw a strange creature advancing toward the tree. The creature resembled a gigantic dog, over ten meters tall, with four eyes glowing an intense red. Before he could process what he was seeing, a deep roar echoed from the direction of the sea. Looking toward the ocean, Kai saw a gigantic creature emerging from the waters.
It was a dragon. With a long, slender body resembling a serpent, it had bright blue scales and a head that reminded him of a crocodile. The dragon roared again, making the air around vibrate, and to his surprise, it began moving toward the tree.
Kai held his breath upon seeing the two creatures approaching. Climbing higher seemed his only option, but he knew he couldn't escape quickly enough. He felt desperation growing in his chest as he watched the creatures come ever closer.
When the two creatures finally opened their monstrous mouths to attack, everything went dark.
Kai opened his eyes again, now looking at the ceiling of his room. He blinked, confused, trying to figure out if it had all been a dream. The familiar ceiling above him suggested he was safe, but the events still weighed on his mind.
He felt something moving under the covers. When he tried to move his right arm, he realized it was immobilized. He didn't panic, knowing that his arm had suffered a severe injury, but he was intrigued to find that he couldn't move his left arm either. Turning his head, he saw Souna beside him, sleeping with a peaceful yet deeply concerned expression.
She was clutching his arm, and even in sleep, she seemed unwilling to let go. There were traces of dried tears on her face. Kai felt a pang of guilt and sadness upon seeing that she had been crying, probably because of him. It made him realize how much his absence had affected her, and he reflected on the impact he had on those around him.
He felt something move again under the covers and looked down to find Tsubaki, who had also awakened and was now watching him. At first, her gaze seemed incredulous, then relieved, and suddenly, tears began to stream down her face. Before he could react, Tsubaki threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.
"Kai... I thought... I thought you..." she murmured between sobs, burying her face against his chest. Kai realized how genuinely worried she had been and how much he had underestimated both their feelings.
As he held Tsubaki, Kai felt the intensity of the situation. He had spent so much time treating Souna and Tsubaki as anime characters, distant figures without emotional depth. But seeing them react with genuine relief and concern, he realized he could no longer think of them that way. They were real people, with feelings and worries.
He hugged Tsubaki tenderly, hoping to calm her. After a few minutes, she pulled away, wiping her tears and giving a shy smile.
"You're back..." she said, her voice a mix of relief and emotion.
Kai tried to respond with his gaze, feeling the depth of the moment. He saw Tsubaki stand up, still slightly trembling, and walk over to his desk to pick up the clothes she had left there. Dressed only in a shirt, she searched for her clothes, trying to compose herself. Kai, watching, noticed for the first time her serene beauty and delicate strength as she dressed in silence.
Kai took a deep breath, feeling grateful to be alive and at the same time determined to become stronger so that he would never again leave these precious people in such a state of distress. He dressed with difficulty, unable to move his right arm, but before he could ask for help, Tsubaki approached again, ready to assist.
"Looks like a big boy still needs help putting on his shirt," she joked, letting out a slight smile, though concern was still visible in her eyes.
Kai laughed with her, feeling relieved that the seriousness of the moment was beginning to dissipate. As Tsubaki helped him put on his shirt, he lowered his head, and their faces came close. He felt her breath and sensed a small hesitation in the air, but out of respect for what they had been through, they both maintained their distance—a tacit understanding that it was still too soon for anything beyond that moment of tenderness and recovery.
Once he was dressed, he and Tsubaki decided to go to the living room, leaving Souna to rest. They descended the stairs in silence, and Kai sat on the sofa while Tsubaki took a seat beside him. He felt the weight of her expectation and knew he would have to explain what had happened.
"So, are you going to tell me what happened? You left us very worried. When we found you in the alley, you were gravely injured. It took two days for you to regain consciousness. I... we didn't know what to do," she said, her tone once again expressing concern.
Kai was surprised to learn he had been unconscious for two days. He tried to process everything, still confused, but began to explain slowly. He told Tsubaki about his encounter with Yukina, the invitation to her house, and the long conversation about manga. He omitted some details, like the kiss, but recounted the poisoning and the chase by her monstrous familiar. He had been forced to use all his knowledge to escape, including his trick with the "Spirit Bomb."
Tsubaki listened attentively, but her expression changed upon hearing Yukina's name and description. She frowned, seeming to recognize her, but avoided giving any indication of who she might be. When he finished, she remained silent, pondering what she had just heard.
"Kai... don't tell Souna about who attacked you. If she finds out, this could turn into a much more complicated situation," Tsubaki said, her voice laden with concern.
He nodded, realizing that Tsubaki knew Yukina and that the matter was more delicate than he had imagined. Before he could ask questions, the faint sound of footsteps was heard on the stairs. Tsubaki and Kai turned to see Souna descending slowly. She stopped on the last step and looked at Kai with a smile that mixed relief and gratitude, but at the same time, there was a firm expression on her face.
She wasn't in love, but the days of worry showed how much Kai, in some way, already mattered to her. Souna crossed the room and sat beside him, looking directly into his eyes.
"Kai, you really need to be more careful," she said in a serious tone, although he saw the glint of relief in her gaze. "I don't know what happened, but... you left us very worried."
Kai nodded, feeling a different responsibility for their safety and his own. He knew that from now on, he couldn't underestimate them or treat them as storybook figures. These two people were already too important to him.
"I promise I'll be more careful. I think I have a lot to learn and improve still," he said, trying to express as much sincerity as possible.
Souna and Tsubaki smiled at him, and at that moment, he felt he had made a silent promise, not just to them but to himself.