The familiar chaos of packing filled the Hashino household. Sanichi and Sagira moved with practiced efficiency, preparing for their annual trip to Sanichi's parents in the province.
Their son, Zen'no—a bouncing ball of seven-year-old energy—zoomed through the house, making swooshing noises as he darted around corners with his beloved toy airplane, Captain Zoom, clutched in a sticky hand.
Sagira, carrying their now three-year-old daughter Yiina in her arms, watched Zen'no with a mix of affection and exhaustion. Yiina, true to her spirited nature, wriggled like a fish mid-catch, reaching out as her brother zipped by with a loud.
"VROOOOM!"
"Zen'no."Sagira called out, stepping around an open suitcase. "Please slow down, sweetie! We need to leave soon!"
Zen'no skidded to a dramatic halt at the bottom of the stairs, nearly tumbling but catching himself with a superhero pose.
"Mom! MOM! Can I bring Captain Zoom? He's super duper ready for the mission!" he asked, eyes wide like it was the most important decision of the day.
Sagira exchanged a look with Sanichi before nodding.
"Alright, but only if he stays safe and doesn't crash into your sister again."
"He promises!"
Zen'no whispered seriously to his plane, giving it a little boop on the nose.
"No crashes. Just awesome flips and zooms."
Soon, they were packed into the car. Sanichi took the wheel like always, calm and focused. Sagira settled into the back with Yiina curled in her lap, already pulling out random objects from her tiny pink backpack.
Zen'no, buckled beside his father, sat straight with Captain Zoom in hand, ready for action.
As the car rolled forward, Zen'no glued his face to the window, nose smooshed, breath fogging up the glass as he made rocket sounds. Outside, the world whirled past in flashes of green, brown, and the occasional surprise cow.
"WHOA! A cow! MOM! There was a cow! It blinked at me!"
"Yes, sweetie. Keep your eyes on your window, alright?" Sagira said with a tired laugh.
Then, as they approached a long, sweeping bridge, Zen'no gasped so loud it startled even Yiina.
"FATHER! LOOK! The bridge—it's like a GIANT ROBOT ARM! This is the coolest thing ever ever ever!"
Sanichi chuckled, glancing at the awe on his son's face.
"That's right, Zen'no. And look over there—that's the ocean."
Zen'no's eyes grew impossibly wide. He pressed both hands against the window, frozen in amazement.
"The ocean!? For real!? It's sooooo big! It's like... like it goes on forever and eats the sky!"
Sanichi smiled, heart full.
Zen'no leaned closer to Captain Zoom, whispering,
"One day, buddy... we're gonna fly over that. Super high. Even higher than the clouds. Promise me. Cross your wings and promise."
Their journey continued, and soon they entered a dense forest. Sagira's expression shifted; her knuckles whitened around the seat, breath catching in her throat. The trees blurred past, but her mind was already elsewhere.
The woods triggered something buried—flashes of a childhood memory, sharp as broken glass. She saw herself again: small, alone, clutching a teddy bear, tears streaking her face under the towering shadows of the forest.
Sanichi noticed in the car front mirror.
"Are you okay, honey? Is something wrong?"
He studied her face, concern etched into his features as he noticed the change in her expression.
Sagira flinched at the sound of his voice, as if pulled from some dark corner of her past. She blinked, grounding herself in the present.
"I… I'm okay," she whispered, voice shaky. "It's just… sometimes the past feels too close, like it never left, but don't mind me... I'm fine." She forces herself to smile.
Her daughter looked up at her with wide, innocent eyes, sensing the tension that lingered. Without a word, she wrapped her small arms around Sagira, holding her tightly as if to chase away the shadows.
The simple gesture pulled Sagira back into the present, the warmth of her daughter's embrace a gentle anchor to reality.
Sagira's heart clenched. She hugged her daughter back, a soft breath escaping her lips. For a moment, it felt like the world outside the car disappeared, leaving only this.
The reason they had to pass through the forest was that Sanichi's parents lived deep within it. Their home stood in seclusion, hidden away from the bustling world.
When they finally arrived, they were taken aback by the sight before them. The house was enormous—like a castle. Sagira could hardly believe it.
As they stopped in front of the grand gate, it slowly opened, and a group of uniformed maids stood in line, bowing as they arrived.
"Welcome back, Sanichi Hashino," one of the maids greeted with deep respect. "Your parents have been expecting you."
Sanichi smiled.
"Peace be unto you. Thank you all for taking care of my parents. May you always walk in good health, and may your family be blessed with peace and protection."
"Thank you sir… It is our duty, sir," the maid responded humbly.
With that, they stepped inside. The maids guided them to the kitchen, where his parents were waiting.
The moment Sanichi saw them, a surge of emotions welled up inside him. Without thinking, he rushed forward and threw his arms around them.
"I missed you both... so much," he murmured, voice trembling. "Thank you—for your love, your prayers, your guidance. I carry your memory with pride, and I only hope I'm living in a way that makes you proud."
His father, Gou Hashino—a former government agent—placed a firm hand on Sanichi's back, grounding him with silent strength. His mother, Irie, a devoted housewife, dabbed gently at the tears gathering in her eyes.
Then her gaze shifted to the children. She stepped forward with a soft gasp and reached out to Zen'no, gently cupping his cheeks.
"Oh my, what a handsome young boy! What's your name, sweetheart?"
Zen'no straightened proudly.
"My name's Zen'no! And this is Zoomy—Captain Zoomy!"
He held out the toy airplane with both hands, tilting it from side to side—first clockwise, then counterclockwise—as if it were gracefully gliding through the air.
She slightly smiled.
"Zen'no…? Even a toy have a name, how cute. What a strong and beautiful name!" Irie turned to Sanichi. "Did you name him?"
Sanichi nodded.
"Yes, I did."
Irie beamed.
"A wonderful name indeed!"
Her eyes then shifted to the baby girl in Sagira's arms.
"And who is this little one?"
"This is our daughter, Yiina," Sagira replied, smiling gently. She looked down at Yiina and pointed toward her mother. "That's Grandma. Can you say hello to her?"
Yiina stared at her grandmother with wide, innocent eyes. Instead of speaking, she shyly tucked her face into her mother's shoulder and wrapped her tiny arms around her.
"Oh! She's shy—and what a lovely name," Irie said with a warm chuckle. "These days, you hear names like Izumi or Akira so often, I thought you'd go with something like that too. But Zen'no—now that's a powerful name, don't you think, Sanichi?"
Sanichi smiled.
"Yes, Mother."
Gou Hashino gestured for them to take a seat.
"Come, rest a bit. You must be tired from the journey."
As they sat and continued their conversation, Zen'no played with his airplane toy, his curiosity pulling him away from the group. Without anyone noticing, he wandered off.
Twenty-Five Minutes Later…
A strange silence filled the room. Sanichi suddenly realized something. He looked around, his heart beginning to pound.
"Where's Zen'no?"
Sagira's eyes widened in alarm.
"Sweetie?" she called out.
Without hesitation, she handed her daughter to one of the maids in the kitchen and rushed off to search for her son.
They all stood up in a panic, calling his name. The maids, now alarmed, quickly joined the search.
"Did anyone see my child?" Sagira asked, her voice shaking.
"No, ma'am," a maid answered while patrolling the hallway. "He was here a little while ago, but I haven't seen him since."
They searched the entire house, but the mansion was massive—too many rooms, too many places he could be. The maids checked every hall, every corner, but there was no sign of him.
Sagira suddenly turned toward the main gate and it was slightly opened and she asked.
"Was the gate really opened?"
The head maid shook her head.
"No, ma'am. It was closed when you arrived." And realized it was not closed."
A terrifying thought struck her.
"Then… he must have gone outside."
Panic turned into sheer terror. They rushed out into the yard, calling his name desperately. Still nothing.
With no other option, Sanichi made the dreaded decision.
"Call the police."
The authorities arrived shortly after, immediately launching an investigation. Sanichi and Sagira explained everything leading up to his disappearance.
The officers scoured the property, questioned the maids, and searched every possible area Zen'no could have wandered into.
Hours passed. Then a day. Then two.
Sagira could barely function. She hadn't slept, hadn't eaten. She clung to hope, but despair gnawed at her mind.
She was kneeling in despair.
"This is my fault," she whispered to herself. "This is my fault. I'm a terrible mother… I should have been watching him—stupid, stupid mother!"
She broke down, sobbing.
Sanichi rushed to her and pulled her into his arms.
"Don't say that. Don't lose hope… be patient. This isn't your fault." His voice wavered, but he held back his own tears.
"We'll find him. I swear to God—we will."
A week passed.
The police gave their latest report.
"We've searched the entire area. No footprints, no signs of struggle, no evidence of wild animals. Nothing suspicious. But we will not stop looking."
The weight of those words crushed Sagira's last bit of strength. Her legs gave out, and she nearly collapsed.
Sanichi held her up, his grip firm even as his hands trembled. When he first heard the news, his breath caught in his throat—like something heavy had struck his chest. His voice cracked as he spoke, trying to hold back the tears rising in his eyes.
"Be patient… get a hold of yourself, honey. We still have time."
He paused, swallowing hard, his heart breaking—but his eyes steady with faith.
"Don't lose hope, please. Trust in God… we will find him."
That night, as the household sat in silent despair, a sudden sound echoed through the room.
The soft creak of a door opening.
They turned.
A small figure stepped into the room.
Sagira's breath caught in her throat. Tears instantly welled in her eyes.
"Sweetie…?"
She rushed to him, sweeping him into her arms, crying uncontrollably.
"Oh, thank goodness! Thank goodness you're safe!"
But as she held him, something felt… off.
She pulled back slightly—then froze.
Zen'no stood there, his expression unreadable.
And upon his head…
was a Crown.
End of Chapter 7