Questions

At that moment, Yume’s mother entered the house. The basket tumbled from her hands, scattering the carrots and green onions across the floor.

For a moment, the only sound was the creak of winds against the shutters.

She stared, wide-eyes, at her daughter sobbing on the floor, at Haruto standing firm with rage, and the other two boys behind him.

“You!” she began “What did you do to her?!”

Haruto opened his mouth, but Asahi quietly stepped forward and bowed low. “Please,” he said, “listen first.”

Something in his tone made the woman hesitate.

Her gaze dropped to Yume again. Her fury drained as quickly as it had risen. She dropped to her knees and cupped Yume’s cheeks gently.

“What happened, my little girl… Did you finally tell them…?” she whispered.

Yume’s bloodshot eyes met hers, and in that moment, her mother saw it. The truth, she had been hiding inside her all along had finally been released.

Her hands fell away. Her body sagged. And the two of them simply wept.

As the sky deepened and the house grew cold, Yume’s mom took her to the room and patted her to sleep. The trio also retreated to their beds.

Later, in the middle of the night, Asahi woke up, unable to sleep. He decided to take a walk outside when he found her standing barefoot at the edge of steps with a kitchen knife in her hands.

“No!” he shouted instinctively.

She flinched, turning the blade toward herself – and Asahi crashed into her, knocking the knife which clattered down to the floor.

Yume struggled wildly against him, thrashing and sobbing incoherently. But he didn’t let go. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, pinning her to his chest.

“It’s over, Yume,” he gasped. “It’s over. Just breathe. Please.”

She clawed weakly at his shirt, but he only held her tighter, sinking to the floor with her.

There were no more words. Just the rough, desperate sound of breathing as her quiet tears stained the fabric.

Finally, her strength gave out. Her fists loosened. Her body sagged against him.

He guided her to her bedroom and helped her onto the bed. He was about to leave but seeing Yume’s condition, he remained.

She curled against Asahi in her sleep, seeking warmth unconsciously like an abandoned child. Her hands clutched his sleeve tightly. Asahi felt the soft pressure and a wave of affection washed over him. He carefully shifted, making her more comfortable against his chest. A gentle smile touched his lips as he brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. His heart softened at her vulnerability.

Asahi stared up at the ceiling, wide awake.

“So… this is what brokenness feels like?”

He shifted slightly, adjusting the blanket around her trembling shoulders.

A deep, inescapable guilt gnawed at him.

Dawn came too soon, staining the night sky orange. The smell of miso soup drifted through the house as they gathered at the table again. Haruto broke the silence first, setting down his bowl.

“I need answers,” he said flatly, looking at Yume. “All of them.”

Yume nodded; her eyes red but steady.

Haruto’s voice was low. “Where did you meet Yukawa?”

She hesitated before starting: “Through Naomi. They were… colleagues. Rivals, even. Both were high-ranking members of the Sanctuary. But Naomi wanted more control. He started purging those he saw as threats, including Yukawa.”

Her hands twisted in her lap.

“Yukawa hated him for it. And… he used me to exact his revenge. Manipulated me into killing Naomi, so he could take over.”

Before Yume could continue, Haruto shot to his feet. “Manipulated?! Don’t you dare play the victim again. You knew exactly what you were doing every step of the way.”

Asahi, seeing the violent shift in Haruto, quickly stepped in between. “Haruto, easy. Let her finish.”

Yume flinched at Haruto’s outburst as her eyes widened. She swallowed hard. “it’s easier to live with yourself when you believe you had no choice,” she muttered softly, while Haruto sat back down.

To keep the conversation going, Asahi leaned forward and asked. “What about the chaos?”

She nodded. “If Naomi simply disappeared, the Sanctuary would collapse. So, Yukawa took Naomi’s title and reshaped everything in secret.”

Haruto frowned. “Then, why dd you send Emi to Yukawa?”

Yume’s face crumpled.

“She was already there before I had killed Naomi. After everything went wrong… I tried to take her back. I tried.” Her voice broke. “But I failed. I failed her.”

The room was silent for a long moment.

Finally, Asahi sprang up. “Anyways, what about the village? It’s awfully peaceful.”

Yume gave a hollow laugh.

“It’s not,” she whispered. “Everyone just wears masks. Beneath it, they’re terrified. Angry. Broken. Their children… many of them suffer from something we call ‘veil-sickness’.”

“What?” Asahi echoed.

She nodded grimly. “The veil between our world and… whatever lies beyond… is breaking. It’s leaking into us. Wraps the body and the mind. Most of the villagers have lost someone. Some lost themselves.”

Haruto leaned forward.

“Do you know about the ‘safe haven’?”

Yume shook her head.

“It’s a myth among the Archivists. There was a rumor of a place beyond the breach. Some believed that by passing through the ‘crack’ in the sky, they’d find salvation. A world of joy and peace.”

She hesitated.

“But the ones who tried? High-ranking officials? They were found dead. Scattered across the world, their bodies twisted. No one knows if the paradise they sought was real… or a lie.”

Haruto’s mouth tightened.

“And… do you know about the ‘fracture’?”

“I don’t know,” Yume admitted. “I heard Yukawa mention it once. But he never explain nor discussed it with anyone.”

She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts.

“But I do know about Naomi’s research. He believed the stars weren’t the end. Beyond our universe, something greater existed. He used a device… a way to tear a small hole in the Veil.”

Her voice trembled slightly.

“It had been done years ago. It was meant to be a controlled experiment by Ishikawa, and supported by Naomi. But… Yukawa got greedy and pushed too hard. The veil tore. Reality burst open. The last words we heard before it happened – ‘The prophecy must be fulfilled.’”

The table was silent.

“Naomi was condemned. Yukawa was too, unofficially. But by then… it was too late. The Veil had already begun bleeding into the word. And the high-ranking officials, most of them were killed.”

Haruto exhaled slowly.

“I need a full explanation,” he said.

Yume lifted his gaze to meet his.

“Then we need to meet the Archivists,” she said quietly. “They’re the only ones left who might know the whole truth.”

She leaned closer. “I know where their hidden base is.”

Outside, the wind picked up again. They needed to find the truth. As soon as possible.