Alice turned back toward Ryan.
"You know…"
Ryan smiled faintly at the sight of her nervously fiddling with her fingers again, thin strands of green mana weaving between them.
"You seem to know a lot more than anyone should about all of this."
Ryan let out a slow breath.
"Alice…"
"If you don't want to tell me, I understand."
"It's not that I don't want to tell you."
He hesitated.
"I just don't think you'd believe me."
Alice frowned slightly.
"Ryan…"
She stepped closer.
"I've known you for seven years."
"You've never lied to me."
Ryan turned away from her gaze.
The night sky stretched above Havenbrook, darker than he had ever seen it. With most of the town lights gone, the stars burned brighter than usual.
But Ryan barely noticed them.
[I think you should trust her.]
Ryan closed his eyes briefly.
It's not that I don't trust her.
I just don't want her to look at me differently.
[She won't.]
How would you know?
[I just… do.]
"Ryan?"
Alice's voice pulled him back.
She was watching him carefully now.
There was doubt in her eyes.
And beneath it—
Hurt.
Ryan sighed.
Then he gently took her hand.
"Come with me."
"Ryan?"
"Just follow me. I'll explain."
He didn't look back as he started walking.
They circled around the back of the school until they reached the stairwell leading to the roof.
Neither of them spoke as they climbed.
The only sound was the soft pat pat pat of their footsteps against the concrete steps.
When they reached the rooftop, Ryan walked toward the edge and stopped.
The town stretched out before them.
Fields.
Roads.
Darkened houses.
Alice leaned against the railing beside him.
"Please tell me you didn't bring me up here to throw me off."
She smiled slightly.
But the smile didn't reach her eyes.
Ryan chuckled softly.
Then he gestured toward the distant farmland.
"Do you see those woods at the edge of the fields?"
Alice followed his gaze.
"…Yeah."
"I used to play there when I was a kid."
Ryan pointed further.
"You can probably see my childhood home from here too."
Alice squinted into the darkness.
"Maybe."
One by one, Ryan pointed out places across the town.
Stores.
Parks.
Streets.
Small places that had shaped his childhood.
At first Alice was confused.
But she didn't interrupt him.
Each time Ryan mentioned another memory, she simply squeezed his hand gently.
Eventually his voice fell silent.
The rooftop grew quiet again.
Alice looked at him.
She wanted to ask what any of this meant.
But something in Ryan's expression stopped her.
There was a deep sadness in his eyes.
Like he was looking at ghosts.
Ryan slowly lifted his hand again.
"Do you see that tree?"
He pointed toward the large park near the center of town.
Even in the darkness the enormous oak was easy to recognize.
Alice nodded.
"Yeah."
"That's where my parents met."
He swallowed.
"It's where they had their first date."
"And where my father proposed."
Alice squeezed his hand again.
Ryan's voice softened.
"It's also where I buried them."
The words felt heavier the moment they left his mouth.
Alice froze.
For a moment it felt like the world had stopped.
"…What?"
Her voice barely came out.
"What do you mean buried them?"
Ryan finally turned toward her.
The weight in his eyes was impossible to miss now.
His shoulders sagged slightly, as if he carried something far heavier than anyone should.
"I know so much about what's happening," he said quietly.
He took a slow breath.
"Because I've already lived through it."
Alice stared at him.
"…Ryan."
Her grip on his hand tightened instinctively.
Before she could say anything else—
A loud shout echoed from inside the school.
Ryan and Alice both turned instantly toward the stairwell.
Another voice shouted.
Then another.
The noise was coming from the gym.
Ryan frowned.
"…That doesn't sound good."
They hurried down the stairs.
As they reached the gym doors, the shouting became clearer.
"…I said back off!"
Marcus.
Ryan pushed the door open.
Inside the gym dozens of survivors had formed a loose circle.
In the middle of it—
Marcus stood nose-to-nose with another man.
His fists clenched.
Elena stood beside him, clearly trying to hold him back.
Ryan stepped forward.
"Marcus."
Marcus didn't even look at him.
The man in front of him spat on the floor.
"Your people think they own this place now?"
Marcus cracked his knuckles.
"Buddy…"
His grin disappeared.
"…you're about to find out how wrong you are."
Ryan sighed.
Great.
And somewhere deeper in the school—
That wrong presence stirred again.
Author's Note:
Ryan finally told someone… 👀
Do you think Alice will believe him?