Hide's step hitched for a fraction of a second. The subtle hesitation was gone instantly, but Kiko noticed. She immediately shrank back, raising both hands in panic.
"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have asked—"
"It's fine," Hide cut her off, his voice remarkably devoid of anger. He exhaled slowly, watching his breath mist in the freezing air. "We grew up in the same block in Area 17. She was calm. Always worried about things that didn't matter. You know, her family threw her away because she didn't awaken, and when she did the family was not there. Haha."
"Then, on the day I awakened, we were in an accident and she got mana poisoning. I tried my best for months to cure her, and actually did."
A cold shadow passed across his eyes. But Kiko had stopped in her tracks. "You... you cured mana poisoning?"
"Yes I did and she woke up. And then I let Walter kill her."
