Ten years passed.
Time moved quietly, yet it changed everything.
Ken's family eventually left the place that once held both pain and memories.
They moved to Kyoto, Japan—the hometown of his father, where his grandparents lived.
There, they decided to start over.
A new life.
A new beginning.
Their new home stood beside an old, traditional house owned by Ken's grandmother.
At around seven in the morning, they finally arrived.
The moment Ken stepped out of the car, his eyes widened in awe.
Before him stood a massive, traditional Japanese house—old, yet dignified.
It was built entirely of wood, carrying the quiet elegance of time itself.
Surrounding it was a vast garden, where sakura trees stood gracefully, their soft pink petals swaying gently in the morning breeze.
The air felt different.
Calm. Peaceful.
For the first time in a long while… Ken felt at ease.
His grandmother owned two houses. One was the large traditional home in front of them, while the other stood quietly beside it.
The second house had not been used for years. It once belonged to Hiroshi and his siblings, but after they all moved out, it was left untouched.
Now, only Ken's grandmother and a young woman lived in the main house.
As they entered the garden, Hiroshi immediately noticed his mother sitting on a wooden chair, resting peacefully under the shade of a tree.
A gentle smile appeared on his face as he approached her.
"Good morning, Mom," he greeted in Japanese, his voice warm and respectful.
The old woman slowly lifted her gaze—and the moment she saw him, her eyes softened.
"It's been a long time, Hiroshi…" she said with a smile, her voice filled with emotion. "How have you been?"
"I've been doing well, Mother," Hiroshi replied gently. "How about you? It's been fifteen years since I last came here… I really missed your cooking."
A soft laugh escaped her lips, though her eyes began to glisten with tears.
"I'm doing fine, my son," she said warmly. "A very kind woman has been taking care of me here. She's reliable… and truly kind."
She paused for a moment, her voice softening.
"To be honest… if she wasn't here, I might have felt very lonely."
Her gaze lingered on him.
"But my son… I really missed all of you."
Hiroshi smiled, his heart at ease.
"I'm glad to hear that, Mom. I'm happy you're healthy… I missed you too."
Her attention then shifted to the young boy standing beside him.
"Oh my…" she said in surprise, her eyes lighting up. "Ken has grown so much."
She chuckled softly.
"And he really looks like you, Hiroshi. He's very handsome."
A light laughter spread among them.
"Come inside first," she continued. "I'll introduce you to the woman I was talking about."
She turned her head slightly and called out, her voice echoing gently through the house.
"Luna! Luna!"
Moments later, a young woman appeared.
She had a gentle face and a calm presence that made her instantly approachable. Her aura felt warm—almost comforting.
"What can I do for you, Mom?" she asked softly.
Hiroshi blinked in surprise.
She called his mother… Mom?
He let out a small chuckle, teasing slightly.
"Is she your daughter, Mom? I didn't know I wasn't your youngest anymore."
The old woman laughed heartily.
"What are you saying?" she replied. "She helps me here and takes care of everything. The house, the chores… everything."
Her voice softened with affection.
"I already treat her like my own daughter."
She glanced at Luna with gratitude.
"She has been with me for ten years. She was only thirteen when her parents died in a car accident… they were my friends. So I took her in and supported her."
Hiroshi nodded, his expression filled with admiration.
"You've always been kind, Mom."
He turned to Luna with a polite smile.
"Good morning, Luna."
"Good morning as well," Luna replied calmly.
Meanwhile, Ken's grandmother approached him with a warm smile.
"So, how are you, Ken?"
Ken straightened slightly, then answered in Japanese with a gentle tone.
"I'm doing well, Grandma. I'm very happy to see you."
Her eyes widened in surprise.
"Oh! You can speak Japanese!"
Ken nodded proudly.
"Yes. I studied it for a year."
Hiroshi chuckled.
"You know, Mom… he was really excited to come here."
A playful smile appeared on his face.
"He loves watching anime."
"Dad!" Ken protested, his face slightly red.
Everyone laughed.
At the side, Mary stood quietly. She couldn't fully understand their conversation, but she watched them with a gentle smile.
Deep in her heart, she hoped…
That this place would finally give them peace.
That Night
After dinner, the calm atmosphere of the house settled into a quiet warmth.
Ken's grandmother spoke gently.
"I'll entrust the house next door to you," she said. "Your father built that house before he passed away. It was meant for you, in case you ever returned."
Hiroshi nodded gratefully.
"Thank you, Mom. But it's already night… you should rest. We'll head there now."
She shook her head.
"Stay here tonight. That house is still dusty. You can clean it tomorrow."
Her tone softened.
"You can use your old room for now."
Hiroshi smiled.
"Alright, Mom."
They walked toward his old room.
As the door slid open—
A spacious, clean room revealed itself.
Hiroshi paused.
A wave of nostalgia washed over him.
"…I really missed this place," he murmured.
"It looks like it's been cleaned regularly. There's not even any dust."
Ken looked around in amazement.
"Wow, Dad… this house is beautiful. And it's so big."
Mary noticed the slight change in her son's expression.
"My child… why do you look so deep in thought?" she asked gently.
Ken hesitated.
"I'm just worried, Mom…" he admitted quietly.
"…What if I bring bad luck here again?"
Before he could say anything more, Mary pulled him into a warm embrace.
"My child…" she whispered softly. "I don't believe that you bring bad luck."
"That's just something people made up."
She held him tighter.
"You don't need to worry."
Ken smiled faintly.
"Thank you, Mom… Dad… for never abandoning me."
His voice trembled slightly.
"I'm very lucky to have you as my parents."
His parents smiled and embraced him tightly.
"Alright," Mary said gently. "Let's sleep now. We have to wake up early tomorrow to clean the house."
"Yes, Mom," Ken replied.
In the Middle of the Night
As Ken slept, a dream slowly took shape in his mind.
Flames.
Endless flames.
A massive fire consumed everything.
People screamed in terror.
Chaos spread like a plague.
And in the middle of it all…
A woman stood.
Her long crimson hair flowed in the burning wind—
Just like his.
The Next Morning
"This house is really big!" Mary said with a cheerful tone. "With just a little cleaning, it already looks so nice."
As they cleaned, Ken remained quiet.
His mind kept returning to the dream.
The fire.
The destruction.
The woman.
Something about it… felt real.
Three hours passed.
Ken wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled.
"Wow… this house is beautiful. I can't wait to sleep here."
Hiroshi suddenly remembered something.
"Oh right, Ken. There's a nearby school here. Classes will start in two months."
Ken nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes, Dad! I already checked the area, so I know where it is."
Mary smiled.
"You really seem excited."
Ken scratched his cheek slightly.
"I am… but I'm also nervous."
In his mind, he thought—
Maybe I should act like a mysterious guy… just like in anime.
A small grin appeared on his face.
Two Months Later
The first day of school arrived.
"Do your best, my son," Mary said warmly.
"Yes, Mom. Goodbye," Ken replied.
As he left, his grandmother smiled at Hiroshi.
"Your son really takes after you."
Hiroshi chuckled softly.
"…Maybe he does."
At the bus stop, Ken waited quietly.
Then—
He noticed her.
A girl with long crimson-red hair.
For a moment, his eyes lingered on her.
Something about her… felt familiar.
Soon, the bus arrived.
They both boarded.
There were two empty seats on the right side.
Without a word, they sat beside each other.
Ken couldn't help but glance at her.
She was sitting by the window, holding her phone.
Her presence was calm… elegant.
She smelled nice.
And she was incredibly beautiful.
But the girl noticed.
She could feel his gaze.
It made her uncomfortable.
When they got off near the school—
She suddenly turned toward him, her expression annoyed.
"Are you a pervert?!"
Ken froze.
"H-Huh?! W-What?! Why would you say that?!"
"You think I didn't notice?" she snapped. "You've been staring at me the whole time!"
She clicked her tongue.
"Tsk. Pervert."
"N-No! I mean—I was looking, but I'm not a pervert!"
"Pervert!"
Without another word, she turned and walked toward the school.
Ken stood there, completely stunned.
"…What just happened?" he muttered, scratching his head awkwardly.
Shaking it off, he followed after her.
When he arrived at his classroom, he checked his schedule and stepped inside.
And then—
He froze.
Because the girl who had just called him a pervert…
Was sitting inside.
His classmate.