The next day, as Ken walked along the quiet street, he spotted Lucy from a distance—sitting alone on a bench, quietly reading a book.
The soft morning breeze gently brushed through her long crimson hair, making her stand out even more against the calm surroundings.
Without hesitation, Ken quickened his pace to catch up with her.
"Lucy, let's go together!" he called out, slightly out of breath from running.
Lucy let out a small sigh and glanced at him. "Sigh… what else can I do?" she replied, sounding a bit reluctant.
As Ken stood beside her, he couldn't help but steal glances at Lucy, who remained focused on her book.
There was something about her presence—something he couldn't quite understand. A strange feeling lingered within him.
Moments later, the bus arrived.
They boarded, and soon it began to move.
Not even a kilometer into the ride, something unusual caught their attention.
The road ahead was filled with police cars, ambulances, and media crews.
Flashing lights illuminated the area—something serious had clearly happened.
"I wonder what happened there…" murmured Ken.
Soft whispers spread among the passengers, filled with unease.
"Do you think there was an accident?" Ken asked, his brow furrowed.
"Hmm…" Lucy simply responded, deep in thought.
Later, while they were in class, both Ken and Lucy—along with the other students—noticed something strange.
The sky suddenly lit up. A bright streak cut across the heavens… like a meteor. Then, just as quickly—it vanished.
A few hours later, as Ken and his family sat down for dinner, the television broadcast a breaking news report.
"This morning, a body was discovered on a highway in Kyoto. The victim is unrecognizable due to severe physical damage."
Ken paused mid-bite. "Hmm… we passed by that earlier while we were on the bus. There were a lot of police and media."
The report continued.
"The cause of the incident remains unknown. Meanwhile, similar cases have been reported in multiple countries. Over 32 bodies have been discovered across different locations in just two days."
Ken glanced toward his aunt. Luna was staring at the television, her expression tense—clearly disturbed by something deeper than the report itself.
After dinner, Ken's phone suddenly buzzed.
"Ken…"
"Can you come in front of my house?" Lucy's message read.
Ken frowned slightly in confusion. "Okay. I'll head there now."
Without wasting time, he left.
When he arrived at Lucy's house, he immediately noticed something was wrong.
Lucy was standing outside. Her belongings… were already packed beside her.
A wave of concern hit him. "What happened?" he asked.
Lucy lowered her head, her voice trembling slightly. "I haven't been able to pay the rent… it's been three months. I don't have any allowance left… and I still haven't found a job… so they kicked me out."
For a moment, silence filled the air.
Then Ken gently held her hand. "Hmm… you can stay at our place for now. We still have a spare room. You can stay there if you want."
Lucy hesitated, clearly embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Ken… can I stay with you? Even just for tonight? I'll figure something out tomorrow."
"Of course. Don't worry about it. Come on—I'll help you carry your things," Ken said, offering a reassuring smile.
Lucy bit her lip. "It's embarrassing… in front of your parents."
"It's fine. Really," Ken said softly.
Not long after, they arrived at Ken's house.
"Mom, Dad!" Ken called.
Lucy stayed outside, too shy to step in.
"Mom, Dad… can my friend Lucy stay here? She got kicked out of her place because she couldn't pay the rent," Ken explained.
His mother smiled warmly. "Of course, dear. I'm glad you finally made a friend."
Ken smiled back.
"Oh? Where is she?" his father asked.
Ken stepped outside. "Lucy, don't be shy. Come in."
Slowly, Lucy entered the house. "Good evening," she said, bowing respectfully.
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience… I'll only stay for one night. I'm really sorry for the trouble."
Ken's parents quickly noticed her striking red hair.
"Oh, it's alright. We have a spare room—if you'd like, you can stay here until you save up," his mother said.
"And we're happy Ken brought a friend home… you even have the same hair color," his father added jokingly.
"You're always welcome here. You can stay as long as you want. And don't worry—we have two bathrooms," Ken reassured her.
"Thank you very much," Lucy said softly.
"Come with me, Lucy. I'll introduce you to Grandma," Ken said.
Lucy nodded shyly. "Okay…"
They stepped outside together.
Inside the house, Ken's parents exchanged glances.
"Do you think she's Ken's girlfriend?" his mother asked.
"Ken said she's just a friend… but they look good together. I'm happy for our son," his father replied.
"Do you think Lucy went through the same thing as Ken? If you notice, her hair is red too," his mother said.
"Hmm… yeah. Same color… same texture," his father observed.
Meanwhile, Ken knocked on the house next door where his grandmother lived. His aunt opened the door.
"Ken, it's you. Is something wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing, Aunt Luna. By the way—this is Lucy, my friend," Ken said.
Luna's attention immediately shifted to Lucy, and a look of surprise appeared on her face.
Ken was confused by her reaction. "Is something wrong, Aunt?" he asked.
"No… I was just surprised because of her hair color. And… I don't understand why, but she feels familiar," Luna replied.
"Come in. Your grandmother is in the bathroom. Just wait for her in the living room," she added.
"Okay, Aunt."
"By the way, Aunt… based on your reaction, do you know Lucy?" Ken asked curiously.
"Hmm… no, but I feel like I've seen her before," Luna answered. She looked at Lucy. "By the way, Lucy… your name is Lucy, right?"
Lucy nodded shyly.
"Why is your hair red?" Luna asked.
Uhm… I was born with red hair," Lucy responded nervously.
Smiling, Luna said, "Ahh… so you're really the same as Ken. I thought you were his girlfriend and copied his hair color," she joked.
A moment later, Ken's grandmother arrived. Ken introduced Lucy and explained her situation.
"Welcome, Lucy. Don't be shy. If you want, you can stay here as well," his grandmother said warmly.
Lucy quickly shook her head. "No… I'll leave once I find a job. I don't want to be a burden."
"Oh, don't think like that," his grandmother replied kindly.
"Don't worry. If you need anything, just tell us," Luna added.
Tears began to form in Lucy's eyes. Ken noticed immediately.
"Alright, let's go. It's late—we should get some rest," he said gently.
"Goodnight… and thank you very much," Lucy whispered. Both Luna and the grandmother smiled warmly.
Outside, Lucy spoke softly, "I'm sorry for the trouble, Ken…"
"It's okay. Don't worry. We'll fix your things tomorrow. Get some rest," Ken reassured her.
"Thank you, Ken," she said, stepping closer—and hugged him.
From inside the house, Ken's mother watched through the window and smiled.