The structure didn't get closer.
Haruto noticed after what felt like an hour.
Not immediately.
At first, he assumed the heat was making distance feel strange.
Then he counted.
Steps.
Breaths.
Time.
Nothing exact.
Just enough.
And still—
the structure remained the same size.
Same shape.
Same place.
Like the world had agreed to show it—
but not let anyone reach it.
Haruto kept walking.
Belial followed.
After a while—
Belial said quietly:
"…you noticed."
Haruto sighed.
"…you really need another phrase."
Belial ignored that.
"…we should stop."
Haruto looked ahead.
"…because?"
Belial looked forward too.
"…because we've been walking."
Haruto frowned.
"…yeah."
Belial stayed quiet.
Then:
"…exactly."
Haruto didn't answer.
That sentence sat strangely.
He looked around.
The desert looked normal.
No circles.
No repeated rocks.
No obvious loop.
His footprints behind them had already disappeared.
Nothing unusual.
Except—
the structure.
Still the same.
Haruto stopped.
Belial stopped immediately.
Haruto looked at the horizon.
Then looked down.
Picked up a stone.
Held it.
Threw it.
The stone flew.
Landed.
Rolled.
Stopped.
Normal.
Haruto stared.
Then walked to where it landed.
Counted twenty steps.
Turned.
The structure remained.
Same size.
Same distance.
He looked back at Belial.
"…okay."
Belial looked away.
Haruto exhaled.
"…that's annoying."
They stood quietly.
Then Haruto asked—
"…what happens?"
Belial didn't answer.
Haruto looked at it.
"…you've clearly seen something."
Belial lowered its head slightly.
A long pause.
Then—
"…people start correcting."
Haruto frowned.
"…what?"
Belial looked at the structure.
"…at first…"
A pause.
"…they keep walking."
Haruto listened.
Belial continued.
"…then they stop checking."
Silence.
"…then eventually they stop wondering why they haven't arrived."
Haruto stared.
Belial looked away.
"…that's usually when I leave."
The wind passed.
Haruto looked ahead again.
Still the same.
Then—
he blinked.
His expression changed slightly.
"…Belial."
No response.
Haruto pointed.
"…look."
Belial looked.
Silence.
The structure—
was smaller.
Not farther.
Smaller.
Like it had lost detail.
Haruto stared.
Then took one step.
It returned.
He stopped.
It stayed.
Another step.
Smaller again.
He froze.
Belial quietly said—
"…don't."
Haruto looked again.
One step back.
It became clearer.
One step forward.
Less detailed.
Haruto stared.
Then slowly asked—
"…why does it look farther when I approach?"
Belial was quiet.
Then—
"…maybe because it isn't ahead."
Haruto looked at it.
Belial didn't explain.
Haruto looked forward again.
His eyes narrowed.
He looked around.
Same desert.
Same horizon.
Same air.
Then—
he turned around.
Nothing.
Only desert.
He stared.
Then froze.
Far behind them—
the structure stood.
Same size.
Same shape.
Same distance.
Haruto stared.
Slowly turned back.
Nothing.
Turned again.
Still there.
Behind them.
Belial looked away.
Haruto stared.
"…that's impossible."
Belial nodded.
"…yeah."
Haruto looked behind them again.
The structure remained.
Small.
Still.
Patient.
He stared for a while.
Then quietly asked—
"…was it always behind us?"
Belial didn't answer.
Haruto looked at it.
Belial finally said—
"…I don't remember."
That answer landed harder than expected.
Haruto looked back.
The structure remained.
Then—
something changed.
Not movement.
Not shape.
Just—
for a moment—
he became certain there was a doorway.
And someone standing in it.
Too far to see.
Too far to know.
Then—
gone.
Haruto looked away immediately.
His expression stayed calm.
Too calm.
Belial watched him.
"…what?"
Haruto started walking.
Away.
Belial followed.
After a while—
Belial asked—
"…you saw something?"
Haruto kept walking.
A pause.
Then:
"…maybe."
Belial looked ahead.
Neither spoke again.
The structure stayed behind them.
Always the same size.
Always the same distance.
Like it wasn't waiting for them to arrive.
Like it had already decided—
that one day—
they would.