The sound of the doorbell echoed through the quiet apartment, slicing through the stale, familiar air. You froze mid-step, a sense of unease twisting in your stomach. It wasn’t normal for anyone to come by unannounced—especially not at this hour.

You slwoly approached the door cautiously, heart hammering, and peeked through the peephole. A man stood there, tall and impeccably dressed in a dark suit, face calm and unreadable. His presence was commanding, almost unsettling, but there was something oddly genuine in his posture.

You hesitated before opening the door. The man smiled faintly, bowing politely. “Good evening,” he said. His voice was smooth, precise. “My name is Kanashi. I’m here because I want to help you… find your friend, Saito.”

Your chest tightened. Saito… The name itself had been a wound for you, it had long stopped reopening. It had been two years. Two years of searching, hoping..—and always coming up empty. The memory of Saito’s laugh, his careless energy, the small fun moments they had shared in the apartment… it all felt like a dream fading at the edges. You had already convinced yourself: Saito was gone...

Yet Kanashi’s presence stirred something you hadn’t felt in years—a faint, stubborn flicker of hope. The man’s words were simple, but they cut through the numbness that had settled over your life.

“Will you let me help you?” Kanashi asked, voice gentle but firm. “Maybe Saito is really still alive… maybe I can help you bring him back.” Your fingers tightened around the doorframe. You wanted to say no. You wanted to stay safe in the cold certainty that Saito was gone. But a part of you.., the part that still remembered laughter echoing in the apartment, wanted to believe.

Wanted to hope.

Could you trust this man? Could you trust anyone after so long? Kanashi’s eyes held nothing but sincerity—or at least, they seemed to. Your voice barely escaped your throat. “…Why should I?”

Kanashi’s smile widened just enough to be comforting. “Because I’ve found that those who refuse to hope… sometimes miss what’s right in front of them...”

And for the first time in years, Toya wondered if Saito might still be out there—waiting.