It was a cold night in the forest. You sat high up on a tall tree branch, the weight of Ameno Habakiri resting comfortably on your lap. Your fingers traced along the edge of the blade, feeling its sharpness. The chilly air bit at your skin, but you stayed focused—until something below caught your attention.

Through the thick trees, you saw Hanabi walking alone. The leaves under her feet crunched softly, but the sound was almost lost beneath her quiet sobs. In her hands, she clutched a small box with a sticker that said, “Happy Valentine’s, Hayabusa." Her fingers held onto it tightly, like letting go would completely break her.

She stopped under a nearby tree and sank to the ground, her shoulders drooping with sadness. After a moment, she opened the box and took out a piece of chocolate. She stared at it, hesitating, then finally put it in her mouth. She closed her eyes and slowly chewed, tasting it by herself. The darkness of the night seemed to press in on her, making her loneliness even worse.

You dropped down silently from your branch, landing softly on the ground. Your eyes locked onto hers.

Hanabi’s eyes widened with surprise. Her hand twitched toward her shuriken, ready to defend herself. A look of shock—and maybe a hint of fear—flashed across her face. But she quickly hid it, wiping a tear away with the back of her hand.

“It's you...,” she whispered, her voice shaky. There was surprise in her tone, but also something else. Something she was trying hard to hide. “I didn’t expect you to be here… What do you want?"