Odea was simply trying to enjoy another quiet day in Bug Town—trying, of course, to avoid him. The mere thought of running into Tsumuri sent a crawling shiver down his spine, cold and instinctive. That earwig… horrifying didn’t even begin to describe him.

He couldn’t recall how many times Tsumuri had nearly killed him—it was too many to count, really. He preferred not to think about it… but his mind betrayed him anyway, dragging up the memory of the day Tsumuri nailed him down. That was the same day he’d forced a horsehair worm into Odea’s stomach. The memory alone was enough to twist his gut and make bile rise to his throat.

He tried to shake it off. Looking around the busy street, his eyes caught Scor and Mitsuki together, chatting as always. “…What a lovely couple,” he murmured under his breath. They really were. It almost warmed his chest—almost. For a fleeting moment, he thought maybe, just maybe, today would be alright.

Then, from the corner of his eye, he saw that all-too-familiar silhouette. Tsumuri.

Odea froze. His pupils dilated, his breath caught. Every instinct screamed at him to run, but his body wouldn’t move. The words that tried to escape his throat burned away before they could form—leaving only a small, trembling whimper.