The forest returned to an eerie silence after Arata and Yumi’s departure. Behind the sudden, jagged symphony of crickets, a metallic scraping surfaced—the rhythmic, tortured groan of Cov’s uneven stride. His massive frame crushed dried branches and foliage with a sickening crunch, mimicking the sound of snapping bone in the suffocating darkness.

  His mangled form collapsed onto the damp earth. He struggled to gather the scorched remnants of his mechanical existence. From twisted steel fingers, short-circuiting sparks spat a pale, cold blue light—the solitary glow amidst the encroaching shadows of the trees. With a final effort akin to a dying breath, he forced his failing internal systems to vomit a transmission signal into the depths of space.

  A green light pulsed at the tip of his horn: the connection was live.

  "Reporting... Master," he rasped, his voice distorted by static like a dying radio.

  "What happened?" Dixor’s voice came through, cold and clinical.

  "Forgive me, Master. I failed to secure the Vault," Cov whimpered. "The boy resisted... he tapped into the Vault’s power, aided by those three guardians of Tellios."

  "Damn it!" Dixor’s growl rattled the transmission. A surge of dark energy seemed to resonate through the vacuum of space, piercing the Earth's atmosphere. "You’ve wasted too much time! This is your second failure. You should have ended this instantly!" His voice was heavy with dominance and intimidation.

  "Mercy, Master. They shielded the boy with a defense perimeter identical to the one we faced in the Valley of Mists," Cov stammered in self-defense.

  "Arrghhh! Our path grows difficult because of your incompetence! Now listen! Lure him back to the Valley of Mists! I will claim the gem myself!"

  "But Master," Cov interrupted, his voice trembling, "the three guardians are always in the way."

  "What?! You coward!" Dixor’s voice thundered, fracturing the frequency again. "Repair your pathetic hull and drive that boy to me! I don't care how you do it, and I accept no excuses. Fail again, and you will become scrap metal in the waste pits!"

  The connection severed abruptly.

  "Yes, Master... your will be done," Cov whispered, gripped by genuine terror. He knew his fate if he failed again.

  With what little strength remained, he limped deeper into the woods. Metal scraped against splintering wood with every movement. He tried to take flight several times, but gravity rejected him; he crashed back to the dirt. An alien fluid leaked from a gash in his neck, spitting static sparks onto the leaves—a chemical reaction from Arata’s glowing spear that had superheated his alloy body. The electrical flickers slowly dimmed, swallowed by the forest’s gloom.

  ***

  Meanwhile, in a corner of the city far from the forest’s horrors, the atmosphere exploded with a different kind of tension.

  "Now, tell me..." Hana leaned in, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Are you two... dating?"

  Cough! Hack!

  Arata choked on his noodles until his face turned beet red. Across from him, Yumi froze, her chopsticks suspended mid-air.

  "Aha! Look at that!" Hana crossed her arms. "The way you two look at each other is already incredibly suspicious."

  "Noooo!" they shouted in unison.

  "We are absolutely not dating, Hana!" Yumi tried to steady her erratic breathing.

  "Then what is a girl like you doing here, this late, and—most importantly—wearing Arata’s clothes?" Hana pressed. She pivoted to Arata. "And you, explain why Yumi is in your house."

  Kato, who had been watching silently, now grinned wide. "You’re finished, buddy," he teased.

  "Hey! Help me out here, don't just enjoy the show!" Arata pleaded.

  Arata felt a throbbing headache coming on. Beyond Hana’s interrogation, he was using every ounce of willpower to hide the stinging pain from the bruises hidden under his shirt. He wanted to scream, to explain the attack, the portals, and the looming danger, but it was impossible. It would sound like a ridiculous excuse.

  Yumi, meanwhile, appeared much calmer physically, as if the forest ordeal had left no mark. No wincing, no signs of pain. Her focus was entirely on a different "battlefield": Hana.

  To Yumi, Hana’s tongue was deadlier than any energy disc. She had to build a mental fortress to ensure Arata’s secret—and what she had just witnessed—didn't slip out under her friend’s relentless teasing. Every time Hana lobbed a "dating" accusation, Yumi countered with a sharp look or a cold defense—an invisible but intense war of words across the dinner table.

  Damn it, you three! Help me! I can't explain this! Arata screamed in his mind to the entities within him.

  Sorry, pal. Romance isn't our domain. Handle it yourself, a flat voice replied from the void, devoid of any remorse.

  "Why the blank stare? If you're dating, just say it! But why were you two alone in the room?" Hana lightly slammed the table.

  "I... I just needed a shower!" Yumi blurted out, her cheeks burning.

  "Whhaaat?! A shower?!" Hana yelled, her eyes bulging.

  "It’s not what it sounds like!" Arata cut in nervously, his palms sweating. "Look... Yumi’s scooter broke down near the woods. We had to push it all the way here in the humidity. Her clothes were covered in oil, so she had to borrow mine. That’s it!"

  "Then why were you two there in the first place?" Hana’s eyes narrowed, searching for a crack in the story.

  "I... I was just chilling there after work," Arata improvised. "Then my bike wouldn't start. As I was fixing it, Yumi happened to pass by. I asked for help, but then her scooter broke down halfway too."

  Hana snorted, completely unimpressed. She leaned back with a triumphant smirk.

  "Classic, Arata," Hana said snidely. "Happened to pass by? At the edge of a deserted protected forest during rush hour? Don't be ridiculous. I know what really happened."

  Arata and Yumi exchanged worried glances.

  "You guys went on a secret date there, didn't you?" Hana accused, pointing between them. "You picked the quietest spot so neither I nor Kato would find out. You thought you could be alone, but your romantic plan backfired because of the breakdown!"

  "Hey! That’s total slander!" Arata cried, while Yumi could only bury her face in her hands, defeated by Hana’s wild imagination.

  "Hana, enough!" Yumi cut her off. She turned away, propping her chin on her hand, trying to hide the crimson flush creeping up to her ears.

  "Alright, let's pick this up tomorrow," Kato finally interjected, sensing his friends were at their breaking point. "I'll ask Uncle Renold to pick up your bike and Yumi's scooter tomorrow with the truck. Drop them off at Sora’s workshop, right?"

  "Yeah... please," Arata answered quietly. His voice was weary, burdened more by his secrets and wounds than by embarrassment.

  However, Hana’s radar caught a new signal. She squinted as if finding a more interesting puzzle piece. "Sora? You mean Uncle Kenzo’s daughter? The one who made you a lunchbox that you let rot in your locker?"

  Arata’s face went from red to deathly pale.

  "I knew it! You left Sora hanging too, didn't you?" Hana’s voice jumped an octave. "Just like Nina, Misaki, and Yuna... you just ghosted them all! And now, you’re targeting Yumi to add to your list of victims?"

  Hearing that list of names, Yumi’s grip on her glass tightened until her knuckles turned white. A strange flash appeared in her eyes—a mix of shock and disappointment. The image she had built of Arata’s sincerity was suddenly distorted by the "criminal record" of his love life.

  "Arrggggghhhh! You are unbelievable...!" Arata was speechless. His tongue felt leaden; he wanted to defend himself, but his head throbbed too much to form a sentence.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  "Enough, let's head out," Kato said, cutting off Hana’s assault before Arata truly snapped. He signaled for Yumi and Hana to get up.

  Kato looked at Arata with a mischievous glint. As he put an arm around Hana to lead her out, he whispered one final, devastating blow: "Arata, you have the noble task of cleaning this place up. I’ll take on the 'heavy burden' of listening to the rest of this drama while I drop Yumi home. Deal?"

  Kato smirked—a mocking grin that showed he was thoroughly enjoying this small victory at Arata's expense.

  "See you tomorrow, Young Man," Hana called out with a tone that promised a reckoning. She paused at the door, glaring at Arata. "I'm waiting for you at the canteen tomorrow. Don't you dare skip! We aren't finished!"

  With that, Hana turned and followed Kato down the stairs. Yumi didn't dare look back at Arata. She walked behind Hana, her shoulders stiff and her head bowed low. Her mind was a chaotic mess of questions—the monster attack, the secret of the Vault, and the list of girls Hana had just rattled off.

  Kato waved from behind the wheel, giving a short honk before the car pulled away and disappeared into the night, leaving the store in a sudden, hollow silence.

  Arata let out a long breath, his shoulders sagging as if a weight had been lifted—though he knew a bigger one awaited him tomorrow. He stood still for a moment, staring at the empty asphalt where Kato’s car had been.

  "What a hell of a day," he muttered hoarsely. He shifted his shoulders; the pain from the bruises was truly setting in now.

  He began clearing the food wrappers and bottles scattered on the table. Every movement triggered a sharp throb in his shoulder, a reminder that the trauma under his clothes was no illusion. He needed to clean up before his stamina completely bottomed out.

  Once finished, Arata stepped inside. He locked the door tight, turning the key twice as if it could ward off Cov’s pursuit or Hana’s deadly interrogation. He trudged to his room and grabbed his phone, which had been dead for hours.

  He felt for his phone on the bed, but the screen remained pitch black.

  "Ah, damn... it’s dead!" he groaned.

  Frustrated, his right hand clawed wildly across the nightstand, searching for the charging cable in the dark. A clatter echoed as several items—keys or maybe a water bottle—were swept onto the floor.

  Meanwhile, his left thumb pressed hard on the power button, as if force could bring it to life. A faint white glow from the loading logo appeared, offering a flicker of hope, before blinking out back into the void. The battery was truly drained.

  After a brief struggle with the dark, his fingertips finally felt the texture of the cable. With a rough motion, he yanked it and shoved it into the charging port.

  Arata exhaled, resting his head against the edge of the mattress as he waited for the device to revive. Moments later, a long vibration buzzed in his palm. The screen breathed again, emitting a blinding blue light into Arata's tired eyes.

  As he entered the home screen, the phone exploded with delayed notifications.

  =============================

  12 Missed Calls: Kato Steven

  1 Message Received: Sora Kenzo

  Ping!

  A new message appeared at the top just as he touched the screen.

  Sender : Sora Kenzon

  Thank's The Chocolate is Delicious ; )

  Arata froze for a second. The corner of his mouth twitched into a genuine, faint smile. At least the "diplomatic rescue mission" via chocolate had worked on Sora. He felt a small weight lift. For a moment, he felt he could close his eyes in peace. The logistics of the stranded bike and Yumi's scooter seemed manageable at Kenzo’s workshop tomorrow.

  However, that peace evaporated instantly as he prepared to lie down.

  His eyes landed on a corner near the dim entryway. There, lying in stark contrast to his messy room, was a foreign object: Yumi’s orange shoulder bag.

  "Arggghh! Yumi... what were you thinking? Why leave this behind?!" Arata grumbled, slapping his own forehead. The bag was a glaring reminder that his business with her—and the complications it brought—was far from over.

  Arata stared at the blinking cursor in the reply box for Sora. His fingers hovered, ready to type something sweet to keep things stable. But he glanced at the clock.

  Too late, he thought. If he replied now, a conversation would start, and his nerves were fried. He deleted the text, deciding to reply in the morning when he dropped off the bike.

  He switched to Yumi’s contact. Something more urgent weighed on him—a mix of guilt and anxiety. He typed, deleted, then typed again. Finally, a short message was sent:

  "Yumi, about what Hana said... ignore it. She just makes things up. But one thing, be careful going out alone tomorrow. I’m serious. Let me know when you’re home."

  He set the phone on the nightstand, trying to ignore the pulse of his injury. In the corner, the orange bag sat like a silent witness, a reminder that a "quiet night" was a luxury Arata couldn't afford.

  ***

  Meanwhile, inside Kato’s car cutting through the night...

  "Hey, Yumi, come on. Just be honest, you two have a thing, right?" Hana teased, nudging Yumi’s arm. "Arata is a good guy; I think you’d actually be a great match."

  "What is wrong with you? You were like a predator in there, and now you’re playing matchmaker!" Yumi snapped back. She tried to look annoyed, but the flush reaching her ears betrayed her. "I’ve told you a thousand times, we aren't dating!"

  "Oh, come on... just tell me. I promise I’ll keep it a secret," Hana leaned in, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "You like him, don't you? Admit it!"

  Yumi didn't answer. She bit her lip, feeling a tightness in her chest—perhaps about the monster, or perhaps about that list of girls Hana had mentioned earlier.

  "Heeeeey... your face says it all! You definitely have feelings for him!" Hana laughed, delighted to see her friend finally cornered.

  "Hey, please... can we discuss this tomorrow? My head is spinning," Kato protested from the front. He glanced in the rearview mirror, tired of the "romance trial" that hadn't stopped since they left the store.

  "You too, Kato! You’re definitely helping them hide this from me!" Hana suddenly accused, shifting her attack to the front seat.

  "What?!" Kato jumped, nearly swerving. "I seriously don't know anything!"

  "Yeah, right! You two can't be trusted. Always keeping secrets!" Hana crossed her arms, pouting playfully even as her eyes remained sharp.

  "Witch," Yumi whispered. She turned to the window, watching the streetlights blur past. Behind her annoyance at Hana, her mind drifted back to Arata’s room—and the orange bag she had only just realized was missing.

  In the car still piercing the darkness, Yumi finished frantically feeling the seats around her. Her breath caught when she realized the bag was definitely gone.

  ***

  Ping!

  A short vibration made Yumi jump. She checked her screen. A message from Arata.

  Sender: Arata "Yumi, about what Hana said... ignore it. She just makes things up. But one thing, be careful going out alone. I’m serious. Let me know when you’re home."

  Reading those lines, Yumi’s heart skipped a beat. A warmth spread through her at Arata’s concern, but the warning "don't go out alone" brought the horror of the forest back into sharp focus.

  "Hey! Why are you smiling at your phone?" Hana barked, trying to peek. "Is it Arata? I knew it! Is he saying 'good night' all romantically?"

  Yumi quickly turned off the screen and clutched the phone to her chest. She didn't bite. She just turned back to the window, burying half her face in the collar of Arata’s jacket, which she was still wearing.

  The masculine scent lingering on the jacket somehow made her feel a little safer, though she knew she’d have to face Hana’s chatter at the canteen tomorrow and explain the missing bag to Arata.

  "Witch..." she whispered again, but this time, there was a faint smile she couldn't quite hide.

  "Yumi, seriously... why were you guys on a date in the forest?" Hana asked. This time her voice was soft, pleading like someone desperate for a great secret.

  Yumi paused, then looked at Hana. "Fine, I’ll tell you. But on one condition," Yumi said seriously. She held Hana’s gaze, her eyes steady and intense.

  The tables had turned. Hana, previously the aggressor, was now unsettled by Yumi's sudden gravity. "What?" Hana replied, trying to act nonchalant.

  "You have to tell the truth," Yumi said firmly.

  The echo of her voice traveled through the cramped cabin, so cold and authoritative it made Kato’s ears ring. Kato even looked seriously into the mirror, sensing a different aura coming from Yumi.

  "Is it true that those girls you mentioned... were Arata’s ex-girlfriends?" Yumi asked. Her voice demanded the truth, but her eyes betrayed a deep worry. Behind the firmness, Yumi looked afraid of an answer that might shatter her image of Arata.

  Hearing the innocent question, Kato’s shoulders suddenly shook. A muffled laugh exploded in his throat. He tried to cover it with a fake cough, but a "Pfftt—hahaha!" escaped anyway.

  "Hey! Are you laughing?!" Hana shouted, leaning forward to poke Kato’s shoulder.

  Yumi glared at the rearview mirror, her face turning even redder from shame. "Kato! Were you eavesdropping?"

  "Eavesdropping?" Kato finally let out the laugh he’d been holding, shaking his head. "How could I not? We're in a tiny car, not a football field! Your voices are louder than the engine!"

  "Still, this is girl talk! You should have pretended to be deaf!" Hana protested.

  "Exactly! It's so rude to listen to our gossip!" Yumi added, trying to salvage what was left of her dignity.

  Kato just chuckled, keeping his eyes on the road. "If you don't want me to hear, use sign language. Or just text each other so your fingers get tired instead of my ears burning!" Kato shot back playfully, turning the steering wheel. "Anyway, Yumi... Arata is a trouble magnet, but as for 'exes'..." Kato trailed off, leaving both girls hanging in suspense.

  "I probably shouldn't give you the details right now," Kato continued, his voice dropping as if sharing a grand secret. "You might not be able to sleep from worrying too much."

  "What do you mean?!" Yumi pressed, tensing up in the back seat. "Kato, tell me the truth!"

  "Yeah, Kato! Don't leave us hanging!" Hana chimed in, though she knew Kato was just being a tease.

  Kato only chuckled, ignoring their protests. He felt satisfied seeing Yumi even more restless. In truth, Kato knew Arata was the most oblivious person on earth when it came to women’s feelings—forget having that many exes, Arata usually took months just to realize if someone liked him. But messing with Yumi right now was much more entertaining than the boring facts.

  "Forget it, just ask Arata yourself tomorrow morning," Kato concluded smoothly as he turned on the radio, shutting down Yumi’s chance for more questions.

  Yumi fell silent, leaning back and staring out the dark window. Kato's statement had just added a new weight to her mind. Between the threat of the monster and the burning curiosity about Arata’s past, it was going to be a very long night.

  "Fine!" Yumi cut in sharply, her voice rising in frustration. "I'm not telling you anything else, Hana. And you, Kato... forget I even asked!"

  Yumi crossed her arms and leaned back hard against the seat. She felt foolish for showing her curiosity to two people whose hobby was fanning the flames. "I'm not continuing this gossip. End of story!"

  Hana, feeling her "prey" had escaped thanks to Kato, turned to glare at her boyfriend. She slapped his shoulder in annoyance.

  "You’re such a mood killer, Kato!" Hana complained. "She was just about to spill! Because of your 'mysterious' comment, she’s shut down. You’re terrible at teamwork!"

  "Hey, why is this my fault?" Kato defended himself with a laugh, though his hands were busy stabilizing the wheel under Hana’s protest.

  "Yes! You ruined the moment!" Hana added, pouting. "You should have stayed quiet and let me handle it. Now look, the vibe is dead!"

  "Exactly! Just focus on driving, Kato!" Yumi added from the back, joining forces with Hana.

  Kato could only shake his head, accepting the double-team from the two girls who had suddenly become allies. "Fine, fine... I’m quiet. Typical women—one second you’re fighting, the next you’re ganging up on me," he muttered with a smirk.

  The car continued through the night in a forced silence. Yumi went back to staring out the window, trying to erase the list of names from her head, while Hana kept grumbling about her "romance trial" being cut short.