Sayura couldn't wait until tomorrow.She sat in the dark, restless—her heart too heavy, her thoughts too loud.I can't sleep without talking to them. I can't leave their pain unspoken.
She walked quietly to Rina's room."Come on," she called softly, trying to sound normal. "Let's eat something."
Silence.She called again, louder now, her voice cracking."Dinner's ready… let's eat together."
Still no answer.
Yuna and Mira approached from the hallway."Sayura… let them rest," Yuna said gently. "They need time."
But something snapped.Sayura's voice trembled."I'm their mother! If someone hurt them—why won't they talk to me?!"
She stepped further in."I'm your mother!" she cried. "Talk to me!"
Kevin suddenly sat up.He didn't say a word. He stood and walked to the door.Sayura instinctively grabbed his wrist."Kevin… please—"
Kevin turned, and everyone froze.His eyes were sharp, distant… cold.No one had seen this look before—not Sayura, not Yuna, not even Rina.
"What's my father's name?"His voice was calm. But it cut deeper than any scream.
Sayura's hand dropped. Her breath caught in her throat.
Yuna gently stepped forward, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder.
Kevin's voice rose, firm."Tonight, I want the truth. No more silence."
Sayura whispered, "I… I can't."
Rina sat up, blinking tears from her eyes. Her chest ached."You know how it feels?" she said softly. "Walking to school… hearing everyone call us the 'children without a father'?"
"You told us he was dead," Rina continued."Then why can't you say his name? Unless…"
Kevin's voice cut in—sharper than before."Maybe what they say is true. Maybe even you don't know who he is."
Slap.
Sayura's hand met Kevin's cheek with a crack that silenced the room.Everyone froze.
Sayura's chest rose and fell, her anger trembling."Watch your words," she hissed. "Don't speak of him like that."
But Kevin didn't flinch.He didn't cry.He turned back to her, completely calm—unnervingly calm.
Rina stared at him.This… wasn't the Kevin she knew.
He wiped the blood from his lip."Then say it. Say his name. Or I'll believe he was never worth remembering."
Sayura's voice cracked."Enough!"
She trembled."You want the truth so badly?"
She looked at Yuna, then Mira, then at her children."Fine."Her voice dropped."His name… is Kaizen."
The room went silent.
Rina blinked."Kaizen…?"
Sayura nodded slowly. Her tears began to fall again."He was known… as the Devil of Shinkai."
Gasps followed.
Mira stepped back."Wait… the traitor? The man who betrayed the village? That's… your father?"
Rina's jaw clenched."That's why you hid it. Because our father is a criminal."
"Stop it!" Sayura cried. "He wasn't a monster. He wasn't who they say he was."
Kevin's voice was low."Then tell us. The truth."
Sayura sank to the floor."I didn't hide it because I was ashamed of him… I hid it because I was afraid what that name would do to you."
Her voice broke."I've carried this for so long. Alone."
Rina slowly knelt beside her, her fingers gently closing around her mother's hand.Her voice was soft."You were just trying to protect us… and we never saw how much it hurt you too."
Sayura's shoulders trembled.
Kevin knelt beside them, his anger now hollowed by understanding.He touched her shoulder gently."I'm sorry… I said awful things. I didn't mean to hurt you."
Rina leaned in closer."You're not alone anymore. We're here now. We'll carry this… together."
Sayura broke down in their arms, tears falling freely.
Yuna wiped her own tears quietly.Mira looked away, biting her lip.
Kevin's voice returned—quiet, but steady."I won't forget what they said about us. But I'll prove them wrong."
Rina nodded."I'll become stronger too. Not for them… for us."
Sayura lifted her head."Then promise me," she whispered. "Promise me no one else can know. Not yet."
Both nodded.Yuna gently stepped forward."Let's give them space now."
Sayura held their hands tight."I'm proud of you both," she whispered. "So proud."
Kevin leaned into her touch."You don't need to hide anymore."
That night, they ate together.No feast. No laughter. Just warmth.
Their world was still harsh.The village still called them "children without a father."But tonight… inside these walls…They were not alone.They were family.