Chapter 4: One Week Left
The shack was silent.But Aki's mind? Loud.
He twisted in bed, eyes wide open, staring at the roof like it had answers.It didn't.
"Sleep."He told himself that over and over, but the thoughts kept crawling back.His family.The blood.The screaming.
He snapped upright. Enough.
In one motion, he yanked on his cloak, shoes, socks, and pants — grabbed the door and swung it open.
Outside.It was raining. Hard.
The kind of rain that fell like it had regrets.Thunder cracked in the distance. The world felt heavy like it was mourning with him.
Aki walked the dirt path toward the village, each step pressing through wet mud.
Whispers followed.
"That's the boy…""His whole family died in one night…""Akura… poor baby…"
He kept walking.Eyes forward.Emotion locked deep.
Then — she appeared.
Anna Veil.
Standing like she was waiting hours in the rain. Hair soaked. Blade at her back.
Aki's eyes narrowed. "Nope."
He tried to walk past her —Fwoosh.
Her fingers latched onto the back of his cloak, stopping him cold.
"Training," she said flatly.
"Ugh. What?"He yanked away, cloak slipping through her grip. He kept walking.
He stopped at a food stand, coins clinking on the counter.
"One dumpling.""Thanks," the vendor said.
Aki bit it once. Chewed. Swallowed. Didn't taste a thing.
Then — Anna again.
"Let me train you.""I said no."
And just like that, the chase began.
She followed him all day.Around buildings. Over fences. Through alleys. Past markets.
She didn't yell. Didn't threaten.Just followed.
Silent. Annoying. Persistent.
By the time the sun set, Aki was soaked, exhausted, and pissed.He sat on a crate behind a bakery, hoodie dripping, breathing hard.
Then — a shadow loomed.
Anna again.She just raised a brow.
"Still running?"
Aki didn't answer.
End of Chapter 4