Jack and Yuki sat silently near the rocks, the echo of gunfire and the chase still ringing inside their ears… The night was heavy, the air cold, and the forest felt like it was holding its breath, waiting for what would come.
Jack looked at the small clock fixed on the bike, then spoke in a low but steady voice:
"Ten minutes have passed… we need to move now."
Yuki pulled a shaky breath, tightened her hand on the bike's handle, and whispered:
"Why don't we wait a little… maybe he'll come back."
Jack turned to her with a sharp look mixed with sadness, then said softly:
"If something happened to him… waiting won't change anything. And they will catch us too… and his sacrifice will mean nothing."
Yuki lowered her head, her lips trembling slightly… but she finally nodded.
She started the bike, and they drove away from the darkness that had swallowed everything behind them.The sound of the engine felt like it was trying to swallow the silent sorrow between them.
As soon as they left the forest, simple roads began to appear, then scattered houses, then narrow streets lit by faint lamps.The night was quiet… no cars… no people… only the wind and the bike cutting through the silence.
Yuki drove absent-mindedly, her hands shaking slightly on the handlebars.And Jack sat behind her in silence, his eyes moving between the road and the passing shadows.
Suddenly, Yuki slowed the bike and stopped on the side of the road.
Jack looked at her quickly:
"What's wrong? Why did you stop?"
She pointed at the gauge and sighed:
"The fuel is gone…"
Jack muttered in annoyance:
"…Great."
Yuki took a deep breath:
"There's a station nearby, but we can't go there looking like this… it'll make people suspicious."
They got off the bike and walked toward a small lit shop in the middle of the street.Yuki entered first, bought two cheap shirts, and handed one to Jack without a word.
They both changed quickly in the shop's bathroom.Jack took off the ripped fabric left on his body…While Yuki washed her face and lifted her head toward the mirror for a moment… her eyes widened, and she almost broke into tears.
She whispered to herself in a trembling voice:
"No… not now…"
She wiped her tears quickly and walked out.They left the shop as if they were just two normal travelers passing by at night.
They walked calmly along the empty sidewalk until they reached the bus stop.The bus finally arrived, and they took the last seat.
The hours passed slowly and heavily…The bus crossed small towns, and the night began to fade little by little until dawn appeared.
Not a single word between them.Yuki stared at the floor, gripping her bag tightly.And Jack leaned his head against the window, watching the trees as they passed like an endless strip.
Those hours were… a space of emptiness after a storm, a short break the world offered to people barely able to breathe.
As the end of the afternoon approached, a sign lit up at the top of the bus:
"Next stop: Koraishi City."
Jack raised his head.Yuki's eyes widened slightly.
Both of them knew… what waited for them there wasn't rest, but an entirely new beginning.
The bus stopped.They stepped out, and it disappeared behind them on the long road.
And in front of them… stood the face of Koraishi City.
End of Chapter.