A gentle spring breeze drifted through the dense forest, where a small, silent village lay hidden. The village was surrounded on all sides by a low wall, preventing anyone from entering—or leaving. No one knew the reason for this confinement; the only certainty was that attempting to leave meant certain death.
In that village lived a seventeen-year-old boy with kind features and impeccable manners, a gentle smile almost always resting on his face. His name was Akira. Akira's goal in life was to uncover the village's secret: why its people were forbidden to leave, and—more importantly—where the children who reached the age of eighteen disappeared to.
Akira spent most of his time with his childhood friend—indeed, his only friend—Arthur. Their bond was extraordinary; they were inseparable. Arthur was handsome, with long, gleaming white hair and a calm, composed demeanor. He was, by coincidence, only one day older than Akira.
Together, they passed their days playing, talking, or secretly investigating the mysterious disappearances of the village's children.
Akira had five brothers. Two of them had already reached the age of eighteen—and vanished without a trace. Arthur, on the other hand, had only one younger brother, five years his junior. Others in the village had also "left" and never returned, yet among the villagers, leaving was considered normal. Even the children dreamed of it, believing that one day they would gain their freedom and work for the sake of the village.
Whenever Akira asked an adult about those who had left, he was met with a cold, rehearsed answer:
"Stop asking such questions. They went to work. They send food and money to support our small village."