The silence of the room still echoed with Lane's sharp scream.
Luka remained frozen in place, his eyes wide with shock.
He had pulled his hand back as if he had touched a glowing ember.
"Did... did it really hurt?"
Luka stammered, a deep disbelief in his voice.
Tears still glistened in the corners of Lane's eyes.
He pursed his lips and whispered softly.
"Yes Luka... it hurt so much. But why did you press it so hard?"
"I didn't press it hard, Lane," Luka said, shaking his head.
"I barely touched it. I didn't apply any pressure."
A storm of questions was erupting in Luka's mind.
But for now, Lane's distress was more important.
He pushed up his sleeves and reached for the water vessel kept nearby.
He crawled closer to Lane on his knees.
Luka very tenderly held Lane's ankle.
And began to let a few drops of water fall slowly onto the scraped skin.
The water was gradually washing away the dust and dirt clung to the wound.
Luka's hand was as light as cotton.
He was pouring every drop with extreme caution to clean out the grime.
While cleaning the wound, the doubt in Luka's mind began to provoke him again.
After pouring the water, he applied a small amount of pressure with his finger exactly where he had pressed before.
His gaze was locked on Lane's face.
He wanted to see if the same reaction would occur this time.
Was this pain hidden in Luka's fingertips or in Lane's wound?
The air in the room grew heavy.
And Yuki, from the dark corner, held his breath as he watched the scene unfold.
As soon as Luka applied slight pressure.
Fine beads of sweat appeared on Lane's forehead.
He recoiled his leg slightly and sobbed.
"Luka... it still hurts. Don't touch."
The same innocent pain in Lane's voice made Luka's heart sink.
He immediately withdrew his hand.
And very carefully rested Lane's foot on the floor.
He stood up slowly, his eyes still reading Lane's face.
He couldn't understand why the wound that was silent under Yuki's blow.
Was so raw under his touch.
"Luka... why are you standing away?"
"Sit near me," Lane said, patting the floor with his small palms.
Luka let out a long breath and sat back down near Lane.
After a few moments of silence, he looked into Lane's eyes.
"Lane... where were you... actually, before coming to this place?"
"Do you remember anything?"
Lane's gaze suddenly got lost in a void.
He began twisting a corner of Luka's coat with his fingers.
"I don't know the name of that place, Luka... but I remember I lived in a Church."
A chill of old memories dissolved into Lane's tone.
"There was a girl. I don't know who she was or what she did."
"But she took great care of me. She was very good..."
Suddenly Lane's voice dropped.
And a thin layer of fear settled over his innocent face.
"But there... when someone came from outside to the church, I used to feel something strange."
Lane changed his voice to a whisper.
As if he didn't want Yuki or Aya sitting in the corner to hear him.
"Behind those people... who came from outside..."
"Sometimes there were black shadows. Very deep and cold shadows."
As Lane said this, the temperature of the room seemed to drop another degree.
Luka felt his own hair standing on end.
He realized that this 'power' or 'curse' of Lane's wasn't new.
The shadow of that black darkness had been following him since his past.
Luka's hands froze mid-air.
Placing Lane's foot down carefully, he stood up.
His heart hammered against his chest like a drum.
Why did the wound that felt like stone to Yuki turn raw and agonizing at his touch?
The terrifying question gnawed at his mind.
Trying in vain to distract himself from the burden of unspoken powers and that mysterious 'vow.'
He lowered himself again.
Seeing Luka sit a short distance away on the hard wooden plank.
Lane lunged and grabbed his hand.
"Luka... why so far? Sit close to me."
Taking a deep breath, Luka steadied his faltering voice.
Looking deep into Lane's eyes, he fired the long-standing question.
"Lane... where exactly did you live before this place?"
Lane's gaze suddenly drifted into the void.
His pupils constricted as if sliding back the curtains of misty memories.
"The name of the place escapes me, Luka."
"But the high walls of a church and the sharp scent of candles remain fresh in my mind."
Lane's grip on Luka's palm tightened further.
"A girl lived there. I don't know who she was or what she did."
"But she was the only one who looked after me."
"She was very... very different."
Pausing for a moment, a sad smile drifted across Lane's face.
"Whenever someone from outside entered the church, a strange suffocation gripped me."
"I could clearly see black shadows crawling and moving behind those strangers."
"When they came close to talk, I would push them away in fear."
"That behavior alienated everyone."
"They all considered me 'strange' and avoided coming near."
A cold shiver ran down Luka's spine.
"But that girl..." Lane's voice grew even lower.
"She was the only one without a black shadow behind her."
"She never let me meet anyone else."
Luka interrupted, "Why did she do that?"
"Perhaps she knew that I didn't like meeting, talking, or being touched by others at all."
"She spoke very little herself; she loved silence."
"If I stayed out late, she would be found waiting at the church threshold."
"After I fell asleep, she'd quietly tuck me in."
"If I sat alone, she'd just come and sit beside me... without saying a word."
"The only face in the entire world that didn't scare me."
Lane's voice continued to echo in the dark room like an ancient tale.
Luka realized that Lane's loneliness wasn't a product of today.
But was born alongside those shadows.