Part 6 – The Lonely House
The two continued walking in silence.
The sounds of their footsteps filled the quiet street.
Neither of them spoke.
After a short while...
Haruto looked around curiously.
The streets were lined with neatly built houses, each bearing the Homura Clan crest.
He glanced ahead.
"...Amaya."
"...Isn't that your house?"
As he started to raise his hand to point...
Amaya immediately spoke.
"...Don't."
Haruto stopped.
"...Huh?"
"Don't point."
"...And don't look at it."
Haruto slowly lowered his hand.
Confused.
"...Okay..."
Amaya kept her eyes forward.
Her voice was quiet.
"...From here..."
"...Walk like we don't know each other."
Haruto's expression changed.
"...What?"
"Please."
"...Just trust me."
She took a slow breath.
"When we reach the next intersection..."
"...Take the left."
"Walk all the way to the end of the road."
"Then turn right."
"...I'll meet you there."
Haruto looked at her.
Only now did he notice...
She hadn't looked up once since entering the district.
Her head remained lowered.
"...Amaya..."
Before he could ask anything...
He noticed it.
Several Homura Clan members standing outside their homes were watching.
Some quietly whispered to one another.
Others pointed in Amaya's direction without trying to hide it.
Haruto's eyes widened slightly.
He finally understood.
Without another word...
He gave a small nod.
"...Okay."
The two continued walking forward...
As though they were nothing more than strangers heading in the same direction.
Haruto looked at Amaya for a long moment.
"...Okay."
Amaya gave a small nod.
"...Thank you."
Without another word...
The two continued walking.
As they reached the next intersection...
Haruto quietly turned left.
He didn't look back.
He simply followed the path Amaya had told him to take.
Step...
Step...
Step...
The sounds of the Homura residential district slowly faded behind him.
Meanwhile...
Amaya continued straight ahead alone.
Her head remained lowered.
The whispers hadn't stopped.
"...Isn't that her?"
"...She's back again."
"...What a shame..."
A few Homura Clan members watched her as she passed.
Some whispered among themselves.
Others simply stared.
Amaya didn't react.
She kept walking.
As if she had heard those same whispers countless times before.
Back on the other street...
Haruto reached the end of the road.
He turned right.
Just as Amaya had instructed.
"..."
He leaned lightly against a wooden fence and waited.
The afternoon breeze drifted through the quiet street.
His thoughts, however...
Remained with Amaya.
"..."
Haruto looked at Amaya for a long moment.
"...Okay."
Amaya gave a small nod.
"...Thank you."
Without another word...
The two continued walking.
As they reached the next intersection...
Haruto quietly turned left.
He didn't look back.
He simply followed the path Amaya had told him to take.
Step...
Step...
Step...
The sounds of the Homura residential district slowly faded behind him.
Meanwhile...
Amaya continued straight ahead alone.
Her head remained lowered.
The whispers hadn't stopped.
"...Isn't that her?"
"...She's back again."
"...What a shame..."
A few Homura Clan members watched her as she passed.
Some whispered among themselves.
Others simply stared.
Amaya didn't react.
She kept walking.
As if she had heard those same whispers countless times before.
Back on the other street...
Haruto reached the end of the road.
Just as Amaya had instructed...
He turned right.
The street ahead was quiet.
Only a handful of houses stood along the roadside.
He looked around.
"..."
Then...
His eyes stopped on the very last house.
It stood alone at the end of the lane.
Small.
Old.
Its wooden walls were faded with age.
The roof had clearly been repaired countless times.
From a distance...
It looked less like a home...
And more like an abandoned storage shed that someone had somehow managed to live in.
Haruto blinked.
"..."
He quietly looked around again.
The neighboring houses were large.
Well maintained.
Some even had spacious courtyards.
Only that one house...
Stood isolated.
Almost forgotten.
Haruto stared at it for a long moment.
"...Is that...?"
Just then...
He heard faint footsteps approaching from behind.
He slowly turned around.