The cold alley felt smaller than before.
Hina sat against the wall, her shoulders trembling.
Tears continued to fall from her eyes.
One after another.
She tried to stop them.
She couldn’t.
The memories hurt too much.
Then—
“Hina…”
A familiar voice called her name.
Her body froze.
Slowly, she looked up.
And saw him.
Ryu.
Standing a few steps away.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Hina’s shining eyes met his.
The mysterious glow hidden within them flickered once more.
Instantly—
His emotions flowed into her senses.
Not words.
Feelings.
Happiness.
Relief.
Surprise.
Nothing else.
No hatred.
No disgust.
No anger.
Only the emotions of someone who had unexpectedly found a person precious to them after many years.
Hina’s expression trembled.
She quickly stood up.
And stepped backward.
Ryu frowned.
“Hina…
what’s wrong?”
Another step back.
“Hina?”
“Don’t come closer.”
Her voice shook.
Ryu stopped immediately.
Confusion appeared on his face.
“Why?”
Silence.
Then—
“You betrayed me.”
The words escaped her lips.
Ryu’s eyes widened.
“…What?”
“You betrayed me.”
“Hina, what are you talking about?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
“No, I don’t.”
His voice carried genuine confusion.
“Hina, I really don’t understand.”
She laughed bitterly.
A painful laugh.
“Of course you don’t.”
“Hina—”
“Did you forget what you did eight years ago?”
Ryu froze.
His brows furrowed.
“Eight years ago?”
“Yes.”
“Hina…
tell me.”
“You really forgot?”
“Hina.”
His voice softened.
“Please.”
“Tell me.”
“I’ll listen.”
The alley became silent.
And the memories returned once again.
Eight years earlier.
Miyama.
The morning after the worst beating Hina had received at that point in her life.
She sat beneath the large tree near the edge of town.
Her body ached.
Every movement hurt.
But she had gotten used to pain.
At least…
That’s what she told herself.
A few minutes later—
Ryu arrived.
As usual.
The moment he saw her, he frowned.
“What happened?”
His eyes met hers.
His emotions entered her senses.
Concern…
Hina looked away.
“Nothing.”
Ryu wasn’t convinced.
“Hina.”
She sighed.
“Just the usual.”
“The usual?”
“My father got angry.”
Ryu’s expression darkened.
“He hit you again?”
Hina shrugged.
A small movement.
But even that hurt.
“Maybe a little more than usual.”
She said it so casually.
As if it wasn’t important.
As if it was normal.
Ryu looked down.
His fists tightened.
But he didn’t ask further.
He knew Hina hated talking about it.
And whenever people pushed too much—
She closed herself off.
So instead, he changed the topic.
“You know something?”
Hina blinked.
“What?”
Ryu smiled.
“Your eyes.”
Immediately, Hina lowered her gaze.
“My eyes?”
“They’re beautiful.”
She froze.
Then immediately shook her head.
“No, they’re not.”
“They are.”
“No.”
“Hina.”
“They’re weird.”
She looked away.
“Everyone says so.”
“They say they’re creepy.”
“They say they’re abnormal.”
“They say nobody has eyes like mine.”
Ryu listened quietly.
Then smiled.
“I think they’re amazing.”
Hina stared at him.
Ryu pointed toward her eyes.
“It feels like galaxies are resting in your eyes.”
Hina blinked.
“What?”
“They really do.”
He laughed softly.
“It’s like an entire universe is hidden inside them.”
The wind gently passed between them.
Their eyes met.
Ryu’s emotions entered Hina’s senses.
Admiration.
Her eyes widened.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Hina looked away.
Her cheeks turned slightly pink.
“D-Don’t say weird things.”
“Weird?”
“I’m serious.”
“They’re the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen.”
Nobody had ever said something like that before.
Nobody.
A strange warmth appeared inside her chest.
Small.
Gentle.
And terrifying.
Because she wasn’t used to it.
Days passed.
Then weeks.
Then months.
Ryu and Hina continued meeting beneath that tree.
Talking.
Laughing.
Spending time together.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
The lonely girl began opening her heart.
Then one day—
Something felt strange.
The moment Hina entered her house, her parents greeted her with smiles.
Smiles.
Real smiles.
It felt wrong.
“Hina!”
Her mother happily called her over.
“Come eat.”
Her father smiled as well.
“You should sleep early tonight.”
“We bought new clothes.”
“You’ll look cute wearing them.”
The kindness felt unnatural.
Almost frightening.
Hina kept her head lowered.
As always.
She was afraid.
Afraid of what her eyes might see.
But eventually—
She looked up.
And met their eyes.
Instantly—
The emotions entered her mind.
Not happiness.
Not love.
Not care.
Greed.
A disgusting amount of greed.
Hina froze.
Why…?
What do they want from me?
That question stayed with her all night.
The next morning—
Her father woke her up.
Surprisingly cheerful.
“Hina.”
“Get up.”
“We’re going somewhere.”
Hina slowly sat up.
“Where?”
Her father smiled.
“To meet someone.”
Fear crawled into her chest.
A few hours later.
They arrived at a house.
An old man sat inside.
Very old.
The moment Hina saw him—
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
Her eyes met his.
Emotions of that old man entered her senses.
Clinical detachment.
Mild interest.
Cold curiosity.
Then she heard it.
Her father’s voice.
“Five hundred thousand yen.”
The old man stroked his beard.
“Hmm.”
“Too much.
I’m just buying her because of her shiny eyes.
Apart from this, there is nothing special in her.”
“Four hundred thousand.”
“Deal.”
Hina’s blood ran cold.
Everything suddenly made sense.
The kindness.
The smiles.
The greed.
She understood.
They were selling her.
Her own parents.
Selling her.
Hina immediately tried pulling her hand away.
But her father’s grip tightened.
Pain shot through her wrist.
“Stop struggling.”
“D-Dad—”
“Be quiet.”
Fear overwhelmed her.
She tried again.
And again.
But she couldn’t escape.
Then—
A voice shouted from behind.
“LET HER GO!”
Everyone turned.
Hina’s eyes widened.
“Ryu…?”
Ryu stood there.
Breathing heavily.
His face filled with anger.
Her gaze landed on his eyes.
She detected his emotions.
Anger.
Protectiveness.
The old man stood up.
Her father glared.
“Who are you?”
Ryu stepped forward.
“I’m Hina’s protector.”
Silence.
Then—
A stone flew through the air.
THUD!
It struck Hina’s father.
“YOU BRAT!”
Before he could react—
Ryu rushed forward and hit his arm with another stone.
The pain forced him to loosen his grip.
Immediately—
Hina’s hand was free.
Ryu grabbed it.
“Run!”
And they ran.
Far away.
Farther than they ever had before.
Eventually—
They reached Ryu’s house.
Only then did Hina stop.
Her body was shaking uncontrollably.
The fear.
The terror.
Everything she had been holding back.
It finally broke.
Ryu stepped closer.
And hugged her.
The moment his arms wrapped around her—
Hina collapsed.
She cried harder than she ever had before.
Loudly.
Desperately.
As if years of pain were finally escaping.
Ryu didn’t say anything.
He simply stayed there.
Holding her.
Letting her cry.
That night—
Hina secretly stayed in Ryu’s house.
Hidden inside the storage room.
If Ryu’s parents found out—
There would be trouble.
So they kept it a secret.
For the first time in years—
Hina slept without fear.
For the first time—
She felt safe.
The next morning—
Ryu tried stopping her.
“Don’t go back.”
Hina lowered her head.
“I have to.”
“You don’t.”
“I do.”
“Hina—”
“If I don’t…”
Her voice trembled.
“They might come looking.”
“The problem might reach your family too.”
Ryu clenched his fists.
But he couldn’t stop her.
Eventually—
Hina smiled weakly.
And left.
That evening—
She returned home.
The moment her father saw her—
His face twisted with rage.
What followed…
Was the worst beating of her life.
Far worse than before.
Far worse than anything she had experienced.
Again.
And again.
And again.
The pain wouldn’t stop.
No matter how much she endured.
No matter how much she stayed silent.
It didn’t stop.
That day—
Her father beat her more brutally than he ever had before.
And Hina could do nothing but suffer through it.
Alone.
End of Chapter 3.