(The harsh words remained hanging in the air... heavy... painful.)
Honoka stood before the door... before her home... but she no longer knew if it was truly her home. Her eyes lowered further, as if she were trying to disappear.
(Then—)
The sound of small footsteps from inside. Fast. Hesitant. They stopped for a moment behind her parents. Then she appeared... her little sister.
She was looking... just looking. Her wide eyes moved between the faces. The cold mother. The silent father. Then— Honoka.
The child froze in her place, as if she were trying to understand. But children... they understand more than we think. Her lips trembled. Her eyes quickly filled with tears.
One step forward. Then another.
The mother turned quickly:
Honoka's Mother: "Stop—"
But it was too late.
The child lunged suddenly. She ran with all her might, bypassing her parents. Then— she threw herself into Honoka's arms. Forcefully. As if she were afraid to disappear.
Honoka's Little Sister (crying, in broken sobs):
"Sister...! Sister Honoka...!"
Honoka's body froze. Her eyes widened in shock. She wasn't ready for this. Her hands remained suspended in the air for seconds... then slowly... she embraced her. Tightly. As if she were clinging to one last thing.
The child clung to her tighter, crying bitterly.
Honoka's Little Sister: "I want to go with you...! Don't leave me... please don't leave me...!"
Honoka's body shook. This time... she couldn't hold herself together. Her tears poured down silently, falling onto her little sister's hair. She closed her eyes tightly.
(These were not tears of weakness...) But tears of something breaking... and something being saved at the same time.
The father and mother stood in their place, shocked. They hadn't expected this.
The mother took a step forward, her voice angry:
"Go back inside immediately!"
But the child clung tighter, shaking her head forcefully.
Honoka's Little Sister (crying): "No!"
She lifted her face, her eyes full of tears and childish anger: "I won't leave her!"
Silence prevailed. But this silence was not cold this time... it was charged. Broken.
Misaki placed her hand over her mouth, her eyes filling with tears. She couldn't bear the scene.
As for Ahmed... he stood in silence. But his gaze had changed. There was a decision in it. Decisive. Clear.
He looked at Honoka... and at the child clinging to her. And he understood one thing: This place... no longer belonged to them.