The cold outside wasn't the problem anymore.Taro couldn't feel anything except the shaking inside his chest.
Kito stood in front of him, breathing unevenly, his small hands balled into fists. His eyes were swollen and bloodshot — not from one night of crying, but from days.He looked like a kid who had aged ten years in one week.
Taro tried to speak, but only a thin breath came out."Kito… what did you say? Say it again."
Kito swallowed hard. His voice cracked as he repeated,"The ones who killed her… they're called the Black Mandate."
Taro felt like the ground under his feet shifted."Who? I've never heard of them."
Kito shook his head."I don't know them either. But I heard my parents talking. They're a big group… a smuggling organization. They kidnap girls. They kill people. They do… horrible things."
Taro gripped the wooden railing beside him because his legs suddenly felt weak."What… why would they kill her? Chiyo didn't do anything. She never hurt anyone. She was—"His voice cracked."She was good. She was kind. Why her of all people?"
Kito wiped his nose on his sleeve, tears running again."I don't know why. But she didn't do anything wrong. She didn't even know them. She just… got involved."The boy's voice lowered to a whisper."Because they took her."
Taro closed his eyes, trying to breathe, but his chest refused to open fully.Everything felt blurry.Like the world had suddenly become too heavy to hold.
Finally, he opened his eyes again."Kito," he said shakily, "why wasn't her body shown at the funeral?"
The boy froze.
For a moment, he didn't answer.He just looked down at the snow under his shoes, the wind pushing his hair across his forehead. His hands trembled so hard he had to clench his fists to steady them.
When he finally spoke, his voice was barely audible."Because… her head wasn't there when they found her."
Taro felt something break inside him.
"What… what did you just—"His voice didn't sound like his own."What are you talking about? That's not… that's not possible."
Kito squeezed his eyes shut as if the memory itself was painful."They found her… in pieces."His shoulders shook violently."My parents didn't want me to know, but I heard them talk. They tried to keep it quiet. They're trying to hide it from everyone. But it's true."
Taro stumbled back, hand covering his mouth.He felt heat rise to his face, then coldness washing over him.
"Kito… please stop," Taro whispered."You're just hurt. You're… you're not thinking straight."
"I'm not lying!" Kito screamed — the first time he raised his voice."She wasn't whole! They took her head! They left her like garbage!"
Taro bent over suddenly.He couldn't hold it anymore.
He vomited into the snow.
His eyes watered.He couldn't breathe properly.The world spun left then right then left again.He felt like he might pass out.
Kito just stood there, crying silently as Taro tried to steady himself.
When he finally straightened, wiping his arm across his mouth, he asked,"Who else knows about this?"
Kito swallowed."Just me. My parents. And the lead police officer. No one else. They're trying not to start a panic."
Taro nodded slowly, his head pounding.The cold air burned his lungs.His hands wouldn't stop shaking.
"So the coffin today…" he whispered.
Kito nodded."…was empty."
Taro pressed both hands to his head."This is insane. This is… this is unreal."
But another memory hit him like a punch —the news about three missing girlsblood in Bontan Parkthe scream he and Akira heardthe chopping sound in the forest
It wasn't his imagination.It was all real.
"Kito," Taro said quietly, "you need to be safe. Your parents… you said they're acting strange?"
Kito wiped his tears with the sleeve of his black funeral coat."They whisper at night. They don't let me go outside. They talk to the police a lot. They won't tell me anything. I heard them say that… the group is still here. In this town."
Taro felt a coldness in his spine deeper than any winter.Every hair on his arms stood up.
"Kito," he said, fighting his own trembling voice, "whatever happens, you're not alone. I'll do something. I'll find out something. I don't know how yet… but I won't leave you."
The boy stared at him for a moment — then hugged him tightly.He cried hard into Taro's chest, his fingers digging into Taro's coat like he was afraid he'd disappear.
"Please… don't leave me," Kito whispered."You're all I have left."
Taro hugged him back, swallowing hard."I'm here. Think of me as your older brother. I'll protect you."
Kito nodded into his chest.
After a long moment, Taro pulled away gently."You should go before your parents come looking. Don't mention any of this to anyone. Not even my friends."
Kito sniffed and nodded again."Okay. Please… be careful."
Taro forced a small nod.It was the only strength he could show.
Then he turned away and walked out of the funeral area.Each step felt heavier than the last.
His mind was blank.His heart was sinking.His stomach twisted like something inside him wanted to claw out.
When he reached home, everything felt unfamiliar.The house was quiet.Lights off.No one calling his name.His parents were either out helping Chiyo's family or asleep from exhaustion.
He climbed the stairs slowly, opened his bedroom door, and fell face-first onto the bed.
His voice cracked as he whispered into the pillow:
"What is happening? Why her? What did she ever do? Why… why is this happening to her?"
There was no answer.Only the sound of the wind outside.
He didn't sleep.Not even for a minute.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Chiyo laughing, teasing him, flicking his forehead when he acted shy.Every time he tried to breathe deeply, he heard Kito's voice saying:
"Her head wasn't there."
By the time the night ended, Taro felt like he hadn't breathed in hours.
The next morning arrived quietly.
December 24, 2029.
The sunlight barely broke through the thick clouds.Taro sat up in bed slowly, his hair messy, his eyes swollen, his body stiff like he hadn't moved all night.
He stared at the uniform hanging on his chair.
School.A normal place.A normal life.
Something he didn't have anymore.
But he needed something — anything — to distract his collapsing mind.So he forced himself to stand, get dressed, and walk out the door without saying a word.
The walk to school felt unreal.The air hurt his face.The snow made small cracking sounds under his shoes.
And in his head, one thing kept replaying —her smile,her voice,her hair in her hands,her teasing tone,
and the fact that she was gone in the most horrific way he could imagine.
Taro entered the school gates like a ghost.He didn't look left or right.He didn't greet anyone.He just kept walking, lost in the nightmare that refused to leave him.
He wanted answers.He wanted truth.He wanted Chiyo back.
But all he had now…
was pain.