Aria Village is located quite close to Silent Hill. The residents there are mostly people Zain has helped. They refused to move to the city and chose to stay there. Most of them work as farmers, ranchers, traders, tailors, and so on.
Zain often meets children who were victims of the dimensional gate attack. They are left alone because they lost their families. That's why someone proposed establishing an orphanage for these children. Several residents volunteered to become caretakers of the orphanage.
One morning, Zain was tidying the grass at a grave. Behind a large, shady tree, a child was watching him. The child wanted to approach, but he was afraid of disturbing Zain. Zain wanted to ignore him, but he couldn't.
"Do you have something to say?"
Zain asked without looking back. The child didn't answer.
"If there's nothing, go away. Don't stand there."
When asked to leave, the child approached Zain. It was Zidane.
"Sorry if I disturbed you, Mr. Zain."
"Just standing there is bothering me. If you have something to say, just say it."
"Okay."
The boy crouched down next to Zain.
"Can I help you?"
Zidane wanted to help Zain mow the lawn.
"Would you like?"
"Yes."
"Go to the shed over there. Get the grass clippers and come back here."
"Okay." Zidane smiled and ran toward a shed.
Zidane returned. "I've got them."
"Cut the overgrown grass on the graves over there. Make them even height and look neat."
"Okay."
Without complaint, Zidane did as Zain asked. He cut the grass neatly. Zain continued. The sun was now directly overhead. Zain looked at Zidane, who was still mowing the grass.
"Dane, aren't you going to take a break?"
"It's okay, I'll be done soon."
"Leave that and go get lunch."
Although Zain's face was expressionless, he was quite attentive.
"Aren't you going to rest too?"
"I'm going to rest too."
"Then, would you like to eat with me?" Zidane's face was full of anticipation.
"No. That's not necessary." Zidane wanted to ask why, but he didn't.
"Then if you'll excuse me."
Zidane bowed in greeting and left. After Zidane left, Zain sat on a long bench under a shady tree. Zain closed his eyes for a moment.
A short time passed, and Zidane approached Zain again. Seeing that Zain had closed his eyes, Zidane sat beside him, trying not to make a sound. Zain, noticing this, opened his eyes.
"What are you doing?" Zain furrowed his brows.
"Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you." Zidane felt a little scared.
"Why aren't you eating your food?"
Zidane brought his lunch. He hadn't eaten it at the orphanage.
"Ah, that..." Zidane hesitated.
"I wanted to give this to you." Zidane handed Zain a piece of his bread.
"I want to thank you, Mr. Zain."
"With a piece of bread?"
"S-sorry, this is all I can give you now. But someday I..."
Zain took the piece of bread before Zidane could finish.
"No need to thank me."
Zain's face looked sad.
"Just eat your food quickly. And continue mowing the lawn over there." Zain ate the bread he was given.
"Okay." Zidane ate with him.
Days passed. Zidane always tried to get closer to Zain. As time went by, Zidane understood something about Zain. Although his face was expressionless and his words were sometimes cold, Zain wasn't a bad person.
And the fact that he was a grave guard was something he couldn't yet understand.
...
Six years had passed. Zidane decided to leave and become a soldier. Zain smiled faintly when he heard this. He patted Zidane's head, which had grown to be as tall as him.
"That's your decision. Live the way you want."
"Okay. Thank you, Brother Zain."
"I'm not your brother."
"No, you're my brother."
...
And now, eleven years have passed. The boy who wanted to be a soldier has become a reality. The boy who followed him around all day. He's right in front of him now.
Zidane has grown into someone far from the one he remembered. Although his appearance has changed quite a bit, he's still the Dane Zain remembers.
"I thought I'd see your shocked face."
"Sorry to disappoint you."
"Well, I expected that."
"Long time no see, and now you're talking so much more casually to me." Zain crossed his arms.
"Why would I speak so stiffly to my own brother?" Zidane shook his head.
"I'm not your brother."
"You are my brother, hehehe," Zidane insisted.
"You don't seem to have changed."
Even though eleven years had passed, the Zain before him looked the same as he had eleven years ago.
"Is that so?"
Zain turned his face away and walked away, Zidane following him.
"Speaking of which, it's been so long since we've seen each other. Don't you miss me?"
His manner of speaking seemed at odds with his face and the uniform he was wearing.
"I don't even remember you." Hearing Zain's words, Zidane smiled bitterly.
"Your words are so cruel."
"There's someone you miss more." They stopped at a grave.
"You're right."
It was Zidane's father's grave. Zain left Zidane there.
"Hello, Dad." Zidane crouched down and put down the bouquet of blue roses he had brought.
"Sorry I haven't seen you in so long. But I brought your favorite flowers, Dad. So please forgive me." Zidane wiped his eyes.
"Dad, I... I'm a soldier now."
"Look at this, I even have a high rank."
Zidane showed his rank insignia and smiled.
"Amazing, right?"
"I will strive to be a great soldier who can protect many people."
"So please keep looking at me, Dad."
"Even though you can't see me directly."
"Thank you for your sacrifice for my life."
"I love you."
Zidane left his father's grave. He walked toward Zain, who was sitting under a tree.
"Even after becoming a lieutenant colonel, you can still cry." Zain commented on Zidane's red eyes.
"The lieutenant colonel is still human." Zidane wiped his eyes.
"Yes, human."