Flashback
At the White Hat base—
young Shiro sat on a wooden fence while looking at a small watch in his hand.
"...He's late."
He looked down the road again.
Nobody.
Five minutes passed.
Then ten.
Then thirty.
Eventually—
an hour had passed.
Shiro sighed and jumped off the fence.
"Maybe he changed his mind."
He started walking back toward the base.
Then—
"Wait!"
Shiro immediately stopped.
He turned around.
There, running down the road while carrying his strange device, was Scrapper.
Shiro's face lit up.
"Scrapper!"
"You really came!"
Scrapper stopped to catch his breath.
"...Sorry."
"My project exploded."
Shiro blinked.
"It what?"
"Exploded."
"Oh."
Shiro nodded.
"That happens."
Scrapper looked confused.
"It does?"
"No."
Then Shiro laughed.
Scrapper stared at him before realizing he was joking.
A small smile appeared on his face.
Then another voice interrupted them.
"Shiro!"
Both boys turned.
A young girl about eight years old was marching toward them with her arms crossed.
Mina.
She looked annoyed.
"You can't just leave the base alone."
Shiro scratched his cheek.
"I'm fine."
Mina pointed at him.
"That's not the point."
Then she noticed Scrapper.
Her eyes narrowed.
"...Who's this?"
Scrapper immediately straightened.
"Hi there."
Shiro grinned.
"This is Scrapper."
"My friend."
Then he pointed at Mina.
"And he'll be your friend too."
Mina sighed.
Of course Shiro would decide that for everyone.
"...Name's Mina."
She held out her hand.
Scrapper awkwardly shook it.
"Nice to meet you, ma'am."
Mina froze.
"...Ma'am?"
Scrapper nodded.
"Yes, ma'am."
Mina's eye twitched.
"Hey."
"I'm not that old."
Shiro immediately burst out laughing.
"Hahaha!"
Mina glared at him.
"Stop laughing!"
That only made Shiro laugh harder.
After a moment—
even Scrapper started laughing too.
For the first time in a long while—
the lonely boy laughed together with other children.
The three children spent the afternoon wandering around Morguin Town.
Shiro led the way.
Mina followed behind him.
And Scrapper struggled to keep up.
"Wait for me!"
Shiro looked back and laughed.
"You're too slow!"
"I'm trying!"
The three ran through the streets until they reached the outskirts of town.
Unfortunately—
they had been teasing a group of wild dogs along the way.
Now the dogs were chasing them.
"Run!"
Shiro shouted.
"I'm running!"
Scrapper yelled back.
The problem was—
his stamina was terrible.
Shiro and Mina easily stayed ahead.
Scrapper didn't.
His foot caught a rock.
"Ah!"
THUD!
He crashed face-first into the ground.
The dogs immediately closed in.
Scrapper looked up.
"Oh no."
One of the dogs lunged.
Before it could reach him—
BAM!
Mina punched it right in the face.
The dog rolled across the dirt.
"Back off!"
The remaining dogs growled.
One glared directly at Mina.
Then—
a powerful gust of wind suddenly exploded across the area.
The dogs froze.
Shiro stood nearby with white auris swirling around him.
Wind circled his body.
The dogs immediately backed away.
Then turned and ran.
"See?"
Shiro grinned.
"I'm scary."
Mina rolled her eyes.
"No."
"They're just smarter than you."
Shiro gasped dramatically.
Meanwhile—
Scrapper slowly sat up.
Dust covered his clothes.
Mina walked over and offered her hand.
"Are you okay?"
Scrapper looked embarrassed.
"...Sorry."
"My stamina isn't very good."
Mina smiled.
"Don't worry."
Then she grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet.
"There."
Scrapper adjusted his glasses and looked at the two of them.
For some reason—
being around them felt strangely comfortable.
Like he finally belonged somewhere.
By noon—
the three had spent hours wandering around Morguin Town.
Scrapper looked up at the sky.
"...It's getting late."
He adjusted the device he was carrying and stepped back.
"I should go home."
Shiro blinked.
"Huh?"
"Why?"
Scrapper looked confused.
"Because it's late."
"I'm going home."
Before he could leave—
Shiro grabbed his arm.
"Come with us first."
"What?"
Scrapper barely had time to react before Shiro pulled him away.
A few minutes later—
they arrived at a large tree near the edge of town.
Built between its branches was a small wooden tree house.
Scrapper looked up.
"...What's that?"
Shiro proudly pointed at it.
"Now this—"
"Is our place."
Scrapper blinked.
"Your place?"
"Our place."
Shiro corrected.
Then he climbed the ladder.
Mina followed behind him with a sigh.
The moment she entered, she looked around.
"...Please have some manners."
Shiro tilted his head.
"What now?"
Mina pointed around the room.
"I already cleaned this place twice."
There were wooden boards, old boxes, and random objects scattered everywhere.
Shiro rubbed the back of his head.
"We were going to clean it."
Mina raised an eyebrow.
"When?"
Shiro thought for a moment.
"...Maybe."
Mina groaned.
Scrapper looked between them.
Then for the first time—
he laughed.
The sound surprised even him.
Shiro immediately pointed.
"See?"
"He's laughing now."
Mina crossed her arms.
"That's because you're ridiculous."
Shiro grinned.
"And yet you still hang out with me."
Mina immediately looked away.
"...Unfortunately."
The three children sat inside the tree house together while sunlight filtered through the wooden walls.
For a little while—
the outside world didn't matter.
Flashback
That night—
the old tree house was quiet.
The same tree house where three children had once laughed together.
Shiro climbed the ladder carrying a bag of food.
"Hey, Scrapper—"
He stopped.
Scrapper was packing his things.
Tools.
Blueprints.
Metal parts.
Everything was being stuffed into a bag.
Shiro blinked.
"...What's with the rushing?"
Scrapper didn't look at him.
"I'm leaving."
Shiro laughed awkwardly.
"Wait, what?"
Scrapper continued packing.
"I'm leaving."
The smile disappeared from Shiro's face.
"Wait, Scrapper."
"Why?"
For a moment—
only silence answered him.
Then Scrapper finally spoke.
"...I don't think I belong here."
Shiro stared at him.
"What are you talking about?"
"You belong here."
"We're best friends."
Scrapper's hands stopped moving.
Then he lowered his head.
"Unfortunately..."
"...now we're not."
Shiro immediately understood.
His expression softened.
"This is about Mina, isn't it?"
Scrapper froze.
The room became quiet.
Shiro sighed.
"If you want..."
He rubbed the back of his head.
"You can have her."
Scrapper looked up.
Shiro continued.
"I can cancel the marriage."
"No."
Scrapper answered immediately.
"No, no."
"You don't have to."
His voice became colder.
"I'm the one who'll destroy it myself."
Shiro frowned.
"...What do you mean?"
Scrapper finally turned around.
Years of frustration sat behind his eyes.
"I know what you two were doing behind my back."
Shiro blinked.
"What?"
"When I walked past the base."
"I heard you and Mina talking."
The room suddenly felt smaller.
Scrapper clenched his fists.
"You wanted to recruit me."
Shiro stayed silent.
"But you refused."
Shiro immediately stepped forward.
"Because it's dangerous!"
"I never said you weren't worthy!"
"I couldn't watch my friend get hurt!"
But Scrapper wasn't listening anymore.
Years of doubt had already poisoned the words.
A bitter laugh escaped him.
"Sure."
Shiro's voice rose.
"Scrapper!"
"I mean it!"
"I never thought you were weak!"
But Scrapper grabbed his bag.
"Then I'll make my own gang."
Shiro froze.
Scrapper walked toward the exit.
His eyes no longer held the warmth they once had.
"We'll see who becomes stronger."
"Scrapper—"
"We'll see whose path was right."
He climbed down from the tree house.
"SCRAPPER!"
Shiro rushed to the window.
But it was too late.
Scrapper never looked back.
The sound of his footsteps disappeared into the night.
Leaving Shiro alone in the tree house where their friendship had begun.