The class trip is announced with excitement—a two-night stay in the mountains of Nagano, a break from the neon glow of Tokyo. Students chatter about hiking trails, hot springs, and the promise of ghost stories under the stars.
Reina signs up immediately. Without hesitation, she requests to be in the same group as Souta.
The teachers allow it.
The bus ride is filled with laughter, selfies, and whispered gossip. Some students play card games, others scroll through their phones. But Reina sits by the window, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery—silent, unreadable.
When they arrive at the wooden inn, the students settle in, claiming bunks and arguing over who gets the best spots. The air smells of pine and fresh earth, the kind of crispness that makes the city feel like a distant dream.
That night, the campfire crackles, sending embers into the cool mountain air. Stories are told—some funny, some eerie. Happy performs shadow puppets with an uncanny precision, his movements almost too lifelike.
Then, amidst the laughter and flickering flames, Souta hears his name.
Not spoken.
But placed directly into his mind.
"You didn't come here to be weak. You came to escape. But you're still hiding behind smiles."
His breath catches. He turns.
Reina stands at the edge of the forest, her silhouette barely visible against the darkened trees.
She smiles.
"Let's talk. You and me. No humans. No toys. Just the truths we ran from."
Souta follows her into the woods. The stars above burn bright, untouched by city lights. The wind carries the scent of pine and smoke, wrapping around them like an unseen presence.
He speaks first.
"Why are you here?"
Reina's smile is soft, almost kind.
"To bring you home."
"I am home."
"No," she says, stepping forward. "You're in a cage of emotions. Of weakness. You've limited yourself."
She reaches out, brushing her fingers against a tree trunk.
It withers instantly.
"You could rule this world. You could end suffering. Or happiness. Or death."
Souta's fists clench.
"I don't want to rule. I want to love. I want to be loved. Like a brother. A son. A person."
Reina tilts her head, studying him.
"Then when they break your heart, remember this moment."
And just like that—she disappears.
Back in Tokyo, Souta lies awake, staring at the ceiling. The encounter lingers in his mind, pressing against his thoughts like an unanswered question.
He slips out of bed and climbs to the rooftop, where Happy sits watching the moon.
"She said I'm pretending. That I'm weak."
Happy doesn't respond immediately. Then, in his usual calm tone:
"You are pretending. But that doesn't mean you're weak."
Souta exhales. "So what am I?"
"You're trying. And that makes you human enough."
They sit in silence, the city stretching below them.
Then Happy shifts slightly, nudging Souta's arm.
"You know I love you, right?"
Souta's throat tightens.
"Even if I gave you a will? Even if you hated me?"
Happy nudges him again, firmer this time.
"I'd never hate the one who gave me a heart."
Souta wipes his eyes.
And for the first time in days, he feels something steady. Something real.
Something human.