Hiru Kawakami panicked as she was suddenly yanked down.

Beneath her, faint breaths whispered against her neck, warm and ticklish.

The subtle scent of sandalwood tinged with earth rising from the person under her made her head throb, slowing her thoughts.

But this was no moment for romantic thoughts.

Darkness stole her sight. Fear gripped her—frozen between moving and staying still.

Then, movement stirred beneath her.

The scraping of fabric against coffin wood tightened every nerve in Hiru’s body.

An icy hand clamped onto the back of her neck, forcing her head down.

"Sorry…"

A breath ghosted over her ear, carrying a whisper-thin feminine voice.

Before Hiru could react, unbearable pain seared through her neck.

She opened her mouth to scream—but fear and panic choked her throat silent.

A deafening buzz filled her skull. Her limbs turned leaden, refusing to obey…

Then the world spun.

When clarity returned, it was over.

The hand released her neck.

But the lingering chill and throbbing pain proved it hadn’t been a dream.

Only ragged breaths filled the coffin now—their panting tangled in the cramped space.

An awkward silence thickened the air.

Hiru gasped for air, drained as if hollowed out. She lay limp in the coffin, pressed tightly against the girl. The scent of sandalwood clung to her nose, but her mind was chaos.

Then, cool liquid traced her cheek, sliding down uncontrollably.

She wiped her face.

Tears?

They sparked a fire within her.

Humans are resilient yet fragile. Under relentless pressure, the smallest thing can snap them.

A wretched past. A wretched future.

Rage ignited in her chest.

Inside this coffin—a symbol of death and farewell—Hiru Kawakami broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.

*Damn it all—*

*May every bastard die!*

—

Amidst distant clamor, Yueci Ru woke.

Groggy. Her mind thick as paste.

*So hungry…*

*So weak…*

*Food scent…*

*Above?*

Fighting nausea, she pushed weakly against the lid above.

It shifted—dirt scraped away.

Slowly, she shoved it open.

Dim light hit her face.

Even this faint glow stabbed her eyes after endless darkness in the coffin. She squinted.

When her vision cleared, a pale, delicate face filled her sight.

The girl stared, dumbfounded.

*Hungry…*

Yueci’s gaze locked onto Hiru’s neck—pale from malnutrition, blue veins threading beneath the skin…

Fresh scratches from sharp grass blades dotted Hiru’s arms.

Yueci swallowed hard.

The flashlight flickered. Then died.

Darkness swallowed them.

But Yueci saw clearly in the night. She watched Hiru’s terrified flinch.

Hunger overrode thought. Her hand shot out, grabbing Hiru’s wrist—

Yanking the frail girl into the coffin.

"Sorry…"

Warm blood flooded her mouth. Awareness crashed back.

Horrified, she released Hiru instantly.

Feeling the girl’s weakness beneath her, guilt and regret drowned Yueci’s heart.

*She shouldn’t have woken…*

*Attacking an innocent—how was she different from* him*?*

Silence settled again, heavy with shame. Only their breathing filled the coffin.

Then—cold drops landed on Yueci’s cheek.

*Rain?*

No…

"Don’t cry…"

The girl’s choked whisper cut through the dark.

Clumsy with inexperience, Yueci wrapped her arms around Hiru.

She felt how little flesh covered Hiru’s bones—sharp and prominent.

Slowly, the sobs quieted. But Hiru stayed rigid, silent.

Yueci saw the numbness in her face, the swollen red eyes.

*Did I break her?*

*How do I fix this?*

Yueci climbed out of the coffin. The overgrown graveyard stretched around her—*how many years had passed?*

With Yueci gone, space opened in the coffin, but Hiru lay too weak to move or speak.

Nearby, Yueci spotted familiar insects resting in the grass.

She plucked them up.

After a moment’s stare, their tails glowed.

Fireflies.

*They glow to find mates.*

Yueci didn’t dwell on the science. She tossed them into distant grass.

More lights flickered awake.

*One spark can start a prairie fire.*

The saying wasn’t meant this way—but seeing the whole graveyard ignite with light from just a few fireflies brought the phrase to mind.

They danced soundlessly—darting up, down, left, right—a silent ballet. Their fragile glow painted the night dreamlike.

Hiru had sat up in the coffin, staring wide-eyed at the sea of fireflies.

Their light bathed the graveyard.

Yueci noticed one fresh gravestone—jarringly new among the ruins.

She approached. A name was carved on it—

"*Hiru Kawakami*."

A color photo was taped to the stone.

*That girl… from just now?*

*Who’d play such a cruel joke?*

A pale hand reached past Yueci.

*Fwip.*

The photo tore free.

Hiru stood behind her, expressionless. She stared at the photo in her hand, eyes drooping—tears threatening but unshed.

Yueci knelt by the freshly turned earth before the stone. With a twig, she dug.

Something was buried there.

She unearthed a worn red backpack.

Dusting off dirt, she turned to Hiru, who watched silently.

"Yours?"

She held it out.

Tears again…