People searching through rubble.
The little girl helping her mother walk.
The image burned itself into his mind.
He silently made himself a promise.
Never again.
No matter what answers waited inside Oheyo.
No matter what memories he recovered.
No matter who he used to be.
He would never let himself become someone capable of accepting this.
As if sensing his thoughts—
A voice spoke beside him.
"You'll get used to it."
Kai turned.
Munnu.
Still wearing that relaxed smile.
Kai looked him straight in the eyes.
"...No."
Munnu raised an eyebrow.
"I won't."
For a brief moment—
Neither of them spoke.
Then...
To Kai's surprise—
Munnu laughed.
A genuine laugh.
"Good."
Kai blinked.
"...Good?"
Munnu climbed onto his hovercraft.
"If you'd answered yes..."
"...I would've left you here."
Kai stared at him.
Completely confused.
Munnu started the engine.
The craft hummed softly.
Then he looked back over his shoulder.
"C'mon."
"We've got ruins to visit."
Kai's heart skipped a beat.
"Oheyo..."
Munnu nodded.
"Oheyo."
The convoy turned westward.
Toward a place where an empire had once stood.
Toward answers buried beneath sand.
Toward memories that perhaps...
Were never meant to be remembered.