A weird Name

The moment Shin met his gaze, a surge of guilt tightened in his chest. He looked away at once, unable to hold Ricky's lifeless stare. Memories of the last time he was here came flooding back—Ricky had begged him to save him. And yet, Shin had run.

Ricky's dull, vacant eyes remained fixed on him. Then, after a long silence, he finally spoke.

"It's alright." His voice was weak, dry, barely above a whisper. "It's not your fault. If I were in your place… I would've done the same."

Shin's fingers twitched. He hadn't expected that. The Ricky from before was arrogant, loud, overflowing with pride—the pampered son of wealthy parents. But now, there was something different about him. His tone carried a quiet sadness, a resignation that hadn't been there before.

It was as if something inside him had shattered.

looking at the brick floor underneath his feet, Shin replied "I know, but I still feel guilty. 

"I shouldn't have panicked like that," Shin muttered, his gaze fixed on the brick floor beneath. "I should've thought it through—acted like I saw nothing and planned an escape for later. My rash decision… it's what's going to get us killed."

Ricky remained silent for a moment, studying Shin. There was something in his eyes—perhaps a hint of admiration for Shin's reasoning.

"It's true," he finally said. "That might have improved our chances of escaping. However…" He paused, his expression unreadable. "It seems like you two don't know much about this city."

His voice was steady, almost knowing. Then, after a brief silence, he asked, "Are you new here?"

Just as Shin was about to respond, Sis stirred beside him.

A faint movement—then another. Her breathing grew unsteady as consciousness slowly returned. The rough chill of the brick floor pressed against her skin, the damp air clinging to her like a second layer.

Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing the dim, suffocating darkness of the cell. Her pupils, dull and unfocused, held a lingering weakness as if her body had yet to fully awaken.

Those needles from before… were they some kind of sleep drug? Shin's thoughts churned as he tried to piece everything together

I remember seeing a weird-looking guy right before I passed out. Wait… he was one of the men searching around the bar.

And those needles… they were thick, sharp. They could've easily killed us. But we're still alive.

Not just that—the power that surged through my right hand when I tried to break the stone slab earlier… That was abnormal strength. No normal person should be capable of that.

What the hell is going on?

The more I think, the more questions keep piling up.

Shin's gaze shifted to Sis, 

"Shin…?" Her voice was weak, barely above a whisper.

Before she could say anything more, a foul stench invaded her lungs—a putrid mix of rot and decay. Her body reacted instantly. A violent cough wracked her chest, followed by the acidic burn of vomit forcing its way up.

As the nausea subsided, her mind slowly processed her surroundings. Bit by bit, the reality of where she was sank in.

Then she looked up.

Corpses. Blood. Carnage.

Her legs trembled as pure terror gripped her. "Wh-What is this place?!" she gasped, her voice shaking.

Frantically, she turned to Shin, eyes wide with fear. Without hesitation, she threw her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug.

"You're not hurt, are you?!" Her hands, trembling and desperate, began checking him for any injuries. She needed to be sure. Needed to know he was okay.

Even in this nightmarish place, her first thought was Shin—not herself. She hadn't even noticed Ricky sitting nearby.

Once she was sure Shin was unharmed, she pulled him into another hug—this time softer, more reassuring.

"Don't worry… okay? I'm going to get us out of here." Her voice still trembled, yet there was a quiet determination beneath it.

"Ahem… Ahem."

Ricky, though touched by their concern for each other, decided it was time to remind them of his presence. He shot them an exasperated look—one that clearly said, Did you two forget I'm here?

Sis turned, her eyes finally landing on Ricky.

Her breath hitched. His body—torn, battered—barely looked human. If he had stayed still long enough, he could've blended in with the corpses surrounding them.

Sis narrowed her eyes at Ricky, staring at him like he was just another object in the room. A heavy silence filled the air.

"…What?" Ricky finally said, puzzled.

Before he could get another word out, Sis suddenly gasped.

"Aaahh!" She shrieked, practically jumping back. "The corpse is talking!"

Shin blinked. Wait… did she seriously not notice him until now? Did she just assume he was a corpse this whole time?

Sis… how are you so dumb and smart at the same time? He chuckled internally.

Ricky's face went blank. "Really?" he deadpanned. "That's a little mean, you know."

Shin sighed. "Sis, he's alive. I get that you're paranoid, but stop acting like an idiot."

"Oh." The realization finally hit her. She hesitated before awkwardly muttering, "I'm sorry… I was just a little paranoid in this weird place."

"I remember seeing you when I first came to the city," Shin said, slowly raising his head to meet Ricky's gaze. "You were at the bakery with your parents… Your name is Ricky, right?"

Ricky gave a slight nod. "Yes. I am Rick Falkner, son of Darius Falkner." A trace of elegance lingered in his voice as he added, "My father is the deputy minister of Gehenis. And you are?"

Sis, having finally calmed herself, sat beside Shin. "Miyu Nomiya," she said. "And this here—" she gestured toward Shin "—is my little brother, Shin Nomiya."

Ricky's eyes narrowed slightly. "Nomiya…? That's strange. Why does that name sound so familiar?"

He furrowed his brows, searching his memory. Something about it tugged at him, just out of reach.

"This place… this bar… what was it called again?" he murmured, deep in thought.

Sis, noticing his struggle, decided to answer. "I think you recognize it because of this place's name. This bar is called Kikyo—"

Before she could finish, Ricky's eyes widened, and the words left his lips instinctively.

"Kikyo Nomiya."

A strange silence followed. Ricky's expression twisted in confusion. "Wait… why is your family name the same as this bar's name? That can't be a coincidence…"

His mind raced, trying to piece it together—until Sis spoke again, her voice quiet but firm.

"Kikyo Nomiya… That's our mother's name."