The Empty House
The usual morning chaos is absent. Raiyo jolts awake, his body snapping upright in his bed as something feels off.
There's no sudden tug of his blanket being pulled away, no Jin barging into his room, grumbling about Raiyo still being asleep, and definitely no loud morning chatter.
Raiyo always expects the usual routine—a bit of teasing, a lot of grumbling, and then breakfast. But today, there's nothing.
It's so silent, so still.
Raiyo takes a deep breath, something unfamiliar gnawing at him. His eyes dart around the room, searching for any sign of Jin, the one person he's relied on for everything. It's too quiet.
Raiyo rolls out of bed, quickly stretching his limbs, his mind sluggish from just waking up.
He doesn't even bother to grab his blanket, instinctively heading down the stairs.
"Jin?" His voice is tentative as he calls out, but there's no response.
He calls again, louder this time, still nothing. That's when the creeping realization hits him.
Something is wrong.
Raiyo freezes, his feet still on the stairs, feeling the weight of silence around him.
He scans the living room as he walks toward the kitchen, expecting the usual hum of the TV, the smell of breakfast. But there's nothing. No smell, no sounds, nothing that feels like home.
It's as if the house has never been lived in at all.
Raiyo stands in the middle of the house for what feels like an eternity, uncertainty crawling up his spine.
He shakes his head, trying to push the panic away. Sometimes, Jin gets busy with his own things, leaves for a while, comes back a few hours later. But this… this feels different.
He waits.
An hour passes. Two hours. Three. Then four.
Still nothing.
Raiyo's anxiety spirals. He can't shake the feeling that something has gone wrong, something he can't explain. He needs to find out. He runs outside, leaving his blanket behind, his heart hammering in his chest as he speeds through the familiar woods.
His feet pound against the earth, his eyes scanning for any sign of life, but there's nothing.
No footprints, no sign of Jin, no trace of anything. The woods feel empty, almost as if it never even existed.
Raiyo forces himself to stay calm, summoning one of his creatures. The large, elephant-like beast with a massive trunk sniffs the air, its huge ears flicking as it begins its search for any trace of Jin. But the creature quickly returns to him, its snout shaking from side to side.
No scent.
Raiyo's heart sinks. The lack of scent is worse than the silence—it's like Jin has vanished. Completely.
Desperate, Raiyo grabs a small piece of clothing, a ragged piece of one of Jin's old shirts he found around the house.
He hands it to the creature, urging it to track any trace, hoping that Jin simply went somewhere nearby. But again, there's nothing. No scent, no sign of him. It's as if Jin has never existed.
Frustrated and growing more fearful, Raiyo dismisses his creature with a flick of his wrist. His mind races with thoughts of what could have happened.
Had something attacked him? Had Jin left without telling him? No—Jin would never just leave him without a word. He would never disappear like this.
Raiyo trudges back to the house, his legs heavy, mind clouded with questions he can't answer. He enters, his eyes scanning the room as though expecting the world to have shifted. His gaze lands on the dining room table, where something small catches his attention.
A folded piece of paper.
Raiyo walks toward it, each step feeling like a distant echo in the still house. He unfolds it, and as he does, a small necklace falls onto the table with a soft clink.
Raiyo picks it up, the cold golden metal oddly grounding him. The necklace is a square locket, simple yet elegant, something that Jin would wear. But it's the note that catches his attention first.
The handwriting.
Raiyo immediately recognizes it—it's Jin's.
His heart races as he begins to read:
"Raiyo,
Ever since the day I met you, it's been nothing short of an adventure. You, with your lazy and sleepy yet sharp wit, your knack for getting into trouble, and your ability to make even the most boring tasks interesting. You've taught me so much without even realizing it. In all my years as a mentor, I've never encountered anyone quite like you. You've pushed me to be better, to think differently, and to embrace the unpredictability of life. I've raised you all your life, it truly felt like i was your Father. For all the moments we've shared—the laughs, the struggles, the quiet nights by the fire—I'll always be grateful for you. You've been more than just a student to me, Raiyo. You've been a partner, a friend, and in many ways, you've been like family. The bond we've formed isn't something I take lightly, and I hope you never forget that.
Keep following your dreams, Raiyo. Never stop striving for what you want. I know you've always wanted to become a Hunter, and I have no doubt in my mind that you'll be able to do it. You've got the potential to be the strongest one, and I want you to chase that with everything you have.
But don't forget, strength doesn't just come from power—it comes from wisdom, compassion, and the relationships you build along the way. Don't let the weight of the world crush your spirit. When you're ready, and when you've learned all you need to, come find me.
There's still so much for you to discover, and I'm excited for the day we meet again. But be careful, Raiyo. The world isn't as kind as it seems. Evil lurks in every corner, and it can be easy to lose yourself in the process. Always do what's right, no matter how difficult it is. Make friends, trust them, and allow yourself to be vulnerable. Enjoy life, and take the time to laugh, to relax, and to just be. Life's too short to be serious all the time. And whatever happens, I want you to know this: I love you. You've meant more to me than you can ever know. I'm proud of everything you've become, and I'm even prouder of what you're going to be."
Raiyo's breath catches in his throat, and before he realizes it, his vision blurs.
"You are my dad, you idiot."
He wipes his eyes quickly, refusing to let the tears fall, but it's useless. A few droplets slip down the paper, staining the ink.
His hands tremble, clutching the note, his heart pounding as his mind spins in a chaotic storm.
Why? Why was he leaving? Why would Jin write this now?
His fingers curl around the necklace, and as he opens the locket, his breath hitches. Inside is a photo of him and Jin, when Raiyo was only six years old. The two of them are smiling, hugging each other, like family.
A strangled sob breaks free from Raiyo's throat as he grips the locket tighter, crumpling the note in his other hand, but not enough to damage it. He collapses to the floor, his chest heaving with sobs, tears streaming down his face as his world shifts beneath him.
He can't stop crying.
He doesn't know how long it takes, but eventually, the tears stop flowing, leaving him empty, raw, and lost.
The house, which once felt like home, now feels like a cold, uninhabited shell. Raiyo feels as though everything that's been familiar, everything that's anchored him to this place, has been ripped away.
He wipes his eyes, his head spinning with confusion and grief. He wants to scream, to lash out, but the emptiness fills him instead.
What now?
But all he can do is clutch the necklace and note in his hands, trying to hold onto whatever is left of Jin's love. He doesn't know what the future holds, but the one thing he does know is that he can't give up. He won't give up. Jin's last words echo in his mind: Become the strongest.
And Raiyo will do just that.
For Jin.