Aftermath

1970 — The End of Phantom Veil

The four of them stood under the dim glow of streetlights, their faces hardened by the war they barely survived. The air between them was thick—too many unspoken words, too many ghosts clinging to their backs.

Celeste finally exhaled, her voice quiet but firm.

Celeste: "So this is it, huh?"

Aiko clenched her fists, looking away. For once, she had nothing to say.

Kasumi was the first to truly break the silence.

Kasumi: "No more running, no more killing."

Celeste scoffed, a bitter smirk tugging at her lips.

Celeste: "That's rich coming from you."

Kasumi's glare was sharp, but there was no malice—just exhaustion.

Kasumi: "We all want different things now."

Aiko, silent until now, finally spoke up.

Aiko: "You all can go wherever you want. But I'm staying with Kasumi."

Celeste tensed.

Celeste: "You're sure about this?"

Aiko's voice was resolute.

Aiko: "Yeah. We started this mess together. Might as well end it together."

Rin let out a humorless chuckle, rubbing her temple.

Rin: "So, that's it? We just vanish?"

Celeste tilted her head, expression unreadable.

Celeste: "That's what ghosts do."

They all knew what that meant.

No goodbyes. No second chances. Just a clean break.

Celeste took a deep breath, stuffing her hands into her pockets.

Celeste: "Well, guess I'll go wherever the hell the wind takes me."

Rin shrugged.

Rin: "I've always liked the UK."

Kasumi turned to Aiko, giving her a silent nod.

Aiko looked at the others for a long moment, then smirked.

Aiko: "Try not to die, dumbasses."

And like that—Phantom Veil ceased to exist.

1980 — Seoul, South Korea

The air was thick with the scent of sweat and lust.

Kairi lay beside her husband, his bare chest rising and falling as he slept peacefully.

Her eyes, however, were wide open.

For eleven years, she lived a life that wasn't hers. Pretending. Acting.

She had two children. Twins. Born not out of love, but convenience.

Yet, even as she looked at them, she felt nothing.

Because deep down, she had already died.

A low chuckle left her lips. She finally understood Kayd.

Not the man he was—but the monster he became.

Slowly, she sat up, reaching under the bed where she had hidden a rusted, single-edged blade.

Her husband stirred slightly, but before he could wake—

SCHLK.

A clean, precise beheading.

Blood sprayed across the silk sheets, staining the walls.

For the first time in years, Kairi smiled.

It wasn't personal.

It was just… inevitable.

But before she could savor it, a voice gasped.

She turned, locking eyes with her children.

The boy—Ryouma Jung (류마 정).

The girl—Souta Jung (소우타 정).

Their faces were frozen in pure horror.

Souta took a trembling step back, voice cracking.

Souta: "Okaa-san…?"

Kairi simply tilted her head.

Kairi: "You weren't supposed to see this."

Ryouma grabbed Souta's wrist, ready to run—

But before they could react, Kairi closed the distance.

THWMP.

One brutal gut punch.

They collapsed, gasping for air, instantly unconscious.

She sighed. Then, reaching into her coat, she pulled out a lighter.

With one flick, she set the house ablaze.

As the flames rose, she picked up the phone.

Kairi: "There's been a murder."

A pause. Then, she smiled.

Kairi: "Come quickly."

And just like that—she was gone.

1980 — The Fate of Phantom Veil

London, United Kingdom — Rin Takahashi (高橋 凛)

Rin leaned against the balcony of her flat, cigarette burning between her fingers.

She had spent years building a new life. A quiet one.

But the nightmares never stopped.

She exhaled smoke, whispering to herself.

Rin: "I wonder if she's still alive."

She didn't want the answer.

Because deep down, she already knew.

Beijing, China — Aiko Mori (森愛子) & Kasumi Inoue (井上 香澄)

Kasumi wiped the sweat from her brow, adjusting the grip on her training sword.

Aiko leaned against the dojo wall, arms crossed.

Aiko: "You ever think about the old days?"

Kasumi sighed.

Kasumi: "Every damn day."

Aiko's voice was bitter.

Aiko: "I saw the news. Seoul's got some pretty nasty cases lately."

Kasumi froze.

She didn't need to ask.

They both knew who it was.

Aiko clicked her tongue.

Aiko: "Guess some people never change."

Kasumi looked down at her hands.

Kasumi: "Or maybe… they do."

Oslo, Norway — Celeste Rivera

Celeste lay on the grass, staring at the aurora above.

She had no home. No purpose.

She just… wandered.

But tonight, something felt off.

Her mind drifted to Kairi.

And for the first time in years—she shivered.

Something told her this wasn't over.

Seoul, South Korea – Hospital Room

A blinding white ceiling. The faint beeping of monitors. The dull ache of bruised ribs and the sting of IV needles.

Souta Jung woke up first.

She inhaled sharply, her body tensing as reality crashed down on her.

Her father was dead.

Her mother—their mother—killed him.

And then she tried to kill them too.

A groan beside her made her turn her head.

Ryouma Jung stirred, blinking through the haze of medication. The moment his dark eyes met Souta's, she saw the same fury burning inside him.

Neither of them spoke.

They didn't need to.

Instead, they stared at each other, an unspoken promise forming between them.

They would hunt her down.

They would kill Kairi Saigeru.

Their mother had made a mistake.

She should have finished the job.

Seoul, South Korea – Underground Hideout

A dimly lit room. The stench of sweat, blood, and cigarette smoke filled the air.

Kairi Saigeru stood before a gathering of filth.

Murderers. Gangsters. Black-market arms dealers. Loyalists without a cause.

She had given them a cause.

Dressed in a dark, fitted suit, her hair longer but still disheveled, Kairi exuded dominance.

The once unstoppable force of chaos had now become a calculated, unrelenting force of terror.

One of the thugs—a towering brute covered in tattoos—stepped forward, kneeling before her.

Thug Leader: "Pacifist… we pledge our lives to you."

The rest followed, dropping to their knees in absolute submission.

She had become something more than a legend.

She had become a god of destruction.

And gods… don't die.

Kairi smirked, stepping forward.

Kairi: "Then rise, my new army."

They obeyed.

Seoul, South Korea – Hospital Lobby

The sound of polished shoes against the floor. The lingering scent of expensive perfume and cologne.

Souta and Ryouma sat on the edge of their hospital beds, watching as two strangers entered.

A man and a woman—both exuding an aura of success and power.

The woman, Mio Saigeru, wore a stylish yet professional outfit, her long black hair tied neatly behind her. A painter's delicate yet precise hands rested on her hip as she eyed them with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

The man, Ren Saigeru, had a confident smirk, dressed in a high-end designer jacket. Rings adorned his fingers, each one a reminder of his fame as a musician.

Mio tilted her head.

Mio: "You two must be Souta and Ryouma."

Ren let out a low whistle, crossing his arms.

Ren: "You look just like our sister."

Silence.

Souta's hands clenched into fists.

Ryouma's gaze was ice cold.

They wanted to scream. To rage. To tell these people the truth.

That Kairi was a monster.

That Kairi had betrayed them.

But instead, they stayed silent.

Because if Mio and Ren didn't know the truth yet…

That meant they could still be used.

Ren sighed, ruffling Ryouma's hair.

Ren: "Well, guess it's time for you two to come home. You're family, after all."

Souta and Ryouma exchanged a glance.

Yes.

They were family.

And family always avenged their own.