Chapter 8

Ryota slowly opened his eyes, feeling disoriented and groggy. As he tried to sit up, he realized that he was lying on a bed in a small room with a window that showed a beautiful view of a garden outside. He rubbed his eyes and looked around the room, trying to remember how he got here.

Suddenly, the memories of his nightmare came flooding back. He remembered the experiments, the pain, and the fear. Ryota shuddered, feeling sick to his stomach. He sat up and hugged his knees to his chest, trying to calm himself down.

As he sat there, lost in thought, he heard a soft knock on the door. A girl and a boy walked in, both around Ryota's age. The girl had short black hair and a kind smile, while the boy had messy brown hair and a serious expression. They sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at Ryota with sympathy.

"Are you okay?" the girl asked softly.

Ryota nodded, not trusting his voice. The girl reached out and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, comforting him.

"My name is Aiko," she said. "This is my brother, Kaito. We found you in the forest, and we brought you here to our home."

"Wait, you told me your names were different?" Ryota asked in confusion.

"Huh? when did we say that? Kaito replied.

"Oh it's nothing" Ryota muttered as he placed his hand on his head in confusion.

"Anyways, you're safe with us now." Aiko replied with a smile.

Ryota looked at them, feeling grateful for their kindness. "Thank you," he whispered.

Aiko and Kaito smiled, and Aiko spoke again. "Our mother is making some food for you. She'll be here soon."

Ryota nodded again, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I'm sorry for causing you trouble," he said.

"It's no trouble at all," Kaito said firmly. "We couldn't just leave you there in the forest. It's not safe, especially with that creature running around."

Ryota's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the creature. He remembered the way it had killed the villagers, and he shuddered.

A few moments later, the door opened, and a woman walked in. She had kind eyes and long black hair, and she smiled warmly at Ryota.

"Hello, dear," she said. "My name is Emiko. I'm Aiko and Kaito's mother. I heard what happened to you, and I wanted to make sure you're okay."

Ryota nodded, feeling overwhelmed by their kindness. Emiko sat down next to him and handed him a bowl of warm soup.

"Eat up," she said. "You need to regain your strength."

Ryota nodded, feeling grateful for the warm meal. As he ate, he looked around the room, noticing the simple yet cozy furnishings. The walls were decorated with paintings of nature, and the room had a calm and peaceful atmosphere.

After finishing his soup, Ryota leaned back against the pillows and let out a deep sigh. "Thank you," he said, looking at Emiko. "I don't know how to repay you."

Emiko smiled. "Don't worry about it, dear," she said. "We're just happy to help. You're welcome to stay here for as long as you need to."

Ryota felt a lump form in his throat. These strangers had shown him more kindness than anyone else he had ever met. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath, feeling a sense of safety and comfort wash over him.

However, as he opened his eyes again, he noticed a strange look on Emiko's face. It was fleeting, but he saw it. It was a look of worry and fear.

Ryota tried to ignore it and smiled, thanking them again for their kindness. But as the day went on, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.