The Author's POV

'…Aren't these the names of Ren's parents?'

Kevin had only met them a handful of times and didn't know them that well. The most vivid memory he had of them was seeing them cry at Ren's funeral.

The image of Ren's sister crying in front of his picture left a big impact on him.

'It's definitely their names, isn't it?'

He couldn't exactly remember them, but as he took note of their last names and the pain that was permeating through Ren's chest, Kevin could tell that they were his parents.

The real question was, why were their names imprinted on the tombstone before him?

'It doesn't make sense.'

Last Kevin recalled, they were still alive and well. He didn't remember hearing anything about Ren's parents ever passing away.

'How is this even possible…?'

Thud—!

Kevin's vision suddenly lowered as he fell to his knees and the scenery around him shifted.

It began with a soft whisper in the air that tickled the ear. A colorless pearl fell to the ground, landing perfectly on one of the blades of grass beneath the magically darkened sky.

Pitter.

The sound was like the glassy clinking of a champagne flute, clear and lifting.

Pitter. Pitter.

Accompanying the first drop was a second, and then a third, and within seconds, a heavy curtain of rain fell to the ground.

Phut. Phut. Phut.

The noise on the surface of Ren's clothes which were slowly getting drenched was like that of ripened nuts made when they hit the ground. It wasn't like the soft, clear, mellow drops that were hitting the grass; it was like baseballs being thrown against a net. Louder and fiercer.

Ren clutched his chest with one hand and grasped the tombstones in front of him with the other, oblivious to the cold caused by drenched clothes.

Pitter. Pitter.

The plummeting rain masked Ren's tears as he kept his head lowered and sobbed.

A fierce and sharp pain was invading Ren's chest as he slowly opened his mouth and muttered

"…N..not again."

In uttering those words, Kevin felt a pain that he had never experienced before, and he was struggling to keep his emotions in check as Ren's emotions slowly began to affect him.

Ren's words were followed by a shift in weather. It was sunny once again.

As the weather changed, Ren's position did not change as he grasped onto the tombstones in front of him. The cold that was previously embracing his body was gone, and his clothes magically dried.

This time, the pain was even worse than before. It was unbearable. To the point that one might go insane from it.

"Why…why…why…"

Kevin murmured through Ren's mouth. Ren's voice reflected his genuine helplessness.

...And it was precisely because he could hear the helplessness in his voice that Kevin wondered.

'Why is the weather changing? ...And why did he say not again?'

world

and Kevin staring at Ren's memories, he was shocked to realize that all the memories were basically the same; Ren mourning the loss of

the time, and the seasons. Other than that,

being replayed in front of

thought until the scene changed again, and something suddenly

'The pain…'

pain that was permeating through his chest whenever Ren looked at

than before...no, rather, my emotions

what he was feeling the entire time, and before he knew it, he was standing five meters away from

longer kneeling like in the

changed repeatedly in the background; sometimes it would snow, sometimes it would be

that the agonizing pain he was feeling had completely vanished, replaced

he felt

a shred

has

he was feeling, Kevin realized that he had lost count of how many times the scenery had changed. He had been so absorbed trying to imprint what Ren was feeling inside of his

spite of that, if there was one thing he was certain about,

watched as Ren attended his

'He's finally moving.'

moved his body that used to stare at the gravestones of his family members while

'…Eh?

that was

hearing a familiar voice and

you? Do you not

heading in

'Is that me?'

shocked. The only thing that was different about him was that he looked older than he did at present, but Kevin recognized

It was himself.

how is

He never recalled attending a funeral in which Ren's family died...so

of emotion on your face. I get that you are probably shocked by what happened, but it doesn't even look like you care at

at the top

'What's going on?'

looked at himself and saw the anger and

was he reacting this

"Speak damn it!"

Ren's collars, Kevin felt his body shake as his

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"

began to flow down his cheeks as

really him as he simply couldn't understand why

feel anything

a couple of steps back, Kevin watched as his

mean nothing

other Kevin dropped to the ground that, Kevin caught a glimpse of what was behind him...and

The numbers were countless…

'N-o way…'

engraved on the tombstones, Kevin

Stern] [Jin Horton]

'Wh..hat is happening?'

as he didn't know how to react.

on this as Kevin felt Ren's body patting himself on

gaze toward Kevin who

knelt

"Kevin."

His voice sounded rather cold;