IBHJ 1305

Kiara seized her chance during the chaos of Manaka and Skadi's battle with Sixth Seat. Rifle gripped tight, she sprinted toward the Tree. The golden barrier surrounding it didn't push back—instead, it simply parted with a soft pop as she plunged through.

A burst of light blinded her. When her vision cleared, Kiara found herself standing on a bustling night market street.

It was some kind of festival. People in everyday clothes and colorful yukatas pushed past her on all sides. The street glowed red from paper lanterns strung overhead. Nearby, an old man crouched beside a pool of darting goldfish, scooping them up for laughing children. Kiara scanned the crowd desperately but couldn't spot who she was looking for. The mass of bodies just kept shoving her forward.

She struggled against the flow like fighting a current. "Where are you?" she called out, her voice swallowed by the noise. "Where are you?"

Nobody even glanced her way. Panic tightened her chest until a sudden thought struck her. "Where are you, Kiara Sessyoin?" she shouted.

"Are you looking for me?" The small voice came from right behind her. Kiara spun around and froze. A young girl with black hair—a perfect miniature of herself, just with softer, more childlike features—stood watching her curiously. The girl clutched a book against her chest, her innocent eyes fixed on Kiara.

"Do I know you?" the girl asked.

Kiara stared at the younger version of herself for only a second before rushing forward and pulling the girl into a tight hug.

"Um—um—" The girl stiffened, clearly startled by the sudden hug.

Kiara quickly backed away, her cheeks flushing. "I'm sorry. That was out of line. But please, I swear I'm not a bad person."

The girl studied Kiara with curious golden eyes that matched her own. After a moment's consideration, her face softened into a smile. "Mm," she nodded.

Kiara straightened up, trying to collect herself.

"Are you one of our followers?" the young girl asked, tilting her head.

Kiara started to shake her head, caught herself, then hesitantly nodded instead.

"That explains why you recognized me." The girl's smile brightened, but then worry clouded her features. "Did father send you to find me?"

Kiara shook her head quickly.

"Thank goodness." The girl's shoulders dropped with relief as she patted her chest. "I was afraid father had discovered mother took me down the mountain." Her expression turned apologetic. "I'm really sorry, but I can't go back with you right now. I need to find my mother first."

"You got separated from her?" Kiara asked.

The girl nodded, her face pinched with worry. "There are too many people. We got pulled apart in the crowd."

"Forget about your mother for now—let's go see the fireworks!" Kiara blurted out.

The girl frowned, "I can't do that. Father says someone needs to watch over me at all times."

"That's ridiculous! How often do you get to leave the mountain? Let's have some fun!"

Before the girl could protest, Kiara grabbed her hand and pulled her into the stream of festival-goers.

"Wait—what—no!" The girl's eyes went wide with panic.

Kiara dragged her through the entire festival street. They shot down balloons with air rifles, tried to scoop goldfish with paper nets that kept breaking, and hammered furiously at pop-up moles. They burned their tongues on steaming takoyaki balls and lost all their coins at arcade games. Finally, breathless and laughing, Kiara led the girl to a viewing platform overlooking the bay.

A streak of light shot upward with a high whistle, then exploded with a thunderous boom. Golden sparks burst across the night sky like a blooming flower of fire.

The girl gasped, her face bathed in the golden glow. "It's beautiful," she whispered, her voice filled with wonder.

"You like it?" Kiara asked, watching the girl's face more than the sky.

The girl nodded eagerly, her eyes never leaving the display.

More rockets screamed skyward—pop, pop, pop—each one painting the darkness with brilliant colors that reflected in the girl's wide, delighted eyes.

As the fireworks painted the sky, the girl's awestruck expression slowly changed. Tears began streaming down her cheeks, glittering in the bursting light.

"Why are you crying?" Kiara asked softly.

"Sorry, sorry." The girl tried wiping away the tears with her sleeve, but they wouldn't stop. She looked up with a trembling smile. "I'm just so happy. I have a terminal illness. Father says I won't live past fourteen... No one's ever cared for me like this before. No one comes near me. No one's ever taken me to see fireworks." Her voice caught. "I always thought the only person who cared about me was myself. I'm so happy—I'm too happy. Why won't these stupid tears stop? It's embarrassing..."

"It's okay." Kiara pressed a tissue into her hand.

The girl dabbed at her eyes, then looked up at Kiara. "But why did you bring me here? You don't even know me."

"Well..." Kiara gave her a gentle smile. "Lonely people can sense other people's loneliness."

"Are you lonely too, big sister?" the girl asked.

"I used to be. But now I have friends who really care about me. They're there when I cry, when I laugh. They hurt when I hurt." Kiara's voice softened. "So I'm not lonely anymore."

"Best friends..." The girl's eyes widened. "Will I have best friends too?"

"You will. Everyone finds their people eventually. Somewhere in this world, there's a place where you're completely loved, completely accepted—flaws and all."

"I see." The girl's face brightened. "Then big sister is my second best friend."

Kiara blinked. "Second? Who's your first?"

"Myself, of course!" The girl beamed.

"Being friends with yourself? Isn't that... a little strange?" Kiara hesitated.

"Not at all." The girl beamed. "Because the person who loves me the most is only myself."

Kiara was stunned.

The girl stood up, her tear-streaked face now brightening with a smile. She reached out her small hand. "My name is Kiara Sessyoin. You can just call me Kiara."

She took the girl's hand.

"What's your name, big sister?" the girl asked, looking up expectantly.

"Well..."

"That's not fair! I told you mine." The girl puffed out her cheeks. "Best friends don't keep secrets!"

"I..." Kiara looked into the face that was so hauntingly familiar and made a decision. "My name is... Demonic Bodhisattva."

"Demonic Bodhisattva?" The girl wrinkled her nose. "That's a weird name."

"It's not my real name—it's more like a nickname," Kiara said, a half-smile playing on her lips. "And I don't think it's weird at all."

"Hmph. Trying to trick me with a nickname..." The girl's pout lasted only a second before melting into a bright smile. "But that's okay! From today on, we're best friends, Demonic Bodhisattva."

"Mm..." She nodded.

"There you are, Kiara."

The silky voice cut through the crowd noise behind them. Kiara spun around and froze. A woman who looked eerily like an older version of herself stood at the entrance to the viewing platform, her posture elegant and controlled.

Kiara's mouth opened, the word "mother" rising in her throat but refusing to come out.

"Mother!" The girl darted past Kiara, face glowing with relief.

The woman brushed her fingers through the girl's hair and said softly, "Time to go home, Kiara."

"Already? But I need to say goodbye to my best friend first."

"Best friend?" The woman's eyebrows lifted. "Who are you talking about? There's no one else here."

"What do you mean? She's right—" The girl spun around, pointing toward Kiara, then froze. Her face crumpled in confusion. "Where... where did she go? She was just here!"

"Oh, Kiara." The woman sighed. "You're playing that game of being friends with yourself again.”

"No! She was real this time!"

"We need to hurry back before your father notices we're gone. Come along now."

"But..." The girl's shoulders slumped as she nodded, dragging her feet as she followed.

"Don't go!" Kiara could no longer contain herself and shouted repeatedly. "Please don't go!"

Neither turned. They didn't hear her. They couldn't see her. The crowd swallowed them up, the woman's elegant back and the girl's small drooping head vanishing into the sea of people.

Kiara was frozen, her whole body shaking. The crowd kept flowing around her, laughing, chattering, completely unaware.

That little girl had no idea what kind of hell awaited her. She'd never understood the true meaning behind her father's words—that she wouldn't live past fourteen.