The walk feels longer than it should.
Or maybe it’s just the tension tightening in my body with every step.
My arms wrap loosely around myself as I follow the directions Nora gave me, my eyes scanning my surroundings carefully. The further I go, the more I notice the route—reinforced gates, signal horns mounted at intervals, and elevated watchtowers looming overhead. Patrol lines move in calculated patterns, layered in inner and outer circles like a fortress built to keep something in… or something out.
And when I finally reach the place, I stop. A large building stands alone, isolated, with no other structures around it.
“This…?” I murmur as my confusion quickly twists into unease.
This isn’t what I expected when I imagined Kei’s house. Not even close.
The building stands in silence
