[TL/N: Read my new work - Anime Group Chat in a Doomsday World!]
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"It's late today, so stay with me. Tomorrow, we'll go to the police, and they'll help you find Alexander," Shouko said gently, smiling warmly at Miku.
However, Miku shook her head vigorously. Earlier, she had searched for Alexander's photo online and confirmed that Alexander was the man who had bullied her. She was determined not to seek him out!
Frustrated, she scribbled on the paper repeatedly:
'"I don't want to go to him. Please, he's a bad person."'
Shouko frowned slightly but responded calmly, "Alexander can't be a bad person. Don't worry—you must be misunderstanding something. Everyone in this world knows Alexander as the protector of your kind. If you don't go to him, you'll only be putting yourself in greater danger."
Miku hesitated, but Shouko's words made her reluctantly nod. She glanced at Shouko, who was watching her with compassion. After a moment of silence, Shouko seemed to recall something. She walked over to a drawer, retrieved a book and a picture album, and slowly returned to Miku's side.
"By the way, this is what I used to retrain my voice when I lost it," Shouko explained, holding out the items.
"You've lost your voice because of psychological reasons, not a physical issue with your vocal cords. The problem is within your heart, but I believe you can overcome it. From now on, I'll be here to help you. I'm sure you'll regain your voice again someday."
Her tone was soft and reassuring as she gently took Miku's hand. In that moment, Miku felt as though she were looking at an angel. Though she had never seen the angel Gabriel that Shouko mentioned, she imagined the angel must be as beautiful and kind as the girl before her.
Here was a girl who had endured so much bullying and sadness, yet still radiated warmth and understanding.
Suddenly, Miku felt a sharp pang in her heart. Unable to hold back her emotions, she threw herself into Shouko's arms, hugging her tightly. At that moment, she was no longer the glamorous idol admired by all, but a girl burdened with pain.
Shouko, sensing her fragility, wrapped her arms around Miku and whispered, "It's okay. Cry if you need to. Sometimes, letting it out is the best thing to do. I've hidden away and cried countless times myself."
At these words, Miku couldn't hold back any longer. She buried her face in Shouko's shoulder and sobbed uncontrollably. Shouko gently patted her back, providing warmth and comfort, and Miku felt a sense of peace she had never experienced before.
Between sobs, Miku traced words in Shouko's palm with her finger:
'"How… how can I thank you?"'
Shouko pondered for a moment before replying with a smile, "If you really want to thank me, then after you regain your voice, sing me a song. I want to hear your voice—your real voice. I bet it'll sound beautiful."
Miku nodded silently but couldn't hide the disappointment in her eyes. Could she really sing with her own voice again?
The room fell quiet. For a long time, the two sat together in silence, eventually falling asleep in each other's embrace.
Miku had never felt so at peace. Even though she was in an unfamiliar place, she slept soundly. Perhaps it was because of Shouko's warmth and understanding, which had touched her deeply.
However, the tranquility didn't last. As night fell, four figures silently appeared in the room.
The intruders—three men and one woman—surveyed the scene before them. Their eyes fell on Miku, who was still sound asleep, and they exchanged glances.
"Is this the descendant? Orochimaru-sama has ordered us to bring her back," one of them said.
"She looks ordinary. Is she really supposed to be some fearsome spirit?" another muttered skeptically.
"Enough talk," a third snapped. "If we, the Sound Four, fail again this time, we won't have the face to report back to Orochimaru-sama."
The Sound Four—elite subordinates of Orochimaru from the Naruto world—had carried out numerous shady missions in the past, and tonight was no exception.
Their movements woke Miku, who looked at them in horror. Though she didn't recognize them, their presence was enough to make her realize they weren't good people.
Terrified, she instinctively tried to wake Shouko. She wanted to escape but knew she had no strength to resist the intruders.
"You're awake? How troublesome," Kidomaru sighed, his tone exasperated. "You three take her and leave. I'll handle the aftermath."
Tayuya nodded silently. "Fine."
Aftermath? What were they planning to do?