Rewritten By Fate

Saint woke in a sterile bedroom, his head pounding and his heart hollow.

His father sat nearby, reading coldly from a newspaper.

“Finally awake,” he said without emotion.

“You’re under house supervision. Don’t think about running off again.”

Saint didn’t reply.

Days passed.

He refused to eat, refused to speak.

Until one night, his mother crept into his room, her eyes full of sorrow.

“Saint...” came a gentle voice. It was his mother.

He didn’t respond.

She entered quietly, carrying a small tray of food, but when she saw the untouched meal from earlier, she sighed and set the new tray aside.
Slowly, she walked over to his bed and sat beside him.

“I heard what happened,” she said softly, placing a hand on his back.
“I heard the way you stood up for Shin.”

Saint swallowed hard, trying to keep his emotions at bay.

“I just...” His voice cracked.
“I couldn’t protect him. I couldn’t do anything. And now he’s gone.”

His mother gently brushed his hair back.

“You did protect him, Saint. In the way you could, in that moment.”

Saint turned to her, eyes glistening.

“He looked at me like he hated me, like I let him down. And Dad—he said I couldn’t see him again.
He wants me to pretend none of it mattered.”

His mother’s gaze softened.
She reached out, cupping his face.

“Listen to me, my son.
I don’t care who you love.
I don’t care what people say.
If you love Shin, then I will stand beside you.
Always.”

Saint’s eyes widened. “M-Ma...”

She smiled sadly, tears in her eyes too.

A sob broke from Saint’s throat, and he leaned into his mother’s embrace.
She held him tight, stroking his back.

“You don’t have to fight this alone,” she whispered.
“We’ll get him back. I’ll help you.”

For the first time that day, Saint’s chest loosened, if only a little.
With his mother’s words wrapping around him like a lifeline, he finally allowed himself to cry—silent tears for the boy he loved and had lost.

---

The Following Night...

Saint hadn’t eaten.
Hadn’t spoken.
Not even the warm comfort of his mother’s arms could completely pull him out of the void Shin’s absence left behind.

He sat by the window, eyes scanning the night sky like it might give him a sign—some whisper that Shin was safe.

Then, a quiet knock came.
The door opened slightly, and his mother stepped in, holding a small travel bag.

“Get dressed,” she said gently.

Saint blinked, confused. “What...?”

“I’ve packed some clothes and money. Enough to get you to shin's village.”