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00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:04,280
Some endings don't echo. 
They fall into the world softly,

2
00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:08,800
leaving nothing behind but 
stillness and the name that 

3
00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:12,120
won't return. 
They're winters that change us, 

4
00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,480
winters that shape the years 
that follow, and winters we 

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00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:21,160
never learned to speak about 
because the person who held our 

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00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:25,680
words is gone. 
Grief doesn't arrive with 

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00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:29,080
warning. 
It comes in a call you weren't 

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00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:33,880
expecting, a message you read 
twice, a moment where your 

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00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,880
breast doesn't feel like yours. 
And when the world grows quiet 

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00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:42,000
again, you find yourself 
returning to the place Haroud 

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00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:46,920
once stood, to the memories 
Haroud left behind, to the 

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00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:51,720
silence that remained after him.
This is winter's last melody. 

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00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:55,320
Chapter 4. 
The silence that remained. 

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00:00:56,240 --> 00:01:00,960
Snow had begun to fall before 
dawn, softening the edge of the 

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00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:03,200
harbour town long before anyone 
woke. 

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00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:07,040
By the time Wren unlocked the 
door, the wooden chime up, up 

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00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:09,600
the door rang quietly as he 
stepped inside. 

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00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:13,800
The workshop was small, but it 
held everything Wren needed. 

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00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:17,400
A heater in the corner, humped 
to life the moment he switched 

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00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,800
it on. 
A single work table dominated 

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00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:24,760
the centre of the room, worn 
smooth from years of use. 

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00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:29,720
He took off his clubs, placed 
them beside the heater and set 

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00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:32,880
water to boil on the small 
electric kettle he kept near the

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00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:35,560
tools. 
People came to him for different

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00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:38,440
reasons and heirloom that no 
longer played. 

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00:01:38,960 --> 00:01:41,520
A music box passed down from our
grandmother. 

27
00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:45,480
A gift someone wanted restored 
before our wedding anniversary. 

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00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:49,080
Ren never rushed. 
He treated each piece like a 

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00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:51,920
small memory. 
He liked that about the job. 

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00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:56,600
It asked for patience, 
attention, steady hands. 

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00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:01,440
It didn't ask for explanations. 
By mid morning, worms had seeped

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00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,680
into the room, fogging the lower
corner of the window. 

33
00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:08,880
Ren sat at the work table with 
magnifying visor pushed over his

34
00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:12,480
eyes, adjusting the positioning 
of a tiny spring. 

35
00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:16,880
He held the part between 
tweezers, rotating it gently 

36
00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:20,360
under the lamp. 
It was a delicate work, but he 

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00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,680
preferred that delicate things 
made sense. 

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00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:26,520
They told you what they needed 
if you listened. 

39
00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:28,680
The cattle clicked off behind 
him. 

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00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:32,600
Ren set down the Twizzers and 
poured himself a cup of tea, 

41
00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:36,200
steam curling upward and thin, 
quiet ribbons. 

42
00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:40,000
He leaned back in his chair, 
letting the worm seep into his 

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00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,480
fingers. 
There were days he wondered how 

44
00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:46,640
he had ended up here, in a small
workshop on a side street of 

45
00:02:46,640 --> 00:02:50,560
Otaro, living a life so 
different from the 1 he once 

46
00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:54,840
imagined. 
He had chosen this life piece by

47
00:02:54,840 --> 00:03:00,760
piece, quietly, deliberately, 
far from the noise of views, far

48
00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:04,840
from the expectation of BA, far 
from memories that once shaped 

49
00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:07,680
him. 
His workshop was small, but it 

50
00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:11,080
was enough. 
The afternoon light shifted 

51
00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:15,040
slowly across the workshop 
floor, dimming from pale silver 

52
00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:18,320
to a muted winter grey. 
Ren was still seated at his work

53
00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:22,680
table, the tools neatly 
arranged, his phone bust on the 

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00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:25,440
counter. 
He didn't expect anyone, 

55
00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:29,680
especially not at this hour. 
Wren glanced at the screen. 

56
00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:32,880
Father. 
He picked it up immediately. 

57
00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:37,200
His father's voice came through 
calm, steady, the tone of some 

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00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:39,880
assuring use not delivering a 
shock. 

59
00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:44,720
Wren, you still at the shop? 
Wren waited, expecting something

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00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:48,600
ordinary, but his father 
continued in the same even tone.

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00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:50,760
You remember the cow about a 
family? 

62
00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:53,600
Wren's fingers stilled around 
the edge of the table. 

63
00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:59,440
Yeah, he answered quietly. 
I remember they called us this 

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00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:01,560
afternoon. 
His father said. 

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00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:04,200
Their son passed away last 
night. 

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00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:08,440
Wren didn't move. 
His father repeated gently, 

67
00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,240
unaware of the stillness foaming
on the other end. 

68
00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:13,800
Their youngest son passed 
sometimes overnight. 

69
00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,640
Haru. 
His father paused, surprised 

70
00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:19,640
Wren had connected the name so 
quickly. 

71
00:04:20,519 --> 00:04:25,080
Yes, Haru, It's unfortunate. 
His father continued. 

72
00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:29,080
With the storm coming in, your 
mother and I don't think we can 

73
00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:31,640
make it tomorrow. 
Roads might close. 

74
00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:34,560
Could you attend the service on 
our behalf? 

75
00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:38,200
Ren swallowed. 
Yeah, I can't go. 

76
00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:41,960
Good. 
Dress warm and call us after 

77
00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:44,800
all, right? 
A few more ordinary words were 

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00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:48,160
exchanged before the call ended.
Ren set the phone down on the 

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00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:50,800
work table. 
His hand didn't lift away. 

80
00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:55,440
The workshop, usually warm and 
humming gently with purpose, 

81
00:04:55,880 --> 00:05:00,600
felt suddenly hollow, as if the 
air had thinned, as if sound 

82
00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:05,360
itself had pulled away from him.
Haru gone. 

83
00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:11,000
The heater clicked once, then 
fell back into its soft Tom. 

84
00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:15,640
Ren remained seated, the phone 
still beside his hand. 

85
00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:19,960
Though the call had ended 
minutes ago, he didn't move. 

86
00:05:20,840 --> 00:05:22,920
The workshop had never felt this
quiet. 

87
00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:27,120
The silence was different, 
depressed against him. 

88
00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:32,640
He lowered his gaze to the 
table, the tools, the tiny brass

89
00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:35,840
screws, the soft claws he meant 
to fold. 

90
00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,520
Ren inhaled once. 
His chest tightened before he 

91
00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:41,360
could stop it. 
Haru. 

92
00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:44,600
He hadn't heard that name spoken
aloud in years. 

93
00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:49,280
He never needed to. 
It lived somewhere quieter than 

94
00:05:49,280 --> 00:05:52,880
memory. 
He shut his eyes and the years 

95
00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:57,240
fell away in a single sharp 
slide to a courtyard dusted in 

96
00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:02,840
snow, to Harrows small, startled
smile, to the Sound of Music box

97
00:06:02,840 --> 00:06:06,840
playing slightly off key, to the
warmth Rand had held too 

98
00:06:06,840 --> 00:06:11,440
carefully and lost too easily. 
His throat tightened. 

99
00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:17,920
He wasn't crying, not yet, but 
the grief sat behind his ribs, a

100
00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:22,440
cold, aching weight that felt 
like something old finally 

101
00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:25,000
cracking open. 
He pressed the hand over his 

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00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:29,480
mouth. 
Red blinked heart, once, twice. 

103
00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:32,000
A tear slipped before he could 
stop it. 

104
00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:37,160
He brushed it away quickly. 
Another tear followed where 

105
00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:41,480
bowed his head, shoulders 
folding inward, finally, to the 

106
00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:45,640
name that had lived inside him 
long after he tried to move on. 

107
00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:48,080
Snow tapped softly against the 
window. 

108
00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:52,880
The storm thickened, and in the 
silent workshop where Red had 

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00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:56,680
built his quiet life, a single 
name echoed back to him. 

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00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:59,960
A name he hadn't spoken aloud in
years. 

111
00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:03,680
Haru. 
The studio was warm, was 

112
00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:08,080
afternoon light, the kind that 
slipped through high windows and

113
00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:09,960
softened every surface it 
touched. 

114
00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:13,560
Sewing machines buzzed and 
uneven rhythm across the room, 

115
00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:17,640
needles rising and falling like 
a soft mechanical heartbeat. 

116
00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:23,000
Isuki sat at his station near 
the back, shoulders relaxed, 1/2

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00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:27,280
finished charcoal wool coat 
draped across his knees, a clean

118
00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:31,720
silhouette, careful stitching. 
He ran his thumb across the 

119
00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:36,360
seam, checking the tension. 
He liked the steadiness of it, 

120
00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:40,400
the quiet focus, the small 
decision only his hands 

121
00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:44,320
understood, the feeling of the 
fabric warming under his touch. 

122
00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:49,120
He wasn't a full designer yet, 
still an assistant, but he had 

123
00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:53,040
carved out a small, unofficial 
corner of the studio where he 

124
00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:55,240
could create things that felt 
like his own. 

125
00:07:56,000 --> 00:08:00,640
On the wreck beside him hung a 
few coats he never sent, pieces 

126
00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:03,200
he had made over the years while
thinking of Haru. 

127
00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:07,880
The ones he had shipped up north
over the years were gone, always

128
00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:12,520
to the same mattress, always 
signed for, never replied to. 

129
00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:17,400
For Itsuki, that had been 
enough, knowing how we received 

130
00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:19,720
them, even if nothing was sent 
back. 

131
00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:24,240
He reached for a new spool of 
thread, lifted it to the light, 

132
00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:28,320
checking the colour. 
Everything was normal, routine, 

133
00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:31,960
predictable. 
Just an ordinary winter day in 

134
00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:35,480
Tokyo. 
The whole way outside the sewing

135
00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:39,960
studio was narrow and bright, 
lined with pin sketches and 

136
00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:43,240
frame magazine's covers. 
Isuki stepped out only far 

137
00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:46,920
enough to escape the hum of 
sewing machine, brushing a loose

138
00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:51,560
thread from his apron. 
His phone bust, once an unknown 

139
00:08:51,560 --> 00:08:53,280
Hokkaido number, lit up the 
screen. 

140
00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:57,160
Isuki frowned slightly. 
He didn't recognize it. 

141
00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:00,760
He answered politely. 
This is Isuki. 

142
00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:05,320
A brief pause followed, not the 
uncertain silence of a scam 

143
00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:09,240
call, but the composed stillness
of someone organizing difficult 

144
00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:11,760
words. 
A man's voice came through, 

145
00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:15,840
steady and formal. 
Hello, is this Mori Isuki son? 

146
00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:19,080
Yes. 
Isuki replied slowly. 

147
00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,160
Who is this? 
Another quiet breath on the 

148
00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:28,600
other end, measured heavy. 
My name is Kawabat Ayuto, I'm 

149
00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:31,560
calling from Hokkaido. 
The surname notched something 

150
00:09:31,560 --> 00:09:36,760
faint in Itsuki's memory, but he
didn't place it immediately, not

151
00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:40,000
until Yuto continued. 
I'm Haru's older brother. 

152
00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:44,920
Isuki froze. 
Yuto's voice remained calm, not 

153
00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:47,800
cold. 
I'm very sorry to contact you 

154
00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:50,960
like this. 
I found your number among Haru's

155
00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:54,000
old belongings. 
Isuki's hand tightened around 

156
00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:55,880
the phone. 
Belongings. 

157
00:09:57,080 --> 00:10:00,520
He already understood, but Yuto 
still had to say it. 

158
00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:04,760
Haru passed away last night. 
The hallway went silent. 

159
00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:09,200
Isuki didn't breathe, didn't 
move, didn't speak. 

160
00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:13,040
I'm sorry. 
He whispered without thinking. 

161
00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:17,360
What? 
Yuto's voice softened but stayed

162
00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:20,280
steady. 
Our family is holding a small 

163
00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:24,320
funeral tomorrow in Altara. 
I don't know how well you knew 

164
00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:27,960
him, but I felt you should be 
informed. 

165
00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:32,440
Isuki let out a small, fractured
breath, barely audible. 

166
00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:36,200
Thank you for calling. 
The cold ended quietly. 

167
00:10:36,680 --> 00:10:40,680
Isuki lowered the phone slowly, 
fingers trembling once before he

168
00:10:40,680 --> 00:10:43,720
forced them still. 
The hallway was unchanged. 

169
00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:48,160
The sketches, the laughter 
faintly from the studio, the 

170
00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:51,320
winter light he pushed off the 
wall. 

171
00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:54,120
He would never return to the 
same way again. 

172
00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:58,520
Isuki stepped back into the 
studio without fully seeing it. 

173
00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:03,040
The warm light, scattered 
fabrics, the soft chatter, they 

174
00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:05,600
blurred into a single distant 
wash off sound. 

175
00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:10,520
Someone called his name once, 
lightly, but he didn't turn. 

176
00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:13,200
He moved straight to his 
workstation. 

177
00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:17,320
The urgency in his movement was 
unusual enough that one of them 

178
00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:21,400
stood a little. 
Isuki San, is something wrong? 

179
00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:24,000
He shook his head once too 
quickly. 

180
00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:28,360
Family emergency. 
He said, bowing apologetically. 

181
00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:31,960
I'm so sorry, I need to take a 
few days. 

182
00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:34,720
Alcohol. 
He didn't wait for permission, 

183
00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:37,720
didn't need it. 
They could see something had 

184
00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:41,600
cracked open behind his eyes. 
He slung his back over his 

185
00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:45,280
shoulder, nearly forgetting the 
threats still looped around his 

186
00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:48,800
wrist, pulling it free as he 
walked toward the elevator. 

187
00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:53,400
The doors closed around him. 
He couldn't fall apart here. 

188
00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:56,520
He wouldn't. 
He stepped out into the cold 

189
00:11:56,520 --> 00:12:01,200
Tokyo air and started running. 
He didn't remember the street he

190
00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:05,400
crossed, only the rush of winter
wind against his cheeks and the 

191
00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:07,360
doll thought of his boots on 
pavement. 

192
00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:11,880
He reached his apartment faster 
than he should have, fumbling 

193
00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:14,280
slightly with the keys before 
stepping inside. 

194
00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:19,520
Everything felt too quiet. 
He sat his back down, excelled 

195
00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:23,240
shakily. 
Then he began to move a small 

196
00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:25,080
overnight duffel bag from the 
closet. 

197
00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:29,240
He didn't pack thoughtfully, 
just grab what he needed with 

198
00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:31,640
the instinct of someone 
preparing for something they 

199
00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:35,160
didn't want to face. 
He pulled open the drawer of his

200
00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:39,560
small cabinet and froze. 
Inside was the rap bundle he 

201
00:12:39,560 --> 00:12:42,280
never touched except to dust the
shelf. 

202
00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:47,520
The old music box he hadn't 
given away his hand over before 

203
00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:51,040
lifting it. 
He held it carefully, thumb 

204
00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:52,680
brushing the worn edge of the 
cloth. 

205
00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:57,800
The weight of it felt different 
today, heavier somehow, like he 

206
00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:01,720
knew why it was being held. 
He placed it gently into his 

207
00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:05,640
back. 
He looked down at himself. 

208
00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:09,640
He wasn't wearing black. 
He let out a small disbelieving 

209
00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:14,400
Excel sweater off, jacket 
switched hair pushed back with 

210
00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:18,480
both hands, smoothing it down 
more forcefully than needed. 

211
00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:21,280
He paused in front of the 
bathroom mirror. 

212
00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:25,920
His reflection looked too calm 
for what he felt, but his eyes, 

213
00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:30,400
his eyes told the truth. 
He zipped his bag, turned off 

214
00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:34,280
the lights, opened the door, 
then stood there in the doorway,

215
00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:39,960
hand on the knob, pressed, 
suspended, not prepared, just 

216
00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:42,080
going. 
He locked the door quietly 

217
00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:46,800
behind him and stepped back into
the cold Tokyo hallway, the air 

218
00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:50,520
already feeling different. 
He headed for the airport. 

219
00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:54,560
Otado was waiting, and Haru was 
gone. 

220
00:13:57,120 --> 00:14:00,120
The snowfall had thickened by 
the time Ren reached the temple 

221
00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:03,600
grounds in Otaru. 
The air was sharp with incense 

222
00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,880
and winter grief. 
Inside, the funeral hall was dim

223
00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:10,120
and still. 
Ren bowed at the entrance, then 

224
00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:11,960
moved quietly along the right 
aisle. 

225
00:14:12,680 --> 00:14:17,600
Haru's photograph, framed 
simply, lit softly from within, 

226
00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:20,160
rested at the centre of the 
altar. 

227
00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:24,160
Ren felt something inside him 
tighten, then drop. 

228
00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:29,000
He joined the line of mourners, 
palms pressed together, breast 

229
00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:33,960
steady, eyes lowered. 
When it was his turn, he placed 

230
00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:37,920
the white flower gently before 
the incense, bowed deeply. 

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Ren kept his gaze on the floor. 
Only when the priest began 

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chanting did he allow himself to
lift his eyes again, taking in 

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the room through a soft 
distimbler. 

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00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:53,240
Haru's family stood near the 
front, shoulders held firmly, 

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hands folded, faces composed in 
a way people who had lived 

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through northern winters know 
how to be composed. 

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Wren had helped families through
loss before. 

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He had watched neighbors and 
childhood friends say their last

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goodbyes. 
He understood how grief spread 

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through a small town. 
Quietly, collectively, with the 

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00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:18,280
weight dispersed across many 
hands, He offered what he could.

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00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:21,840
When he saw the incense 
thinning, he rose to help 

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00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,520
replenish it. 
When Harrow's mother swayed 

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00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:28,000
slightly while greeting a 
visitor, he stepped forward with

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00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:32,640
a discreet glass of warm tea. 
He didn't say much, his presence

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00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:35,760
was enough. 
Ren noticed movement near the 

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entrance. 
A young man had slipped inside 

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00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:43,960
late, dark coat dusted with 
snow, breasts unsteady, posture 

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00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:46,920
tight. 
He took a hesitant step forward,

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00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:50,560
bowing deeply toward the altar 
before finding a place near the 

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00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:53,000
sidewall. 
Something about the way the 

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00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:56,720
stranger's fingers gripped the 
strap of his back, the way he 

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00:15:56,720 --> 00:15:59,440
didn't look up, didn't breathe. 
Foley. 

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00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:02,760
The way he moved like someone 
holding the world together by 

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00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:04,880
threads. 
Wren felt it. 

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00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:10,280
This man knew Harrow. 
He didn't know how, but he knew.

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00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:14,480
When the chanting resumed for 
the closing rites, Wren found 

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00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:17,760
his gaze drifting toward the 
stranger again, a quiet 

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00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:22,640
awareness forming between two 
people who had never met someone

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00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:27,400
else, had lost him, too. 
The wind hit Izuki first, sharp,

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00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:31,640
stinging full of frozen needles 
that clung to his coat the 

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00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:33,640
moment he'd stepped out of the 
taxi. 

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00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:36,960
The temple grounds were quiet 
except for the storm. 

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00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:41,080
Snow swirled low across the 
stones, muffling every sound 

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00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:44,440
under a thick white hush. 
Issuki bowed once at the 

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00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:48,440
entrance before slipping inside.
Warms met him immediately. 

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00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:52,200
He stopped a few steps in, 
letting his breath steady as the

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00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:56,440
door slit shut behind him. 
His eyes lifted slowly. 

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00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:00,760
Haru's photograph rested at the 
centre of the altar he took. 

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00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:05,160
His chest tightened once. 
He bowed deeply, holding the 

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00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:07,200
pose a bit longer than 
necessary. 

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00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:12,200
His movement was controlled, 
deliberate, respectful. 

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00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:15,560
The kind of grace he had trained
into himself after years of 

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00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:18,560
holding things in. 
When he placed the white flower 

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00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:22,160
before the incense, his 
fingertips trembled barely. 

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00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:26,079
Just the smallest shift. 
The kind only he felt. 

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00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:30,280
He straightened, bowed again, 
and stepped back. 

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00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:32,880
Someone offered him a seat near 
the side wall. 

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00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:37,800
He accepted with a quiet nod. 
From where he sat, he could see 

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00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:41,560
the entire room. 
The altar glow, the flicker of 

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00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:44,560
candles. 
Haru family, standing with a 

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00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:48,400
straight backs and tired eyes. 
Isuki folded his hand in his 

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00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:50,960
lap. 
He didn't blink often. 

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00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:55,160
He didn't trust himself to. 
The chanting began. 

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00:17:55,640 --> 00:18:00,240
Low, rhythmic, familiar in a way
he hadn't heard in years. 

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00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:03,840
A shape moved on the opposite 
side of the hall. 

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00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:09,960
A man, dark coat, quiet 
presence, head bowed. 

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00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:14,320
Isuki recognized nothing about 
him, but something in the man's 

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00:18:14,320 --> 00:18:18,960
posture resonated. 
Not the same grief as his, but a

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00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:23,280
grief that belonged to Haruttu. 
Isuki's gaze drifted back to the

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00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:25,640
altar. 
He did not cry. 

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00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:30,320
He wouldn't. 
Not here, not in front of 

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00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:33,880
strangers, not when his hands 
felt like they were made of 

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00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:36,120
glass. 
The service continued. 

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00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:40,640
Prayers, incense, soft 
footsteps. 

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00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:43,320
Isuki stood. 
Only when everyone else did. 

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00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:47,720
He bowed toward the family. 
They thanked him politely. 

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00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:51,600
He stepped aside to pull out his
phone, intending to check the 

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00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:54,360
time. 
A notification blinked on the 

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00:18:54,360 --> 00:18:56,640
screen. 
Flight cancelled due to the 

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00:18:56,640 --> 00:18:59,360
severe weather. 
The words didn't sink in at 

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00:18:59,360 --> 00:19:01,560
first. 
Then his breast shuddered. 

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00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:04,520
Silently, he turned toward the 
exit. 

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00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:09,800
Snow slanting sideways outside, 
wind shaking the bare branches. 

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00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:13,920
Panic flickered. 
Not loud, just deep. 

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00:19:14,360 --> 00:19:17,600
He looked around for someone 
local, someone who might know. 

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00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:20,400
His eyes landed on the men from 
earlier. 

308
00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:24,200
Isuki stepped closer, clearing 
his throat softly. 

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00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:28,560
Excuse me? 
He said, voice low, steady 

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00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:31,000
despite the cold clouding around
his ribs. 

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00:19:31,360 --> 00:19:33,960
Do you know if the trains are 
suspended too? 

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00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:37,920
The man looked at him, and in 
that small second of shared 

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00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:41,520
winter silence, something 
unspoken passed between them. 

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00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:44,640
Around them, people murmured 
updates. 

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00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:49,880
Roads closing, visibility 
dropping, taxi stopping service.

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00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:52,560
The storm had swallowed Otaru 
home. 

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00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:56,240
Haru's father called out over 
the wind, offering calm 

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00:19:56,240 --> 00:19:59,920
hospitality through his grief. 
Several mourners bowed 

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00:19:59,920 --> 00:20:03,440
gratefully. 
Others hesitated, not wanting to

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00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:05,520
impose. 
Hisuki didn't move. 

321
00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:08,960
His jaw worked once, a tiny 
motion. 

322
00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:11,920
Like he was holding everything 
steady by force. 

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00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:16,240
Ren stepped closer, keeping his 
tone gentle, not intrusive. 

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00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:18,720
My workshop is 10 minutes from 
here. 

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00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:21,400
He sat softly. 
It's warm. 

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00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:26,000
There's a sofa, blankets. 
It'll get you through the night.

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00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:30,760
Isuki breast caught. 
You sure his voice wasn't 

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00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:32,600
steady. 
Ren nodded once. 

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00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:36,880
Yes. 
The temple bell hummed, a single

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00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:40,000
low note stretching into the 
cold, and together, without 

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00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:43,240
speaking further, they stepped 
into the winter night. 

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00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:47,920
The storm shoved against the 
street of Otaru as they reached 

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00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:51,800
the workshop, a narrow building 
glowing softly through layers of

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00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:54,520
snow. 
Ran unlocked the door, and the 

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00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:56,880
worms inside greeted them in a 
slow exile. 

336
00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:00,520
He switched on another lamp. 
You can put your things 

337
00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:01,960
anywhere. 
He said gently. 

338
00:21:02,360 --> 00:21:05,600
Isuki nodded once. 
The workshop felt nothing like 

339
00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:10,720
home, but it was warm, grounded,
alive with the quiet hum of 

340
00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:15,040
someone's crafts removed to the 
small kitchenette setting. 2 

341
00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:18,880
sermon cops on the counter. 
How warm the sake, he said. 

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00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:22,880
I'll take a bit. 
Izuki murmured the soft thank 

343
00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:26,960
you then wondered. 
Ren lit the small tabletop 

344
00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:31,160
burner and poured sake into a 
tiny metal to goody to heat. 

345
00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:33,640
The soft crackle of the flame 
filled the room. 

346
00:21:34,120 --> 00:21:37,560
Isuki's attention drifted to the
shelves lining the workshop. 

347
00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:43,360
Dozens of music boxes, all 
shapes, all woods, all quietly 

348
00:21:43,360 --> 00:21:45,640
waiting. 
He stepped closer. 

349
00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:50,400
His fingers hovered over one 
made of dark walnut, delicate 

350
00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:55,440
flowers carved into its lid. 
He didn't open it, just looked. 

351
00:21:56,280 --> 00:22:00,200
A craft man's touch. 
Wren glanced over while handling

352
00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:05,080
the sake, but didn't interrupt. 
Yizuki finally reached for a 

353
00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:08,400
small one, crafted a Maple, 
simple in design. 

354
00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:12,720
He turned the crack slowly. 
The Tokuti clicked softly 

355
00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:16,600
against the burner, then poured 
the warm sake into two small 

356
00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:19,160
cups and walked toward him with 
one. 

357
00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:23,600
Yizuki accepted it with both 
hands, bowing lightly. 

358
00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:28,520
They sat, ran on the sofa edge, 
Yizuki near the low table where 

359
00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:30,440
the music box rested between 
them. 

360
00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:34,240
The storm outside stretched 
against the windows, wind 

361
00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:36,400
howling like something hollow 
and tired. 

362
00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:40,680
Isuki took the first sip. 
Warm spread slowly through his 

363
00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:46,280
hands, then his chest. 
Then Isuki's control cracked. 

364
00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:52,680
Not loudly, not messily. 
Just a trembling inhale that 

365
00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:56,080
broke apart halfway through. 
A hand pressed against his 

366
00:22:56,080 --> 00:23:00,000
mouth, shoulders quivering in 
small restraint shutters. 

367
00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:04,960
Ren looked away to give him 
privacy, jaw tightening, his own

368
00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:10,120
eyes burning. 
Outside, the wind rolled inside 

369
00:23:11,120 --> 00:23:15,080
the socket, cooled and untouched
cops as two men set with the 

370
00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:21,080
winter Harrow left behind, not 
speaking, not touching, just 

371
00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:24,520
existing through the ache until 
the night softened enough for 

372
00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:28,800
them to breathe again. 
Some silence don't arrive 

373
00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:32,800
suddenly. 
They grow in the space we avoid 

374
00:23:33,360 --> 00:23:37,200
in the years we drift, in the 
things we never say until it's 

375
00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:40,120
too late. 
A life leaps, echoes behind 

376
00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:43,560
footsteps in the snow, warms on 
a cop. 

377
00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:49,160
A name spoken only in memory. 
This was winter's last melody. 

378
00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:52,760
Chapter 4. 
The silence that remained. 

379
00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:57,480
Thank you for walking with us. 
If you'd like to continue the 

380
00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:02,320
story, you can like the video 
and subscribe to gay audio books

381
00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:05,360
so the next Charter reaches you 
when you're ready.