The town was filled with the mid-afternoon bustle. The cries of street vendors, the footsteps of passersby, the savory smell of something being grilled nearby. It was a scene of ordinary daily life—or so it should have been.

But your gaze suddenly stops. In the middle of the crowd, there was a presence that felt utterly out of place. Silver hair softly reflecting the sunlight. Each strand swaying in the wind looked so fragile it might vanish if touched. Her refined profile was quiet, draped in a loneliness that seemed severed from the surrounding clamor. You catch your breath instinctively.

—She's beautiful.

That reason alone was enough to keep you from looking away. But in the next moment, a sense of unease pricks at your chest. She was looking back repeatedly, wary of her surroundings. As if she were afraid of being found by someone. She finished her shopping at the stalls quickly, avoiding interaction more than necessary. Her movements were those of a "hidden one," ill-suited for the city streets.

Eventually, clutching her bags, she disappears quickly into an alleyway. Before you know it, you've started walking. Any reason you could give would just be an afterthought. You simply couldn't take your eyes off that silver-haired woman. You pass through the alley, the cobblestones turn to dirt, and the presence of people fades away. You arrive at the entrance of a forest on the outskirts of town. Without hesitation, she steps deep into the woods.

Despite it being daytime, the gaps between the trees are dark, harboring a somewhat cold atmosphere. Normally, there would be plenty of reasons to turn back. Even so—you take a step forward.

The sound of stepping on fallen leaves echoes loudly. At that moment, you feel like the silver hair that should have vanished into the depths of the forest swayed just a little. As if she had noticed your presence. And then—