【 ᴄᴏɴǫᴜᴇʀɪɴɢ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀʟᴀɴᴅ || ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇᴅ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀʟᴀɴᴅ ғғ】

ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ɪᴛ ᴀʟʟ ʙᴇɢᴀɴ - ᴘᴀʀᴛ 𝟺 || ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴇɪɢʜᴛ

You walked through the corridor, looking for Isabella.

It was time.

Then you saw a glimpse of her peel a piece of paper from the wall and hold it within her arms, as if to embrace it for one last time. She smiled bitterly.

You stopped in your tracks. There it was. A small crack in her twisted façade. The pretense of forever content and happiness.

You knew. At least a moment, a moment of silence in this terrifying world we live in, that would simply be enough for her to mourn for her child. And all the other children she brought to that gate.

Since all she could ever give to her children are silent farewells.

Me too, Mom. You smiled bitterly. Me too.

But don't you worry. It'll all be over soon. Just be patient.

Once she seemed to be done, you approached her.

"Mom!" You called. "Conny's ready!"

She looked at you and smiled. "Let's go."

"I'm slow, and I wasn't as smart as everyone—" Conny looked down sadly, but perked back up and flashed another smile. "—but even after I leave, I'll do my very best!"

She looked back down at her stuffed toy and said innocently. "I have Little Bunny, so I'll be okay."

"Conny..." Don called.

She looked back at all her siblings. Then her eyes landed at you. You gave her a shaky smile.

It was a small practice of yours.

To never use [Façade] in your final farewells.

If you were going to say good bye, you didn't want to hide anything. 

"I don't want to leave anymore!" She broke down. "I want to stay here!

And at that, you closed your eyes. If you were to see her breakdown, you'd blow your cover. You wouldn't be able to hold it in.

For the plot.

You repeated that sentence in your head so many times. The echoes of that sentence silencing what you actually wanted to say.

Don't go. Stay. Live. Don't die.

You walked alongside Emma, and held a broom.

Then you glanced at the toy on the table. "Hm?" You pretended to just notice. "Emma, isn't that—"

"CONNY!" She shouted. "You got to be kidding me!"

Emma turned back and ran, passing by Gilda and Norman.

"Eh! That's--!" Gilda perked up. "But Conny's already gone!"

The ginger picked the toy up and asked worrisomely. "What should I do?"

Ray then entered the scene. "There's still time." Emma and the other looked at him in confusion. "From the window, I saw that the lights on the gate were still open."

"Well, Mom isn't back yet either, I guess Conny might still be there." You told them.

"Let's hurry, Emma." "Okay!"

"And I'll do your share of the chores." You excused yourself.

Emma thanked you as they left.

"Do they really have to see that?"

"Of course." Ray answered you. "Otherwise, they won't believe us."