Chapter 8: The Girl in the Flames

Doroshi’s thoughts were pulled back to three nights ago.

“What’s going on over there?”
Bored, scrolling through her phone while aimlessly wandering the streets to kill time, Doroshi noticed something unusual.

A reddish glow, partially blocked by buildings, illuminated the sky.
Curious, she instinctively walked toward it.

After crossing two streets, Doroshi realized what the red light was.
It was a two-story building engulfed in roaring flames and thick smoke.

Her eyes widened, trembling at the hellish scene before her.
She recalled that the burning building was an abandoned orphanage near her home, old and never demolished for some reason.

Noticing bystanders already calling for help, she figured firefighters would arrive soon.
There was nothing a frail high school girl like her could do here.

With that thought, Doroshi, not one to meddle, turned to leave.

But fate loves to play tricks.

A fleeting glance stopped her in her tracks.
Through an open second-floor window of the orphanage, she saw a silhouette outlined in the firelight.

A figure swayed amidst the flames.

“Is that… a girl?!”

“No way, right?”
Doroshi’s voice quivered as the gravity of the situation hit her, cold sweat dripping down her forehead.

Swallowing hard, she wanted to call out for help from the onlookers, but the words wouldn’t come.
She knew most people wouldn’t risk their lives for a stranger, and waiting for the firefighters might be too late.

A precious life was ticking down to its final moments.

In fires, toxic smoke often caused irreversible casualties before the flames did.
Her heart churned with unprecedented emotions—fear, anxiety, hope, impulse—all tangled into a chaotic mess.

At that moment, Doroshi recalled her childhood dream.
It was a bit embarrassing, but due to her family’s circumstances, she once aspired to be a kindhearted philanthropist.
Though she later learned that “philanthropist” didn’t always mean “kind,” the passion to help those in need never faded from her heart.

That reason became the spark that set her body in motion.

“Ugh, screw it!”
Doroshi flung her bag to the ground in a burst of frustration.

Amid the gasps of onlookers, she charged into the fire-engulfed orphanage without hesitation.
Using her handkerchief as a makeshift mask against the smoke, she recalled fire drill tips, crouching low and racing up the stairs to the second-floor corridor.

The scorching heat seeped through her shoes as she burst into a room, where she found a brown-haired girl standing like a statue amidst the flames.

“What are you doing?!”

Gritting her teeth in frustration, Doroshi didn’t wait for a response.
She rushed forward, hoisted the girl onto her back, and ran.
LIKE a superhuman, Doroshi retraced her steps, sprinting out of the building just as the overlapping sirens of multiple fire trucks echoed in the distance.

The crowd had retreated farther back, and when they saw the two girls escape the inferno, they erupted into cheers.

But Doroshi wasn’t in the mood to bask in their applause.
Exhausted from pushing her limits, she dragged the girl to a nearby bench, collapsing and gasping for air.

“Phew, thought I was gonna die in there.”

A rescuer approached, draping blankets over Doroshi and the girl.
He pulled out a small flashlight to check their conditions.
After confirming they had no visible injuries, he tucked the flashlight away and spoke sternly.

“I get how you felt, but rushing into a fire to save someone is incredibly dangerous!”
“One wrong move, and it’s not just her—you could’ve lost your life too.”
The rescuer fixed Doroshi with a serious stare.

Doroshi gave an awkward smile, shrinking back.
She knew she’d been reckless.
“Sorry, I won’t do it again.”

“I’d rather there not be a next time.”
A wry smile crossed the rescuer’s rugged face.
“You don’t seem to have any external injuries, but you still need a thorough hospital checkup for anything internal.”
“When the ambulance arrives, go with them.”

He glanced at the orphanage, where several fire trucks and rescuers were starting to control the blaze.

“Got it. Thanks, mister.”
Doroshi poured the mineral water he handed her over her head, flashing him a smile.

“I’m not that old.”
The rescuer gave her a thumbs-up and a playful wink.
“I don’t approve of your stunt, but I’ve got to say, well done, kid.”

After he left, Doroshi realized the girl she’d carried out was still beside her.
Feeling like she’d neglected her, she turned to the girl, a bit embarrassed.

“Hey, you okay?”

Her question finally stirred a reaction from the brown-haired girl, who’d been in a daze since they escaped.
The girl slowly looked up at Doroshi.
Even smudged with soot, her features were strikingly refined, with a hint of mixed-race beauty.

But she just stared with wide eyes, making Doroshi worry she’d been traumatized by the fire.
She waved a hand in front of the girl’s face.
“Hello?”
“Good evening?”
“Uh, what’s your name?”

The girl kept staring silently, as if watching a monkey perform tricks, leaving Doroshi oddly deflated.
‘Am I being looked down on or something? Is it just my imagination?’

“I’m Doroshi, Jinzenji Doroshi. Just call me Doroshi.”
Pointing to her face, Doroshi tried introducing herself.

This time, the girl reacted.
Tilting her head slightly, she spoke haltingly, like a baby learning to talk.
“Do… ro… shi?”

“Yes, yes, that’s me, Doroshi!”
Excited, Doroshi clapped the girl’s shoulders, hoping to build on the moment.
“So, what’s your name?”

Up close, Doroshi noticed the girl’s eyes seemed to hold a deep, dark purple hue, though it was hard to tell in the night.
But the girl clammed up again, staying silent no matter how Doroshi pressed.

Doroshi let out a heavy sigh.
‘This kid didn’t get scared silly in the fire, did she?’