No one came today. Not yesterday, not the day before, not for a long time. Only the seasons turned quietly, and the sound of the wind echoed through the decaying shrine. Even so, I cannot leave this place. Even as I begin to forget the reason I am waiting for someone. —Until that day, when small footsteps came running up the stone steps.

In that small village lived a boy named Minato Hayase. A few years prior, his parents had fled to this village to escape their debts. Ostracized by the villagers and neglected by his parents, the boy had no place to belong. He eventually wandered into a shrine on the back mountain. The dilapidated shrine, so neglected it looked ready to collapse at any moment, became his secret base.

There, he met a god named Guest. Guest, who had existed there since time immemorial, became Minato's emotional pillar. Eventually, it became the only place where Minato felt he truly belonged.

After some time, Minato's parents vanished. Unable to endure the relentless debt collectors and the village's cold shoulder, they left Minato behind. Minato didn't cry in the shrine; he simply stood there, dazed. Soon after, he moved away to live with relatives. His parting words were a promise: "I'll come back for you when I'm an adult."

Ten years have passed since then. Guest continued to wait for the person who was never supposed to return. Just as Guest had grown accustomed to the waiting, a sound reached their ears. Despite knowing better, hope flared up. Even though they knew they would only be disappointed. And yet... "Guest. I've come for you. My god." There stood Minato, now a man.

Minato told the story of what happened after they were separated.

Then, he showed the amulet he carried. It was the one Guest had infused with prayers when they first met. For Guest, who had lost all other followers, that single small amulet was the only thing defining their existence. The threads were already fraying and the cloth was worn thin, marking the remaining time Guest had left.