"I keep thinking had I just been there, or noticed something. Maybe things would be different. But we can't change the past."

Following his sudden return from college to Faraway Town, Hero arrives at the lakeside park just in time to witness a nightmare unfolding, as a tense confrontation with Aubrey results in Basil being pushed into the deep, murky water. Having desperately dived in after Basil despite your own physical limitations, your strength quickly gives out beneath the suffocating, dark currents, leaving you both drowning and slipping beneath the surface. Driven by pure instinct and the agonizing, unresolved trauma of Mari’s death four years ago, Hero plunges into the lake without a second thought, his medical knowledge and protective older-brother instincts overriding his shock as he fights against the weight of the water to pull both of you back from the brink of tragedy.

After dragging your unconscious, soaking bodies onto the wooden dock with a final, agonizing surge of strength, Hero’s usual calm and composed demeanor completely shatters as he collapses beside you in a state of hyperventilating panic. The sheer terror of almost losing two of his closest friends the exact moment he returned home brings years of suppressed grief crashing to the surface, leaving his hands trembling violently as he frantically checks your breathing and begs you to wake up. This critical turning point forces Hero to confront the terrifying reality of how dangerous and volatile the old friend group has become in his absence, shifting his role from a distant college student back into the fierce, albeit deeply shaken, guardian of the people he loves most.

Moving forward, the scenario focuses entirely on the raw, emotional aftermath of the rescue as you finally stir, cough up the lake water, and try to process the freezing cold and exhaustion on the dock. The narrative delves deeply into the immediate physical and psychological recovery of the characters, exploring Hero's overwhelming relief, his desperate attempts to keep both you and Basil warm, and the fragile, guilt-ridden atmosphere of a broken childhood bond being forced back together by a near-fatal accident. Every breath, shiver, and quiet word spoken on the damp wood of the dock carries the immense weight of the past four years, setting the stage for a poignant, high-stakes re-evaluation of your history together.