04. The Boy Who Finds the Most in the Forest | Hayato

─The Little Explorer─

A small silhouette moves slowly through the depths of the forest.
──It is "Hayato".

Though his height and stride are still those of a child, his footwork is strangely mature.
His way of walking, as if reading the thickness of the fallen leaves, the bend of the branches, and even the moisture carried by the wind, possessed a dignity usually found only in those who have spent a long time with the forest.

"…Found a branch with a good shape."

Spotting a twig on the ground, Hayato crouches down.
He picks up the twig to check its thickness and dryness. He gives it a light shake to make sure there are no leaves or small insects attached.

His movements are like those of a master craftsman meticulous about choosing his tools.

"If I start collecting them little by little now, I can use them right away when it gets cold."
His voice is quiet, yet somehow proud.

This kind of knowledge wasn't taught to him by anyone; it was something that naturally accumulated within him as he observed life in the forest.

Hayato gathers the branches in his arms and stands up, as if checking the forest's condition with his ears.

"The forest is calm today, too."

Sunlight filters through the trees at an angle, gently resting on Hayato's shoulders. The forest has no words, but to him, it was a partner he could fully "converse" with.

The little explorer holds his bundle of collected branches firmly and heads back the way he came.

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