Chapter 21

An Encounter Before Returning Home' (Japanese: 帰宅前の遭遇 Kitaku mae no sōgū) is the 21st chapter of the To Your Eternity manga.

Summary
Fushi finds Gugu's mask in a river. The Beholder appears across from Fushi and Fushi throws a bun at him, but he teleports behind Fushi. The Beholder warns Fushi to be careful of enemies.

Meanwhile Gugu and Rean make their way back to the market. Rean is spotted by a man hired by her family to find her and he attempts to take her back home. Rean struggles to break free but is pulled free by Gugu. The two of them run away.

Once they've escaped, Gugu realizes Rean had run away from home and questions her about it. She tells him the mask she had given him wasn't actually a present but a mask for her to hide from her family. Gugu gives her back the mask and thanks her for lending it to him. Rean promises not to look at his face and he thanks her. The two sit silently next to each other. Fushi finds the two of them and excitedly announces he's found Gugu's mask. Gugu suggests heading back to Booze Man's place. Rean asks him if he is sure. Gugu explains that he still hasn't forgiven Booze Man but he no longer cares about his own circumstances anymore. The three of them head back. On the way they come across Rean's maid who was out looking for Rean. The maid spots the three of them and scolds Rean for running away. Rean, under her mask, tries to pretend her maid has the wrong person but her maid isn't falling for it. Gugu grabs Rean's hand and runs away with her into the forest. Fushi and the maid follow suit. Gugu tells Fushi to distract the maid and Fushi transforms into March. Fushi, as March, pretends to be hurt and the maid decides to take Fushi back to town to get help. Meanwhile, Gugu and Rean make it back to Booze Man's shop. They wonder if Fushi will come back soon.

As the maid is carrying Fushi through the forest, a Nokker vine hooks around his neck and takes him up into the trees. The maid screams for help alerting Gugu and Rean that something is wrong. Gugu tells Rean to go back to Booze Man's place while he goes and find Fushi.

Gugu runs through the forest and steps into a puddle of blood. He finds Fushi, still as March, unconscious and face down on the ground next to the puddle. As Gugu tries to wake Fushi up, a Nokker vine looms in the background.

Chapter Notes

 * Rean is spotted by someone her family hired in town.
 * We learn that Rean had actually ran away from home and the mask she gave Gugu was actually for her to hide with.