The vacation ended, and school life returned as if nothing had happened.
Yui bounced beside Yami, eager to unload what had been bottled up all break.
"Yami, don't you think the world's gotten… weird? There's news about monsters, and so many accidents all on the same day. It's seriously scary…"
She hugged her arms and shivered, goosebumps rising just from the thought.
"Who knows," Yami replied casually.
But inside, he sighed: You're way too accurate for your own good.
Ahead of them, Yukinoshita held a book in one hand, but her eyes kept flicking back toward Yami.
Her sister, Haruno, had called again that morning—asking about her, asking about Yami. She'd claimed their mother wanted to know if Yukino was "getting along" with him.
Yet, Yami had already said he didn't come from any special background. Yukino couldn't understand her mother's intentions, nor did she plan to dance to her tune.
Even if she was friendless, she believed that friendship should never be tangled up with such dirty politics.
While Yami and Yui chatted, a sharp thud landed on their desk.
"…Yumiko?"
Yui shrank back as Miura Yumiko loomed over them, glaring for no apparent reason.
"Tsukishiro-san," Yumiko said, her tone stiff but tinged with something else. "There are two people waiting for you at the door."
She didn't wait for a reply, turning on her heel and walking off.
Yami raised his eyes toward the doorway—and froze.
Standing there, like twin rays of brilliance that lit up the corridor, were Utaha Kasumigaoka and Eriri Spencer Sawamura.
"…Yui, I'll be right back."
"O-Oh…" Yui nodded quickly, though her gaze stuck on the two girls. She had never seen them in Class A. Never seen them approach Yami, either.
And both were undeniably beautiful. Doubt and unease swirled in her chest.
Yami walked up, ready to greet them, but before he could open his mouth—
"Tsu—no, Yami-kun! Do you still remember us?"
Utaha and Eriri spoke at once, almost tripping over each other. Their eyes brimmed with a nervous urgency, as if terrified he'd forgotten them.
Even if they had rewards, even if they had memories of the other world, part of them still feared it had all been a dream.
Yami caught the quiver in their voices and let out a small, knowing smile.
"Of course. I remember everything… from the virtual world."
Relief washed over both girls at once. Their shoulders softened, breath finally steadying.
"…Good. That's all we needed."
"Let's head to the rooftop. We should talk there."
The rooftop breeze carried away the classroom noise, leaving only the three of them.
Yami leaned against the fence, calmly explaining what he'd pieced together about the virtual world.
Utaha's eyes widened. "So… all those sudden deaths in the news—they're connected to it?"
A chill crept down her spine. The thought hit her harder than she expected. If I hadn't survived back then… I'd just be another name in the obituary. Another topic of gossip between classmates.
Next to her, Eriri's expression twisted. She muttered under her breath, "Then… my father too?"
Yami blinked. "…Your dad?"
Eriri scratched at her hair with an awkward laugh that didn't reach her eyes. "Yeah. He suddenly died in a car accident after I came back. I—I can't help but think it was tied to the virtual world."
Yami's lips tightened. "…Sorry."
For once, Utaha's usual edge softened. She had always treated Eriri as a rival, but hearing that made her chest ache. Just a little.
But Eriri forced a small, bitter smile. "Don't look at me like that. My mom and I… we're honestly not that sad." ( PS: Damn... )
Both Yami and Utaha stared at her, silently thinking the same thing: That's… pretty heartless, isn't it?
Eriri waved her hands in a panic. "No, no, you've got it wrong!"
Taking a deep breath, she blurted everything out in one go:
"The truth is, my so-called father wasn't actually my father. My mother isn't really my mother either—she's actually my aunt. My real parents had to fake a marriage because of messy family reasons."
Her words came tumbling out so fast they tangled into one confusing knot.
Utaha's brow furrowed. "…What?"
Her family tree sounded like a soap opera.
Yami was just as stunned. So her mom faked a marriage…? Guess even that's possible here.
In the original world, Eriri's father was supposed to be a British diplomat. But here, with no countries—only the World Alliance—that identity couldn't exist. Another reminder that this world was different, warped.
"Ugh, forget it!" Eriri shook her head in frustration, cheeks red. "Don't worry about me anymore."
But then her eyes flicked nervously toward Yami. She hesitated, then spoke in a rush.
"…By the way, Yami-kun. Aki Tomoya also… died suddenly."
Her voice wasn't tinged with sorrow, but with urgency—like she wanted to make her stance clear.
"I think… what you did back then was right!"
Yami froze. "…Tomoya too?"
Utaha's lips parted in surprise. That name—Aki Tomoya, was one she knew all too well.
Eriri's childhood friend. The guy who never stopped hovering around her. Always babbling about starting a game club, always pestering her with otaku nonsense.
An unashamed, hopeless otaku.
And now… gone.
No wonder he'd been so conspicuously absent.
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