Weeks had passed since Mystic walked out of the hospital, his spleen still missing without a trace. He kept his mouth shut whenever anyone asked questions, carrying the truth alone because explaining a death loop to anyone would only earn him disbelief, laughter, or both.
Every time the thought crossed his mind, he remembered the price attached to using it too often, the possibility that the ability itself could eventually kill him.
A few minutes after leaving the hospital, Mystic stopped near his house. His eyes lingered on the building, his expression tightening as memories of his second loop pressed against the back of his mind.
This was where he had died before. He still had no answer for what happened when his VR headset fried his brain, only the memory of his nose bleeding inside the dream world before everything went wrong.
"Well, third time's the charm. So, I better not die again," he muttered, forcing a brave tone that failed to hide the unease in his voice.
Mystic stepped inside and headed straight for a drink.
He poured himself one and raised the glass to his lips, waiting for the pain that had forced him to spit it out before. Nothing happened. He swallowed, then drank again, and again, until the glass was empty. His shoulders loosened as he set it down.
The last thing he had heard about the yandere killer case was that Harold had failed to uncover any new leads. The investigation had reached a dead end, leaving the police with little to work with. Mystic knew something that could change that, but the information came with a price. He wanted protection in return.
"I could tell Joe, but it'll take a while for the information to get to Harold if I do. So, I'll just tell him myself," Mystic said, lowering himself onto the couch as he rubbed his hands together and stared ahead.
He leaned back, letting the silence settle around him. His thoughts returned to the VR headset, searching through everything he remembered from the dream world. Nothing connected. No answer came for why the headset had exploded or why his brain had been fried.
His eyes narrowed as another possibility surfaced. Maybe the police had done it after discovering that he had hacked their systems.
Mystic's fingers tightened against the couch as the thought lingered. He had no way to investigate it now. Whatever happened had already happened, and he was back in time again, trapped inside his third loop with the same unanswered questions following him.
His phone suddenly vibrated from beside him.
Mystic's head snapped toward it, and after a moment of confusion, he reached over and picked it up. The screen lit his face as he looked down, his eyes moving across the notification before he realized exactly what had become active again: his group chat.
[════════════════════════════════════════]
Luna Frost [7:25am]
"MYSTIC WHERE ARE YOU; I AM GOING TO PICK YOU UP."
...
Mark Scotch [7:26am]
"Calm down girl, it is only seven in the goddamn morning. You're going to give an old man a heart attack if you shout like that."
...
Visual Park [7:27am]
"Let her have this, she did almost loose her childhood best friend because somehow an organ left his body a week ago."
...
Luna Frost [7:27am]
"Yeah it's not every day that I see my best friend almost die from hyperventilating. Give me a break."
...
Mystic Fire [8:47am]
"I am fine, just a little shaken up with my spleen now completely gone. They tried to but a new one in me but that spleen disappeared too. And Luna, don't get too scared. I am still here with you all, I just need to take it slow because of the infection issues I might get"
...
Luna Frost [8:48am]
"See this is why he needs me. Without me he could die and I won't be there to stop him. He's MY childhood friend after all and I will anything to make him safe."
...
Mark Scotch [8:48am]
"You know you sound like an obsessive yandere the past few days. Do you know anything about that. If you do you need to speak up, we don't' want another student dead"
...
Luna Frost [8:47am]
"Don't compare me to a killer like the one that killer Hina. WE ARE NOT ALIKE AND WE NEVER WILL BE."
...
Mystic Fire [8:47am]
"
[════════════════════════════════════════]
The police station churned with movement. Phones rang from every direction, officers hurried between desks, papers shifted from one stack to another, and voices overlapped across the room. Among all of it, Harold remained fixed on the yandere killer case, staring down at the scattered files on his desk.
His fingers tightened around the edge of the paperwork before he shoved the files aside and turned toward Joe. He crossed the room without slowing, his shoes striking against the floor with each step.
His partner barely had time to look up before Harold planted one hand against the desk, the impact echoing across the nearby desks. His jaw clenched as he leaned forward, his frustration written across his face.
"Update on the case. We need more leads or the yandere might kill more innocent people. Do you know the main point of interest the yandere got for her obsession?" Harold demanded, keeping his hand pressed against the desk as his eyes locked onto Joe.
Joe flinched at the sudden impact and shifted backward, his eyes darting toward the station entrance. Someone had just arrived, holding a folded note between their fingers. The handwriting across it immediately caught Joe's attention.
He stepped away from the desk and approached the newcomer, taking the note before turning back toward Harold.
"Sir. We got a note from the student Mystic, the one we visited in the hospital weeks ago about his missing spleen." Joe said as he walked toward Harold, raising the note slightly in his hand before placing his other hand against his shoulder.
Harold immediately turned his head, his expression tightening at the interruption, but the mention of Mystic stopped him from saying anything.
His eyes dropped toward the note. His hand moved from the desk to his face, two fingers pressing against the bridge of his nose as he released a slow breath. He reached toward the note, his impatience growing as Joe continued holding it instead of immediately opening it.
"Well what does the note say, we don't have all day here and we need to hurry and solve this case already before I get fired." Harold said, rubbing the bridge of his nose before letting his hand fall to his side. His eyes remained fixed on the folded paper as he waited.
His partner lowered his gaze and carefully opened the note.
His eyes moved across the first line before stopping completely. The paper remained open between his hands while his expression changed.
Harold watched him in silence, then his fingers curled into his palm as his breathing grew heavier. Joe glanced toward him, already knowing that Harold was waiting for an answer.
His breathing became heavier with every passing second, and the impatience in his face sharpened.
He stepped closer to Joe, his eyes fixed on the note while his hand hovered near his side. Joe swallowed and looked back down at the handwriting, his fingers tightening around the paper.
"Well the note says is that Mystic was the main fixation point for the yandere."