After spending a good amount of time shopping, Takeru looked up at the mall's enormous atrium.
Four floors.
Stores everywhere.
People coming and going.
Takeru adjusted his sunglasses.
"I want manga."
Nobara looked toward him.
"There's probably a manga store somewhere upstairs."
Takeru pointed toward the top floor.
"Fourth floor it is."
Yuji sighed.
"Don't do anything stupid."
Takeru grinned.
"I won't!"
He headed toward the escalator.
A few minutes later, Takeru reached the fourth floor.
He looked around.
"Manga…"
He walked along the railing, scanning the storefronts.
"Where is it…"
He spotted a sign farther down.
MANGA & BOOKS
Takeru's eyes lit up.
"There!"
He started walking faster.
Then his foot caught something.
"Whoa!"
Takeru stumbled.
He reached for the railing.
His hand missed.
His sunglasses flew off.
"…Oh, crap."
Takeru slipped over the railing.
WHOOSH!
He fell.
"TAKERU!"
Yuji's voice echoed from below.
Takeru dropped past the fourth floor.
Then the third.
Then the second.
Then the first.
CRASH!
He hit the floor at the bottom of the atrium.
The entire mall went silent.
His body lay motionless.
His sunglasses were several feet away.
Yuji and Nobara rushed toward him.
"TAKERU!"
Nobara dropped beside him.
"Takeru! Hey!"
No response.
Yuji knelt beside him.
"He's unconscious."
Nobara looked at the enormous distance above them.
"He just fell four stories…"
Yuji stared at Takeru.
"…He's going to be okay, right?"
Takeru didn't move.
His eyes remained closed.
The mall's emergency alarms began sounding.
People gathered around the atrium.
Someone called for medical assistance.
Nobara carefully picked up Takeru's sunglasses.
She looked at them.
Then at him.
"…You idiot."
Yuji clenched his fists.
"Come on, Takeru."
He leaned closer.
"Wake up."
But Takeru remained unconscious.
For the first time that day…
the Black Gojo Card didn't matter.
The shopping didn't matter.
The manga didn't matter.
All that mattered was whether Takeru would open his eyes again.