Kaito's focus shifted to the cat.
For a moment—
he froze, as if something inside him had been stirred.
Then he slowly bent down, his hand moving gently over the cat's head.
A calm smile formed on his face.
Soft.
Unforced.
Nagato first looked at the cat.
Then his gaze shifted—
to Kaito.
The smile on his face…
It was rare.
Filled with something deeper.
Nagato smiled faintly and said, his voice gentle—
"It reminds you of Dora… right?"
Kaito didn't reply.
He kept petting the cat, his hand moving slowly, almost absentmindedly.
Then—
his voice came out, low and quiet.
"She was my best friend… after all."
Nagato's expression softened.
"I know you," he said, in the same calm tone. "But you should stop blaming yourself."
A faint smile appeared on Kaito's face.
"I want to believe it was an accident… that it was her fate.. which was written long ago. but..".
He paused.
As Kaito's hand moved gently over its head, the cat suddenly shifted.
It slipped out from under his touch and began walking away, heading back toward the tree.
Kaito's hand stopped mid-air.
His eyes followed it.
The cat reached a few steps ahead, then paused.
It turned back.
Looked straight at him.
"Meow."
For a second—
Kaito didn't move.
Something about it felt… intentional.
Then he slowly stood up.
Without saying anything—
he followed.
The cat slipped behind the trees, and Kaito and Nagato followed.
When they stepped closer and looked down, Kaito's eyes shifted to the ground beneath the shade.
There, inside a worn cardboard box, several tiny kittens moved around each other, weak but playful. The mother cat sat beside them, still and quiet, her eyes fixed on Kaito.
It didn't take long for him to understand.
They were hungry.
Nagato's attention immediately went to the kittens. A faint smile appeared on his face.
"They're so cute…"
Kaito crouched down, studying them more carefully. His gaze moved from the kittens to the mother cat, then back again.
"They haven't eaten properly," he said in a calm voice. "The mother probably can't find enough food around here."
Nagato glanced at him.
"You know any pet shop nearby?" Kaito asked.
Nagato gave a small nod. "Yeah. I know one."
Kaito straightened up and gave the cat one last look. The mother remained beside the box, watching silently as if she understood exactly what they were about to do.
Without wasting any more time, the two of them headed down the road.
A little while later, they were standing in front of a nearby pet shop.
Kaito pushed the door open.
A soft chime rang above him.
Inside, the space was filled with shelves of cat food, stacked neatly in rows. Toys hung from the sides—colorful, dangling, swaying slightly as the door closed behind them. In one corner, a small cat-house setup spread across the floor, with a few cats moving around lazily, some playing, some simply watching.
The air carried a faint mix of pet food and warmth.
Kaito's gaze moved across the shop—quick, observant.
Then it stopped.
Near the counter—
A girl stood facing the cashier, speaking quietly.
His eyes narrowed slightly, focus settling on her.
Kaito walked forward slowly, stopping a short distance behind her.
"Hello… Ayame."
Ayame turned at the sound of his voice.
For a split second, surprise crossed her face—then it softened, her expression lighting up.
"What a surprise… seeing you here."
Kaito gave a small nod.
"…Yeah. What a coincidence."
Ayame smiled, her eyes bright, a natural warmth in her voice.
"Did you come here to buy cat food for your cat?"
Kaito hesitated slightly.
Just for a moment.
Before he could answer—
Nagato spoke from behind, casual as ever.
"Actually, he's here for recommendations. I want to know which cat food is better in quality for my cat ."
Ayame's gaze shifted to Nagato, studying him briefly.
"I see…"
A small pause.
"Is he your friend?"
Kaito nodded.
"Yeah."
The shopkeeper suddenly cut through their conversation, his voice calm—but firm enough to pull attention. "As I was saying… you need to pick one envelope from this box."
Ayame's focus shifted back to the counter. For a moment, she didn't move.
The envelopes were arranged neatly in front of her—clean, identical, nothing standing out. But the more she looked at them, the heavier the choice felt.
Her fingers moved forward, hovering just above the surface. "This one…" She almost picked it—then stopped.
"No… i should this one…" Her hand shifted slightly. Another pause.
Her fingers moved again, slower now. "This one… for sure."
But she didn't pick it up.
Her hand stayed there, hovering.
Then she closed her eyes.
For a second—
nothing moved.
Then a slow breath slipped out, her fingers still hovering, slightly tense, as if the choice wasn't as simple as it looked and finally she grabbed one wnd pulled the envelope out.
She pulled the envelope closer.
Carefully, she opened it and slid out the paper inside.
The moment her eyes landed on it—
she froze.
Her expression changed instantly.
Surprise.
Real, unfiltered.
She pulled the paper out completely, holding it in both hands as if she couldn't quite believe what she was seeing.
Slowly, she turned it toward the shopkeeper, her voice soft—slightly trembling.
"…Is this… really tickets to the new amusement park… Everland?"
The shopkeeper broke into a wide smile and clapped his hands.
"Congratulations! You've won two tickets to Everland!"
For a moment, Ayame just stood there.
Still staring.
Then she pulled the tickets closer to herself again, her eyes scanning them once more, as if confirming they were real.
And then—
her face lit up.
Completely.
"Yeeepiii—I won! I actually won!"
With sudden excitement, Ayame turned around, holding the tickets carefully in both hands. She stepped closer to Kaito and lifted them slightly toward him, her eyes shining brightly. "I actually won… I actually won." Her voice carried pure happiness, almost overflowing.
For a moment, she just looked at him while showing the tickets—then without thinking, the words slipped out, soft but clear, "I actually wanted to go there with you…"
The moment the sentence ended, everything froze.
Kaito's expression stiffened slightly. Nagato blinked once, caught off guard. Ayame's smile disappeared instantly as realization hit her. Her eyes widened, and a deep blush spread across her face. Her hands trembled slightly, the tickets lowering as her fingers fidgeted awkwardly.
She quickly turned her face away, unable to look at him. "…Sorry…" she said in a soft, uneven voice, trying to regain control. "…that came out wrong…"
Kaito scratched the back of his head, his eyes shifting away for a moment.
An awkward smile formed on his face, gentle but unsure. "…It's okay," he said calmly. A short pause followed before he added, "Sometimes that happens… you should go there with your family." His tone stayed soft, but the distance in his words was noticeable.
He walked past her slowly, trying to act normal, his attention shifting toward the shelves as if he was looking for cat food. Nagato remained where he was, silent, observing everything without interrupting.
The space between them grew quiet.
Ayame stood still, her back still turned, her grip tightening slightly on the tickets. Her shoulders tensed, then relaxed, then tensed again. A small breath escaped her.
"Wait…"
Her voice was soft, but it stopped Kaito immediately.
He paused mid-step.
"I… actually…" Her hands moved nervously, fingers tightening and loosening around the tickets. Her voice trembled slightly, but this time she did not take the words back. "I actually want to go there with you."
Silence.
Kaito slowly turned back toward her. His hand moved to his head again, rubbing it awkwardly as he tried to process what he just heard. His smile returned, uncertain and slightly stiff. "O-oh… I see…" He hesitated for a second, then continued, his voice cracking slightly, "I can… yes… I can go there with you."
Ayame did not turn around, but she heard everything. Her shoulders eased slightly, and her grip on the tickets relaxed just a little.
"…So… are you… free… maybe… on Sunday…?" she asked, her voice soft, breaking between pauses.
This time Kaito answered immediately, without hesitation. "Yes, I am free i ... suppose."
The answer came out too quickly, too honestly.
For a brief moment, neither of them moved.
Then Ayame smiled—a small, shy smile he could not see. She quickly reached for a basket beside her, almost as if she needed something to hold, then hurried toward the door. Without turning back, she spoke while moving, her voice still carrying that soft excitement, "I'll text you the time."
The bell above the door rang lightly as she stepped out.
Kaito did not reply. He simply stood there, looking toward the entrance, watching the space she had just left. His expression remained slightly awkward, still processing what had just happened.
Behind him, Nagato watched quietly, a faint smile forming on his face.
Nagato stepped closer, giving Kaito a weird side glance, a sly grin slowly spreading across his face.
"Man… you're such a player. First Emika, now her?"
He leaned in closer, lowering his voice near Kaito's ear.
"What's next… starting a harem show or something?"
Kaito's face looked awkward.
"Can you please stop your mouth! And when did I even say I liked Emika? And besides, I'm going with ayame just because she wants me to go as a friend!"
Nagato looked at him, then said teasingly,
"I never mentioned that you like emika."
A faint smile appeared on his face as he leaned slightly closer.
"…So you actually do like her."
He grinned.
"It's okay. It's understandable—you can like two girls at the same time."
Kaito snapped, his voice rising as he glared sharply at Nagato.
"I never liked Emika! And besides, I don't even know her properly!"
Still annoyed, he grabbed a packet from the shelf and walked toward the counter.
Nagato just stood there, watching Kaito's movements with a quiet, amused expression.
Kaito placed the packet down casually without even checking it.
"Can you please bill this cat food for me?"
The cashier looked at him.
Then at the packet.
Then back at him again—awkwardly.
From behind, Nagato's voice came, barely holding back laughter.
"Bruh…"
A short pause.
"That's cat litter you're holding."
After a while ..
Kaito and Nagato walked side by side along the road, their pace relaxed. A packet of cat food rested in Kaito's hand, swinging lightly with each step.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Then Nagato broke the silence, his tone casual.
"I never thought they'd sell cats like that in a shop."
Kaito made a slight, awkward face.
"…Isn't that illegal?"
Nagato shrugged.
"They looked fine to me. Honestly, they seemed happy." A brief pause. "That's what matters, right?"
Kaito nodded faintly.
"…Yeah."
He glanced down at the packet, then added,
"But what surprised me wasn't the cats."
Nagato glanced at him.
"It was that whole system they had."
Kaito continued,
"You buy a cat… and some food… and then they let you pick an envelope from a box." "Inside there are different rewards—discount tickets, cash prizes, gift coupons…"
Nagato raised an eyebrow.
"…Aren't you a business studies student?"
Kaito looked at him.
"Yeah. Why?"
Nagato let out a short breath, his tone turning slightly blunt.
"Then why are you surprised?" "That's a classic customer retention trick."
He continued,
"They're not just selling cats." "They're selling excitement." "They're making people feel like they might win something."
A small smirk appeared on his face.
"It's not about the reward." "It's about the chance."
Kaito was quiet for a moment.
Then he gave a small shrug.
"…Yeah. I guess when you put it like that, it makes sense."
Nagato nodded.
"People love randomness. It keeps them hooked."
The conversation faded again as they kept walking.
Around ten o'clock, Kaito stood on his balcony, his gaze fixed on the sky. The wind moved past him, brushing lightly against his shirt, shifting his hair just enough to be felt.
"…Did I actually make the right choice… not joining them?"
His voice was low, almost lost in the air.
A faint smile formed on his face.
"I guess living a normal life was the right choice i made."
Another thought slipped into his mind.
"…What if the power that came to me… is the only way to defeat that Phantom group?"
His phone buzzed.
A sharp vibration in the quiet.
He reached into his pocket and pulled it out, his eyes dropping to the screen.
A message.
"Sunday, 10 o'clock. Everland Park. Main gate."
Kaito stared at it for a second.
Then a faint smile returned.
"Well… it's going to be a good day."
He slid the phone back into his pocket.
Around 10 a.m., the cafeteria at Steam University felt quieter than usual that morning. A few students sat scattered around, the low hum of voices blending with the faint clatter of plates.
Emika sat alone at the corner table, absentmindedly picking at her meal while scrolling through her phone. Her eyes looked slightly tired, her movements slower than usual.
She let out a small breath.
"…One more hour till the next class. That sucks."
Her voice was low, almost lost in the noise. She exhaled again, leaning back slightly in her chair.
Then—
A chair scraped softly.
Someone sat beside her.
Emika didn't react .
A girl had taken the seat next to her, leaning in slightly with a bright, almost overflowing energy. Her eyes sparkled with excitement, a warm, friendly smile already forming on her face.
"Hi there! I'm Hana."
Emika glanced at her for a brief second.
No curiosity.
No interest.
Then her gaze dropped back to her phone.
"Hello."
Flat. Simple.
Hana didn't lose her smile—if anything, it widened a little.
"I'm your classmate," she said, leaning in just a bit, her tone light and friendly. " we are in same course—History 102. We've probably been sitting in the same room this whole time."
Emika didn't look up. She kept scrolling, took another bite of her shawarma, completely unbothered.
"Oh."
Hana tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling gently.
"Um… about yesterday…"
She glanced at Emika for a second.
"The way you handled Masato… it was really cool. everyone in the university hates him because his attitude and personality".
Emika didn't look up. She kept scrolling through her phone, her voice flat.
"So… you want me to do the same thing to someone else?"
A small pause.
"Is that why you came here?"
"No—no, no!"
She waved her hands lightly, smiling awkwardly.
"Actually… I just needed some notes from last class."
Emika's thumb stopped mid-scroll.
She slowly lifted her gaze toward Hana.
Her eyes sharpened.
"You said what i did with masato was a great lesson for him."
A small pause.
"That means you were there."
Her voice stayed calm—but firm.
"And if you were there… then you were in class."
Her gaze didn't leave Hana now.
"So you already have the notes."
A slight tilt of her head.
"Don't you?"
Hana froze.
For a moment, her mind went completely blank, her smile faltering just slightly.
"…I—"
Before she could respond—
Emika suddenly coughed.
A sharp, dry cough.
Then another.
Her hand came up to her mouth, brows tightening.
"Water—" she managed between coughs, glancing around.
Nothing on the table.
Hana reacted instantly.
"I'll get it—!"
She stood up quickly, almost knocking her chair back, and hurried toward the cafeteria counter. After a brief exchange, she bought a sealed water bottle and turned back.
Emika was still coughing, slightly bent forward now, her breathing uneven.
Hana slowed.
Just for a second.
Her eyes flicked around the cafeteria.
Alert.
Watching.
No one was paying attention.
Then—
She unzipped her bag.
Quick.
Controlled.
She pulled out a small paper-wrapped packet, keeping it low, hidden by her body. With her other hand, she twisted the bottle cap open—
A soft click.
She poured the fine powder in.
Closed the cap immediately.
Tight.
Then shook the bottle once.
Twice.
The liquid settled. Clear.
No trace.
She slipped the packet back into her bag and zipped it up in one smooth motion.
Another glance.
Still safe.
Her expression softened again.
Normal.
She walked the remaining distance.
"Here—"
She held the bottle out.
Emika, still coughing, took it without looking.
Emika grabbed the bottle, still coughing, and quickly twisted the cap open. She took a few hurried sips, her hand slightly unsteady.
A few seconds passed.
Her coughing slowed.
Then stopped.
She stayed still for a moment, catching her breath, her chest rising and falling as she steadied herself. Finally, she let out a long, quiet exhale.
"…Haa…"
The tension in her shoulders eased.
Her gaze lifted toward Hana again—this time softer, less guarded than before.
"Thank you."
For a brief second, it felt like she had forgotten she was just about to confront her.
A small pause lingered.
Then Emika spoke again, more casually now.
"So… you were asking for notes, right?"
She reached into her bag and pulled out a notebook, flipping it open with one hand. The pages were neatly written, filled with structured notes.
"I can't give you the whole thing," she said, glancing at Hana. "But you can take pictures."
She placed it on the table.
Hana quickly took out her phone and leaned in, snapping a few photos of the pages.
Click.
Click.
Click.
After a moment, she straightened up.
"You're waiting for the history class, right?"
Emika gave a small nod.
"Yeah."
Hana's eyes brightened slightly.
"We still have about an hour before our class starts," she said, her tone light again. "do you want to go for a walk?"
Emika didn't hesitate much this time. She closed her notebook, slipping it back into her bag.
"…Okay," she said simply. "I was thinking about going out anyway."
She stood up.
And just like that—
The two of them walked out together.
Around 4 o'clock, the university hallway felt unusually quiet, with only a few students passing by, their footsteps echoing faintly in the near-empty space. Kaito walked through without slowing, paused at the gate as his ID registered on the scanner, the door unlocking with a soft click before sliding open.
He stepped through and out onto the road.
"…Hope I get my salary on time this month," he murmured under his breath. A small pause followed. "I have to pay my rent…"
He kept walking, hands in his pockets, his thoughts drifting—until his phone buzzed.
The vibration cut through the silence.
Kaito stopped, pulling it out as his eyes dropped to the screen. An unknown number. No name. No context.
He opened the message.
For a moment, nothing registered.
Then—
his gaze locked.
The image sharpened.
Emika.
Her body was tied tightly to a chair, thick rope digging into her wrists and ankles, holding her in place. Her head hung slightly to one side, strands of hair falling over her face, partially hiding her expression. A cloth was forced across her mouth, tied harshly at the back, her breathing barely visible through the stillness.
She didn't move.
No reaction.
She was unconscious.
Below the image, a location was sent.
House No. 17, Old Garage — East Block.