About twenty minutes later, Hayato finally made it to his destination.
"Chiba Sobu High School," read the bold letters above the school gate.
The sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. Groups of students trickled out in twos and threes. High school girls in black pleated skirts radiated that particular energy only teenagers had. Their laughter carried on the wind, bright and carefree. A gentle breeze carried cherry blossom petals that danced through the fading light, some landing on Hayato's shoulders before drifting away.
April. Peak cherry blossom season.
Standing there in casual clothes while everyone else wore uniforms, Hayato stuck out like crazy. A few passing students glanced his way, curiosity flickering in their eyes before they moved on. He decided to wait outside the gates instead of going in, leaning against the wall where he'd be less conspicuous.
He'd sent a message a minute ago. One of the teachers should be coming out soon.
"Should I drop by the Service Club while I'm here?"
The thought crossed his mind before he immediately dismissed it.
Looking around was fine, but there was no need to rush. Better to let things happen naturally. He'd meet them when he met them.
Tap tap tap.
The sound of hurried footsteps in heels approached, quick and uneven against the pavement.
Hayato turned toward the noise and saw a female teacher with chestnut shoulder-length hair rushing toward him. She wore a black professional suit that emphasized her mature figure, and her pretty face carried gentle eyes that radiated warmth. Her hair bounced slightly with each step, a few strands coming loose from where they'd been tucked behind her ear.
"I'm so sorry to keep you waiting, Hayato-kun..."
The teacher was slightly out of breath, her chest rising and falling as she tried to compose herself. A faint flush colored her cheeks from the exertion, clearly having run here.
"It's fine, sensei. You didn't need to rush like that. Walking would've been perfectly okay."
This definitely wasn't Hiratsuka Shizuka. Hiratsuka would never be this gentle, and she'd be wearing her signature white lab coat.
"That wouldn't do. I couldn't make you wait longer than necessary."
She took a few breaths to steady herself.
"I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Tachibana Hina. I'm a new teacher at Sobu High, responsible for English instruction. Though you're not in one of my classes, Hayato-kun."
"Then why is sensei...?"
Hayato gestured between them, curious.
"Since I was the one who contacted you, it's natural that I should see this through to the end. Besides, Hiratsuka-senpai had something come up, so I'm here in her place. What, you don't want my help?"
A teasing note entered her voice, though her smile remained gentle.
"Having Tachibana-sensei's help is more than I could ask for."
If he remembered correctly, this teacher was also a heroine from the anime "Domestic Girlfriend." The one with a sister who threw herself at the main character right from the start.
Tachibana Hina's expression turned serious.
"Hayato-kun, I'm going to ask you one last time. You really have amnesia?"
"Yes."
"Alright then. I'll show you around the school first, then help you review your classmates' information." She started walking, gesturing for him to follow. "I asked around about you. You're apparently pretty quiet in class, keep to yourself, and don't have any particularly close friends. So just maintain that silent approach, and you should be fine."
This was clearly an arrangement made based on Hayato's desire to keep his amnesia from becoming widely known.
Tachibana Hina led the way while Hayato followed half a step behind, taking in his surroundings with fresh eyes.
"This is the main academic building."
"The club activity building is over there."
"And that's the sports field."
She gave simple explanations for each location. Finally, they arrived at the faculty office, where she pulled out a stack of student profile sheets.
"Try to memorize the photos and names together if you can. If you can't remember everything, at least try to get a general impression."
"Got it, sensei."
Hayato flipped through the pages quickly, scanning faces and names. Most blurred together in his mind. Generic smiles. Ordinary features. Nothing memorable.
But when Hayato reached a particular profile, his hand stopped.
His gaze was fixed on the ID photo.
Tachibana Hina noticed immediately and smiled, a knowing look in her eyes.
"She's beautiful, isn't she?"
"Yeah."
The word came out before he could think about it.
"Oh my! You actually admitted it straight up. I thought you'd be too embarrassed and deny it!"
"She is beautiful, though."
Yukinoshita Yukino. A name that matched its owner perfectly. A girl as beautiful and cold as snow.
Even in just a one-inch ID photo, he could feel the aura of an ice queen from an untouchable peak. That particular combination of beauty and aloofness made her seem like she existed on a different place from everyone else. Her dark hair framed a face that could've been carved from porcelain, and even through a static image, her eyes held a distant quality that suggested walls built high and thick.
"I should warn you, Hayato-kun. Yukinoshita-san's personality is rather... cold."
She didn't spell it out, but Hayato understood what Tachibana was implying.
"High school students should be focused on academics first. Getting into a good university is what matters."
"Sensei definitely didn't date anyone in high school, did she?"
"Eh?!"
Tachibana froze. That reaction told him everything. She absolutely hadn't.
Hayato suspected this world's timeline had diverged from the original story, just like with Hoshino Ai.
"Don't try to change the subject. Yukinoshita-san is ranked first in the entire grade. If you're interested in her, you'd need to at least show some academic achievement first." Tachibana's tone turned slightly lecturing but remained kind. "I understand that boys your age develop crushes and feelings for girls. That's completely natural. But studying comes first. That's the foundation, the main priority. You understand?"
"I understand. I'll study hard and improve every day."
"Good. Once you're done looking through these, I'll take you to your residence."
The school had Hayato's address on record.
But before heading there, Tachibana insisted on treating him to dinner. They ended up at a small restaurant serving unagi don. The taste was decent, with the bones properly removed and the eel grilled to perfection.
When they arrived at his apartment building, Hayato pulled out the key he'd been carrying and inserted it into the lock. The door opened smoothly.
"It's surprisingly clean, Hayato-kun."
Tachibana stepped inside to take a quick look around, curious. This was her first time visiting a male high school student's solo apartment.
The space was modest but tidy. No dirty dishes piled up, no clothes scattered everywhere. Either the previous owner had been naturally neat, or he'd cleaned before whatever incident caused his "amnesia."
"Alright then, I should head back now. But Hayato-kun, you absolutely must come to school tomorrow morning for class."
"I will, sensei."
As they stepped back outside the apartment, Hayato spoke up.
"Sensei, let me walk you to the train station."
"You don't have to..."
"I insist."
Tachibana smiled and nodded. "Alright then."
It was already nearly nine at night. Darkness had fallen completely, broken only by streetlights releasing white fluorescent glows that pushed back the shadows. The air had cooled considerably, carrying that particular chill of early spring nights. Hayato could feel it seeping through his clothes, raising goosebumps on his arms.
Occasionally, the streetlights flickered, adding an unsettling atmosphere to the quiet streets. Each flicker sent brief waves of darkness washing over them before the light stuttered back to life.
"This is far enough. The station's just ahead."
At a corner, Tachibana gestured for Hayato to turn back. Her smile was warm, grateful.
Hayato nodded, watching her figure retreat into the distance. The click of her heels faded gradually, swallowed by the night. He turned to head back to his apartment, hands in his pockets.
But then...
A familiar mechanical voice rang out in his mind, cold and emotionless.
[DING!]
[Abnormal entity detected in the nearby area.]
[Task trigger conditions satisfied.]
[Task now available.]
[Task Name: Light in the Dark Night.]
[Task Type: Reality Standard Mission.]
[Task Objective: Eliminate the possessed abnormal entity.]
[Accept?]
[Default refusal in 5 seconds if no response given.]
Reality standard missions?
So the Death Game wasn't limited to instances in separate pocket dimensions. Reality itself could serve as a game field too.
Accept or refuse?
Was that even a question?
Of course, he'd accept.
And at that exact moment, a scream pierced the night air from up ahead.
A woman's voice.