Kaiya's face drained of all color. Riko's words hit him like a physical blow, echoing painfully in his ears.
"Did she see you?" he asked, voice barely above a whisper.
"No… she just left," Riko replied softly.
2:00 AM — 7 days after the disappearance
Mizukuri General Hospital
A few tense minutes later, the group prepared to leave Ren to rest. As they headed for the door, Ren's voice stopped Kaiya.
"Kaiya… wait."
Ren motioned him closer and whispered something into his ear.
Kaiya's eyes widened in shock. He pulled back slowly, staring at Ren with a mixture of disbelief and dawning horror.
---
**Morning — 12:00 PM**
**Outside Mizukuri General Hospital**
The gang waited in a parked car near the hospital entrance. Riko sat comfortably on Yui's lap in the back seat. In the front, Mio and Kaiya had dozed off, exhaustion finally catching up with them.
"Hey," Nakayama called, knocking lightly on the driver's side window.
He held up several paper bags. "Brought something to eat."
Kaiya stirred awake, followed by the others.
"I can smell hamburgers," Mio mumbled, rubbing her sleepy eyes.
"Here — catch." Nakayama tossed the food bags into the car with a tired grin.
As he handed a bag to Mio, he asked, "Where's Matthew?"
Kaiya scanned the surroundings. No sign of him.
"What time is it?" Kaiya asked.
"Twelve noon," Nakayama replied.
"We should check on Ren," Kaiya said, already reaching for the door.
Kaiya and Yui headed back inside the hospital. They found the elevator and stepped in.
While the doors slid shut, Yui broke the silence.
"Why do you think Matthew never said anything about the copies?"
Kaiya leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "I don't know… but I have a bad feeling he's hiding a lot more than we realize."
The elevator dinged at their floor.
They walked down the corridor and pushed open the door to Ren's room — only to find it empty. The bed was neatly made, as if no one had been there.
"Nurse!" Yui called out, flagging down a passing staff member. "Where's the boy who was in this room?"
"He was discharged this morning," the nurse replied. "Didn't your uncle tell you?"
"Uncle?" Kaiya echoed, confusion turning to alarm.
"Yes — the man who was with you all yesterday. He handled the paperwork."
"Matthew…" Kaiya and Yui said in unison, their voices laced with dread.
They bolted out of the hospital, racing back to the car.
"Start the engine!" Kaiya shouted as he yanked the door open. "We have to go — now!"
"I'm still eating," Nakayama protested, mouth half-full.
"It's Ren," Kaiya said urgently. "He's been taken by Matthew."
---
**Somewhere in Mizukuri**
Matthew gripped the steering wheel, driving steadily through the quiet streets. In the back seat, Ren slowly regained consciousness. His wrists were tightly bound, and a gag muffled his desperate attempts to scream.
His eyes darted around wildly as the full horror of the situation sank in.
Chapter ends.