Chapter 6: Fear

(…Oh, it’s over.)

(…The ending wasn’t all that interesting…)

(…I guess I’ll find something else to watch now…)

… …

(I don’t want to do anything…)

(But… I don’t have the courage to disappear…)

(Even then… I still don’t want to live…)

(So here I sit…just watching anime…)

I shouldn’t think about it too hard, whatever works–

ring, ring

(Who could be messaging me at this time…?)

…An?

… …

(…I wonder if Ena messaged me again…)

(After everything, I logged out of Nightcord, so I wouldn’t know…)

[…Mizuki.]

MEIKO…?

[I’ve finally gotten ahold of you.]

…I thought you weren’t going to meddle anymore?

[… …]

[You’re really not going to come back to the Sekai?]

[Everyone’s waiting to see you.]

…I know that.

But, still… …

… …

I…can’t bring myself to…

[Mizuki…]

…So none of us could find her, huh?

I went to all the places she might be, but no good… It’s possible we went at a bad time or we missed her, though.

I wonder if she’s even left her house at all?

That’s…

…Still, all we can do is keep looking.

Right now, that’s the only thing we can do.

… …

If only we could connect to her smartphone…

… …

…! MEIKO…!

Where were you?

I was visiting Mizuki.

Eh…?!

B-but… I thought her smartphone was completely black…

I just happened to check on her when she had her smartphone open.

So I was able to talk to her a little.

Is that so…?

Thank you, Meiko…!

So? Where is she?

…It seems like she’s been shut up in her room this entire time.

At least, that seems to have been the case for the last few days.

So…I was right…

But… Then…what should we do…?

… …

…I’m not sure if she’ll go, but it looks like she has some remedial classes to attend.

Huh…?

When I was looking for her, I ran into Aoyagi-kun. So I talked to him for a bit.

Since she’s been absent for a while, he was saying that she’d need to take some classes to make up for the work she’s missed.

That reminds me… She mentioned before that she might not be able to advance to the next grade if she doesn’t attend enough days.

…Since she’s still checking her smartphone, at least Shiraishi-san can get in touch with her…

I’m getting the feeling that she doesn’t want to worry everyone.

So…

If she doesn’t want to cause everyone trouble, she’ll attend her remedial lessons…? Is that what you think?

Well, I’m not certain.

(It’s true that Shiraishi-san is still talking to her, so it’s not impossible, but…)

(…Right now Mizuki is…)

(No…if there’s a chance, I have to take it…!)

Thanks, Mafuyu. I’ll go talk to the teacher for the remedial classes.

And, MEIKO?

Sorry, but can you keep an eye on Mizuki when you can?

Of course.

Thank you.

Yeah, everything’s fine on my end.

It looks like she isn’t here yet… Well, it seems like she’ll come in the afternoon, so she’ll probably show up at the last minute…

[Got it, then I’ll wait a bit closer to the school gate.]

I’m counting on you.

Sorry that you had to skip class for this, Mafuyu.

[It’s fine. This is more important, anyway.]

…I see. Thank you…

Alright, if anything happens, I’ll call you.

(…Today is the day for make-up classes…)

(After looking for her in so many places, I couldn’t find her at all.)

(But…I might see her today.)

(The teacher said that the classes would be after school, so if Mizuki is coming, she should show up soon…)

I want…to talk to her.

(Maybe I should go wait by the entrance instead of by the classroom…)

(I’m not sure what to do, but I don’t want to go there and pass by her, so I guess I should just stay here…)

(I wonder if she’ll show up…)

(But this is the only chance I have left. I have to put it all on this…)

(…I have to risk it…right…?)

(But is this really the right thing to do…?)

(To just stay like this…?)

… … … …Ah…?

[Sorry, you two, but I need a favor…!]