The reason for this outing had initially been Sabrina’s need to apologize for a thoughtless act of rudeness.
But somehow, perhaps because our preferences aligned so well, I was having far more fun than I had anticipated.
Thinking about it, it wasn’t all that strange.
Today, Sabrina was dressed in a breezy sundress with her hair down, looking absolutely adorable. However, her usual boyish appearance often led people to mistake her for a handsome young man.
Her interests matched her usual demeanor: active sports like soccer and baseball. In fact, in the original storyline, she was depicted as someone who passionately followed tournaments.
I shared a similar inclination. I had no interest in dolls or taking cute pictures. Despite everything, deep down, I was still a boy at heart, chasing my own romanticized ideals.
So, when Sabrina stopped in front of a large arcade we stumbled upon, I grabbed her arm and ran straight inside without hesitation.
“Uh, Yuria, are you interested in games?”
“...!”
Interested? I love games!
I nodded enthusiastically, waving my arms in excitement. I was bursting with anticipation, eager to see what an arcade in this world looked like.
The sight did not disappoint.
The loud sounds of games, the cheers of players, and the rhythmic thudding of machines filled the air. Everywhere I looked, there were bright arcade cabinets, VR setups hanging on the walls, and people immersed in play.
The thrilling atmosphere made me unconsciously bounce on my feet.
This place... was going to be so much fun!
“Careful, Yuria. You might bump into someone if you’re not paying attention.”
“....”
Of course, Sabrina’s warning came just a moment too late. Distracted by my surroundings, I accidentally bumped into a passerby.
Fortunately, Sabrina caught me before I could fall flat on my back. Though I avoided landing on the floor, being held by Sabrina cooled my excitement quickly.
I felt embarrassed, like a child unable to contain their excitement. Lately, my body seemed to react faster than my mind. I really needed to tone it down.
“I don’t have much money, so we can’t play too many games. Yuria, is there one you want to try?”
“...!”
After thinking for a moment, I pointed at a zombie-shooting game where players teamed up to clear levels.
While competitive games sounded fun, a cooperative game felt more enjoyable, especially since we were hanging out together.
We waited our turn, and when it arrived, I grabbed the heavy mock gun and stepped confidently onto the treadmill-like platform that synced with the game.
This is my moment, I thought.
I would show Sabrina how cool I could be, proving my skills as a gamer.
Even though I’d never played this particular game, the idea of a TS heroine excelling at games was practically a trope. And as someone who’d enjoyed gaming even before reincarnation, I couldn’t let myself perform poorly.
Sabrina took her place on the adjacent platform, tapped the ground with her gun, and signaled she was ready.
And thus, the battle against waves of zombies began.
However, three minutes into the first stage, Sabrina lowered her gun and glanced at me.
“Yuria, you’re not very good at this, are you?”
“....”
I felt my ears burn with shame.
There was no excuse—I’d underestimated the recoil of the mock gun, lost my grip, and ended up getting bitten by a zombie just ten seconds into the game.
I resolved to do better. I wouldn’t die so easily next time!
Determined, I focused all my energy on the second and third stages.
But I never lasted more than thirty seconds.
In one stage, I was bitten by a zombie that snuck up behind me. In another, I fell into a trap without realizing it.
This was... harder than I expected.
Feeling dejected, I could only watch as Sabrina handled twice the number of zombies with ease, effortlessly clearing the final boss.
The sheer gap in our skill levels was overwhelming. I couldn’t help but curse my weak, non-telekinetic body for its limitations.
“That wasn’t as hard as I thought. Did I keep you waiting, Yuria?”
“....”
I was frustrated. I’d wanted to show off, but instead, I’d only witnessed Sabrina’s masterful performance.
I vowed silently to repay this humiliation someday as we left the arcade together.
From that point on, we decided to just follow our instincts, darting into any place that looked fun.
While dessert cafés were nice, we needed something more stimulating.
We wandered around Nighthaven, indulging in every dopamine hit we could find.
Before long, the gray sky, dusted with light snow, darkened into evening.
“It’s about time to part ways,” I thought.
Walking along a street glowing with neon signs, I glanced at Sabrina. Her reluctance to end the day was written all over her face.
“Can’t we hang out until dinner?” she asked, her voice tinged with hope.
“....”
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I shook my head firmly.
If we stayed out for dinner, it would be too late by the time we returned. Everyone would worry.
Even though the sun had set, it was only around 5 PM. But staying out longer, especially without proper supervision, wasn’t a good idea in a city like Nighthaven.
“Alright... I get it,” Sabrina said, resigning herself to my decision. She understood that pushing the issue wouldn’t get her anywhere.
Seeing her disappointment, I chuckled softly and reached out, taking both of her hands in mine.
What’s there to be sad about? We can always hang out again. Today isn’t the only day, after all.
I lightly traced her hands with my fingertips, as if to convey this message.
Perhaps the sentiment came through, because Sabrina’s downcast expression brightened. Smiling, she clasped my hands in return.
“Let’s play together again next time.”
“...!”
With that small exchange, we lightened the sadness of parting.
After all, we lived in the same city and could meet anytime.
In fact, I was already looking forward to all the things we didn’t get to do today.
As our day came to an end, we walked side by side toward the subway station.
The station was located in a busy downtown area, a bit of a distance from the Troubleshooter office. Taking the subway was the fastest and cheapest way back.
“So, yesterday, my dumb brother forgot about Reine unni’s plans, and she got really mad! She seems sweet, but she’s scary when she’s angry. He ended up kneeling and...”
“...!”
I nodded vigorously as Sabrina animatedly recounted the events of yesterday.
David’s hurried departure after work now made sense.
But as I listened, I noticed something odd. The area around us was unusually quiet.
“Why is it so empty here?”
I stopped in my tracks, and Sabrina tilted her head curiously.
I motioned for her to wait as I strained to pick up any sounds.
Faint sirens and hurried voices reached my ears, creating an ominous atmosphere.
Sabrina seemed to sense it too, scanning the surroundings nervously.
Then, someone dropped down in front of us from above.
We froze, startled, as a man in a police uniform landed before us. His voice was sharp.
“Hey, kids. This area is dangerous. Turn back. It’s about to be sealed off.”
“Uh, but we need to take the subway...”
“There’s an issue at the subway right now. Turn around and go. I’m busy,” he said curtly, his tone icy.
The indifference in his voice made Sabrina flinch.
I, however, stared at him, blinking in recognition.
The blue hair, so vividly colored it seemed unnatural. The cold, handsome face marked by a vertical scar at the corner of his mouth. His spotless police uniform.
I knew this man.
This was Ethan, a prominent character from the original storyline.
Ethan was the team leader of the Special Crimes Response Unit 3 and a rival of Raven. If Raven was the face of the Troubleshooters, Ethan was the equivalent for the police.
I hadn’t expected to meet him here of all places.
Realizing it would be best to avoid drawing attention, I turned to leave with Sabrina.
But just as we began to walk away, Ethan’s radio crackled with a message.
[“Captain, the suspect rampaging on the tracks has been identified. Name: Answer. A citizen who filed her relocation papers to Nighthaven 27 days ago. No significant ties to criminal organizations.”]
[“What? Then why the hell is she causing trouble on my day off? This is ridiculous!”]
[“Maybe she has a grudge against society? You know how demons are...”]
[“Liz, that’s incredibly racist.”]
[“Oh no! Can you pretend you didn’t hear that...?”]
[“For ten meal tickets.”]
“Stop messing around on the radio. Betty, dig for more leads. The rest of you, regroup at Libra Station once the area is secure.”
[“Understood!”]
[“Yes, sir!”]
The radio went silent, and Ethan turned his gaze back to us.
Fortunately, he didn’t seem to care that we’d overheard. He merely warned us not to spread what we’d heard and walked off.
Even after he left, Sabrina and I remained frozen in place.
The contents of that radio call hit us like a hammer.
“Yuria... was that about...?” Sabrina stammered, her voice trembling.
I nodded grimly and reached into my pocket for the napkin Answer had given me.
The text etched on it wavered and distorted as if struggling to hold its form.
Something was happening to Answer. Something terrible.