1

Midnight had arrived several minutes ago, yet Kazuki remained prone on his bed. With his phone by his side, he rolled and found himself unable to sleep.

Events beyond his wildest imagination happened today.

Just what is that world? Just what are those Nullities?

Thoughts flooded his active mind in a sensation that he had not felt in what seems like forever. It had been so long since he found himself so curious about something, and at the end of it all, he was ultimately powerless.

He felt the sensation of being trapped in a labyrinth, being just another cog in the machine that is an entire world beyond what regular humans can see.

Just as he found something to hold onto, he was at a loss once again.

Asking on the Internet ended up not being helpful, and he would rather not remember the replies he received. Then again, posting in the paranormal stories message board would get anyone that reply with the place understandably teeming with a lot of made-up stories.

He exhausted all avenues possible: social media, message boards, search engines, online videos.

Nothing helpful.

"Such a smart guy, huh?" he amusedly told himself.

Having given up after hours of searching, he sighed and began to give in to sleepiness.

He wanted knowledge, but he also wanted to get back at that classmate. He cannot remember how long it was since he wanted to feed this urge to rebel and show someone off for underestimating him.

A ringtone broke his concentration, and he hurriedly reached out for the phone.

This late? Must be the network provider or something.

He thought so as he saw the message notification after opening the phone. Within moments of reading it, the last remaining bits of sleepiness within him vanished, and he stared straight into the bright screen.

"Seriously? Who the hell is this?"

His eyes remained fixed on the screen as he did multiple takes on the text message in front of him.

Heya~ How's it going, Kazuki Arata? I read your thread on moments ago.

Yeah, sorry for what those guys did, but I found your question interesting. You know, I happen to know what you're talking about. The world dyed in red, plus the shadowy monsters and all. Let us meet, okay?

If you're up to the task, meet me at the Fragment inside the third storehouse of Regalis Shopping Complex tomorrow at 11:30 a.m.

Kazuki had the urge to type a hasty reply, but he checked the sender's number beforehand.

It displayed a completely unfamiliar number. Yet, for some reason, the sender got his name right, and the person even knew what those things are called.

It's not just some random online troll or shitposter.

Just who is this? Someone from some underground hand of the government or the intelligence agency?

He pulled back his finger and thought about it. For all he knew, it could be an elaborate trap to silence him after he foolishly told the Internet his knowledge of some deep conspiracy.

However, the offer still seemed too tempting to pass up. He had been grasping for straws for answers about that world, and he sure as well would not be getting it from the one other person who has the capacity to enlighten him.

He spread his arms wide and stared flatly up the ceiling.

He tried piecing together the schedule for tomorrow in his mind. In the morning, he would accompany Amagi back to her place. Then, Yuki-tan's event is scheduled for the late afternoon.

He hovered his thumb over to the delete icon nonchalantly, but he stopped himself just before pulling the trigger.

After escorting Amagi to her home, he would have several hours free. It should be easy to head to Regalis after that, get this over with, then return home and take his little sister to the Yuki-tan event.

Kazuki thought that the stars had aligned just for him. It will be a busy Saturday, for sure, but everything fits right in. He felt that this is an opportunity he cannot just miss, and it might lead him to the answers he was looking for.

If Uehara won't talk, then maybe this person would.

"See you tomorrow," he repeated as he typed out his reply.

2

Kazuki was not sure what to expect when he came out of his room on a weekend. He has long become accustomed to seeing Hikari doing chores, but yesterday was not exactly an plain, ordinary day.

"You kept us waiting!"

Hikari's voice rang out the very moment Kazuki opened the door to his room. The fragrant scent of sweet food greeted him and snapped him out of the half-daze he had found himself waking up to.

"Good morning, Arata," greeted Amagi.

She was carrying a glass while setting the table in the dining room positioned at the end of the Arata residence. This was much to Kazuki's surprise, who expected her to sleep in due to what happened.

"You're up early, Amagi," he greeted.

"No, it's you who overslept! Look at the time!"

Hikari pointed at the dining room clock that now read 7:50 a.m. from afar.

"Just because you don't have classes today doesn't mean you can slack off. She was far worse off last night to boot!"

"Yes, yes, I'm coming," yawned Kazuki while walking to the dining room. On the way, he passed by the living room, and the events of last night replayed vividly in his mind.

This caused him to look at Amagi, who continued helping with cleaning and some kitchenwork.

Luckily, the event last night seemed to have no effect, and she retained her gentle and energetic disposition.

"You feeling fine, Amagi?" asked him as he took his seat on the table.

The brown-haired girl paused. Looking at the ceiling with her finger on her chin, she took her sweet time.

"Y-yeah, I'm perfectly fine, Arata!" she replied with a smile.

"I remember meeting a shady guy then passing out. Then, I woke up there," she pointed at the living room.

"You sure your mom's fine with this?" asked Hikari, who just put down a bowl of noodles on her spot. "Big Bro's your friend for so long, but you've never stayed here overnight. Plus, she must have been shocked when he sent that message that late last night."

"It's fine. Besides, I already texted her that I'll be back this morning."

"Really? I can't imagine your parents not being worried."

Amagi chuckled in response to Hikari's worries when she suddenly remembered something.

"Oh yeah! I haven't told you about my dream yet, Hikari."

With that, Kazuki stopped sipping the soup that he had been enjoying. He tried to keep his eyes on the food, yet he focused on listening intently.

"Last night, when I fell unconscious after meeting that strange man, I dreamt that I was taken to some faraway place. It was scary, and it had a lot of monsters."

Kazuki also saw Hikari stop what she was doing. She looked at Amagi with a serious and curious expression on her face. He could hear an "oooohh" escape his sister's lips.

"Then, I was trapped inside a school. A school full of scary monsters. You know, like those zombie movies. Then, I saw the sketchy blonde guy and a particularly large monster."

There was an uncharacteristic pause from Amagi.

"But in the end, Arata came to my rescue!" she smiled at Kazuki. "He had this thing on his arm, and was saying things I'd never thought I'd hear from someone as quiet as him."

"He was going all 'I'll protect you!' or 'I'm sending you back to the pits of Hell!' like some anime character."

She chuckled, and Kazuki can feel some heat on his face. It was not from the food, and he tried his best to keep a straight face when he saw Amagi acting the scene out from her seat.

"Hahaha! That's a cool story, and I can imagine Big Bro acting like that from all the stuff he's watching!" laughed Hikari.

"You're embarrassing me, Amagi. You know that's just absurd, right?"

"Yeah, of course," answered her. "I know that's all a dream, Arata."

"A-anyway," Kazuki cleared his throat. "Let's enjoy breakfast first, shall we?"

"Oh, and Hikari," he continued. "I'll probably be out for a while, so just wait for me, okay? I promise I'll be back to take you to Yuki-tan's event."

That's one worry down if Amagi really thought that it was all a dream.

Kazuki looked at the time the moment he remembered the mysterious text message last night. There's no need to rush, but he began to mentally prepare himself for the day ahead.

3

None of the strong sensations Jay Shizaki expected came to assault him as he raised his hand to the blue sky with some effort. He cannot feel the ground that should be supporting his body as he lay on his back.

Nor did he feel the coldness of death or the warmth of someone's love.

He knew he wasn't dead, but he might as well be. A decisive end for Jay was far more desirable than treading the boundary of life and death.

He felt water envelop him as he unconsciously stayed afloat.

"Mother..."

He uttered the name of the one person he sought for comfort. It was then that he felt a tear fall down the side of his eye.

"It's over. It's all over. I have failed."

Shutting his eyes, he recalled the good memories he had of his life and family. Slowly but surely, the images began displaying.

The time he had a trip to the mountains with his sister and his parents.

The time he graduated elementary school and was showered by love.

The time tragedy struck and left the family splintered.

The time he sought comfort in the wonderful stories of comics and video games.

The time he gambled and won it all.

The time he made a promise to his remaining parent.

The time the news broke of his mother's condition.

The time he found the sole glimmer of hope in the middle of despair....

And it led him back here.

"All for naught."

Despair finally swallowed Jay as he felt himself sinking deeper into the sea of his mind. He felt the air growing thinner, and he gasped for it, only to be met by the sensation of water rushing in and overwhelming him.

He never wanted to be back in that world dyed in red again, but he was not sure if Hell will even compare. That doesn't matter. It's only a matter of time. After all he did, he was sure that only oblivion awaited him.

He had tried to hide it in the back of his mind, the fact that the reported disappearances in Shiroki were all happening in his wake. Wherever he had a shady deal done for the past few weeks, a disappearance would follow. Granted, the ones falling victim were assholes, but that still doesn't make it any better.

However, it was only a few hours ago that he truly experienced the truth behind those disappearances. Has he been sending those people into their doom in that cursed world all this time?

It pained him. Not because he stepped into that world, but because this time, he dragged an innocent girl with him.

In any other situation, that extremely cute girl could have been brimming with positive energy and a smile that would melt even the toughest of hearts.

In any other situation...

Alas, what he still remembered was her anxious expression. The brown-haired girl looked every bit worried as she panicked and tried to help him. They met again in the world of red, and even there, she placed his safety above her own.

He could tell that the girl was looking for him and wanted to save him. He never saw what became of her, but given the last scene he saw, she was probably long gone by now.

Would he meet her vengeful spirit again in the afterlife?

Jay knew that he would not. For no girl that innocent and friendly would end up in the same place that he will in the afterlife.

"It's okay now. Come back, my dearest."

Jay's eyes that have closed in resignation started to open at the sound of that sweet voice, one that he longed to hear so badly.

"Y-you're..." he muttered as he wildly reached out with both arms.

"It's fine now. Stay strong."

The blonde furiously nodded his head, and he could feel the ocean of despair dissipate. The sinking feeling was quickly taken away by this new force, this warm sensation of hope.

He was not drowning anymore, and he felt a bright pair of hands caress him by the cheeks.

"Thank you for everything," said the voice.

"Of course! Of course! I would do everything to have you back, so let's meet again when I get back!"

A chortle was what he got for a reply.

Light engulfed Jay, and he slowly opened his eyes, ready to embrace the light.

His eyes opened to the brightness of lamps and a ceiling light. The scent of air freshener mixed with a strange mist greeted his nose as he tried to get a grip of what's going on.

He tried to get a feel of what's going on, only to find his hand attached to an IV. Slowly but surely, he breathed in the humid mist being given to him by a respirator. It worked well with the cold room that he found himself in.

His heart sank as he realized that the one he met was nowhere in this world, the real world.

Of course she wouldn't be. He had failed his job and was moments away from blowing their cover, and because of it, his mother would never awaken from her coma that seemed to last an eternity.

He began sweating, and he felt his sadness and disappointment quickly shift into anxiety when he tilted his head to the side.

"You took your sweet time, Jay Shizaki."

Standing beside his bed was the person he wanted to see the least. The teenage girl he only knew as sakura398 stood in watch with those ever-cold eyes.

He recalled the surprise he had when he met this girl. He had not expected the twist of having his buyer of the day be a beautiful high school girl with such a refined aura. He had admired her delicate movements to that long, ivory hair that framed her image perfectly.

He then remembered how this girl had pursued him, and he knew that she had help from some government body looking to investigate the disappearances in picking up his trail.

Now, on the edge of death and relegated to this hospital bed, he was in no more shape to resist or escape. There was no way out of this. He would have to answer the incoming questions, but before anything...

"Sakura398, can you do me a favor?"

"I'm the one who's gonna do the asking around here, not you," she snapped back. "What do you aim to achieve through the chain disappearances in Shiroki City?"

Jay did not answer. Silence.

Fifteen seconds passed, and he only looked into the cold eyes of the girl by his side.

"It's still the morning. I am ready to do this all day if you refuse to cooperate. Now, tell me. Do you have accomplices?"

"Just one favor..."

"You're not gonna answer, huh?"

"P-please. Do whatever you want afterward, just—"

"You know how many people died because of your deeds? If I did not make it in time last night, another innocent would have died," said the black-haired girl in a tone lacking emotion or empathy. "On another note, I thought that it was amusing for you to get a taste of your own medicine last night."

"So she's alive. Thank God..." answered Jay in response to the smug air that the girl put up.

His response probably caught the girl off-guard, as the next reply he received was a much softer "Come again?"

"I'm just so glad that she made it..."

The black-haired girl paused.

"Listen. I have done so many grave mistakes. But it was the only way."

Sakura398 stepped back and crossed her hands over her chest. For the first time in this conversation, she seemed open to listening, if only a bit.

"Sakura, can you do me a favor? Room 1108. Tell me about the person there... then I'll talk."

Jay reclined with his back flat on the bed once again. "Please, I beg you..."

With his free hand, he reached out into his pocket and produced an authorization card.

"You better be sure this is not some prank, or answering for your deeds would be the least of your worries," said the girl who took the card from him.

Jay nodded.

Sakura398 seemed to debate with herself on what to do in this situation. After giving him another glance, she turned around, and Jay closed his eyes.

Hearing footsteps moving away from him, Jay weakly placed his free hand over his heart.

"Please be okay..." Jay silent prayed as the black-haired girl left the room.