"Hah, I ran away." Tanaka's breath escaped in a weary sigh as he leaned against the door, his hand bracing himself as he knelt down. Entering his room, a touch of frustration colored his expression. He hadn't been able to find his lost lenses, spending most of the evening in a mix of searching and being pursued by the spirits.
Gazing at his desk, he noticed the system he had developed to recharge his phone. After a moment's consideration, he decided, "For now, I'll relocate it to the corner of the room. More space is necessary here, particularly for accommodating that guy's presence beside me."
Tanaka's recent days had been dedicated to the diligent study of the draconian language, guided under Ram's watchful instruction. This evening, a new element will be introduced—Subaru's inclusion in the language lesson. Surprisingly, his progress was astonishingly rapid. The shared linguistic foundation between their worlds made the task of learning reading and writing far less daunting than he had anticipated.
Eyes bearing a subtle hint of weariness, Tanaka reflected, "There's still some time before the lesson starts. My eyes are a bit tired, so I'll take a quick nap."
His decision made, he surrendered to the embrace of his bed, eyelids softly closing.
Time passed, and a subtle shift in the atmosphere roused Tanaka from his slumber. Soft murmurs and whispers danced on the edge of his consciousness. Gradually, he became aware of voices, like fragmented thoughts echoing in his mind.
Subaru: "Hurry before he wakes up."
Rem: "Sister, I don't think we should be doing this without his consent."
Ram: "It's okay Rem, in the end he will be thankful and even if Tanuki has the audacity to get mad. It's still better than dealing with his incompetence."
Tanaka's eyes blinked open in surprise, only to find himself surrounded by Ram, Rem, and Subaru, forming an almost perplexing scene.
Tanaka's voice cut through the confusion, "What the hell are you all doing?"
Subaru's response was a mixture of panic and exasperation, "Shit! He's awake!"
Ram quickly gave instructions, her tone urgent, "Hurry Barusu, hold him by his legs, and Ram will secure his arms."
Tanaka's initial bewilderment turned to alarm, "Hey, what the hell are you doing? Let me go!"
Subaru's voice grew more forceful, "Shut the fuck up and stop resisting. This is because you're being stubborn."
Despite his attempts to move his legs, Subaru's weight held them resolute. He tried to wrench his arms from Ram's grip, only to find her steadfast in her hold.
'How is she this strong?'
Rem extended her hand towards his face and started enchanting
Rem: "Mana of water, heal this damaged body."
'Damaged my ass! I'm just short-sighted."
Tanaka: "Fuck!"
His struggles proved futile as a radiant light emanated from Rem's hand.
The force that Ram exerted felt disproportionate, an incongruity with her petite stature. Meanwhile, Ram's single-handed restraint seemed implausible.
"Whoa-whoa-whoa! Bright! Bright! My eyes!" His instinctual response was accompanied by a reflexive squint, his pupils contracting against the unexpected radiance.
After a few seconds, Tanaka ceased his protests, sensing the light's proximity. Slowly, he opened his eyes.
What he saw was astonishing—crystal clarity, a stark departure from the experience of glasses or lenses. Surreal as it seemed, his eyesight was remarkably enhanced. This was just after just murmuring a couple of words, she was able to get the same results one would obtain after having a complex surgery.
Tanaka murmured in a low tone, "Wow, it actually worked."
Subaru panted heavily, exasperation evident in his voice. "You really are a... hah, moron. Everyone was trying to tell you. Why... hah, why the resistance?"
Tanaka: "Sorry about that, you can think of it as someone not wanting to go the dentist, so cut me some slack."
Ram's voice dripped with irony, her words slicing through the air. "And don't you feel the least bit embarrassed? A grown man causing a scene in front of two girls."
Tanaka retorted with a hint of defiance, "First, I'm only 19, and I'm still a boy at heart. Besides, in my country, we don't call people who can immobilize a guy with one hand 'girls'... We call them mountain gorillas."
Subaru's reaction was that of astonishment, his lips quirked into a bemused half-smile which he had suppressed.
However Ram's gaze, a fusion of subtlety and intensity, locked onto Tanaka with a laser-like precision. It seemed that she caught on that he just compared her to a wild animal, her eyes communicating a message far beyond words, conveying her thoughts with a potency that rendered Tanaka momentarily speechless.
Tanaka: "I sincerely apologize, please don't annihilate me. Let's get on with studying, shall we?"
*********************************************************************************************************
"Lost socks and keys in disarray, Life's little jokes, come what may. A symphony of mismatched pairs, Whispers of forgetful affairs."
With a newfound clarity, Tanaka's voice rose like a melody, intertwining with the rhythm of his thoughts.
Two days had unfurled since Tanaka regained his 20/20 vision. His world had transformed into a crystal-clear panorama, freeing him from the shackles of lenses and the constant irritation that had plagued him. With his eyes no longer a source of discomfort, his overall mood had lifted significantly.
The clock neared 9 PM, and Tanaka and Subaru had just concluded their lesson. Hunger pricked at him, but his willingness to prepare a substantial meal waned in the face of his laziness. Instant noodles would suffice, he decided as he entered the kitchen, ready to whip up a quick, no-fuss dinner.
As he slurped the noodles down, the prospect of sleep began to tug at him. Yet, his path to slumber was detoured by an unusual sight: the mansion's main door, standing ajar. Curiosity piqued, Tanaka stepped outside, intent on discovering who might be lingering in the vicinity at such a late hour.
In a corner of the garden lit up by the moonlight, a silver-haired girl and a boy with black hair could be seen talking. The boy was talking to the girl one-sidedly, as usual. But the girl listening to him didn't look displeased at all.
As he approached, he found Emilia, radiant with a soft blue-white light, conversing with the spirits. The ethereal beams swirled around her, their dance a mesmerizing spectacle.
In a brief moment, the particles of light gradually dimmed, casting Emilia in her natural state. Tanaka saw his opportunity to approach without intrusion.
Tanaka: "Hey, what's u.."
Subaru: "Hey Emili...." As Subaru was about to say something but his words trailed off as Tanaka stepped in.
Tanaka scratched his head: "Am I interrupting something?" His words carried a mix of curiosity and concern as he ventured closer to the scene.
Subaru's response was immediate, "Yes, you are, go back from where you came from."
Tanaka: "Is that so? Yeah, the sky is indeed beautiful."
Subaru's eyebrows twitched in response to Tanaka's offhand remark, his initial annoyance melting into a begrudging smirk.
As Tanaka set foot into the garden and spoke, the particles of light reappeared once again. their luminescence forming an intricate tapestry in the air. Tanaka glanced around, his brows furrowed in curiosity.
Tanaka: "Hey Emilia, do you have an idea as to why they are so obsessed with me?"
Emilia, seemingly just as confused responded, "I'm just as confused as you, I have never seen them treat other people like this."
Subaru: "Anywaay Emilia, do you always talk to spirits?"
Emilia: "It's just an extension of my morning routine. I can meet most of the spirits in the morning, but there are a few that I can only meet during Darksun."
Understanding what she meant, they both responded with a nod. Darksun was an expression of time specific to this world, which went from approximately six in the evening to six in the morning for a total of 12 hours. On the contrary, the time from six in the morning to six in the evening was called Brightsun. They were used instead of the AM and PM used in Subaru's world.
As they were distracted, a few spirits neared Tanaka's eyes, only to suddenly halt in their tracks. Tanaka, feeling their proximity. With a grin, he spoke up, "Ah, no need to worry anymore. Rem healed my eyes yesterday. But thanks for the offer last time."
The atmosphere around him seemed to shift as the spirits vibrated and shook in the air. Unexpectedly, they began to dart forward, their movements sharp and stinging as they made contact with Tanaka.
Tanaka winced, trying to fend them off, "Ouch! Hey, stop it! Ouch!"
Tanaka: "Hey Emilia, what the heck is wrong with them?"
Emilia: "They are mad at you because you kept avoiding them and also because you were stubborn last time when they wanted to heal you, and in the end you just let Rem heal you."
Subaru felt weirdly satisfied as he continued to watch the spirits pick on Tanaka,, he muttered, "They look like a bunch wasps."
The spirits, who had been raging at Tanaka until then, began moving swiftly, surrounding Subaru's face—soon after, he suddenly felt a sharp pain. "Buwah! Ow, ow, ow! It feels like I'm being poked with toothpicks!"
Emilia: "Don't make them angry by saying something insensitive like that!"
The scene of the spirits poking Subaru and Tanaka for a while until Emilia calmed them down.
Both of them were lying on the grass as the spirits seemed to calm down, they rubbing the areas they were stung, that was until one spirits left it's pack once again just to sting Tanaka.
Tanaka: "Ow, stop! I didn't let anyone heal me, okay? They did this to me against my will."
Subaru: "You ungrateful fuck! Reasons why you deserve less."
Tanaka: "Tch.. Fine, I will admit that I indeed appreciate the fact that my short-sight got cured even against my will."
Subaru: "Even when you show gratitude, you sound arrogant."
Their banter paused as Tanaka noticed something peculiar in Emilia's expression. She was smiling but there was a fleeting glimpse of something in her eyes, a hint of melancholy amidst their lively conversation.
Tanaka inquired, "Is there something wrong?"
Emilia, momentarily lost in thought, blinked and refocused her attention, "Huh? Ah, it's nothing. I'm just not used to this kind of atmosphere. People don't usually approach me that often."
Tanaka's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, his gaze shifting from Emilia to Subaru.
Subaru: "Does that have to do with the witch of envy or something like that?"
Emilia's surprise was palpable, "Where did you hear about the witch?"
Subaru, flustered, scrambled to find an explanation, "Oh, uh, that... I think Felt mentioned it briefly when we were at the warehouse."
Emilia nodded in acknowledgment, "Ah, right, she did."
Emilia nods as if she recalled the event, "Yeah, I think she did."
Tanaka: "Who is the witch of envy?"
Subaru: "I think that the main idea that the witch of envy is like the worst person in this world, and Emilia has some similarities with her."
While Tanaka nonchalantly slurped his cup of noodles, he spoke with a hint of indifference, "I see, it's like being compared to H**ler, that's kinda unlucky."
Subaru: "What's with that attitude? You show no sympathy to someone who just shared a painful experience. Also, did you just compare my angel to fucking H**ler?
Emilia, now seemingly flustered, asked, "Wait, what's a 'H**ler'?"
Tanaka: "Remember when we mentioned that our world had like some shitty rulers and leaders, Hitler was one of them. And for us, he was arguably the worst among them, he caused a world war, he killed millions and he might have destroyed the world of he got his hand on atomic weapons, and luckily he didn't, I don't know how bad exactly the witch of envy was but when you he said she was the worst person on this world, H**ler came to mind."
Emilia: "Satella, the witch of envy, brought darkness to the world and nearly destroyed it. She was only stopped and sealed by the sage, the sword saint, and the dragon."
Tanaka: "See? She might as well be worse than H**ler."
Subaru: "Okay, I get your point! I get it! But I refuse to let H**ler and my angel be mentioned in the same context."
Tanaka's patience waned, his eyes shifting to the sky, "Ahh, stop nagging. I have to wake up early so I'm going to sleep."
Turning to the spirits hovering around him, Tanaka spoke in a more gentle tone, a hint of remorse in his voice, "About yesterday, I'm sorry that I kept avoiding you... If you still want to, I'm down to spend some time with you after I finish work."
He felt guilty about it, he avoided them despite them just wanting to heal his eyesight, he still felt weird interacting with spheres of light but it was harmless regardless.
His sincere apology seemed to resonate with the spirits, and they responded by spinning in the air with excitement, a shimmering dance of approval that brought a brief smile to Tanaka's lips.
Amidst acknowledging the spirits, his attention shifted to Emilia. With a soft smile and a nod, he inquired, "Emilia, would it be alright if I joined you?"
Emilia's response was accompanied by a warm smile and an affirming nod, giving him the assurance he sought.
While his gaze lingered on Emilia for a brief moment, he turned to bid her a good night, "Then Emilia, have a good night, and Subaru... Go fuck yourself."
"Blah.." Subaru responded playfully, sticking out his tongue and pulling a face, but his jest didn't go unnoticed by Emilia, who let out an audible chuckle as Tanaka turned and headed back into the mansion, this made Subaru temporarily mesmerized with her angelic smile.
Her unintentional laugh shot down the expression of love he'd taken from classic literature. Emilia hastily rushed towards Subaru, who was holding his chest and moaning in pain. And then…
"Ah…" Emilia was shocked after she approached him. He was on the ground looking up at her. She looked at his chest with her amethyst eyes—and saw the hand placed there to express his pain.
His mistakes at work had kept piling up, and as a result, his left hand was covered in bandages.
"Oh, wait. This is lame. Effort is something you need to hide." Subaru hid his hand behind him, trying to conceal his embarrassment. He touched his head with his right hand and stuck out his tongue as if saying: My bad. "Tee-hee."
Emilia suddenly extended her hand towards Subaru before he was able to react. Her hand took hold of the hand of the arm he had hidden behind him and brought it in front of her eyes. She looked at his hands covered in wounds, then narrowed her eyes painfully after looking at it and asked, "Should I cast, a healing spell?"
Subaru: "No, it's fine. You don't need to treat them."
Emilia: "Why though? Is it that you are scared of the treatment like Tanak..."
Subaru cutting her off, "No it's not like that, please don't lump me with that moron."
That shameless guy was flatly refusing to get his eyes treated at first, taking an arrogant stance. It was Subaru who suggested forcing the treatment on him because he was being too annoying, and after Rem healed his vision, Tanaka shamelessly asked Rem to treat the rest of his wounds.
'Hey, what do you know! The treatment is pretty safe. Well, please treat these wounds as well, hehe.'
That scene made even Ram speechless at how shameless he was, just recalling the scene made him clutch his fist in anger, he then directed his attention back to Emilia who was still waiting for his explanation.
Subaru: "It's hard to explain, but…it's like, they are proof that I made an effort," answered Subaru with a grin as he pulled his hand away.
He clenched his worn-out fist in front of the beauty whose eyes were wide open in surprise. "It sounds unusual, but I don't dislike making an effort. If I didn't like it, then I wouldn't have trained every day. The feeling of being able to do something that you couldn't do before is a pleasant sensation."
He moved his hips with the rhythm, spun around, then stood up. Emilia panicked since it forced her to suddenly look up at him.
Then Subaru pointed his finger at her. "It's really hard and super painful, you know? But it's kinda enjoyable. Ram and Rem are really strict teachers, Tanaka turned out to be narcissistic piece of shit, that loli gets mad at me, and Rosy doesn't say much, so his presence is pretty much non-existent."
Emilia: "they would fly into a rage if you say that in front of them."
Subaru: "Oh, I know. But his behaviour is weirdly better then before, when he first came, it was as if he hated being here with all his guts, now he's getting more comfortable with me and the other two joking around with them, especially Ram."
Emilia: "I see. I'm glad to hear that."
Subaru: "Also, Fly into a rage? Who says that in this day and age…"
Emilia: "You're teasing me again..."
As if a little mad, Emilia gave Subaru's forehead a little poke, making him take a few steps back with his hand held to his forehead. His gesture was somewhat passionate, and it wasn't just her imagination. She burst into delightful laughter after seeing his reaction.
"Nevertheless… I know you are working hard, but what did you do to get your hands injured that badly?"
Subaru: "Oh, this one is easy. This evening, I got bit by a small animal that was playing with the kids in the village when I was helping Ram out with the groceries."
Emilia: "Wasn't it a result of your hard work!?"
Subaru: "It's more like the bigger wound is more eye-catching than the others…though I'm not the type to be hated by animals that much."
In his world, he wasn't the type of person that small animals would direct killing intent towards. He wouldn't have called himself a pioneer of the Fluffists if that were the case.
However, his trait, which had manifested itself involuntarily back in his world and made kids either like him or treat him lightly, was still active here.
Subaru: "Those brats… They kicked, punched, and wiped their runny noses on me. That was the worst, damn it. I'll make them pay tomorrow, mark my words…"
Emilia: "You look like you are good at taking care of kids, Subaru."
Emilia looked at him with a wry smile. He then twisted his waist and turned back. "Oh, wait. If it's fine with you, would you like to go with me to get revenge on the kids…no wait, on a date…no, to see a cute little animal?"
"You corrected yourself several times, didn't you…? But yeah, I…" muttered Emilia, having trouble continuing her sentence.
Subaru tilted his head at her reaction. "Cou-Could it be that you're embarrassed about your friends starting rumors about us going out…or something like that?"
"I'm not going to turn someone down by saying something so horrible!" Emilia exclaimed, putting a hand on her hip to show that she was angry. After finishing her gesture, she looked down once again. "I don't mind, and I'm curious about small animals, too…"
Subaru: "Then let's go!"
Emilia: "But I might cause you trouble if I go with you. You know... Because of my appearance."
Subaru: "Alright then, let's go!"
Emilia: "…Are you even listening?"
Subaru: "I am listening! Do you really think I'd miss a single word that comes out of your mouth!?"
Emilia: "I hate you so much, Subaru!"
Subaru: "Aaaaa! Aaaaa! What just happened!? IIIII caaaan't heaaar yoouuu!!" Subaru covered his ears and ran around to block out the sound.
Emilia laughed, as if taken aback by Subaru's boldness in immediately contradicting himself.
"Guess it can't be helped then," she said. "But only after I am done with my current studies and after you are done with your chores around the manor. That's the condition."
Having made Emilia promise to go on a date with him, Subaru clenched his fist and raised it in victory.
*********************************************************************************************************
Walking down the hallway with a light hum escaping his lips, Tanaka encountered Rem. As he crossed paths with her, he greeted her, "Ah, hi. Are you headed to your room?"
Rem, her demeanor reserved, responded with a simple, "Yes, that's right."
Tanaka, scratching his head in a gesture of mild awkwardness, he wasn't a sociable person back at his world but he eventually slowly learned how to interact with others thanks to his part time jobs requiring communicating with customers. But, it feels like Rem is more anti-social than him. She makes jokes sometimes, but usually only when her sister Ram is around. When it's just the two of them, the mood gets kind of awkward.
Rem: "If you have nothing to say, I will get going."
Tanaka: "Ah, wait a second."
Rem tilted her head at his sudden call, "What is it?"
Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Tanaka finally spoke up, "I... I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for the inconvenience I caused. And also, thank you for healing my eyesight. I haven't felt this comfortable in a long time."
Rem: "It's alright, it was nothing."
Tanaka's gratitude remained persistent, "Maybe it's nothing for you, but regardless I want to do something to thank you, so is there something you want?"
Rem's response was straightforward, "There isn't anything in particular. If you want to express your gratitude, then work harder."
Tanaka: "That's already a given, but..."
Tanaka fell silent for a bit, he took a moment to think about something that he can do for her. It was true that there weren't many things he can do since she was pretty much ten-times better and more efficient than him at all chores.
Tanaka: 'There has to be something I can do.'
Something that she will like, after a couple of seconds, an idea hit him.
"Actually," Tanaka began, enthusiasm evident in his voice, "how about pizza?"
Rem: "Pizza?"
With his knowledge, Tanaka was always capable of making and inventing stuff, he also opted on learning as many skills as he can, because he enjoyed it and thought it was fun, that also applies to cooking. Although, he only learned only the meals he liked.
Tanaka explained, "It's a food from our world, when it comes to food, everyone has their preference. But, when it comes to Pizza there isn't a single person who doesn't like it, I will make it tomorrow."
Rem: "Tanaka cooking? I'm not sure if Roswaal-Sama won't kick us out if we allow that to happen."
Tanaka: "No, this dish is different, I know it like the back of my hand... If you are worried, we can make it as a side dish and it isn't that complex, we just need flour to make the foundation, pizza sauce, it's mainly tomato, add a lot of cheese, we add some toppings, be it some vegetables, be it peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, olives. We also can use meat, ham, chicken or even fish. This is the best thing about pizza you, it's so versatile that you can have different versions so it suits your taste, my personal favourite is the one with a lot of cheese. Anyway, tomorrow I will make it and you are going to love it."
Only after he finished his long speech about his admiration for pizza that Tanaka realized that Rem was staring at him. For a moment, Rem's stoic expression cracked , the corners of her her lips rise up vividly showing a warm smile, "Very well, then I will be monitoring Tanaka while making this.. Pizza thing, to make sure it's edible."
With their interaction concluded, Rem turned to continue on her way, and Tanaka did the same, heading toward his room. As he approached his room, he couldn't contain his excitement, muttering to himself, "Let's go! Tomorrow, we're going to eat pizza. It's been a while."
Because of his financial situation and the small time he can spare, Tanaka didn't have the chance to eat great meals like he used to, but now he got the chance to eat his favorite food again and he's excited.
Opening the door, he was met with an unexpected sight.
"You and the other guy have been breaking my Door Crossing like it's nothing," said Beatrice in a resentful tone.
He saw a girl sitting on a wooden step ladder in the back of the library, glaring at him. She was holding a thick, halfway-open book in her hands.
Tanaka: "Huh? I was sure that this was my room."
Beatrice: "So you are saying that sense of direction is so bad that it led you to the room I didn't want you to go. In fact, that's absurd."
Tanaka frowned hearing Beatrice criticism, "Well I don't want to invade your personal space so I'm going to say a few things and leave."
Tanaka: "First, you should go to sleep. I know books are fun, but sleep deprivation is bad for you."
Beatrice: "That has nothing to do with you, I supp....."
Beatrice started to protest, but Tanaka didn't let her finish, "Second, tomorrow we're eating pizza. So you better show up."
Beatrice's response was laced with skepticism, "This incomprehensible nonsense again... In the first place, what in the world is even pizza?"
Tanaka: "It's the best and most supreme food in the world. Tomorrow, I'm going to make it. You didn't show up for the last meals, but you shouldn't miss this one."
However, Beatrice was far from convinced, and she let out a sigh, "Why should Betty do as you please..."
Tanaka wasn't deterred, and he had an idea to pique her interest, "I'll ask Puck to play with you after we eat."
After mentioning Puck, Beatrice tone became less aggressive and shrugged a bit.
Beatrice's tone shifted as she retorted, "What makes you think that Bubby will listen to you, I suppose?"
Tanaka: "Well, you see, it turns out that minor spirits like me for some reason. Tomorrow, I'm going to spend some time with Emilia and talk with them. During that time, he should be free, so you two can spend time together. What do you think?"
Beatrice seemed deep in thought, she was taking Tanaka's words seriously.
Tanaka grinned as she caught the bait, "Then I will take your silence as a yes."
As Tanaka turned to leave the room again, Beatrice couldn't let him go without getting the last word, "Hey, wait, I didn't agree..."
Tanaka's gaze shifted to the half-open door as he was about to exit, and he paused. A thought occurred to him, and he turned back, a playful grin on his lips. "Yeah, I almost forgot. Have a good night."
With that, he closed the door behind him, and a brief silence settled within the room. It was as if the echoes of their conversation lingered in the air, mingling with the soft glow of the room's illumination.
After several minutes, a sound broke the stillness. It was Beatrice, rising from her seat with an air of frustration. She let out an exasperated breath, then thumped her feet onto the floor in a display of annoyance. "What an irritating man," she muttered, her voice a mix of vexation and resignation. "He just does whatever he wants. He is the worst, the absolute worst, in fact."
Just as Beatrice's words hung in the air, the door swung open again, revealing Subaru's presence. He leaned against the door frame, his casual demeanor unchanged.
Subaru: "Yooo, loli, are you getting enough sleep? You'll stunt your growth and forever be a pipsqueak if you stay up too late, you know."
Beatrice's glare, directed at Subaru, remained fierce, her annoyance with their antics apparent.
*********************************************************************************************************
The scene transitions as Tanaka finally steps into his room, a sigh of relief escaping him as he closes the door behind him. His footsteps are hushed as he moves across the room, his pace deliberate. He approaches his bed, a haven of rest waiting for him. The day ahead is laden with tasks, from his promise with the spirits and making pizza with Rem. With a sense of readiness, he positioned his phone onto the charger and, with a soft sigh, surrendered to the embrace of sleep.
However, even in slumber, discomfort tugged at him. A vague uneasiness permeated his senses, his stomach registering an odd chill. Stirring, he touched the source of his disquiet, finding his fingers damp. Concern turned to alarm, and his eyes shot open wide, the prospect of an unthinkable mishap gnawing at him. The thought of having wet the bed at his age was enough to set his imagination ablaze,
'Huh? No fucking way!?!'
Tanaka: "No way, doing that at my age, I might as well throw myself off a bridge."
His heart raced, only for relief to wash over him as he tested the dampness and found that it was water, not what he had feared.
Tanaka: "Oh, thank god it's just water."
Curiosity and confusion lingered, though. Why was he wet? Was it Ram? No, If water had splashed onto him during his slumber, why hadn't he woken up? Another concern crossed his mind—his vision. It seemed to have reverted to its previous state of blurriness. Was Rem's healing magic supposed to be only temporary? His gaze roamed his room, fixating on the desk.
There, he saw the system he had previously placed in the corner of the room now back on the desk. Next to it, the small box containing his lost contact lenses sat. A cold shiver raced down his spine as he processed this inexplicable turn of events. An unsettling feeling settled in his chest, the unease growing into full-fledged panic. Deep down, he grasped at the disturbing truth of what was transpiring.
His hands trembled as he reached for his phone, holding it up with a mix of dread and anticipation. The screen blinked to life, revealing the date with stark clarity.
01/24/2014.
It was five days earlier than it should be. The reality he had dreaded had come to pass.
Kazuki Tanaka had looped again.