Just as the timer hit zero, they stumbled into the Shibuya district, their breaths ragged and their faces slick with sweat. The city loomed around them in ominous silence, its once-bustling streets now shadowed by decay. Collapsing onto the cracked pavement, they panted heavily, their bodies trembling from the exertion.
"We should've stayed in the apartment," Kaito muttered, shaking his head. His damp hair clung to his forehead, and his tone carried equal parts regret and frustration.
Hana reached down and helped Astrid to her feet, her concerned gaze fixed on her friend. Despite standing, Astrid's eyes seemed unfocused, her expression distant. "What is it, Astrid?" Hana asked, her voice gentle yet probing.
"Huh? Oh, sorry." Astrid blinked, as though returning from another world. "I was just thinking about something from earlier."
