Akira still pondered the mysterious voice's words, unsure what she was searching for. Yet, the phrases "connect" and "find yourself" lingered in her mind, echoing the shadow's message. She suspected it was linked to her recurring dream, where that girl from her dream died or killed. The vividness unsettled her.
The next day, Akira prepared for school.
"Mom, I'm leaving," Akira said.
"Okay, dear. Be careful today. Your dad and I have errands to run. Go safely," her mom replied.
At school, Yui greeted Akira warmly.
"Hey, Akira! How are you?"
"I'm fine, Yui. What's going on? Why is everyone heading to the school campus?or auditorium?"
"You forgot about the annual school function! Everyone wants to participate. Our class selections are tomorrow, I think. Want to join me, Akira?"
Akira hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah, let's go for it, Yui."
To herself, Akira thought: Maybe this will distract me from the strange events of the past few days.
"Every School's annual function is a day where every child participates and performs, It's an opportunity for students to learn and grow."
"I'm participating this time," Akira said.
Yui smiled. "You should! This year's theme is animals and traditional dances. We can even bring cats, birds, and dogs for our performances."
"Really? That sounds amazing!" Akira exclaimed. "I love animals. Count me in!"
"Great!" Yui said. "Let's meet up tomorrow for the selections."
After school, Akira headed home, feeling exhausted. "What a long day..."
As she settled in, her mind wandered back to the mysterious voice. "I need to research 'Taker but Carer' again."
She remembered her dad's extensive library. "Perfect! Dad's at work, so I have the place to myself."
Akira snuck into her dad's library, scanning the shelves for relevant books. "Let's see... maybe I'll find some answers here."