The next day, Aoi walks to school feeling paranoid. She begins to notice subtle oddities in the town she never cared to before: people's robotic smiles, the way they move in perfectly timed motions, like they're being controlled. At school, Rei is missing, and no one seems to remember her. Aoi tries to ask her classmates about Rei, but they either look confused or quickly change the subject. When Aoi confronts Mr. Nakahara, he smiles coldly and says, "Sometimes, people who don't follow the rules disappear." She feels trapped, realizing the whole town might be in on something sinister.