With a dull thud, a soft fragrance filled Amamiya's arms.
The slight dizziness from transitioning between worlds made Amemiya instinctively pull the girl closer.
"Kaguya-chan?!" Chika's voice burst out in surprise.
Rikka followed, shouting excitedly, "A big transformation!"
Just moments ago, Amemiya had vanished suddenly. As the two girls anxiously searched for him, Amemiya reappeared in the ward, cradling Kaguya in his arms. It felt like a small miracle.
"Kaguya-chan, are you okay?" Chika rushed forward, her voice filled with concern. "We looked everywhere for you! How did you just appear out of nowhere?"
"Fujiwara-san..." Kaguya bit her lower lip, her pearly teeth showing as tears welled in her eyes.
Being trapped alone in the mirror world, helplessly watching herself being imitated by a mirror ghost, had been a terrifying experience. Now, finally reunited with her friends, even seeing Chika's familiar, goofy face brought an odd sense of relief.
But before Kaguya could respond, Amemiya stepped forward, his face serious. "There's no time for chatting," he declared, swiftly placing the mirror on the table. "We need to leave now."
The mirror ghost had been eerie and unsettling—definitely not as cute as his own Miss Sadako.
Amemiya led the girls out of the room and into the corridor. Darkness had crept into the hallway, and danger felt imminent.
Initially, Amemiya intended to head back to Chika's ward. But when they opened the door, they were greeted by a chilling sight: a vengeful spirit.
"Hello…" the ghost hissed.
Acting quickly, Amemiya slammed the door shut and hurried them all back to his ward.
Once inside, with the door securely closed behind them, Amemiya finally exhaled in relief. The black-and-white TV flickering in the corner signaled safety—Miss Sadako from the Himura Dairy was present, and she wasn't as scary as she might seem.
"Amamiya-kun~" Chika chimed playfully, leaning in closer with a mischievous grin. "How long are you planning to keep holding Kaguya-chan's hand?"
"Uh?"
Amemiya looked down and realized he was still holding onto Kaguya's hand.
Wait a minute. It wasn't him holding her—it was Kaguya who hadn't let go yet.
Embarrassed, Kaguya quickly released his hand. She composed herself, her expression calm, but her ears betrayed her, flushed with a soft red hue. She swiftly changed the topic.
"I was in the ward the entire time," Kaguya said, "but it wasn't this one. It was... the mirror ward."
Like the others, after entering the game, Kaguya had found herself alone in a strange ward. Unfortunately, she had been particularly unlucky.
At the time, the corridor outside was consumed by darkness, preventing her from leaving the room. She had carefully checked the room for clues and, to ensure her safety, stood in the center, trying to strategize a way to complete the game.
It wasn't until she noticed the reflection in the mirror—grinning back at her—that she realized something was wrong. By then, it was too late. She had been pulled into the mirror world, helplessly watching as the mirror ghost morphed into her exact likeness. Even thinking about it now, she felt a chill of fear run down her spine.
Chika, noticing the lingering fear in Kaguya's eyes, reached out and gently patted her head in an attempt to comfort her.
"Kaguya-chan must've been super scared, huh?" Chika said softly.
"I wasn't afraid," Kaguya quickly denied, stubborn as always.
"Liar," Chika teased with a playful smile. "I definitely saw tears."
Kaguya's eyes narrowed as she shot Chika a cold smile. "What exactly did you see?"
Chika immediately backtracked, kneeling in mock surrender. "I'm sorry! I was wrong. Please forgive me."
Curious, Chika then looked at Amemiya. "Amamiya-kun, how did you figure out which Kaguya-chan was the real one?"
Hearing this, Kaguya couldn't help but glance at Amemiya too. She was also curious.
The mirror ghost had perfectly mimicked her. Appearance, voice, memories—even her personality had been copied flawlessly. How had Amemiya been able to distinguish her?
"The eyes," Amemiya explained, raising a finger. "The mirror ghost could imitate a lot, but it couldn't replicate the subconscious reactions Shinomiya-san herself doesn't even realize she has."
Kaguya's brows furrowed slightly. "What reactions?" she asked, intrigued.
Amemiya turned to face her. "When we did the [Open Your Eyes to the Sun] mission a few days ago, I noticed something. Whenever we made eye contact, Shinomiya-san's pupils would subtly dilate."
"In the mirror world, I tried the same thing. Although the other Kaguya's eyes looked teary, weak and helpless, her pupils never changed."
Kaguya bit her lip, her face slightly reddening as she shot Amemiya a look of disdain.
What did he mean by "innocent, weak, and helpless"?!
No one could possibly remain perfectly composed in such terrifying circumstances!
Suddenly, Rikka raised her hand, her voice quiet but confident. "I heard on TV that when a girl sees a boy she likes, her pupils get bigger."
"Eh?" Chika's eyes sparkled with excitement. "So, Kaguya-chan likes Amamiya-kun?"
Kaguya quickly crossed her arms defensively. "Impossible."
That faster heartbeat? It was nothing more than the suspension bridge effect. There was no scientific proof that something like "love" truly existed!
"Amamiya-kun," Chika pressed, eager for gossip. "What do you think?"
Before Amemiya could answer, his eyes drifted over Chika's shoulder. "Hold on," he said, his voice calm. "Stay calm and listen to me."
"Huh?"
Chika blinked, noticing Kaguya and Rikka's nervous stares behind her. Slowly, she turned around.
There, standing just inches away, was a ghostly figure with long, black hair covering her face and a bloodstained white dress.
"Ahhhh!" Chika screamed, leaping into Amemiya's arms, her soft hands smothering his face.
"Calm down," Amemiya mumbled, pushing Chika off him. "That's just Miss Sadako—my roommate. She's harmless."
Sadako had crawled out of the TV while they were talking. Silent and ghostly as ever, she had been quietly listening to their conversation from behind Chika. Even vengeful spirits, it seemed, had a penchant for gossip.
Amemiya chuckled, trying to coax the ghost out of her shyness. "Miss Sadako, come out and greet our guests properly."
At his words, Sadako froze, her attempt to slip back into the TV thwarted. Her long hair trembled nervously.
"Is she... stuck?" Chika asked, her hands still wrapped tightly around Amemiya's neck.