[Location: Kai's house
Time: 7:00 am
Date: 31st July]

Kai stirred from his slumber, his eyes fluttering open as he glanced at the clock beside his bed. A smile tugged at his lips; he hadn't overslept, much to his relief. Today held an important meeting with his friends, and he couldn't afford to be late.

With a surge of determination, Kai leaped out of bed, ready to tackle the day ahead. Despite the obstacles he faced in convincing his parents to let him go outside, he was determined to make it happen. He lived alone but they were his parents afterall.

"Alright. Let's do this," he declared to himself, his enthusiasm evident as he prepared for the most thrilling day of his life. It took him a full hour, including a brief breakfast break, to get ready. Finally, he turned towards his bedroom window, curiosity piqued.

"It wouldn't hurt to look," he mused, pulling up the blinds with anticipation. There it was, the familiar whiteboard behind his neighbour's kitchen window, bearing a message.

"Going to Yokohama?" Kai read aloud, his interest rising. He paused, his head tilting in contemplation before adding, "I'll write to you when I come back. Later."

As he closed the blinds, his mind raced with questions. "This person is going to Yokohama too? Will I be able to see what they look like? Should I though...?"

Interrupting his thoughts, Kai's phone buzzed with a notification. Without hesitation, he grabbed it and dashed out of the house, being late today wasn't an option.

Minutes later, Kai found himself at Shinagawa station, Himeko, Ryu, and Sebiki by his side. They exchanged greetings and excited smiles as they prepared to board the train.

At five minutes past nine, the group arrived at Yokohama station, stepping out into the bustling city streets with a sense of purpose.

"So... where is this girl's house?" Sebiki inquired, breaking the momentary silence.

"I don't know... all Kavei told me was she lived in Yokohama," Kai replied, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

[And now]

"We've been at it for a while now," Sebiki sighed heavily, voicing the collective exhaustion felt by the group.

"I know, right? Did she actually live here?" Ryu questioned, shooting Kai a sidelong glance, his curiosity evident.

"We didn't actually ask anyone yet," Himeko interjected sarcastically, her eyes narrowed as she glanced at Kai, implying that he should have been more proactive.

"Hey, hey. What if Kavei and his friends are here as well?" Kai defended himself, trying to diffuse the tension.

"What if they are? We can't even ask for Aroshi's house," Sebiki countered, frustration creeping into his tone.

"We definitely can. But this place knows Kavei better. What if someone tells him?" Kai reasoned, attempting to justify their cautious approach.

"Then why did we come here?" Sebiki's frustration was palpable, his patience wearing thin.

"Not my idea, genius," Kai shot back, his tone laced with annoyance.

Ryu, seemingly unfazed by the heated exchange, breezed past the argument and walked into an ice cream store. With a courteous bow, he greeted the elderly lady behind the counter, who responded with a warm smile.

The tension among the group momentarily dissipated as they observed Ryu's interaction with the shopkeeper. Despite the uncertainty surrounding their mission, there was a sense of comfort in the familiarity of the ice cream store and the kindness of its owner.

[At the same time
Location: Aroshi's Grandmother's House
Date: 31st July]

The wooden steps creaked under Kavei’s weight as he ascended to the second floor, his eyes scanning the dimly lit hallway ahead. Dust motes floated lazily in the afternoon light seeping through the aged paper windows, casting eerie patterns on the floor. The house, despite its grandeur, bore the unmistakable weight of time—its walls held whispers of the past, its floors groaned under the touch of intruders.

Benio followed closely behind, while Miyasi and Saira trailed after them, their footsteps hushed against the wooden boards. The air was thick with the scent of aged wood, mixed with the faint mustiness of a place long untouched.

Once they reached the top, Kavei stopped, his sharp gaze flicking from door to door. His mind was already racing through possible layouts, trying to determine the most efficient way to search.

"I'll look through the rooms on the right," he decided, his voice firm and steady.

Benio, ever the pragmatist, gave a small nod. "I'll take the left."

"Then we'll handle the ends," Miyasi added, exchanging a glance with Saira, who responded with a nod of agreement.

With their roles assigned, they wasted no time. The group dispersed, each member peeling away into their respective paths, leaving the once-still corridor alive with movement.

The house, though abandoned, held an air of defiance against time. The sliding doors groaned slightly as they were pushed open, the tatami mats crunched underfoot, and the faint remnants of incense and aged paper lingered in the air.

Benio tackled the first room on the left with his usual precision. He didn’t just look—he dismantled. Lifting floorboards, checking beneath loose tatami mats, running his fingers along the edges of the wooden beams. At one point, he even attempted to break through the cement beneath, half-convinced that something had to be hidden below. But his efforts yielded nothing but dust and frustration.

He let out a slow breath, standing upright just as he heard the soft slide of a door from across the hall. Kavei was stepping out of the first room on the right, their eyes meeting in the dim light.

A silent exchange passed between them. Nothing.

Neither wasted time dwelling on it. They moved to the next set of rooms, mirroring each other’s movements.

Kavei’s search was methodical. He scanned the corners, checked behind the sliding panels, even tested the walls for hollow spaces. When he reached the second room on the right, something about it felt... different.

It was larger, with a balcony attached. A light breeze filtered through the open doors, rustling the delicate washi paper of the sliding panels. The air smelled faintly of earth and rain, as if the outside world was trying to reclaim the house.

As Kavei stepped onto the balcony, an uneasy sensation crawled up his spine. Something felt off.

The space stretched out before him, wooden railings weathered by time and exposure. His fingers brushed over the grain of the wood as he stepped closer to the edge. That’s when it happened.

A sudden, sharp creak beneath his foot. Then, before he could react—

The floor gave way.

The world tilted.

For a split second, he felt nothing but the terrifying rush of freefall, his breath catching in his throat. His body twisted instinctively, trying to brace for impact.

Then—thud.

The landing wasn’t as brutal as he’d expected. Instead of splintering wood or hard-packed earth, he found himself sprawled across something soft, almost cushion-like. His mind reeled, disoriented. The dim lighting didn’t help—wherever he had landed, it was darker, quieter, as if he had fallen into another world entirely.

His ears rang slightly from the impact, and for a moment, he just lay there, dazed. The scent of old wood and something faintly rusty filled his nostrils.

A while later Kavei regained his senses and he found himself in utter darkness. Panic gripped him as he realized he couldn't see anything at all. He knew it was dark in here but he didn't figure out how dark it was considering his consciousness fading at the time. Stumbling in the darkness, he tentatively reached out and placed his hands on the soft, cushiony surface beneath him.

"What are these?" he muttered to himself, his voice echoing faintly in the darkness. Straining his senses, he attempted to discern his surroundings, but the oppressive blackness offered no clues.

Summoning his courage, Kavei stood up and began to walk, his hands outstretched in front of him. However, his movements were unsteady, and before he could take more than a few steps, he stumbled and lost his balance. With a sudden lurch, he tumbled backward, rolling uncontrollably until he collided with a solid obstacle.

The impact was jarring, and Kavei felt a sharp pain as the back of his head collided with the unseen wall. A loud ringing reverberated in his ears, disorienting him further. Clutching his head in agony, he struggled to regain his bearings in the darkness.

As the pain subsided, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and Kavei's vision began to blur. With a sense of impending doom, he realized he was losing consciousness. Desperately fighting against the encroaching darkness, he tried to stay awake, but his efforts were in vain.

Slowly, his eyelids grew heavy, and the darkness enveloped him completely as he slipped into unconsciousness again, his body limp and vulnerable in the silent void.