Sunday is the only day when Sakurazaka Academy students don't come and live their lives like a student. Usually Habu always trains in the public field with some of her club members. But for this day, she must be willing to be a personal driver.

The car is full. Habu decided focused on driving, while Koike and her friends chatted from their seats. Habu did know her friend’s girlfriend, but they weren't too close. Therefore, she chose to answer and laugh casually so as not to be awkward.

“By the way, Akane, you seem close to The Elites. Or is it just my feeling?” Fuyuka asked, that was the question Akane had expected. But She still wasn't ready to answer that.

"That is true. Yesterday you ran straight to the clinic and took Kobayashi to the hospital. Could it be that they threatened you to want to be their helper?" Matsuda replied.

Habu glanced at her, "Hey, hey.. that's impossible, right? Moriya doesn't look like a weak person."

“Ah, it's hard to explain. At that time, I just reflexively ran too. Especially when I saw the drops of blood along the corridor, I immediately realized it wasn't a normal matter." Akane explained, "If you look at Yu—Kobayashi's wounds, I'm sure you will be traumatized by blood."

A hand She could feel rubbing the top of She head. It was Koike's hand. "Look, this friend of ours is really acting like a hero." She said, followed by applause from Matsuda and Fuyuka. Meanwhile Habu laughed with a thumbs up.

The car turned into an alley, pulled away and left the main busy road. Now they enter a street which is quiet. Habu put her face slightly closer to the front window, watching carefully, to see if they were on the right path.

After a few minutes, the car stopped in front of a building. "So, this is the place?" Akane made sure. Starinh out the car window to see the pale building on the left side of the car. All the windows in the building were closed by a curtain so she could not see what was inside.

"It's like a prison for high-level criminals," Matsuda commented. "Aren't we in the wrong place?"

“I still remember very well. This really is the place. It's a little gloomy, but we're in the right place." Habu answered. She then started the engine and drove the car into the parking lot after passing a pair of security guards.

Once again, Akane paid attention to the shape of the mental hospital building. It was true what Habu said if the mental hospital where Hirate was being treated was in the middle of the city. In Akane's mind, the hospital was right on the side of the road where many vehicles passed and the shops were nearby.

But apparently Akane's expectations really missed. The location of the mental hospital is in the middle of the city. But it is in an area far from human crowds. Even when they only passed one or two cars when they almost reached the location. There is only a convenience store a few blocks away with two cars parked at the yard.

Her courage, which was fiery at first, immediately fell. She had never been admitted to a mental hospital before, so she had no idea what was going on in it. She only remembers the description of the mental hospital from the Outlast game she played a few months ago.

“Okay, we can't go inside with this many people. So two people got in and three people stay in the car." Fuyuka said.

"For sure I will go inside." Akane then patted Matsuda's shoulder. "You come with me." Matsuda immediately raised her head and sighed in resignation when Akane pulled her out of the car.

Habu looked at Akane and Matsuda who started walking away from the car. The two girls seemed to be arguing with each other at the main door — as if indicating who would enter first. The tall girl chuckled, turning her head to Koike and Fuyuka.

"To be honest, I’m surprised. Why do you guys suddenly want to meet Hirate? Nobody from Sakurazaka came here after she quit school."

Fuyuka looking away from her phone, and answered, "Just to be sure." 

“The reason she resigned from Sakurazaka? It’s true that her retirement is unknown, but wouldn't it make sense for her to resign from school because her friends died? " Habu answered again.

"That's what makes no sense, Habu. There was something else that make her had to resign. She got bullied by the Elites too, remember? After all, the deaths of the five students were too suspicious. The children who died were not the ones who like to make trouble and don't like to get drunk at all. There's no way they could jump into the sea if they weren't drunk." This time Koike answered. Her gaze was sharp, straight ahead. She took out everything she had been thinking about in her head.

Fuyuka muttered, silently confirming Koike's words. There was no way the five students died from something accidental. She was at the location when the car wreck being lifted from the sea — which happened to be in a shallow part — She was looking closely at the side of the car that was badly crushed.

Such damage can only be done by hitting the sedan with larger car. And at high speed, of course, so that the car could be slammed out of the road divider.

"I have two theories for this," Fuyuka said. Habu and Koike turned to the back of the car almost simultaneously, waiting for Fuyuka's words. “First, The Elites killed them. Second, a single accident. It was winter at that time so the roads were slippery because of the snow."

Koike replied, "Exactly. The question is, how could they be so far from the city? I mean, who wants to go out with a -10°c temperature.”

Habu chose to silent. She looked at Fuyuka with an unknown expression. Her face clearly showing something, but she chose to hide it well. "If this really has anything to do with The Elites, we should know we have to stop now." Her voice is a little heavier now.

"And let the deaths of five students go to waste? No, they need justice." Koike replied. "We just have to be careful. Don't let anyone know this."

“But if they really died in an accident? We can't accuse The Elites without proof, Miichan. And again, they were just high school students who couldn't possibly commit murder."

"That's why we need information from Hirate."

----

It was true that they were arguing over who would enter first. In the end, Akane, who threw away her fear about the mental hospital, pushed the door. As soon as the door was opened, the smell of drugs swept through her sense of smell.

Once again her expectations were wrong. The corridor that Akane thought would be dark and terrifying were apparently bright passages, full of life. Several patients dressed in light blue and some nurses walked down the hallway. Every now and then someone greeted each other. They walked to the lobby to ask about Hirate.

"Excuse me," Matsuda began. A woman in her thirties rose from her chair and met Matsuda. “I want to ask about a patient named Hirate Yurina. Can we visit her?"

“Hirate Yurina? Ah..” the nurse grabbed her phone and turned around. She seemed to be talking to someone on the other end of the phone, a serious conversation.

While Matsuda tapped the reception desk to wait, Akane walked alone down the corridor. There were several wards that were open because the occupants were not inside. Akane looked into the ward and sighed. She was relieved that the contents weren't as terrible as she had previously thought.

She was thinking about room of a concentration camp from the days of world war.

There was a ward with its doors open so Akane could peek inside. There is a doctor with a patient — a young man. She hear the doctor asking about medicines and the patient answers with a bitter smile.

Akane walked again, this time through a room that was quite crowded with patients. On the double doors, there is a sign that says the dining room. Ah .. just like seeing school. Akane looking through the window of the room that there was a patient sitting alone. Some are in groups. To her surprise, the picture with the mental hospital was completely different. The people who are treated there, live their lives as usual. There were no torture scenes and horrible things.

Satisfied exploring, Akane decided to return to the lobby. Matsuda was chatting with a tall, large man dressed in dark gray, with various military tools attached to his body such as a vest and automatic weapons in hand. The two people stopped the conversation when Akane approached.

“Akane, where have you been? We are waiting for you." Said Matsuda.

"Wait, why is this gunman here?" Akane watched the man closely.

The guard immediately preceded them into the corridor, Matsuda and Akane following behind him. Akane had a lot of questions, why would someone escort them. Do they look suspicious? Or does Matsuda look like a marijuana seller? Matsuda herself seemed silent and didn’t say a word as they passed ward after ward.

They arrived at the intersection of the corridor, there was an elevator. The elevator is different from the usual. It has three layers double doors. The first layer, the outermost is the ordinary elevator door. The second layer is a thick metal frame which looks very sturdy. And the last layer is bulletproof steel.

Akane and Matsuda stared at each other. Questioning the function of the three-tier elevator door. The security guard comes inside, followed by the two. The door closed and caused the sound of two metals clashing together. Button is pressed, the elevator begins to slowly descend. At that point, Akane already confused, she glanced at Matsuda, the girl closed her eyes while her lips moved like saying a prayer.

"I don't know if anyone else came to see that patient." 

The deep voice of the gunman in front of She made Akane look up. The man then continued, “I can smell your fear. I know. You two are too young to enter the underground part of this mental hospital. But over time you will also get used to it if you plan to visit her regularly."

Matsuda stopped praying. She then asked, "Who.. other people are coming?" good question, since no one should know about Hirate's existence apart from them, right?

"Around your age. Long hair, her body is quite tall and looks firm. She always comes at random times."

Long hair..? 

Akane just about to speak when the elevator doors clinked, let out a steel sound and opened. She canceled her intention to ask a question as soon as she noticed the long corridor that had greeted the three of them there. They are in the basement, the deepest and most secretive section of the hospital.

Once they got out of the elevator, there was another long corridor on the right and left. Each one had a dim light like it hadn't been replaced in years. The pale white paint on the walls with the gray metal wardrobe doors added to the gloomy atmosphere of the place.

Another guard approached them. Leading them to a security room, there are cctv monitors and several other devices there.

"Take out all your belongings," an officer said. Akane reached into her jacket pocket and only pulled out her phone — because it was the only thing she was carrying. She put the cell phone in a box. As if dissatisfied, the officer looked at Akane, “take off your jacket, miss. We don't know what you brought under that cloth."

Akane slightly glanced at Matsuda, then took off her denim jacket and placed it on the table. Matsuda also took out everything she was carrying — a cell phone, a small notebook and a pen. And also a snack bar, for that one she didn't seem willing to hand it over to the duty officer.

Finished with their personal belongings, they continued down the corridor to the left. Trying hard to ignore the dozens of pairs of eyes peeking at them through the slit of the steel door, through the metal ward door with a framed hole at the top and a hole at the bottom. Matsuda peeked into one of the wards, but she gasped and walked quickly as if she didn't see anything. What she saw was probably one of a thousand events in her life that she should forget.

Armed officers in full protective gear were seen hanging on each side. In that instant they should have known that they were only one wall apart from the crazy psychopaths who for whatever reason they were locked up in that place. The sound of the steel door being hit from inside made Akane and Matsuda almost utter inappropriate words. Not only that, but the small grunts and laughter that had somehow come from nowhere also made them wonder if they were still on earth and not in hell.

The security guard led them into a closed room — almost like an interrogation room — measuring about 4 by 4 meters, on one side of which was frosted glass which could only be seen from the outside. There is one table with one chair and two chairs at the other end. Without saying anything, the security guard left them and closed the door.

At that instant, Matsuda growled, tilting her head. She looked frustrated, with a little bit of fear. “I didn't know if a mental hospital had a place like this. I thought it’s only in prison!"

Matsuda immediately sat down on the seat provided, while Akane stood behind her. Their backs were facing each other.

"You think when they got armed officers escort us, they asked us to go to the playground?" Akane answered briefly.

"Yes, alright. Forgive my slowpoke brain, this place is so stuffy. I can't think very well.”

“I should have known that my idea of a mental hospital wasn't completely wrong. We're in a ward with a high level of security, it's no wonder there are a lot of armed officers here." She took a seat beside Matsuda. "We can't reach Koike and the others too."

Matsuda lowered her head. She put her head on the table, closed her eyes for a moment. "I'm getting nervous."

“You're not alone, Marina. We both are like idiots here.”

They then kept quiet and listening to voices from outside the room. There was the sound of metal objects jingling, the sound got closer and stopped in front of the iron door where they were. With a single push, the heavy door opened, revealing a tall, short-haired girl. Her hands were tied by handcuffs that looked strong and couldn't broke even with great force.
The officer led the girl to sit on the chair opposite Akane and Matsuda. The few bangs that covered her face drops as she lifted her face and faced Akane.

That face didn't show any emotion at all. It's completely empty. Like a body moving unconsciously, even her eyes weren't looking at them at all. Akane started to make wild assumptions about what she was going through here so she became half dead like that.

And of course how she ended up in a high-security ward.

After the officer finished checking all the series of handcuffs that were holding Hirate's hands and feet, he walked out. “There are many officers hanging around outside. If there's a problem, press the emergency button on the wall." He gave a message before disappearing behind the door.

The atmosphere got heavier — or tense? Akane didn't know which was right. Or maybe both? Because now all the questions that she had originally prepared in her head seemed to be evaporating out. She glanced at Matsuda, the girl stared straight at Hirate who still didn't show any expression.

The dim lights made the atmosphere uncomfortable. Matsuda quietly shifted her chair, thinking that if something happened she could depend on Akane who had fight experience.

"Hirate Yurina?" Akane started. She linked her fingers and put them on the table. "Nice to meet you."

Hirate was still staring straight at the wall behind them. 

“I don't know what you went through to become like this. I'm sorry about the deaths of your friends." Hirate's eyes began to move, this time her eyeballs stared hard, piercing. It made Matsuda feel a little threatened.

“I need some explanation from you. The police didn’t do a good job, right? I know you are disappointed by that. So we tried to find the truth. We need information about anything you know, something you remember about that night."

Several heartbeats were made to wait by Hirate who still didn't make a sound. But both of her hands moved under the table, they knew because the sound of the handcuffs sounded so loud in the room as quiet as that.

"You will die."

Akane frowned, trying to confirm what Hirate said in an excessively small voice. "I’m sorry?"

"You will die like the other students."

Matsuda interrupted, “Why? Nobody will kill us. Why do you say that? Who do you mean to kill us?”

Hirate let out a small growl. Her forehead furrowed, her face was filled with rage. The handcuffs on her hands sounded as she tried to forcefully remove the object that was restricting her movement.

“I… can't tell you. You will die if I tell you this.” she said, her eyes showing sadness mixed with anger. Her even voice cracked a little.

Akane took a glance at Matsuda, as if she understood what they were thinking in their heart. What kind of information is this?

"We are not afraid to die, Hirate. Calm down, and tell us so we can help you." Matsuda said in a soft voice.

“No... You don't understand. You will be buried with all the information you have. They know everything, and after this you will not be able to escape their grasp."

Akane's forehead creased in cluelessness. She doesn’t understand Hirate's words at all. Even so, she took notes and memorized the random words in her head. Matsuda touched Akane's arm, and it surprised her a little.

“Hirate, calm down. Who are they?"

It wasn't the answer Akane got, but a heavy bang on the table. Hirate slammed her hand on the table many times with full force. Matsuda and Akane compactly jumped from their seats. Hirate's handcuffs seemed to injure her hands as she kept hitting the table.

“That school is cursed! You're late, there's no time. Soon you will have the same fate as the lost students,”

Without waiting anymore, Matsuda immediately pressed the emergency button on the wall with clenched fists. Emergency lights flashed, bright red shining on every corner. A loud alarm sound was also heard from outside followed by the clattering of several people's steps. She immediately pressed her back against the wall, taking a place as far as possible with Hirate.

The door opens, two officers and a doctor entered the room. Akane clearly watched how the two officers secured Hirate, keeping her motionless so doctors could inject her with a sedative.

How bad was her past that she had to end up in a place like this? This is not the information I want, it opens up something new instead.

Now they both realized. They had entered too deep into a black hole. They will never make it out. And they have to end what they started.

Who are the missing  students? Who is the girl who always comes to visit Hirate?

“..Matsuda, hurry up. We have to go back."

----

It has been more than 4 hours that the ultra wide monitor in her office is on. Starting from 10 pm until now it is almost 2.30 am. The two cheeseburgers that Hono had brought since she arrived this afternoon were still untouched, they were left on the writing table. Together with green tea that has no longer emitted its steam.

Seki has repeatedly passed false information, system errors, network errors. Many times she also has to be willing to repeat her data search from the beginning again, which means she may have to be willing to sacrifice her time off to rest. One day off in Sakurazaka, Sundays, is a very precious day for every student. But in that particular day, she had to work overtime.

Hono did come and intend to accompany her. Since she entered her room, she always talked with enthusiasm. Despite her broken leg, she could still tiptoe around like a child. It looks promising, because Hono is usually strong when invited to stay up late. But now, her girlfriend was snoring on the sofa. The blanket that Seki gave her has now been thrown somewhere.

The monitor flashes again. Her terminal returned showing invalid message which she knows how many times she got today. Seki rubbed her face with a sigh, her eyes began to feel heavy but sge wasn't sleepy at all. She types a command in another terminal, then leaves the program to working itself.

Leaving her computer screen flickering, she got up from her chair and picked up a cheeseburger that was no longer warm. Even when she started to bite, the meat was no longer tender and the cheese was no longer melted. But at least the meat and buns were enough to prop her hungry stomach. A little laugh because of the 2 am chat with Inoue Rina, her colleague from the next class.

Just talk about how a tiger is if its lays eggs. And what happens when the elephant has the flu. Somehow such a strange thing can comfort Seki.

Finishing her dinner with one last bite, she put down her phone and walked over to turn toward the window. No wonder, I forgot to close the window. Lazily, she walked over to the window. The cold night wind blew gently against her face, making the curtains move slightly in the wind.

That night the atmosphere was a little different. No nocturnal animal sounds, absolutely nothing. Only the sound of the wind, the sound of rustling leaves, and the sound of wooden branches tapping on the high fence of her house. Suddenly there was no more wind, the air seemed to stop moving. A feeling of tightness, discomfort bursts up. Seki hurriedly closed the window and locked it.

“Shit, what did I expect? Human crowd at 3 am?" 

She took Hono's blanket which was lying on the floor and covered Hono with it. Suddenly, her CPU  buzzing. The light flickered, followed by the sound of the cpu fan spinning faster. Of course, that's not a good sign. Seki immediately jumped in front of the computer screen.

“Ah! A little bit more!"

Seki whispered frustratedly, staring at the running program on the monitor screen. Showing eight rows of random numbers constantly moving. One by one the numbers start to stop, showing the numbers that can be read. She is getting impatient.

However, when she turned around and was about to take a pen to write down the numbers. Her computer made a really loud sound, so loud that Hono jumped from her deep sleep.

"Shit, stupid machine, come on," She banged her CPU case. Its seemed that it was getting worse running the program.

"Shit, what's that sound? Jeez you still haven't finished?" Hono asked in a hoarse voice.

"Almost. I almost got the number, damn it. This potato computer crashes at the wrong time." Hono frowned when Seki called the computer with its beast specifications a potato computer.

Suddenly, her computer screen blackened. The computer is turning off itself, the results of her work are simply erased. Smelling a burnt scents from the CPU case, Hono swiftly unplugged all connected cables and carefully opened the inside of the case and smoke immediately rose out.

"Gosh," She said. She raised her hands as she touched the case which was very hot. Looking at Seki, She said, “I didn't do anything, I swear. The CPU is melting. The fan is scorched, and..” she took the smartphone and turned on the flashlight so she could see the condition of Seki's computer spare parts better. "Forget it, consider buying a new setup."

Seki growled roughly. The paper with the 4 digits in her hand was thrown in the trash. "We are forced to wait again. It's only a little longer, we can find out the number behind the sender of the mysterious message. Risa won't be happy with this. Argh.. "

Hono sighed. She left her job, approached the trash. She picked up the sheet of paper that Seki had thrown away. Her forehead creased slightly, "Doesn't this number seems belong to someone you know?" She said, showing the sheet of paper.

Seki glanced at Hono, then grabbed the paper in her hand. Her eyes narrowed as she studied the four numbers, trying to remember. "Isn't this number is the same as Karin's number?" She then hastily grabbed her cell phone and called Yui. Meanwhile Hono closely watching her movements in silence.