In the primordial world, there was night and darkness.

On the edge of that hollowed world, the night took darkness as her consort. Enveloped by dark mist, she conceived and gave birth.

Her children were many, born of misery and blights.

Through them, her dominion upon mankind was complete.

Through them, mankind had learned the taste of despair


Graduation Day, Two Months after Nyx's Descent

The Nyx Annihilation Team's reunion occurred during a warm day in March.

Minato Arisato was the first to arrive on the rooftop. He had been there since the early morning and decided to stick around until the agreed upon time. His eyes were closed, but his ears wriggled at the jumble of midday sounds, a rare occasion when he had chosen not to put on the headphone. The bustling lives within Tatsumi Port Island should have lifted his spirit, but there was a pinch of guilt mixed in with all the relief.

"You're early, Minato-kun, are you planning to skip the graduation ceremony?"

Minato opened his eyes to see Fuuka peeking through the partially open door. She smiled as their eyes met.

"Oh, sorry, did I wake you?"

"Not really…and the real highlight of the graduation day for us is here," Minato replied, rubbing his eyes. The pair were strained and slightly bloodshot. "Besides, I guess it feels…nice to drop that model student act once in a while. Don't think I have the energy to be stay awake through all the droning..."

Minato chuckled, but Fuuka realized that he hadn't been joking as she came to occupy the seat beside him. Signs of weariness were being revealed through the smile. "Have you been sleeping properly? You look..."

"Half-dead?" Minato filled the word in, but a hand kneading his temple gave it little credit as a joke. "Nah, I actually feel better than I look."

"Still...would you like to rest a bit?" Fuuka asked sheepishly and offered her lap. Her cheeks lighted to a pink hue. "I-I'm sorry if I suggested anything weird. I mean you don't have to if you don't want…"

"Actually, sure…I'd like that." Minato felt his own cheeks heating up, but not just from embarrassment. His face had been on fire, ever since he woke up.

With Fuuka's help, Minato managed to lean toward the right side. Both stiffened up a little as they came into contact.

"Guess this can be quite embarrassing when we are in the school..." Fuuka said, her blush deepening. "But I've made up my mind to be bolder around you."

"And I'm grateful for it."

"Minato-kun…can you stay still for a second?" Just as they were getting used to this new posture, Fuuka's look became clouded with worry. Her cusped hand over Minato's forehead confirmed her concerns. "I'd thought so…You should go to the nurse office with this kind of fever."

"I'll get myself to the nurse office after everyone's here and Junpei actually finishes that celebratory dance he promised," Minato forced himself to maintain a reassuring smile.

"But…"

"You know I just can't afford to miss today. Come on, it won't be long. Maybe just an hour." Minato took Fuuka's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"I trust your judgment," Fuuka said, giving up. "But...how about a little sleep? I'll wake you up when everyone is here."

Minato nodded. That was a fair compromise. "I'll wake up all fresh and healthy after a little nap. Don't you worry, everything's good and fine."

"But it's not," Fuuka said. She'd been with him long enough to know when Minato was resorting to a little dose of white lie. "Don't just say that. Tell me what's wrong."

Minato heaved a long and exhausted sigh. She caught him like a naughty child, trying to hide a wet blanket. Might as well come clean.

One thought had been gnawing his mind. He kept it secret from the rest in fear that they would condemn his decision. A part of him knew that this was supposed to be the time of his heroic passing. Once he closed his eyes, there would be no waking up, an almost too perfect ending for a hero. After exhausting his very life to form the Great Seal, the savior of mankind would sleep for one final time and never wake up.

But it was not meant to be.

For Minato, that was the path unchosen. His heart still kept beating steadily, and the warmth of life still remained inside him, though small and weakening with time.

He couldn't bring himself to share the secret with the rest of SEES, but if it was her…

If only her…

"Fuuka…You're right." He began "There's something I have to say, something to…confess. It's about that night…on top of the tower…"

"I'm listening." Fuuka nodded, but only awkward silence followed. "Minato-kun…?"

Minato covered his forehead with one hand and stopped. Maybe, it was the feverish heat that weakened his will, but hesitation was relentless and it wouldn't let him pass. "Sorry, I guess it's a bit hard to say…"

"In that case…" Fuuka sighed and laid one hand on his cheek, soothingly cold against his feverish skin. "Let's wait until you're feeling better, then I'll listen whatever you want to talk about. I'm sorry if I was pushing you."

…You weren't, but I just don't think I'll ever be ready… The somber thought came over Minato for a second and faded away just as quickly. Fuuka's unconditional kindness was a both a blessing and setback on his side.

If she had pushed him more, he might have confessed. The cowardly side of him seized the chance when she had offered an easy way out. Minato himself doubted that he could vomit those same words out, now that they had been swallow.

With no more left to be said, Minato finally surrendered to the fatigue. "I'll be sleeping for a while. Will you stay with me until then?"

"Don't worry," Fuuka sealed the promise with her usual forgiving smile. "I'll be here."

"Thanks…"

"Sweet dreams, Minato-kun. I'll stay beside you forever" Fuuka purred. Her finger traced the line on his forehead, brushing away stray bangs.

Sleep came to him quickly. Senses gradually faded, from the breezes' caress to the softness of her lap, but the darkness of sleep offered him no refuge. When all other thoughts had ceased and the world around him faded to oblivion, only a single emotion remained.

…I'm sorry…

The crushing guilt from the sin he committed atop that tower, where the destined savior had betrayed mankind.

…I couldn't stop her…

Words escaped from Minato's lips as the grip on his thought process began to ease. To most, they must have seemed like delirious fever talk.

Only Minato knew the unforgiving weight behind every words.

…Nyx…

Chapter 1: Prelude to the Night

It has been a long time, brother. Have you decide to return home?

That I did. I've decided to return to our mother.

A pleasant surprise…but what had happened to the high hope you had placed on their…boundless capability?

I had hoped for too much and perhaps too soon. As it stand, my hope is betrayed. I have no more interest in their kind.

Indeed, indeed, but today is fine day nonetheless. Mother! Father! Your wayward child has returned!

Velvet Room

Minato Arisato stirred silently out of shallow sleep. The purple ambience seeped through his half-open eyes. From that, his location was obvious. This wasn't the first time he had been rudely summoned.

When his eyes fully opened, the small violet cubicle came into view, an elevator-like space that invoked a feeling of nostalgia. Years had flown by since he had last set foot on this mysterious room. This out-of-the-blue invitation perked his curiosity as well as annoyance.

Minato leaned against the backrest and stared questioningly at the two regular inhabitants of the room. A curtain of drowsiness draped over his mind, but hadn't completely stopped the myriad questions that were beginning to surface.

"Welcome back. It's been so long since you've last required our service," Elizabeth began. Beside her stood another woman. "Allow me to introduce my sister, Margaret. Like myself, she is also resident of this place."

Minato turned his eyes to the stranger that occupied the space on Igor's left side. He could see certain resemblances, although compared to the spontaneous and absent-minded Elizabeth she seemed somehow a little more composed and more refined.

"My name is Margaret. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Yes, it's a pleasure," Minato nodded curtly in acknowledgement. "I appreciate this reunion, but would you mind if I ask why I find myself here again?"

"And I shall gladly answer, but for now I would have to ask you to be patient, Master Minato," Igor said, raising one hand to silence his guest. "We are awaiting another. I believe he will join us soon…very soon, in fact."

"I just don't have a lot of time, so why not just get to the point...?" Minato pressed. The unexpected summons turned him uncharacteristically defensive. "I'm sure this is about what I did five years ago…? If you're going to scold me for being a coward, just get it over with."

"Master Minato, while you are correct in the first regard, I would have to elaborate that your contract has not been broken as of yet. Your burden as the savior of humankind is one that you have chosen upon yourself. The contract merely specifies that you, as a holder of the wild card, be responsible for all your decisions," Igor said, following a small snicker at his guest's antics.

"So what I did and what I'm going to do is my business."

"Precisely: a choice is a choice no matter what path have been chosen, and I merely assist in whatever path you should decide to take. Good or bad, law or chaos, judgment is not a part of my duty."

"Well, thank you for the clarification," Minato grumbled, unconvinced. "First off, why don't you let me out of here, so I can go on doing what I want to do?"

"Well, what's interesting here is that the decisions you've made actually bear some direct, albeit unexpected, consequences on the situation at hand. And therefore..." Igor added, taking no note of Minato's apparent and increasing displeasure. "I believe it is the best time to remind you of our contract and your responsibility."

"Besides," Elizabeth said, "it's been so long since you've last visited us. I'll have you know, it was quite boring with just me and Master Igor. He's always such a killjoy," she added, casting an accusing glance at Igor.

Igor waved Elizabeth off and continued. "We might have resorted to a rather crude invitation, but today marks an opportune meeting. Ah, I believe our final actor is here."

Minato heard the door behind him creak. Another young man walked in and occupied the seat beside him.

He wore a lab coat over a black polo shirt and jeans. The greyish hair gave him a distinct look, a small quirk in his otherwise neutral appearance. He seemed too young, too casually dressed to possibly be a working scientist. Minato's better guess placed him as a college student.

"Narukami Yu."

"Minato Arisato

Both men exchanged introductions, but remained without any intent to pursue further conversation. The dream-like visit to the velvet room left both with a sort of lethargy. Just the common courtesy was enough.

Margaret offered a small wave to the man, who returned the gesture. The two spoke briefly before a theatrical clap from Igor returned all attention back to the issue at hand.

"A rough journey awaits, but I believe both of you have the capability to wade through the current of fate," Igor said.

Simultaneously, Elizabeth and Margaret presented parchments before Minato and Yu, along with a quill and an inkpot for each. "Your signature here please," Elizabeth said to Minato. "For the contract's renewal."

He scowled. He had signed this very same contract five years ago. Beneath the cursive words that spelled his name was a line requiring another signature. "I don't suppose there'll be a way to get myself out of this journey, is there?"

The occupants of the velvet room only maintained their mysterious silence to his question. The so-called 'Narukami Yu' seemed to have finished his paperwork without much qualm. Their stares only egged him on to accept the contract.

"Guess not," Minato mumbled, but nevertheless took the quill in his hand and dipped it in the ink pot. "The clauses are still the same, I hope."

"Yes, as a matter of fact we don't have the authority to change them." Appearing satisfied with the renewal of both contracts, Igor produced a stack of tarot cards from within his sleeves and proceeded to shuffle with a ritualistic reverence.

"Now, let us proceed. Would you believe that held within these cards is the power to reveal all that you wish to know? The tangle of fates, desires, and destinies can be shown in their purest form, but now I suspect that both of you would be most curious as to your role in this journey." Two cards were flicked from the stack. Each landed in front of Minato and Yu. "Please go ahead, the cards are meant for you."

Simultaneously, both Minato and Yu flipped up their tarot cards. The image in both showed the silhouette of a traveler teetering off a cliff. The two men exchanged a glance.

There wasn't a mistake. Both of them received the same card.

The fool, the first major arcana.

"That's strange…we've got the same card?" Yu observed, leaning forward on the table to look over them both.

"Didn't think there would be duplicates in the same deck," Minato agreed.

"Yes, indeed, this outcome is…most intriguing," Igor mused aloud. "Neither of your fates have changed since our first meetings, and now we have two wild cards, two of the number zero, two holders of infinite possibility…"

Minato and Yu exchanged another glance, coming to a silent understanding of the burdens that they each had borne in the past.

"So you too…?" Minato asked. "A journey?"

"Yeah," Yu replied.

Their exchange had earned a chuckle from Igor, who seemed pleased at the exchange. "Indeed, it seems like both of you have understand the reason why you were called here. Soon, we shall see whether two infinites would combine to make infinity in itself more bountiful, or would they clash and negate one another completely? By definition, this truly is an unresolvable conundrum. Nevertheless, I shall eagerly await the combinations of fate constructed by both your hands."

Minato did not find the idea of being thrown into another 'rough journey' particularly appealing, but at least the thought of having another wildcard as an ally was more or less reassuring. Yu, on the other hand, seemed much more receptive toward assuming his role.

"Nice to meet you in advance." Yu smiled and extended a hand toward Minato. "I suppose we'll be working together soon enough."

"If it would come to that...although I'd rather not be a part of it." Minato grabbed Yu's outstretched hand and shook it twice. The grey-haired young man was stronger than he'd expected.

Igor clapped his hands, pleased with the initiative. "Now that everything in the preliminary stage is in place, I'm afraid that it is time for us to part. We shall attend to the details later. And, Master Minato, I hope our next meeting will be voluntary…"

"I wouldn't count on it," Minato said, visibly eager to return to the real world.

"Oh, but I'm convinced otherwise…" Igor's parting words left a haunting ring as the room began to fade away.

Minato felt a welcoming sense of relief as his body reclined backward into a sleepy paralysis. The backrest of his seat had disappeared by then.

Finally...time to wake up…

Igor made a final remark just before Minato's consciousness mellowed in with the darkness. "Of all the bonds that the fools have made, both of you will likely receive the most support from one."

Minato saw another card on top of his mind.

"Please take care to not lose it. The priestess is the most patient and compassionate, but her nature is also the most dainty and fragile."

The Priestess...

Fuuka.

Okina City JR Station (4 years after the advent of Nyx)

The Okina City JR station was a rundown place, heavily traveled but with only meagre funding for maintenance. Few travelers were on the platform at this odd hour, far too early for most commuters to be going home.

"Mister…wake up."

Among the out-of-season tourists and visiting relatives boarding the train to Inaba was Minato Arisato, peacefully sleeping on one of the hard plastic chair lined the side of the platform.

"Mister…your train's leaving."

An unfamiliar voice called Minato to his senses, but lingering sleepiness left him incapable of comprehending the message, at least until an announcement was made in static female voice.

"The following train is about to depart for Yasoinaba station."

As the realization dawned upon him, Minato shifted into a full-blown emergency mode. He bolted straight to his feet and dashed across the platform, only pausing long enough to say a hasty 'thank you' to the old man who had taken the time to wake him up.

Minato sprinted for the doors, blocking them with a suitcase, and squeezed through the gap—at the risk of having one furious railway operator at hand. He had an appointment to keep, and the next train, arriving roughly an hour later, would have made him inexcusably late.

"That …damned…long nose. Couldn't he…have chosen a better time?" Half huffing, half complaining, Minato tried to catch his breath. It had been a long while since he had to exert himself physically.

While his resume included an impressive internship at one of Kirijo's daughter companies, Minato had heard many…intimidating things about his new unyieldingly old fashioned employer. Disappearing from an interview entirely wasn't likely an excusable mistake.

Fighting the urge to cough once he had gotten inside, Minato turned to catch a glimpse of the mysterious benefactor who had woken him in the nick time. The old man was flashed him a smile and a wave good-bye. Minato gratefully waved back.

The station conductor…?

If so, then he didn't seem to be in his proper attire. The old man's suit and top hat seemed over-the-top fancy for a station conductor's uniform. Two golden watches gleamed from both his wrists. Minato had no more than a few seconds mull his identity over before the train skidded away from the station and began picking up speed.

"This train is departing for Yasoinaba terminal station."

Dragging along two large suitcases, Minato gradually made his way to a seat in the middle of the adjacent car, completely empty save for him. The lightly padded train seat wasn't the most comfortable, but even then a welcome change from the hard orange plastic seat of Okina station. Mistakenly sleeping on one had left a lingering strain on his back.

Minato reclined into his seat, adjusting his position in a futile attempt to find the one most comfortable. His empty gaze traversed field after field, passing by in a drab blur. The clear sky above and the flaming sea of autumn leaves in the distance gave the landscape a picturesque quality, but it also quickly grew bland. There was hardly anything remarkable to catch his attention—just a seemingly endless expanse of red and brown.

Boredom gave his mind the freedom to wander, but the recent visit to the velvet room had set an overwhelming negative tone.

Minato sighed. He knew it would be better to not let these distant worries eat away his peace of mind. At least, that was what he tried to convince himself.

A rough journey…The two fools…

The content of that dream disturbed him still.

Igor…

The man offered invaluable assistance in the face of calamity, but it was difficult to properly appreciate his appearance. Wherever Igor should appear, Minato could expect another calamity to closely follow. The realization just added another weight to the looming uncertainty in his mind. Worries already seemed to be piling up, even before he actually reached his destination.

In an attempt to leave behind all the ominous clouds, Minato put on Fuuka's homemade headphones, his favorite ever since he received them as a gift. More than five years had passed since then. Twice he had returned the headphones to their maker for repair and twice she had made them good as new. How she constructed and repaired the device from scratch still puzzled him. The jumble of wires and plastic inside seemed inaccessible to inexperienced eyes. Nevertheless, he touched the headphones with a hint of lingering affection.

"No matter how far apart we are, it'll feel like we are together as long as you listen to them."

He had her words perfectly preserved in his memory. A little corny, but he treasured them all the same. It had only been a few hours into his journey, and Minato already began missing all the familiar faces of his friends.

But he couldn't stay. After all that had happened, he didn't have the courage to.

And so I ran away…

Minato ended his train of thought in a slightly dejected tone. There was no need to be sugar-coating things. The other SEES member, with an emphasis on Fuuka, had done more than their share of that. Only he himself could afford to be harsh and unforgiving.

He was once Minato Arisato, the field leader of the SEES and humanity's last hope against Nyx. All that remained of him five years later was Minato Arisato, another run-of-the-mill college graduate, traveling far from home for just another run-of-the-mill job. Just a bachelor's degree in liberal arts wouldn't get him anywhere far in Japan's crowded job market, but he was already operating on a ticking clock. He wanted a taste of what an adult life would be like.

He recalled in exasperation the moment when the fate of the world was held in his hands. He had lost all the rights to remake that choice. He was escaping, to a place where the weight of responsibility wouldn't be so crushing.

Turning a new page sounds easy, he pondered wistfully and closed his eyes, but sometimes you just miss all the story you left behind.

The empty train carriage allowed him the small luxury of cranking up the retro rock music to its full volume. Lost to music and reminiscence, Minato soon succumbed to another episode of shallow sleep. Only the distant sound of wheels and axles grinded on and on, whisking him onto another stormy road ahead.

Inaba, TV World

"The meat's ready. Someone set the plates," Hanamura Yosuke hollered. Facing the open flame, each of the generous cuts of T-bone produced appetizing sizzles.

"Sweet! I'm on it." Chie was the first to react, both ears perking up at the word 'meat.' The remaining investigation team turned toward the grill in apparent anticipation. Noses wiggled as gentle breezes carried along the hint of spices and steak sauce.

They set the grill in a grassy opening that served as their usual recreational area, where they were holding a barbeque party. A few years ago none of them would have believed that the TV world would become a place of rest and recreation. It seemed like a waste not to take advantage of the serene landscape that was revealed to them once the fog had lifted, especially with all the time they had now that the murder case was closed.

"Take Teddie's meat, ladies, it will be even more bearrific than Yosuke's!" Teddie shouted from another grill to Yosuke's side.

"Hanamura-kun, Teddie, are you two tired? Do you want to switch?" Yukiko moved quickly while laying out the utensils, but her real sight was set to the grill in anticipation.

"Thanks, but leave the grill to us, Amagi…Please," Yosuke hastily refused, realizing that it contained the thinly veiled possibility of disaster. "I thought we already had an agreement on this."

"…But that was only one time mistake."

"Yeah, but our warranty option doesn't cover the whole appliance exploding then being frozen solid. I still remember that customer support girl's face when I went asking for a replacement."

The grilling duties were left to the two who had worked in the Junes food court, after the girls were banned from standing in front of the grill, both for their own sake and the sake of anyone unfortunate enough to be within five meters. It seemed to be a reasonable distance after Chie and Yukiko made the appliance spew some sort of a fire ball. A blast of Bufudyne and their verdict on the ban was unanimously reached.

Rise soon faced the same ban after an unfortunate Kanji gobbled down her steak, covered in a special glaze of wasabi and tabasco. To this day, Kanji refused to speak of the incident for trauma it had caused, although a few people claimed that his agonizing howl could be heard from the toilet all the way across the street.

"Naoto! Come down here!" With his unblinking gaze fixed on the grill, Kanji yelled across the field.

"Sorry, do you need me?" A little perplexed, Naoto looked up from the book her eyes had been glued to for the last half an hour.

"Food's ready!"

"Oh, I see. Thank you." Naoto inserted a bookmark between the pages and sprang to her feet, allowing herself to be drawn toward the source of the appetizing smell.

They tried to make this gathering at least a weekly routine, but exams and job searching had thrown their schedule out of whack. After the three senpai graduated from Yasogami High, synchronizing their schedules had became much more difficult.

"Anyone thinking of going to college this year?" Chie asked.

"I'm not sure. The inn is getting busier and we're pretty short-staffed, so I'm helping out full time," Yukiko said.

"Dunno, probably not me as well. Dad's been grilling me to help with Junes' management, so I won't be going anywhere for the time being. Probably will get some experience working here, then I'll decide about college."

"Darn…so now I'm the only one without clear road ahead." Chie's smile faltered for a second.

"Right, you're still waiting for the reply…Maybe Dojima-san will know something?" Yukiko suggested, diminishing some of her friend's tension.

"Don't think so. He probably wouldn't bother with recruiting…" came Chie's low-spirited reply. "I thought the police force is supposed to, you know, get things done quickly."

"The position of my secretary is open, if you're interested," Yosuke smirked.

"Yeah right, in your dreams, daddy's rich boy."

"…Chie." Yukiko's eyes widened as she nudged her friend. The topic was an especially sore one for Yosuke.

The incidents of the TV world murder case had laid bare all of their innermost weaknesses. While some did overcome their past traumas, they had made an implicit agreement to avoid mentioning them altogether.

"Ah! Just joking, just joking! Come on, don't be taking things this idiot say seriously." Flustered, Chie hastily tried to make amends. "…Well, yeah, sorry…"

"Nah, don't be…" Yosuke's smile was wiped away for a second, but it returned just as quickly. Two years was a long enough time for him to build some emotional resistance over these sore spots. "Come on, Satonaka, cheer up. There's going to be absolutely nothing left of you without that idiot smile on your face."

"…You know I could've kicked you for that, but I'm letting this one slide."

"Oh, seems I made the right choice to offer you that unlimited meat barbeque beforehand. Besides, if you don't get accepted, you're so going to work under this daddy's boy in the near future."

"Just you wait, I'll pass that application and get into the police force!"

"Good," Yosuke said, expertly transferring each slab of meat on the plates with a barbecue tong. "That's the Satonaka I know."

Simultaneously, Teddy finished serving up his portion of meat. "Oh, right, right, when will Rise-chan get here? Teddie is saving his best meats for when all the girls are here."

"Kujikawa should have been here…fifteen minutes ago," Naoto reported after quick glance at her watch. "But it wouldn't be too difficult to imagine some troubles arising with her supplementary lessons. She might've contacted Tatsumi-kun…Hmm?"

It was only then that the rest of group noticed that Kanji had also been missing from the recent flow of the conversation.

"Sorry, did I miss something?" Kanji jogged up to the party. The reason for his disappearance was apparent on his plate.

"Ahh, Kanji, don't hog all the meat for yourself!" Chie protested, although the person in question seemed to receive it with deaf ears.

"Well, you senpai just seem to be caught up in your talk," Kanji said, clearly unremorseful. "I already put the rest on the plates over there."

"That's an…impressive amount of protein." Naoto's composed expression twitched slightly after a glance at all the meat, lard, and sauces that formed a massive dome on Kanji's plate. "Just be careful not to upset your stomach."

"Yosuke, why don't you be a good host and fetch some more." Chie grumbled, annoyed by the sudden lack of meat.

"Yeah, I'll run back up to get some meat later…but, Kanji,I know I told you to eat all you want, but don't bankrupt our food court."

"Got it…I'll limit myself to just three servings then." Kanji answered, visibly disappointed.

"Just how much are planning to eat exactly…" Yosuke grimaced.

"Yeah, it'll be b~eary bad, if Teddie has to find work somewhere else. All the ladies would be so heart-broken."

"You're joking. Kids aside, the ladies would be happy to see this bear swatted off their backs," Yosuke said, shooting a weary glance at Teddie.

"What?! Teddie is a gentleman, so he would never be a bother to the ladies," he protested. "Come on, girls. You gotta support Teddie. Tell them Teddie's not a bother."

"So we are back to this again?" Chie said, apparently not in the mood to answer.

"Don't worry, Teddie, you're not a bother," Yukiko reassured, unknowingly to an opposite effect. "You're just a little annoying from time to time…Well, just a little bit."

Naoto apparently shared the same thought. "I'd have to agree, judging from the fact that there were groups of women who deliberately chose to walk through different aisles to avoid him."

"And Yukiko's just trying to be polite, by the way," Chie added.

"This can't be! Is this how the girls really think of Teddie? I'm devastated." Wearing a theatrically hurt expression, Teddie retreated.

"Still, to be perfectly fair, it is undeniable that there are also certain groups of middle-aged housewives who clearly enjoyed his advances," Naoto added.

"But Teddie won't give up!" Completely ignoring Naoto's added clause, Teddie recovered and exclaimed with the same boundless optimism. "Teddie will try double hard so all the ladies fall for him!"

"Teddie, I'll be forced to deduct your pay if you're going to harass the customers again," Yosuke sighed. He almost had to resort to this measure too many times than he cared to count. "Hmm? Is that. . . ."

"Yes, looks like Kujikawa's here," Naoto confirmed, noticing the sound of footsteps that approached the clearing.

"Hi, everyone…I'm beat" From the direction of greeting came Rise, who had just emerged into the opening. She tossed her drenched umbrella to the side and quickly collapsed onto the grassy field. "At least, it's sunny in here…"

"Hi, Rise-chan, wanna have some meat?" Finishing up the second batch, Teddie expertly flipped up another piece onto a plate, grilled to the perfect juicy pink. This time he chose to divide up the equal portion for each plate to prevent Kanji from lumbering in for a second helping.

"Maybe later, Teddie. I just need to rest my brain for now," Rise replied. Resting on her head on a backpack like a pillow, she seemed to ready to fall asleep any second. "God, I hate biology! It's not like we're going to be breeding pea plants after we graduate."

"It probably is better to just be grateful that you can at least take the supplementary lessons, instead of taking another year to graduate." Naoto said, taking a seat besides Rise.

"Oh, my, that sounds serious. Are you going to be alright?" Yukiko asked.

"Thanks for worrying, Yukiko-senpai. I think I'll pass the supplementary course…but it's hard to stay after for four hours of Kashiwagi's lecture…" Rise mumbled, both eyes closed and her expression blank. "Now I'll get enjoy the rest of my break."

"But, actually, second semester starts next Monday so…"

"NO! Don't say it! Let me enjoy this time at least!" Rise desperately interrupted Naoto, visibly distraught from of the idea of having only a few days of precious rest remaining. "You're one to talk, Naoto…Not that the straight-A type like you has to lump yourself with flunking people like us."

"I did offer to help you study once, remember? I don't mind offering it again."

"Please do this time…I was so so wrong to not study with you..." came Rise's fragmented reply.

"What about you Kanji-kun?" Yukiko asked, slightly curious that Kanji had managed to pass the last exam where Rise had failed.

"The exam? I think I'm okay after Naoto helped me…"

"Yes, I believe so." Naoto nodded in agreement. "He still is teetering in dangerous territory, but his average is now above failing. I'd say there are definitely improvements…albeit it's only marginal."

It was then that Chie returned with a plate of meat, a huge pile comparable to Kanji's. "I can't let an underclassman defeat me now, can I?"

"Impressive, as expected of Satonaka, the carnivore who abandoned womanhood—"

Thwack!

Yosuke could barely finish his last word before he was rudely interrupted by a roundhouse kick. Apparently, Chie's constant training kept her Kung Fu skill in top shape.

"That crossed the line, you jerk."

"Snk…Bwahahahahaha!" Only Yukiko seemed to burst into an uncontrolled fit of laughter.

"Alright that's enough, you hyena. It's not even that funny." Chie had a wry expression on her face as she tried in vain to calm Yukiko down.

"No that's…just…so funny."

"But still, nothin' wrong with it, right?" Kanji chewed hard and washed the meat down with a can of soft drink. He had nearly demolished half the plate at that point. "All the nutrition a man needs is in the meat."

"Well, we ordinary males do have simple taste buds," Yosuke agreed. "Anything meaty, fatty, or salty equals a good enough meal."

"Ah, I can relate to that!" Chie enthusiastically chimed in.

"You three…" Naoto shook her head in resignation. "…Just please try not to contract a life style disease when you hit thirty."

"Oh, right! Big news!" Breaking the flow of conversation, Rise suddenly sprang up from the ground. "We're getting a new teacher!"

"This time of the year?" Kanji asked, but apparently didn't seem interested.

"I'm sure of it. I saw him going into the principal's office. He looks young, but a little sickly…Hmm, why is it now? They don't look the same, but for some reason I think he reminded me of Narukami-senpai…"

"But still…speaking of him, it's been a while," Yosuke mumbled. Just the mere mention of Narukami Yu often sent the investigation team into a brief episode of reminiscence. It had been more than a year since the entire team had last been fully assembled.

"Hard to believe that it's already been two years, isn't it?" Yukiko let out a soft sigh. "A lot of things have changed since then and a lot of things will be still be changing…It's a little sad."

"All of a sudden we just aren't high school students anymore. Come to think of it, it looks like adult life is just going to be a boring uphill road, compared to that time with the investigation team," Yosuke complained, albeit in a lighthearted tone. He was well aware that his future employment prospects were already much better than most of his Inaba peers. "I guess the only one continuing the tradition would be Naoto."

"Yes, I suppose so," Naoto contemplated. "But unlike the Adachi Tohru case, most crime investigations tend to be resolved through lab work and paperwork. I am quite certain that is different from what you have in mind."

"Speaking of sensei, did he tell you when he would be back, Yuki-chan?" Teddie asked.

"He's been awfully busy this year." Yukiko's smile widened. "I guess that's normal with him aiming for medical school, but he's still planning to come here during the summer."

"Sensei's going to be back? Sweet!"

"Well…I mean, if everything goes right."

"By then we'll all be sure to give you two plenty of space inside the TV then, hmm?" Chie said with a Cheshire grin.

"Indeed, just a friendly reminder that not all of us enjoy being treated to an unexpected scene of romance," Naoto chimed in with a small chuckle. Yukiko and Yu's relationship had at that point been turned into the group's topic of choice in teasing the pair.

"Oh...Sorry…" Yukiko mumbled meekly, her cheeks glowing crimson.

Her blushing face triggered a chain reaction of laughter. This was the way that their investigation team was meant to be, enjoying the randomly flowing topics of conversation and carefree laughter.

Nothing will ever change. I'm sure of it. A sliver of thought took a comfortable lodging in Yukiko's mind.

Before long, she too joined in with the laughter.

Amagi Inn, Inaba

The rain grew heavier that night, blowing torrents of wind and water droplets and battering the Amagi Inn. Leaves and mud soon clogged the drainage system and left a growing pool of murky water on the street. Flooding seemed inevitable should the rain continue much longer, a further complication for an already sparse tourist season.

Amidst the dreary scene of rainfall, a creature emerged. Unfamiliar habitat left it dazed and confused, but not for long. Soon, it would recover, regain strength, and begin moving. Until then, attracting undue attention would be most unwise. For a long time, it stood at the edge of the sidewalk, unperturbed by the unforgiving weather, but the light and warmth inside the inn was still a tempting thought.


"Hello, thank you for calling the Amagi Inn. How can I…Oh! Yuki-chan…Yuki-chan…" The inn attendant carried the phone to Yukiko with a grin. "It's the boyfriend."

"Oh…thank you!" Yukiko promptly left the flowers she was arranging and took the phone, her body tense with anticipation. This was one call she wouldn't delay. "Yu-kun, is that you?"

"Hello…" Yu trailed off after the greeting. "I guess it's been…well, a while since the last time I called."

"It's good to hear from you," Yukiko relaxed at the sound of his voice. It had been too long since she last heard it.

"Sorry I've been so busy lately…Actually, I also don't have a lot of time today. Just that, I have a bad feeling…" Yuu trailed off again. He just couldn't find an easy way to explain the idea of velvet room and Igor's prophecy to the others. "I had a dream…Okay, now I'm just sounding crazy."

"Of course not, I'm just happy that you're concerned about us…about me." Yukiko's reply too came slightly fragmented. The long duration that they spent without one another contributed to some initial awkwardness, but the familiarity was gradually returning.

"Just doing my boyfriend's duty. It might just be a gut feeling. Might not even be real, but I just want you to be a little more careful in that world."

"I think everything seems fine though, not like the mist are returning or anything like that…" Yukiko looked up as she pondered. She could hear Yu breathing out in relief over the phone. "We just had a barbecue party there today. I wanted to practice making you some when you got back, but Hanamura-kun didn't let me. That was really unfortunate."

"I'm sure Yosuke had his reasons." Yu had to stifle a laugh as he replied. While Yukiko's journey toward becoming a decent chef was progressing along, it still couldn't quite eliminate her unfortunate tendency to cause any flammable ingredients to spontaneously combust.

"And you know we were just talking about you today. Teddie and Rise-chan were so excited and Hanamura-kun was talking about taking you on a hike. Oh, we also met Nanako-chan the other days. She has really grown up a lot and…and…"

"Yukiko…?"

"Yu-kun…" Yukiko's voice died down to a nearly whisper. She had always grown meek whenever they broached this subject, mainly in fear that his reply would change or that anything should come up to prevent his return. "We'll be…seeing you in Inaba soon, right?"

"I'll be there, definitely. It's just going to be a week or two." Yu sensed her worry but there wasn't much he could do. Last year, he did actually renege on his promise to return in pursuit of an academic life abroad. He was determined not to repeat that mistake. "I just have a few more exams, then I'll catch the first plane I can to Japan and board the train to Inaba. I'll see you in just a few weeks."

"You know …sometimes, I just think that it would be better if we just stayed together…here in Inaba." A spell of loneliness had overtaken Yukiko's conscious mind. Words slipped out before she could stop herself, a slip of the tongue that she hadn't meant for him to hear.

"Me too…" The smile on Yu's face turned a little sour.

It had taken all his willpower to not give in to the temptation and catch the first train to Inaba as soon as he finished high school. With Yukiko waiting, the decision to go for college had been much more difficult for him to make than most.

Only one thought kept his motivation alive: he wished only the best for her.

He could've stayed in Inaba for good, but the question of what to come next haunted him. What if they married? What if they had a child? Could he make her happy with a meagre salary from a thankless grunt job that wouldn't require a college degree? What would her family think of him then?

All the questions and doubts revolved endlessly in Yu's mind. She had chosen to stay in Inaba as the Amagi Inn's heiress. He had chosen to go elsewhere, to become someone who could look Yukiko and her family in the eyes. For the respective paths they had chosen, they both had to make sacrifices.

The awkwardness lingered, and the conversation flow was broken temporarily, thus the reason why they would normally make conscious efforts to avoid the topic. After a while, Yukiko was the first to break the spell and hastily added.

"S-Sorry, look at me running my mouth! I didn't mean to make you feel bad about that..." Yukiko clutched the phone with both hands, pressing the device closer to her face. She just wanted to be closer to him. Talking on the phone hardly fulfilled this need. "…Besides, I'm sure the charm will keep you safe until you're back."

"Keeping me safe in your stead." Yu's smile widened as he reached into his pocket. The charm was still there, tucked into a safe compartment in his wallet. "And keeping you safe as well, I hope?"

"…I know it does." Likewise, Yukiko reached for hers. Before Yu left for the city, he had given her an identical charm.

So we'll both be safe, he said back then, tucking the charm into her hand before boarding the train.

"Well, the charm's good, but just if anything happens, call me. I'll fly right back, if I have to…." Yu paused. Expressing thoughts into words was never his forte, but he was willing to make an effort for her sake. "And thanks…for waiting for me, I mean."

"Don't worry. Just stay safe and come back to us."

"I will…Anyway, I need to get into the lab now. I'll have to turn my phone off."

"Me too, I think a guest is coming in…" Yukiko's smile was wiped off her face. She wanted to talk with him more. They both had many things to say, to give their loved one a glimpse into their daily life. The few minutes they could spare was hardly enough.

Yukiko took a sharp intake of breath to temper her disappointment. She was more or less used to this feeling after the twelve months that he'd been absent from her life. She convinced herself that a few more weeks would pass in the blink of an eye.

If anything, it would make their reunion all the sweeter.


The creature took time to gather enough confidence in its disguise, but eventually it chose to boldly stride into the Amagi inn. It looked like a human and could articulate like one. There was no reason to suspect that anyone could call its ruse.

With a polite smile, it approached the nearest inn attendant, a young woman clad in a bright pink kimono, and waited as she hastily said a few final words into the phone. It flicked droplets of water from two golden wristwatches and removed the drenched top hat for greeting as she repeatedly apologized for missing his arrival.

"Excuse me, ma'am, do you happen to have a room available?"

A toothy smile stretched the wrinkles on the creature's face, the type that parents reserved for their children, but the hungry glint made it seem more like it had spotted a hearty meal.

The creature's lips made a soft hungry smack.

A little too skinny, but the succulent youthfulness would make up for any shortcoming.

Tonight would be a feast.