"AKARI? AKARI, WHERE ARE YOU?"

"AKARI-CHAAAN!"

Yui and Chinatsu had been trudging back and forth through the park for almost an hour searching for their friend. The sun was beginning to set as the street lamps began to turn on one by one. The two decided to grab something to drink at a nearby vending machine before calling it a day. Chinatsu took a seat on a bench close by, staring down at the cobblestone path beneath her feet as Yui rejoined her with two cans of juice in hand. "Here, Chinatsu-chan. You've earned it."

"O-Oh. Thank you, Senpai..." The pink-haired girl answered. It was strange. Normally having her beloved senior treat her like this would send her heart a flutter, but not this time.

"You're getting really worried too, huh?" Yui asked. Chinatsu simply nodded in response, not saying a word. Yui sat down next to her, leaning back and taking a sip of her drink. "I'm sure she's fine. Akari seems like a pushover, but when we were little she was always right there next to me ready to help out in case we ever got into trouble. She was surprisingly tough."

"Really?...You're seriously talking about the same Akari-chan?" Chinatsu found it hard to believe that someone, as rude as it may have sounded, as pathetic as Akari actually had a tough personality as a kid. "That sounds like something Kyouko-senpai would say."

"It's the truth." Yui smiled. "Heck, Akari was always helping me look after Kyouko to make sure nothing made her cry..." She took another look up to the sky, the first few stars beginning to make themselves known as the sun set further. "Nowadays she may struggle to stay in the spotlight and her luck may have taken a blow or two...but if there's one thing she still is, it's resilient. Knowing her, she's probably more worried about how we're doing than herself."

Chinatsu felt a little better, sitting up straighter and looking a tad bit brighter. "Speaking of Kyouko-senpai, I wonder how she's doing. She just ran into town without really saying anything else..."

"I have no clue either." Yui answered. "I've never seen her look so panicky before..."

Kyouko had been scanning the streets up and down since speaking with Akane, never once deciding to take a break. The determined look on her face was so strong that it caused the various people she passed to steer clear almost instinctively. She was focused on finding Akari and proving that she didn't disappear for real, but the longer the search took the more anxious she grew. After running down one street after another she finally decided to take a quick rest and catch her breath. Night had already set foot and it was starting to get late.

"Akari...Where are you...?" She asked quietly. Suddenly a buzzing came from her bag. It was her cellphone. Kyouko frantically pulled it out to answer. "Hello?! Akari?!"

"...Sorry to disappoint you. It's me." Yui answered from the other end. Kyouko sighed. "Oh, Yui...Did you have any luck in the park?"

"No. We looked all over about three times. I just finished walking Chinatsu-chan back home."

"Aha...Good effort, then."

"...You've been searching non-stop, haven't you? You're breathing pretty heavily."

"Ngh..." Kyouko cursed herself for accidentally making it obvious. "I can still keep going, no worries."

"Kyouko, just give it up for now. It's a school night and you're running yourself ragged...Are you nearby?"

Kyouko took a quick look around. "Oh, I'm not that far from that convenience store by your apartment."

"Then come stay at my place tonight. You need a break. Plus we have homework to do."

"But...But what about Akari?"

Yui didn't say anything for a second, as if she were trying to formulate a plan herself. "We'll just have to sleep on it for now. Maybe Ayano and the Student Council can help out tomorrow."

"...Yeah. Alright. I'm heading over then." Kyouko agreed before making her way to Yui's place. She hated that she had to give her searching up, but she promised herself that she'd try twice as hard tomorrow if anything. A part of her was also hoping that when she woke up and went to school the next day that Akari would be there, safe and sound like always. She just wanted this to be a bad dream that she could wake up from...


"SHE'S MISSING?!" The student council erupted at the sudden news. The remaining members of the Amusement Club simply nodded in unison before Ayano frantically continued. "W-We deal with lots of stuff, but have we even dealt with missing students before?!"

"Not that I remember..." Chitose responded, a hand on her cheek. "This is quite the emergency..."

"A-Akari-chan..." Sakurako sniffled. "I-If she comes back I swear I'll never play any pranks on her again...f-for a whole week...end..." Himwari just groaned at her best friend's childishness. "Could you please take this seriously? Akaza-san could be in serious trouble for all we know."

Ayano turned to Matsumoto, who was seated at her desk. Unlike the others she didn't look as shocked by the news of a missing student as Ayano thought she would. "President, do you know what we should do in a situation like this?!"

"..."

Ayano sighed. "S-Sorry, but we don't know what you're saying."

Matsumoto puffed out her cheeks in a pout before deciding to write down what she said to make it easier for her underclassmen. She held it up for Ayano to read. "Let's see...'There's no need to worry. She'll reappear sooner or later.'...How can you even be certain?!"

"Now now, Ayano-chan." Chitose interrupted. "The president's keeping her thoughts positive. We all should, too."

Yui took the chance to step forward. "In the meantime, we'd really appreciate any help we can get searching for Akari. Asking around school, searching the town, anything would be a huge help..."

"OPERATION FIND AKARI-CHAN IS A GO!" Sakurako cheered, pumping her fists into the air. Himawari nodded in agreement. "We can help Yoshikawa-san since we're in the same class."

"Ah, good idea!" Chitose added. "In that case, we'll help Funami-san and Toshino-san. Right, Ayano-chan?" Ayano jumped at hearing that she'd be working with Kyouko, looking over to her crush. Kyouko wasn't exactly looking as chipper as she usually did. The current issue at hand was obviously eating at her. Seeing this, Ayano grew determined to help solve this mystery. "Of course. We'll do our Denmark darnedest!"

"Ayano...Thanks. We really appreciate it." Kyouko said sincerely, causing the ponytailed girl to flush red. "D-D-Don't even mention it! It's our responsibility to preserve the well-being of our fellow students, after all! A-Ahaheh...!"

Time passed as the group of girls planned out their own searches and before long the student council's room was empty of all but Matsumoto, who stood behind to handle the usual paperwork. Nishigaki-sensei, the school's explosion-loving science teacher, entered soon after. "Couldn't help but eavesdrop earlier, but I'm assuming the whole time machine thing's happened?" She asked Matsumoto.

"..."

"Yeah, seeing Toshino looking so glum was pretty weird. Pff, to think Akaza thought they didn't care about her being around."

"..."

"Oi, we can't just go and tell them about it. It'll ruin the fun. Plus this'll be a good lesson for them, too."

"...?"

"Well y'know how Akaza was thinking this whole thing was a chance for her to make herself more noticeable? How that little trait of hers was starting to grind at her?"

Matsumoto nodded.

"Well, this is the flip-side. They're nice girls, but sometimes they take things for granted." Nishigaki leaned against the window, watching the girls make their way out through the school gates and split into groups. "It's like that saying: You don't know what you've got until it's gone."