"Yes. He was drunk at the ti, mumbling nonstop about what happened back then."
Mochizuki's sister, the café manager, now stood before the students.
Since there weren't many custors at this hour, she could step out to talk with Rinji and the others.
"What did he say?"
"That custor kept murmuring things like 'It's thanks to the disaster could stop,' and 'I wasn't wrong.' When he got emotional, he even raised his voice, but afterward, when asked again, he said he couldn't rember anything, as if he had forgotten even his own words."
"So that ans he very likely holds a clue." Rinji stroked his chin thoughtfully. "He knows how to end the disaster brought by the curse, and briefly rembered what happened in the past…"
"Yes, that seems to be the case."
"Miss Tomoka, do you know that man's na?"
"Y-yes, he's a man nad Matsunaga Katsumi."
"I see. That really is important information. Thank you very much for providing it, Miss Tomoka."
"No, it's nothing at all."
Tomoka smiled as she spoke.
She had heard about the strange incidents at Yomiyama North Middle School long ago, and this year she had heard the full story from Mochizuki. Out of a desire to keep her family safe, she was willing to help Rinji and the others.
"Then, Miss Tomoka, do you know his ho address?"
"That… I don't know. After all, he's only a regular custor at this café. I couldn't possibly ask guests about private details like that."
"Alright, but thank you anyway."
"Oh right, aside from the things I just repeated, he also said one more thing," Tomoka suddenly spoke.
"Hm?"
"He said, 'It's because I did this that everyone could be saved, so I wanted to leave it behind, so I secretly put it in the classroom.' That's what he said."
"Secretly put it in the classroom…"
Rinji knew the classroom Katsumi referred to wasn't the current Class 3-3 room, but the old Class 3-3 classroom. Because of the curse, the school had tried asures like changing classrooms, and the one Rinji now used had been replaced several years ago.
From this group's information exchange, several useful things were confird.
First, the 'dead one' probably wasn't among the students, but more likely in the teacher group.
Second, a graduate nad Matsunaga Katsumi had once found a way to avoid the disaster, and he left the thod in the old Class 3-3 classroom.
…
After chatting a bit more, the group left the café.
Naoya and Koichi said goodbye to everyone and went ho.
Rinji was also about to leave, but as soon as he stepped outside, his hand was grabbed.
Turning his head, he saw Akazawa clutching his wrist, head lowered.
"Akazawa?"
"Takamine… um… can you walk ho?" Akazawa asked softly.
"Huh? Can't you go ho on your own?"
"…"
"Forget it, I'm free anyway. I'll walk with you for a while."
"Thank you…"
Akazawa whispered her thanks.
As leader of the class counterasures group, she always showed others a strong and decisive front. But in truth, as a sixteen-year-old girl facing classmates dying one after another, it was impossible not to feel fear. Especially when the disaster couldn't be spoken of openly.
And Rinji's repeated efforts to save students had given this girl, shrouded in the shadow of death, a faint glimr of hope.
As the two walked along the slope, the usually silent Akazawa suddenly spoke.
"Takamine…"
"What?"
"You'll… protect , won't you?"
"I won't just protect you alone. Until I uncover the truth, I'll protect all the students," Rinji said. "So don't put too much pressure on yourself. I'll do everything I can to make sure everyone survives."
"Hearing you say that makes feel relieved."
Akazawa smiled, patting her chest lightly.
"It feels like I can finally breathe a little. Though when you first enrolled you seed so unreliable, now you're the only one I can depend on."
"Because I'm still a reliable tough guy."
They walked for quite so ti until they arrived at a house by the street. This was Akazawa's ho.
"Takamine, would you like to co in and sit for a while?"
"No, I have things to sort out. I need to plan and organize the information I learned today."
"I see… then, see you Monday."
"Yeah, see you Monday."
After watching Akazawa go inside, Rinji turned and headed toward i's ho. He planned to share the information he'd gathered with her.
Just then, the sky darkened with clouds, and raindrops began to fall.
Rinji looked up at the drizzling sky, his hair wet, and sighed.
"Looks like it really was going to rain today. Forgetting an umbrella was a mistake."
---
Isaac walked out of the hospital entrance.
After finally shaking off the clingy Sanae and covering Misaki's dical expenses, he headed ho.
Before long, the rain began to fall.
Yet, strangely, not a single drop landed on Isaac. It was as if the rain refused to touch him.
Rumble—
Thunder rolled as lightning flickered in the clouds.
Isaac stopped walking, expressionless, staring at the sky as he muttered.
"Is this supposed to warn to leave? Let be clear—that's impossible."
Crack—
A massive bolt of lightning shot down, striking him squarely on the forehead.
When the flash faded, Isaac was still standing unhard.
The corner of his mouth curled up.
"I only ca here to spend so ti with my future son. I have little interest in your affairs. But if you'll take my advice, you'd better stop sooner rather than later."
Boom.
Isaac tapped the ground lightly with his foot.
The shockwave spread outward, and the falling raindrops seed to freeze in midair. The thick clouds above split open, and bright sunlight pierced down to the earth.
"Right now, I'm playing with you as a 'father.' Don't force to act in my role as a 'natural disaster.' That would be very boring."
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