Shibuya's vibrant streets gleamed under the clear sky after the snowfall, making everything appear freshly washed and dazzling.
"Today marks the final day of our delegation... our exchange group's time in Japan! I hope everyone has a wonderful day!"
The tour bus rumbled forward as the tour guide stood at the front, holding a microphone, smiling warmly while introducing local customs and culture.
Outside the windows, waves of fashionable pedestrians and towering buildings zipped past, interspersed with clusters of students in school uniforms.
A girl soon asked a curious question about Shibuya, which has well-known reputation. Even a few teachers joined in, inquiring about Japanese's fashion trends and urban legends. The tour guide patiently answered each question, filling the bus with cheerful chatter.
Then, while passing by a certain seat, the guide suddenly leaned down and asked, "That issue from last time… everything's fine now, right?"
Logan, who was in a daze, was caught off guard and turned his head blankly, "...Huh?"
Seeing the guide's friendly smile, he took a moment to process what was being asked. When he finally realized what 'issue' was being referred to, he nodded, less warmly than the guide's concern warranted, "Oh… that. Yeah, it's fine now. Thanks for asking."
"Haha, that's good." The guide maintained an awkward yet professional smile before moving on.
Logan could feel someone's gaze on him, so he glanced forward. As expected, it was Olivia, who had helped a lot in the past few days.
When their eyes met, he offered a sheepish smile.
She, in return, looked completely unimpressed and turned away.
Ever since returning from the Skytree on Christmas Eve, Olivia had carried this same irritable, resentful attitude toward him. The reason was very simple.
Logan had left and come back, bringing back a girl this time.
"Man, time really flies. I can't believe it's already our last day here." David sighed, his expression a perfect embodiment of post-holiday blues, enjoying himself yet dreading what came next. "We're going straight into finals when we get back, right? Damn, I haven't reviewed anything yet."
Logan shot him a glance. Considering who was speaking, he found it odd that David could even say the word 'review'. However, since David was always strange, he decided not to say anything and simply turned to look out the window.
Shibuya, bustling and full of energy, blurred past his vision. But his mind was elsewhere.
"Yes, it's time for the finals." Diane chimed in from the seat ahead. She had gotten more familiar with them over the past few days. Letting out a sigh, she slumped forward, which is an unusual sight for a model student, "I really don't want to take the finals… But after a week of traveling, I'm also kind of exhausted. I just want to go home and sleep."
Long trips always brought a certain fatigue by the second half. Diane leaned over slightly, sneaking a glance to her right. There, she saw Logan was once again lost in thought.
She and David had already become comfortable enough to chat like old friends, moving from exam subjects to their least favorite teachers. The warm sunlight, shifting from one side of the bus to the other, cast a faint glow on their clothes.
Yesterday, they had explored Shinjuku Avenue. Today, they would visit Harajuku, a hotspot for the younger crowd. By the morning of the 28th, they'd be on a plane home.
As the trip neared its end, Diane found herself in a melancholic mood, not just from school stress or the natural weariness of travel, but because there were things she wasn't sure how to handle. Some things she understood well, others... not so much.
They were heading toward Harajuku under the bright sun, but her thoughts drifted back two days ago… to the snowy night, the neon lights of Ginza Plaza, and the moment when the person who had been holding hands with someone else suddenly disappeared.
'Where had they gone to?'
She stole another glance at Logan, who's still sitting there like an idiot, lost in his own world. Huffing in annoyance, she turned back around in her seat.
The bus crawled through the busy streets, and the guide began organizing the group for their next stop.
"Here, we have the Hachiko Statue. Its story goes like this..."
As they ambled along the street, Logan crossed the road with David. A massive screen on a nearby building was playing advertisements, then suddenly cut to breaking news.
"In the early hours of December 25th, a suspected major incident occurred at Tokyo Skytree in Sumida Ward. Our reporters on-site..."
Logan's steps faltered for just a moment. He glanced at the screen, then quickly looked away, feigning disinterest.
The thirty-person group continued crossing the street.
The serious Japanese newscast wasn't something most of them could understand, but when the footage switched to eye-catching aerial drones, a few people started pointing and whispering.
"Eyewitnesses reported seeing helicopters marked with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police's emblem, and some even captured images of fighter jets on their phones… Whether this was an operation by the Japan's Air Self-Defense Force or the U.S. Military is still under investigation..."
Logan remained outwardly indifferent, but his eyes instinctively flicked toward the front of the group.
Olivia had just finished glancing up at the screen and was now staring straight at him.
That same cold, detached gaze.
Logan quickly looked away, feeling guilty.
What had happened that night was a major event for everyone involved. He had managed to ascend Tokyo Skytree and push his outrageous plan to its final stages, but the process was anything but smooth.
From TV reports and online discussions, Logan had pieced together a rough understanding of why he had been detected. It was highly likely that the Space-Time Teleportation from the drawing tablet had caused electromagnetic disturbances.
Given the altitude, government monitoring systems had picked up on the anomaly. And in a country as security-conscious as Japan, any irregularities in the skies above a major city were bound to trigger a response… hence the complications that followed.
The aftershocks of that high-profile operation had not dissipated with time. If anything, they were still brewing.
Logan wasn't too concerned about public or official reactions, as he had been lucky enough not to leave any evidence behind. But the real headache was Olivia, who had been there with him that night
From the perspective of those on the ground who had no idea what was happening, the experience had been terrifying.
Imagine sitting at a cozy cafe, sipping coffee in peace, when suddenly, several thunderous explosions shook the very walls.
The deafening booms sent ripples through coffee cups, triggered panicked screams, and within moments, the entire area around Tokyo Skytree was placed under lockdown. It was hard for anyone to stay calm in such a situation.
And then there was that moment, the rich expression on Olivia's face when she saw Sumika.
Exhausted from everything that had happened, Logan had thought long and hard before making his decision.
The revolution was far from complete, and since he had pulled someone into an unfamiliar world, he needed to see it through… to ensure everything was properly handled.
For the students and teachers of Fresno High School, foreign news held little significance unless it directly affected them.
So, the group continued their sightseeing as usual. After lunch, Logan judged that the timing was right and cautiously approached Olivia.
"Uh, Senior… about that..."
"I remember," Olivia cut him off before he could even finish.
"Ha… haha, right?" Logan could only stand there, looking at the figure, who had money, background, and great powers, in front of him expectantly.
Olivia casually spoke a few words to the tour guide before turning and heading in a direction completely off the planned itinerary.
Seeing this, Logan hastily waved at David and hurried after her.
David, who was walking with Diane, scratched his head in confusion when he saw Logan disappeared, "They're leaving again? That's, like, the third time already."
Frowning thoughtfully, he rubbed his chin and pondered. Thinking back to their conversation during the flight, he was surprised, "Wait… crap. Could there really be something going on between them?"
Diane's eyes sparkled with curiosity, but she pouted, "No way."
"Yeah, I don't think so either." David muttered, launching into an analysis of his own, "I mean, Logan and I are basically the same, right? If a miracle like that were possible… there's no reason I wouldn't have a chance too."