Summer rolled in gently, painting Yukihama in soft oranges and cicada song. The storm of loops, mirrors, and monsters had become a half-remembered dream for most. But for Renji, Aoi, and Kuro, the echoes hadn't vanished — they'd simply gone quiet.
On the rooftop, the afternoon light shimmered across the now-uncovered mirror. It was ordinary again… almost too ordinary.
Aoi sat cross-legged nearby, sketchbook open, pencil tapping against the page.
> "Funny," she murmured. "After everything, this place feels smaller."
Renji glanced over from the railing, half-smiling.
> "Or maybe we just got bigger."
Kuro snorted. "Speak for yourself, philosopher. I still can't look at a mirror without checking if my reflection blinks twice."
That made Aoi laugh — the kind of laugh that sounded alive.
But beneath the surface, a strange unease still lingered.
---
An Uneasy Peace
That night, Renji dreamed of water.
He was underwater, staring up at a rippling sky of glass. On the other side, he saw Aoi's face — smiling faintly — then Shiori's. Then both. Then neither.
He woke in a sweat, heart pounding.
From his desk, the small mirror shard from Shiori's letter glowed faintly in the moonlight. It wasn't cracked… but the light inside it moved, like something alive trying to breathe.
He picked it up, whispering:
> "You're still out there, aren't you?"
The shard went dark.
---
A Painting of Light and Shadow
At school, Aoi was painting again — this time for an upcoming summer art showcase. Her newest piece was unlike her usual bright landscapes.
It showed three figures standing at the edge of a vast spiral lake, surrounded by shattered reflections.
But above them was light — soft, golden, and warm.
It was beautiful. And eerie.
Kuro whistled. "Looks like a memory and a dream had a baby."
> "It's called 'Where Reflections Fade,'" Aoi said quietly. "Because… I think this is what it means to heal. The scars fade, but they don't disappear."
Renji nodded. "And maybe that's how we remember — not perfectly, just enough."
---
The Shard's Whisper
That evening, Renji met Aoi and Kuro at the shrine again. The air buzzed with cicadas, thick and heavy.
He pulled the small shard from his pocket.
> "This thing's been acting weird," he said, showing them the faint glow beneath the glass. "I think there's still a trace of her inside."
Kuro frowned. "You mean Shiori?"
> "Yeah. Or… something she left behind."
Aoi reached out and touched the shard. The light pulsed faintly — and for an instant, they heard a whisper.
> "Don't forget the river."
They froze.
Kuro blinked. "Did that just—?"
> "Yeah," Renji said, voice shaking. "It talked."
---
The River of Time
The three stood silent for a long moment before Aoi whispered,
> "The river… She must mean the one near the edge of town. The one that runs behind the old factory."
Kuro nodded slowly. "That's where it started. The first body they ever found when the loops began. Remember?"
Renji's throat tightened. "You think she's warning us?"
Aoi shook her head. "No. I think she's… asking for help."
Renji looked down at the shard again. It no longer glowed — just reflected the three of them, faces pale beneath the moonlight.
> "Then we go," he said quietly. "If she's still trapped somewhere, we finish this. For her."
Kuro sighed, cracking his knuckles. "So much for a quiet summer."
Aoi smiled faintly. "You knew peace wouldn't last."
They turned toward the road, moonlight guiding them back into the unknown — three friends who had already survived death, time, and mirrors…
And yet, the story still wasn't done with them.
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End of Chapter 75
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To Be Continue