Three days passed.
The seat in Class 1-F remained empty—chair tucked in neatly, untouched.
The kind of untouched that made it feel like a shrine to someone who should still be there.
No one tried to sit in it.
No one joked about it.
Not even the loud ones.
Leah's eyes kept drifting to it—again and again.
Like she expected Jousuke to slide open the door and say, "Sorry, overslept."
Rika Sakurai took notes like usual, but she hadn't turned a single page. The same sentence repeated over and over again in her notebook.
Asa had stopped humming.
Natsu hadn't complained once.
Even Sakamoto, usually the one to lighten moods, stayed silent.
The classroom felt wrong without Jousuke—like everyone was breathing too shallow, waiting for something to restart.
But it didn't.
-COURTYARD-
-LUNCHBREAK-
Asa and Natsu sat on a bench, barely touching their lunches.
A shadow fell over them.
Daimon Sensei.
Their homeroom adviser.
Calm. Reliable.
She stood with her hands in her pockets, gaze steady—not sharp, but heavy.
"You two..." she said quietly. "Where is Daikuhara?"
Asa looked down.
Natsu stared at the gravel near his shoe.
"He hasn't been answering messages." Daimon continued. "He hasn't contacted the school. That isn't normal for him."
No response.
Daimon's voice lowered—not angry, not even scolding.
Just tired.
Concerned.
"As his friends... you don't know anything?"
Asa's jaw tightened.
"We don't." he said. "If we did, we wouldn't be sitting here doing nothing."
Daimon closed her eyes for a moment.
Then she spoke:
"If something has happened to him..."
She paused—choosing her words carefully.
"Tell me. No matter what it is. I'm not asking as your teacher, but as someone who cares about that boy too."
Natsu's breath caught.
Asa nodded—once—slowly.
"...Yes, Sensei."
Daimon gave a single pat to both their shoulders and turned back toward the building.
Her footsteps faded.
Silence remained.
-STUDENT COUNCIL'S OFFICE-
Kaede Miyazaki sat at the head table.
Documents neatly stacked.
Pen lined precisely.
Posture perfect.
Her hands, however, were shaking.
The door opened.
Poku stepped inside first. Then Jitsukawa, Esashi, Jouho, and Asano.
Five faces.
Five different expressions.
All wearing the same question.
Poku spoke first.
"Miyazaki... do you know where Daikuhara is?"
Kaede didn't lift her head.
"No."
Jitsukawa stepped closer, voice gentle:
"You've been closer with him lately. We thought maybe he confided in you."
Kaede's lips pressed together.
"I've messaged him." she whispered. " He hasn't answered."
Esashi folded his arms—not aggressive, just direct.
"Miyazaki. Do you think something happened?"
Kaede's composure cracked.
Her voice softened—barely audible.
"I don't know."
Poku approached her—slowly, carefully—like approaching something fragile.
"Miyazaki... whatever happened between you two on New Year's Eve—"
Kaede's breath stopped.
"You don't have to explain it to us." Poku continued. "We won't pry. But answer this honestly."
Her gaze softened—not president-to-officer, but friend-to-friend.
"Do you think Jousuke Daikuhara is hurting alone right now?"
Kaede closed her eyes.
The fireworks.
The warmth.
The confession.
The unfinished answer.
And then—
Silence.
Vanishing.
"Yes." Kaede said. "I think he is."
Poku nodded.
"Then we look for him. We don't leave him alone with whatever this is."
Jitsukawa: "I'll check the train stations."
Asano: "I'll ask Class 1-F."
Esashi: "I'll handle online and messaging."
Jouho: "I'll ask teachers quietly."
Kaede stood.
"I'll go home to home." she said.
They all looked at her.
Her eyes were determined—but full of fear.
"But I'm finding him."