Four days had passed since Tadashi began his new strategy. His notebook was now
filled with detailed observations, patterns, and potential allies. Each interaction was
calculated, each response measured. His mask of unremarkable politeness had become
almost second nature.
Yuki, the class representative, had proven to be exactly what he'd assessed – a safe
contact who provided useful information without demanding deeper connection.
Through her, he learned about school events to avoid and which teachers to be wary of.
On the morning of his fourth day, Tadashi reviewed his notes while eating breakfast.
The sun hadn't risen yet, but he preferred to arrive at school early to avoid the crowded
routes.
Day 4:
- Morning route clear
- School festival preparations starting (avoid gym area)
- Yuki mentioned power outage scheduled for west wing
- No suspicious approaches yesterday
- Food supplies stable
Everything was proceeding according to plan. He had survived longer than ever before,
and his careful observation of masks was paying off. Yet something felt off this morning– a heaviness in the air he couldn't explain.
As he walked to school, the sky darkened unexpectedly. The weather forecast hadn't
mentioned rain. A few drops fell, then more, until the sky opened up in a sudden
downpour.
Tadashi quickened his pace, but the rain was becoming dangerous. Lightning flashed
overhead, followed by deafening thunder. He spotted a covered bus stop and made a
dash for it.
That's when he heard it, the sound of straining metal. He looked up just in time to see a
construction crane, destabilized by the sudden storm, beginning to topple. Its massive
arm swung toward him like the hand of fate itself.
His last thought wasn't of failure or fear, but of a strange sort of acceptance. All his
careful planning, all his observations of masks and motives – none of it could have
prepared him for this.
The darkness came swiftly this time.
When Tadashi opened his eyes, he expected to see Simon drawing another stroke on the
board. Instead, he found the angel sitting cross-legged on the floor, his expression
troubled.
"Four days," Simon said softly. "You're getting better, Tadashi. That death... it wasn't
your fault."
"Does it matter?" Tadashi asked, his voice hollow. "I still failed."
"Perhaps," Simon stood, pacing the ethereal space, "we've been approaching this
wrong. The gods' challenge... it's more complex than we thought."
"We?"
Simon stopped pacing and turned to face Tadashi. "I've been watching your progress,
your growth. The way you've learned to read the masks of society... it's impressive. But
some forces are beyond any one person's control."
He raised his chalk, but instead of drawing the usual portal, he drew two distinct
symbols in the air. They glowed with golden light, then burst into brilliant flashes.
When the light faded, two figures stood before them. The first was a young man with
unruly yellow hair and a mischievous grin, wearing a school uniform that seemed to
defy the formal atmosphere of the space. The second was a petite girl with fierce eyes
and long dark hair, her arms crossed impatiently.
"Meet Kei and Rin," Simon said. "They're... let's call them junior angels in training.
From now on, they'll be your companions in the living world."
"Yo!" Kei gave a lazy salute. "Looking forward to helping you dodge death, buddy!"
"Don't be so casual about it," Rin snapped, then turned to Tadashi with intense eyes.
"We've been watching your attempts. You're not completely hopeless."
Tadashi looked between the two new arrivals and Simon in confusion. "Is this...
allowed?"
Simon's lips curved in a slight smile. "Perhaps...let's just say I'm interpreting the rules
creatively. The challenge is to survive, right? It never specified you had to do it alone."
"C'mon Tada, don't look so stiff! It's just life and death—we've been through worse…
oh wait, you haven't yet!"
Rin's hand shot out, smacking the back of Kei's head. "Show some sensitivity!"
"Whoa, easy there, Ice Queen. One glare from you, and I swear the temperature dropped
ten degrees." Kei moves away.
"Why you─!" Rin's aura suddenly turned dark giving Kei a death stare as the poor boy
shivers from her wrath.
As the two bickered, Simon approached Tadashi. "They'll retain their memories
between your attempts, just like you do. They can't directly intervene in life-or-death
moments, but they can help you navigate, gather information, and maybe... just maybe...
learn to do more than just survive."
Tadashi watched Rin chasing Kei around the space, promising divine retribution for
another thoughtless comment. Despite everything, he felt something he hadn't
experienced in a long time – hope.
"Ready for your next attempt?" Simon asked, chalk poised to draw the portal.
Tadashi nodded, and for the first time since his challenge began, he didn't feel alone as
he faced the darkness ahead.
"Just try not to get us killed on the first day," Rin grumbled as the portal began to form.
", where's your sense of adventure?" Kei laughed. "This is going to be fun!"
As they fell through the portal together, Tadashi realized that perhaps there was more to
this challenge than just wearing the right masks. Perhaps it was also about learning
when to let others see behind them.