Tadashi's breath was steady, but his pulse hammered against his ribs. Four days in, and
this was the longest he had ever survived. But something felt wrong. Too quiet. Too
easy.
Rin walked ahead, her gaze sweeping every alley, every rooftop. "Something's off. We
should change course."
"Paranoia or actual threat?" Tadashi asked.
"Call it 'instinct,'" Rin muttered. "Move. Now."
Kei groaned, dragging his feet. "Oh great, we're doing the serious thing again. I was
hoping we could at least enjoy our last meal before the inevitable doom."
"Hey Rin, if I die, promise me you'll cry at least one dramatic tear for me. Maybe two
if you're feeling sentimental."
"Kei, shut up and keep moving," Rin snapped.
They veered off the main street, taking a winding alley behind a closed-down
bookstore. That's when Tadashi saw them. Three figures, standing at the other end,
blocking their escape.
A slow clap echoed off the damp walls. The man in the center stepped forward. A sharp
suit. A lazy grin. Eyes that gleamed like a cat playing with its prey.
"Murata Tadashi. Finally, we meet."
Tadashi's stomach turned to ice. "Who are you?"
"You already know. You just don't want to admit it," the man said, stepping forward.
"Let's skip the formalities. You have something we want."
"And what's that?" Rin asked, shifting her weight, ready to strike.
The man smirked. "Your lives."
Before Tadashi could blink, the first shot rang out. Rin shoved him aside just in time, the
bullet barely missing his head.
"MOVE!" she shouted, sprinting toward their attackers.
Tadashi ducked behind a dumpster, heart pounding. Kei was beside him, oddly calm.
"You know, I had a bad feeling about today," Kei mused, cracking his knuckles. "But
hey, at least we're going out together. That's gotta count for something, right?"
"Shut up and focus!" Tadashi hissed.
Rin had already engaged in hand-to-hand combat, a blur of precise strikes. But there
were too many. The suited man watched, amused, as his henchmen overwhelmed her.
She held her own—until the knife plunged into her side.
Her breath hitched. She staggered. Blood spread across her uniform.
Tadashi felt something crack inside him. "RIN!"
She turned her head slightly, eyes fierce. "Run."
Kei stood up instead. "Nope. Not how we're doing this."
He threw himself forward, slamming into one of the attackers. For a moment, it looked
like he had the upper hand. Then another shot rang out.
Kei stumbled. He looked down. A gun pressed against his stomach. Blood staining his
hoodie.
"Oh. Well. That sucks," he muttered before collapsing.
Tadashi barely processed what happened before rough hands grabbed him, slamming
him to the ground. The suited man knelt beside him.
"You almost made it, Murata," he said with a sigh. "Impressive, really. But you didn't
actually think you could win, did you?"
Tadashi's vision blurred as he struggled. Rin was still, unmoving. Kei's usual smirk
was gone. His chest felt tight, like the world was closing in.
"You wanted to survive, right?" the man whispered. "Let's see if you can survive death."
The last thing Tadashi heard was the gun cocking against his temple.
The shot fired. The world faded to black.
And just like that, it was over.
Tadashi gasped, eyes snapping open.
He was back.
The chalk screeched against the blackboard. Another stroke. Another failure.
Simon sighed, shaking his head. "Took you long enough to get here."
Tadashi sat up, still feeling phantom pain in his chest. He looked at the board. One long
column of tally marks. Too many to count.
He swallowed hard. "So what now?"
Simon smirked. "Now? Now, you try again."