[Year 2016
Time: 9:00 am
Date: April 17th]

The low hum of conversation buzzed through the classroom, a steady backdrop to the scrape of chalk against the blackboard. Mr. Tanaka, the English teacher, stood at the front, sleeves rolled to his elbows, the faintest smear of white dust on his fingers. He turned to face the class, voice clear and direct.

"English isn't that hard, everyone. Come on, someone give these questions a try," he said, gesturing to the sentences scrawled behind him.

Two hands shot into the air.

"Me!" Himeko and Kai called out together, their voices overlapping.

Mr. Tanaka sighed, shaking his head with a faint smirk. "Not you two again. You always volunteer, but the rest of the class? Sitting like stunned aliens. This time, I'll choose." His eyes scanned the rows of students until they landed on someone near the back. "You there."

Kavei blinked and looked behind him instinctively before realizing the teacher was pointing directly at him. He pointed his finger at himself as he glanced at Tanaka.

"Yes, you," Mr. Tanaka confirmed, nodding.

Kavei slowly stood up, expression unreadable. A murmur passed through the room.

"Sensei, he's the new kid," a girl near the front offered, her voice hesitant.

"That's alright. It's just basic grammar. I heard Kavei-kun got in through early admission, right? Smart kid," Mr. Tanaka replied, brushing off the concern. "Let's see what you've got, young man."

Dragging his feet slightly, Kavei made his way to the front. As he passed, Kai scooted his chair in with a low scrape and gave him a quick, supportive nod.

Kavei picked up the chalk, filling in the blanks on the board with quiet efficiency. He didn't look nervous—just... detached, like his mind was elsewhere. When he was done, he handed the chalk back and stepped to the side.

"See?" Mr. Tanaka announced, gesturing toward the now-complete answers. "Anyone can do it with a little effort. Nicely done, Kavei. Go ahead and sit down."

"Thank you, sir," Kavei muttered, barely louder than a whisper.

He shuffled back to his seat and dropped into his chair with a dramatic sigh, stretching his legs out lazily under the desk.

"You are so lazy," Kai whispered, glancing at him sideways with a half-smile.

Kavei shrugged, leaning back in his seat. "I wasn't always."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? What happened?"

"I did," Kavei said, eyes fixed somewhere far away.

Kai chuckled under his breath. "Funny. I thought I changed."

Kavei gave him a side glance, smirking slightly. "Heh. Real comedian."

"But seriously," Kai continued, leaning on his desk, "what happened?"

Kavei hesitated, then exhaled slowly. "I dunno. It just... did. One day I cared, and the next—I didn't. No big reason."

"Yeah, that's pretty normal, actually. You're acting like laziness is some rare disease," Kai teased. "Or maybe it is? Should we get you checked?"

Kavei grinned. "Not that kind of issue. Though, let me tell you about something weird that did happen. During a race."

He leaned in conspiratorially, voice dropping to a whisper. Kai mirrored him, both of them pressing their cheeks against the cool surface of their desks like they were sharing secrets during detention.

Kavei launched into the story—something about a strange sensation mid-race, a sudden clarity, followed by confusion, and then a sudden lose of consciousness. Kai listened intently, his face shifting between curiosity and amusement.

"What the hell?" Kai blinked. "Some race you had. Are you sure you're not, like, ignoring something about yourself?"

Kavei shrugged it off. "Nothing worth analyzing."

Kai eyed him for a second. "Wait... did you eat today?"

"Yeah," Kavei replied with a small grin. "Totally stuffed."

"Alright, good." Kai nodded like a concerned parent, finally satisfied.

Just then, a loud tap echoed from the front of the room. Mr. Tanaka rapped the chalk sharply against the blackboard, eyes narrowing.

"Last bench boys," he said sternly, "if you're done solving the world's problems, I can double your homework, or you could pay attention in class."

"No, sir, we are paying attention," Kavei and Kai said in perfect unison, snapping upright in their seats like trained soldiers. Their expressions were pure innocence.

The class snickered softly, and Mr. Tanaka turned back to the board, muttering something under his breath about distractions and teenagers.

As the lesson resumed, Kai nudged Kavei lightly with his elbow.

"Dude," he whispered, grinning, "you might be lazy, but at least you're entertaining."

Kavei leaned back again, hands behind his head.

"I try."

[Somewhere in the woods

Time: 9:25 am
Date: 17th April]

The quiet of the forest was shattered by the desperate screams of a young boy. "Please! Please don't hurt me! Somebody help! Anyone!" His voice cracked with fear as he ran wildly through the thick underbrush. His heart hammered in his chest, adrenaline flooding his body as he tried to put as much distance as possible between himself and the danger behind him.

Suddenly, his foot caught on a thick root hidden beneath the leaves. He stumbled and fell hard onto the forest floor, pain shooting through his hands and knees. As he rolled to a stop, he noticed a dark opening ahead—an ominous cave carved into the rocky hillside.

Without hesitating, he pushed himself up and dashed inside, breath ragged and uneven. The faint light from outside barely reached in, casting long, eerie shadows on the jagged walls. He pressed himself tight against the cold stone, trying to hide from whatever was chasing him.

Footsteps echoed closer now, louder and more deliberate. His heart pounded painfully in his ears. Tears ran down his dirt-streaked face as he fought to silence his sobs, clamping his hands firmly over his mouth to keep quiet.

Minutes dragged on like hours. Every rustle of leaves or snap of twigs sent fresh waves of terror down his spine. The suffocating darkness wrapped around him like a heavy blanket, but he held still, praying with every fiber of his being that the threat would pass him by.

[Date: 17th April

Time: 7:30 pm
Scene: Kavei's house]

Kavei stepped through the front door, relief washing over him after a long, exhausting day at school and his work. His shoulders finally loosened as he pulled open the bathroom door and let the hot water cascade over him. The steam curled around his skin, washing away fatigue and stress.

Once clean, he dried himself and wrapped the bathrobe around his body. Barefoot and quiet, he padded into the room. The soft glow from the window barely cut through the evening dimness.

On instinct, he picked up the remote and switched on the TV. The screen came to life.

"Good evening, viewers. I'm Hitomi with EZR TV," the anchor's calm voice began. "A young boy named Daichi went missing this morning while heading to school. His photograph now appears on screen. He was carrying a red school bag and dressed in a light blue shirt with navy blue shorts. Local residents and shopkeepers report not seeing him this morning. If you spot him, please contact the police immediately."

Kavei's eyes honed in as the angle shifted. Another familiar face appeared beside the anchor.

"That's miss Itsuhara," he whispered, eyebrows knitting together.

"Good evening, Hitomi-san," Yukina spoke with steady composure.

"Miss Itsuhara Yukina," the anchor said, holding out the microphone. "What has the investigation uncovered so far?"

Yukina nodded. "No suspicious activity—no unusual vehicles or people reported in the area. Witness statements confirm Daichi was not seen heading to school. Search efforts are ongoing."

The anchor leaned forward. "Is there any indication this is connected to the event from five years ago?"

Yukina paused, brushing her hand lightly over the mic. "At this point, it's too early to establish a connection. It's been nearly twelve hours since his disappearance, and all leads are being pursued. Still, the prior incident is influencing the urgency with which this case is being handled."

"Thank you, Miss Itsuhara. Up next—"

Kavei reached for the remote and switched off the TV before the next segment began. The light vanished. Silence settled over the room.

His whisper broke the quiet: "Five years ago..."

He sank onto the floor, eyes fixed on the blank screen. In his mind, images from the past began to surface—memories he had tried to repress, pushing them deep down where they wouldn't disturb him. But tonight, they stirred with a familiar weight.

On hold: Case Free Arc
Next: Case Past Arc