After following Rin for what felt like ages, Kentaro realised they were drifting further from the bustling heart of the city. The neon lights faded, the noise of cars and chatter dimmed, until only the faint hum of cicadas and the crunch of gravel beneath their feet remained.

He sighed, half-annoyed, half-curious.

"Beach date? Hiking date? Sitting at a riverside? Oh! Maybe you're into quiet stuff, a park date?"

Rin chuckled, her voice sweet and teasing. "My, my, Kentaro dear. Please have some... Patience. You'll see soon enough."

She poked his cheek, sending his heart skipping a beat. They turned corner after corner until the city was nothing but a backdrop; ahead stretched an open green field, quiet and serene. But the centre was fenced off by wrought-iron bars. An entrance stood open, with a sign above it.

Kentaro walked closer, squinting at the words.

"…Cemetery?"

He turned, confused. Rin stood behind him with a smile so radiant it almost seemed out of place here. Holding her basket in one hand, she reached out with the other and grabbed Kentaro's.

"Wha-!" He squeaked, stumbling but forcing himself to stay composed. A cemetery date? That was a new one.

Rin pulled him along as though it were the most natural thing in the world. They reached a tree in the middle of the grounds, its branches swaying gently. Rin pointed to it cheerfully. "That tree looks perfect. Let's sit there."

Kentaro followed, trying not to focus too hard on the countless tombstones stretching in every direction. Creepy… Sitting with the dead people, seriously?

Rin, however, seemed unbothered. She laid out a pink blanket, then patted the spot beside her. Kentaro sat, leaving a polite gap. Rin noticed immediately and slid closer until their shoulders touched.

His heart skipped again. Worse, from this angle, he had a dangerously good view of her assets. He quickly forced his eyes away, trying not to look like a pervert.

To distract himself, he peeked at what she had packed. His eyes widened; she'd gone all out. Ramen, omurice, green tea, sweets… It looked like she'd raided three restaurants.

Rin picked up a spoonful of omurice, holding it out in front of him. "Say ahh~"

Kentaro's face turned crimson. He hadn't even picked what he wanted yet, and she was already teasing him like this. Still… If he backed down now, he'd lose. He opened his mouth. "Ahh."

The bite was heavenly. His eyes lit up as though he'd seen God himself. "This is so good!"

Rin blushed, twirling a strand of hair. "I-I'm glad you like it, dear Kentaro."

Kentaro, smirking to himself, took another spoonful. This time, though, he didn't eat it. He held it out toward her.

"Your turn."

Rin froze. Her eyes widened. "A-a-an indirect kiss!?" She whispered under her breath, cheeks flaring red.

Kentaro grinned. "Say ahh~."

For her, the world slowed. The spoon was still damp from where his lips had touched. She looked at the spoon. Looked at him. Back at the spoon.

Then, with a shaky breath, she leaned forward and took the bite.

Kentaro chuckled. "Good. Hope it's tasty."

Her cheeks burned hotter. "M-my, you really have changed, Kentaro. Those girls must have rubbed off on you." She looked away, pouting, clearly defeated.

"Huh?" Kentaro replied, but Rin didn't reply.

As they continued eating in silence, Kentaro finally asked casually, to try and break this little awkward moment, "Hey, Rin. What's your favourite animal?"

Rin gazed out at the grassy field dotted with tombstones. "My favourite animal, hmm… Honestly? A polar bear. Or a grizzly. Actually just… A bear."

Kentaro nearly spat out his tea. "Pff- a bear?! I thought since you're the cute type, you'd say something like a cat or, like a dog! Something cute! Not something that could use you as breakfast!"

Rin ignored him, whispering to herself, "The cute type…" Before shaking her head. "Bears are cuddly… And they can protect me when I'm vulnerable."

Her choice of words made Kentaro pause. He heard the weight behind them. "…Is that because you've felt vulnerable in the past?" He asked softly.

Rin glanced at him, smiling but evasive. "Trying to uncover my past, are we, dear Kentaro? The time isn't right… Not yet."

Before Kentaro could push further, Rin mischievously lifted a sweet toward him, then turned it toward a gravestone. "Should we feed them, too?" She said with a wicked grin.

Kentaro nearly dropped his tea. "Huh!? Rin, no! That's creepy!"

She burst into giggles, waving her hands. "I'm joking, you dummy!"

He sighed in relief, though his heart still pounded.

Soon, Rin stood and brushed off her skirt. "Sitting here was fun, but let's move around. Walking helps the stomach, don't you think?"

"Sure," Kentaro said, smiling as he stood with her.

They bowed politely to the graves before making their way back to the city. From there, Rin eagerly led him through a series of shops, starting with a pet store where she happily held a snake while Kentaro declined to participate. After that, they wandered into an antique shop. As they moved from one stop to the next, Kentaro finally found the courage to ask the question that had been on his mind since the day they first met. It felt like the perfect moment to bring it up on this last-minute date.

Now walking through the busy Tokto Street, Kentaro finally opened his mouth. "Rin. What is your goal?. Why are you doing this? What's the end game?"

Her cheerful smile faded. Her steps slowed. She turned around to look Kentaro directly into his eyes, "My goal… Is a perfect world. A world without Alberlines. A world where everyone can be happy."

Kentaro came to a sudden halt in the street, the bustle of people walking by fading into silence as a wave of tension washed over him. "What about Serica? Yura? Aria? You'll all be gone. I don't want that! How can that possibly be happiness?"

Rin turned, eyes soft with sorrow. "Dear Kentaro… Too many lives have been lost because of us. And more will be, as long as we exist. I understand your bonds with them. But remember, they were all human once. In my dream world, you'll see them again. You only need to trust me."

Her words weighed heavily. But what Kentaro said next made her heart freeze.

"…What about you, Rin? I'd want you to be there too."

The bustling street around her distorted into a haze as the wind playfully tousled her silver hair, causing it to glimmer like precious metal in the sunlight. For the first time since her mission began, Rin felt a crack in her usually unshakeable composure.

"Me…" She whispered.

"Yes. You," Kentaro said firmly. "Don't think I'd leave you out of my dream world."

Her chest tightened. Her heartbeat raced. She turned away quickly, masking her shock with a forced laugh. "…I'm sorry. But your dream world won't have me. As the one who starts the ritual, I'll be the sacrifice. I'll be gone."

Kentaro's eyes widened. "What!? What's the point of creating a dream world if you can't experience it!?"

She didn't answer right away. When she finally glanced back at him, her expression was unshakably serious. "To restore this world to what it was before us… It's as simple as that."

Kentaro's fists clenched. His chest burned with frustration. But instead of shouting again, he walked forward, grabbed her hand, and held it tight.

"Wha-!" Rin squeaked, her face flooding red.

"Rin," Kentaro said firmly, meeting her wide eyes. "Do whatever you want. Chase your dream world. But I'll create my own. A world where you and the others are by my side. A world where you don't have to sacrifice yourself."

Rin's face flushed hotter. His words were too pure, too kind. She wanted to scoff, but instead, she found herself laughing softly, squeezing his hand back.

"Good luck with that," she muttered, a hint of scepticism in her voice.

Kentaro simply grinned in response. "Don't underestimate me."

With that, they continued with their date.

*

"Umm… Commander Kentaro isn't here. But his stuff, including Serica's and Yura's, is still here," Shogo said through the comms as the squad entered the hotel room where Kentaro was supposed to be.

Tenka's eyes widened slightly. "Kentaro? Kentaro!" She called into his earpiece, but only static replied.

"What the hell is he doing without his earpiece…" She mumbled under her breath.

"This could be bad," Haruka responded quietly, already tapping away at her screen.

Behind them stood Serica, Yura, and Aria, all watching the situation unfold. Their expressions grew more worried by the second.

"Wait, he's gone!?" Serica shouted, her voice cracking with panic.

Tenka glanced back at her, trying to hold control of the room. "We're not sure yet. He can't have gotten that far."

Just then, Shogo's voice returned over the comms, heavy with hesitation. "Commander… We've found his earpiece, but…"

"But what? Say it!" Tenka barked, the tension in her voice clear.

"…It's been crushed."

The room fell silent.

"Don't tell me he's been kidnapped…" Riku muttered, his tone dramatic but not entirely dismissive.

"Shit." Tenka bit at her nail, pacing the room as her frustration rose.

Haruka adjusted her glasses, her expression calm but serious. "Commander, I think we can still track him by phone. It should be with him, and if it's on, we'll get a location."

Tenka nodded, but before she could give the order, Yumi's voice cut in. "Negative. His phone's here, on the bed. And… It looks like Serica's and Yura's suitcases have been opened. Serica, one of your bras was left out for some reason…"

Serica's face went red. "Wh-what!?"

Tenka dragged her hand down her face. "How does that dumbass not even take his phone with him…" She exhaled sharply, then snapped her fingers at Drone. "Send out recon. We'll find him. Worst-case scenario, he's been captured. But hopefully, he's just lost somewhere."

"YESSIR!" Drone replied, already prepping his search units.

Serica and Yura both stood quietly, guilt written across their faces. They couldn't shake the thought that they'd left him behind to fetch their luggage. Haruka, noticing, gave them a small reassuring smile.

"Don't worry. Kentaro's tougher than he looks. He's probably just lost somewhere," she said softly.

It wasn't much, but it was enough. Serica and Yura both managed faint smiles, nodding slightly as their spirits lifted.

Aria, meanwhile, stayed silent, simply watching. She hadn't even known Kentaro had gone out; she'd been in the testing room the whole time. But watching the panic ripple through the team stirred something in her chest.

She lowered her gaze and whispered to herself, "I hope you're safe… Kentaro."

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