It was now dusk, around five o'clock—the twilight hour before nightfall.
The burning red clouds overhead cast an eerie glow across the sky, blanketing the entire station in a surreal hue. Karuizawa Kei leaned against a pillar inside the hall, her gaze drifting toward the bustling platform and crowded sea of people. The chime from the platform echoed around her, an old tune resonating in the air. In that moment, she truly understood why this hour was called the "witching hour."
"Phew, it's been a long time since I was last here."
Familiar landmarks and scenery brought her a sense of comfort. Kei watched the flow of people with quiet interest, her thoughts slowly drifting. Staring long enough, the elderly, youth, and children all began to blur together, like the static on TV screens before the broadcast started—a lifeless mess of black and white.
No matter how many times she glanced at the clock, the hour hand refused to skip ahead from five to some distant future. Though she had already called Ryo earlier, she knew it would still take time for him to arrive.
Unlike Shiina Hiyori, who had been sent abroad by her family, or Kitagawa Ryo, who quit the stage after earning enough, Karuizawa Kei remained firmly on the path of theater.
She knew clinging to Ryo wouldn't win her his favor. Kei understood well that Ryo wasn't the kind of guy one could easily pursue. Devoting time to self-improvement was the wiser course.
Of course, that didn't mean she had completely severed ties with him. Kei cleverly maintained their relationship within the bounds of friendship, subtly leaving her mark in his life.
Waiting for the right moment.
Kei placed her suitcase neatly in front of her within view. From a hidden pocket in her jacket, she pulled out a photo. Incidentally, the jacket had four hidden compartments, where she kept her wallet, bank cards, ID, and more—a trick she had learned from Ryo himself.
"It's only been a month, but I still missed him."
Her slender fingers brushed over the photograph. It was a picture taken two years ago during a rehearsal with Ryo. Though she'd taken many photos with him since, this one remained her most treasured keepsake.
"You're back? I assume you're not planning to perform for the next few months, right?"
A familiar voice called out from behind. Kei hurriedly fumbled to hide the photo.
"You're late."
Despite the words, there was no hint of complaint. Kei turned around to find Kitagawa Ryo standing there, just as she expected.
He seemed brighter now than he had before quitting the stage. When she looked at him, he raised an eyebrow and grinned.
"This is as fast as I could manage. School business delayed me a bit."
With that, Ryo stepped forward and took her luggage. At first, he had assumed Kei's interest in acting would fade quickly, but among the trio from back then, she was the only one who remained committed.
Kei wasn't exceptionally gifted, but through hard work and the boost from Ryo's name, she managed to secure her place in the troupe. After Ryo decided to leave, she was the first to accept his decision—and even helped persuade the other members.
The Karuizawa Kei he knew from the simulations had been timid and submissive. The real Kei, however, left a strong impression—enough to make him wonder if his butterfly effect had been too drastic, possibly sparing her from the personality-shaping trauma of school bullying.
After two years of stage experience, Kei carried herself with grace and poise. She placed her hands behind her back, leaned forward slightly, and asked:
"Well? Don't you think I've changed a lot?"
"It's only been a month—not that big of a change."
"Girls our age change every single day."
Feeling her gaze, Ryo looked at her closely.
"You've grown taller."
That was all he said.
But in truth, what flashed in his mind wasn't the Kei from last month—it was the girl from two years ago. Compared to that version, today's Kei was completely different. No longer a plain girl with only a pretty face, she now looked...
More like a real young woman.
Her honey-blonde hair flowed down to her waist, some strands fluttering in the breeze. Her features had matured. Her figure had filled out. And in those blue eyes shimmered subtle emotions unique to teenage girls.
Unknowingly, she was growing in a direction far from his memories.
But Ryo didn't see that as a bad thing. Just as Ichinose Honami had worked hard to improve her family's situation, Kei had also matured. Ryo had even arranged backstage jobs for Honami, helping her stay afloat.
Now, Honami no longer had to resort to theft. And Kei would never again be the target of school bullying. In fact, if she returned to school now, she might even have fans asking for autographs.
"Actually, I've decided to focus more on school now."
Kei brought up the topic naturally.
"The next few performances are all in the city, so my parents want me to catch up academically. They're still hoping I'll get into a good high school and college."
She sighed. Truthfully, her family's opposition stemmed from Ryo's departure from theater, though she didn't mention it.
"I couldn't apply to your school in time, but maybe we can go to the same high school."
A little discouraged, she quickly cheered up again.
"Have you heard of the Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School? They say it meets 99.9% of students' future academic and career goals. It only admits 160 students a year, but has a huge annual budget. There are always debates on TV about whether it uses too many public resources."
Kei still hoped to attend the same high school as Ryo. With its closed environment and meritocratic rules, it would allow them to grow closer.
Even now, Kei sometimes dreamed of that star-filled night on the deserted island.
"Advanced Nurturing High, huh? I've heard the entrance exams are tough. But it wouldn't be bad if we got in."
Ryo nodded. Two years ago, it was just an option for him. Now, he had a compelling reason to go.
"Then let's get in together."
Kei beamed, her steps practically bouncing.
Ryo helped her place her luggage into the taxi that had come to pick her up.
"Be careful on the way home. And spend time with your parents—it's been a year, after all."
"I know, I know."
Watching the taxi drive off, Ryo slipped his hands into his sleeves and began his slow walk back home.
Though he'd just told Kei to spend time with her parents, he was probably the least qualified person to say that.
Since cutting ties with the Kitagawa family, he'd barely contacted them. Traveling with the troupe across the country and even the world had kept him busy. But after saving enough money for Hotaru's treatment overseas, he had begun to feel the sting of solitude.
He always thought he was good at living alone. Even staying in a basement hadn't bothered him.
He leaned against a bus stop pillar and gazed out at the busy city.
When he first arrived in this world, he had set two goals:
1. Escape the Kitagawa family.
2. Save enough money to cure Hotaru.
Now that both goals were accomplished, he felt aimless.
He should be happy—his burdens lifted, and no tragedy had yet occurred. Everyone was smiling.
Ryo stretched and looked at his reflection in a nearby glass wall.
Not a trace of joy on his face.
"Weird."
He muttered, pulling out his phone to call someone.
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"Looks like my chess skills have improved. You're moving much slower than usual today, Ryo."
Across the board, the silver-haired girl spoke with a bright smile. Her expression radiated joy, every feature lit up with delight.
"Hmm, maybe so."
Kitagawa Ryo held a piece in his hand, trying to recall the mindset he had when first learning chess in his previous life. Back then, as a beginner, he had been clumsy. In a situation like this, he would have likely—
But his brain presented him with a flawless alternative.
Like a finely tuned machine, it told him the exact move that would exploit a weakness in five steps and completely crush Sakayanagi Arisu in thirteen.
[Grand Master]
This golden talent, the pinnacle of the chess world, granted Ryo unparalleled prowess.
Not just Sakayanagi Arisu—even Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, whom he had faced days earlier, had been no match.
And yet...
"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Arisu seemed to sense something off. She leaned forward, concern in her voice.
Ever since Ryo defeated the White Room, Arisu had acknowledged him as a genius beyond her reach.
Drama and chess—he excelled at both.
The title of "genius" seemed made for Kitagawa Ryo.
Arisu had even planned to have her father, the chairman of Advanced Nurturing High School, admit Ryo directly in two years. Her father had agreed. They were both eager to see how he would perform in a school governed by pure meritocracy.
At the same time, Arisu secretly hoped she might someday defeat him there.
"Just a headache. Let's stop for today. Sorry to drag you out for only half a game."
Holding his forehead, Ryo tried to smile.
But Arisu simply nodded. "Not at all. Even that half-game gave me a lot to learn."
She packed up the board and pieces with practiced ease.
"Are you sure you're alright? Do you need a hospital?"
"No, I'll be fine after a bit of rest. You go ahead."
"...Alright."
With her cane in hand, Sakayanagi Arisu turned and slowly left. She glanced back twice before disappearing from view.
After resting for a few minutes, Ryo heard his phone buzz in his pocket. He took it out and raised it to eye level.
"Good evening, President Kitagawa. This is the list of new applicants for the drama club: 165 total, with 37 passing the preliminary screening."
It took him a second to remember—this was from the student managing the drama club he was nominally the head of. Despite holding the title, he had scarcely visited.
Scrolling up revealed previous messages with club updates. He'd always replied with the same boilerplate phrases: "Got it," or "Handle it as you see fit."
But today, he welcomed the distraction and decided to actually check the list.
Right at the top:
[Horikita Suzune] – Preliminary screening: Passed.
"..."
Suzune passed the first round? Was the drama club evaluating by looks now?
As far as he knew, nothing in her resume suggested she was a good fit.
From elementary school onward, she'd always been a lone wolf, struggling in any team-based environment.
Frowning slightly, he typed a reply:
"What criteria were used to approve Horikita Suzune?"
The manager, seemingly surprised by the sudden engagement, took a while to respond.
"She was deemed visually appealing, and her resume indicated strong capabilities. Thus, she was passed through the preliminary round."
Clearly, the reviewer hadn't met her in person.
But with 165 applicants, it was understandable that the club couldn't interview everyone.
He recalled that the final audition involved drawing a scene from a famous play to perform.
So he typed another message:
"Which role did Horikita draw?"
"Lady Macbeth, from Shakespeare's Macbeth."
Kushida Kikyou's lips curled into a smile.
Of course, it wasn't random at all.
-------------------------------------
Karuizawa Kei's father noticed that ever since his daughter returned home after such a long time, she would often sit in front of the television giggling to herself. Curious, he peeked at the screen, and sure enough, it was one of her drama performances.
He wasn't particularly interested in acting. The only reason he had supported his daughter's pursuit in this field was because of the Kitagawa Ryo phenomenon—his meteoric rise had made many parents believe acting could be a shortcut to success. But in the end, Kitagawa Ryo remained the sole success story.
"Get to bed soon. Your enrollment in the new school has already been arranged. Time to refocus."
"Mm-hmm, got it."
Kei responded without even lifting her head, prompting her father to shake his head in resignation and return to his room.
The girl turned her full attention back to the screen. It was a recording of her proudest performance:
Macbeth.
"My hands are of your color, but I shame to wear a heart so white."
Macbeth, having received a prophecy from the witches, murders his cousin King Duncan of Scotland. Stricken with horror and confusion after the deed, he finds solace in his wife, Lady Macbeth, who had supported him from the beginning.
To the now radically changed Macbeth—ambitious, fearful, a traitor, a murderer—Lady Macbeth says:
"Put on your nightgown, lest occasion call us and show us to be watchers."
"While you sleep, I will stay by your side."
Every word Kei spoke on screen oozed with affection, the kind that could drown someone in love without them even realizing it.
In the end, Kitagawa Ryo rested peacefully in her arms, like a child, falling gently asleep.
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