"What's wrong? You've been spacing out for a while now."
Gin spoke up as Mako stood frozen, still holding her digital device.
"Ah—no, it's nothing… I just remembered. Before everything happened, I was researching digital lifeforms and Kana Chiyoda."
Gin quietly watched her, his silver eyes calm and unreadable.
"Hey, Gin," Mako said, leaning a little closer. "Since you're… well, you. Do you know anything about digital lifeforms? What they actually are, or how they're connected to Kana Chiyoda?"
"…Who knows." Gin shrugged. "Even I don't understand why I exist. And as for Kana Chiyoda… I only know what floats around the net. Nothing more."
"Oh, come on. You're totally useless sometimes…"
She could piece together some of what had happened back when she fell unconscious, but there were still gaps—large, foggy blank spots. She couldn't remember what she was searching for right before it happened, nor what she had seen.
Mako pressed the power button on her device again.
As expected, nothing happened.
"I guess it really is broken…"
She wanted to check her browsing history more than anything, but if the device wouldn't turn on, she had no way to access it.
Letting out a sigh, she left her room and headed to the living room.
Her device had a data-sync feature.
Maybe she could check her info from another terminal.
"Hey Mom, this device won't turn on. Can you send it out for repairs?"
"What!? Mako, absolutely not! The doctor told you: no devices, no internet for a while."
"B-but without it, I can't study, or check my messages, or—!"
"I get how you feel, but rules are rules. And the doctor specifically said no computers either."
"Ehh—ah!"
Before she could react, Miyu snatched the device from her hands.
"I'll hold onto this. And yes, I'll send it for repairs. Until then, you have to be patient. Patient."
"…Okaaay."
Mako reluctantly shuffled back to her room.
"Ugh… now I really can't do anything."
She collapsed face-first onto her bed, burying her face in the pillow.
For someone her age, being without a digital device felt like losing her connection to the entire world.
She tried to remember more of that day, but her mind was wrapped in a thick white mist, and no matter how she reached for it, the memory of the moment she lost consciousness slipped away.
Eventually, her slowing thoughts were overtaken by drowsiness.
Mako drifted gently into sleep.
—And then, she begins to dream.
A field of white flowers spread out in all directions.
At the center stood a cat with shimmering silver fur.
A familiar silhouette—
It was Gin.
His body wavered like heat haze, slowly shifting… reshaping…
until it took on the form of a human.
In the next instant, a brilliant light burst outward, engulfing the entire world.
And when Mako looked down—
Her own body had become that of the cat-person once more.