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[ Exterior shot – a modest, traditional Japanese house in a quiet suburb. The sun is starting to set.]Narration:Sometimes, the most dangerous threshold... is your front door.
[ ishijin fumbles for his keys, still nervously glancing at Sakare beside him.]Sakare:"You live here? Cute house."Ishijin:"Y-yeah… it's kinda old."
[Interior – the front door opens. Akiru's mom, Ishijin Mariko, is visible in the background at the sink, washing dishes, humming.]Mariko (off-panel):"Welcome home, Aki—oh?"
[Mariko peeks around the corner, blinking at the sight of Sakare.]Mariko:"Oh my! You brought a girl home?"Ishijin:"M-Mom!!"
[ Sakare bows politely, smiling.]Sakare:"Good evening, Mrs. Ishijin. I'm Sakare Aibu from his class. Sorry for intruding!"
[ Mariko beaming, drying her hands on a towel.]Mariko:"Please, make yourself at home! We hardly ever get guests... especially cute ones!"Ishijin (small, mortified):"I'm dying..."
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[ Mariko retreats into the kitchen, humming again.]SFX:clink clinkNarration:For a moment, everything felt normal again...
[ Sakare steps into the genkan, looking around curiously. A strange, low hum seems to subtly return in the air.]Sakare (serious now):"You can hear it too... right?"SFX:vmmmm...
[Akiru freezes. The Volume Override dial — hidden in his bag — glows faintly behind him.]Narration:But some frequencies never truly fade...