It was past dusk at Shirokuma High. The corridors were dim, lit only by the occasional flickering hallway light. Hiragi moved silently, hat tilted, eyes scanning every shadow. He could feel it—someone was close, someone orchestrating all the chaos.
Earlier that day, another mysterious note had appeared on his desk:
"You've seen enough… but not everything. Come find the truth if you dare."
Hiragi didn't hesitate. He followed subtle signs through the empty halls: faint footprints in the dust, misaligned floor tiles, and the faint smell of ink—Daichi's signature scent.
Finally, he arrived at the old music room. The door creaked open, revealing a single figure standing in the shadows: Daichi.
"So, you've followed the threads," Daichi said calmly, hands in pockets, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Impressive, Hiragi. But do you understand the full game?"
Hiragi stepped inside, his eyes never leaving Daichi. "Enough games. It ends tonight. Why all this? Why manipulate everyone?"
Daichi tilted his head. "Manipulation? No… I'm testing. Testing perception, patience, and courage. You've seen pieces of the puzzle, but the picture is incomplete."
Hiragi's mind raced. Each clue, each minor incident, each cryptic note—all connected. Yet Daichi had anticipated his deductions, leading him deeper into the labyrinth of shadows.
A sudden motion caught Hiragi's eye. From behind the piano, another note slid across the floor:
"Even when revealed, the web tightens. Can you escape the threads?"
Hiragi picked it up without breaking eye contact. "So this isn't just about chaos," he muttered. "It's a challenge. And you want to see how far I'll go."
Daichi's smile widened. "Exactly. The mastermind is not who you think… and not even I know the full outcome. Every action here changes the puzzle."
For the first time, Hiragi felt the full weight of the game. Every clue, every suspect, every shadow he had followed—it all led here, yet even now, he didn't know the boundaries.
"Then I'll follow," Hiragi said calmly, hat tilted lower. "Through shadows, misdirection, and webs. I'll see the truth… eventually."
Daichi nodded slowly. "Good. That's all I could ask. Let's see how deep the web truly is."
The music room fell silent, shadows stretching and folding around them. Outside, the first drops of rain began to fall, as if marking the start of a new layer in the puzzle.
Hiragi stepped forward, ready. The chase wasn't over—it had only just entered its most dangerous stage.