Finding Laura and Rachel

Running with all my might, I am filled with anxiety. There is not a second left to waste. Because of that, although I can hear Kurokawa's footsteps behind me, I have no choice but to increase my speed.

"Sorry, Kurokawa!"

Since her event is yet to come, the bookworm will be in a different position than the class rep and blondy. Actually, the fact that Kurokawa is following me is even better. Since my advantage in knowing the story is essentially meaningless at this point, she should not get involved in the event any more than currently. God knows what is going to happen if Kurokawa continues to be there.

"Don't worry, C. I'll be right behind you!" The bookworm claims.

The stairs to the upper floor have never looked so long before. Still, despite the shortness of breath, I need to concentrate. A little pain in the stomach due to running is nothing compared to the suffering that can be caused by the system. With the uncertainty of the situation still present, who knows what will happen while I am trying to get help.

If something does happen, I will blame myself for the rest of my life. The girls have just shown me a different future, and I do not want to lose them like that.

"There are two of them and just one of the bullies. If a fight occurs, Laura and Rachel will still be fine." I mumble, trying to persuade no one else but me to believe in that. "Yeah. Rachel can kill him by breaking his neck. She is capable of that, after all."

*Rattle*

"Han!! We need your help asap!!" Busting the door wide open, I scream out the protagonist's name.

He is sleeping on his desk still, unburdened and without a care.

This motherfucker! How can you be falling asleep so soundly like that when the girls are in great danger?!

"Wake up!! Now!" Annoyed by his ignorance, I pull his arm hard.

"Buh! Huh? Wha?!" Half-awake, Han reluctantly looks up at me. There is a clear line of saliva on the corner of his mouth.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! C! Chill, man!" Seeing my desperate attempt, Han's best friend, Classmate A, quickly interrupts me.

B also joins in. "Yeah. What's the matter? Why are you acting so violently?"

"Is class already over?" Still living inside of his dream world, Han asks.

"It's urgent! Laura and Rachel are in great danger! They are being chased by the school bully right now!!" I scream at his face.

"Bully? Who?" His eyes are still half-closed. The damn protagonist seems unaware of what is happening around him.

God damn, I hate him so much! Why does he have to be so passive?

"Have you turned into a complete zombie or something?! Hurry up!"

"Rachel and the class rep are in trouble?" A asks.

"I don't have time for questions! Han! We need to move NOW!" I yank Han's arm again and start running out of the classroom.

"Okay!" Seeing how serious I am, Han quickly adjusts himself to the situation.

"Wait! Guys! If they are in trouble, why don't we call the teachers? What can students like us do?"

Classmate A tries to stop me from leaving. But it is already too late.

Teachers? Yeah, right. Go get a shadow person like Mr. OOO and see what they will do to solve this. If it did make a difference, would I not have asked for Han's help already?

Throughout the millennium of figuring things out, I have realized that the events are something only the protagonists can handle. And if...Han is unable to protect them...then...I do not know what I will do. It is probably best to kill myself and wait until the next reset while hoping I can see them again. While Laura and Rachel will be revived as if nothing ever happened, the chance of them losing their current selves is almost guaranteed.

Just thinking about the possibility makes my heart ache. Having the chance to see the girls being real is nothing short of a blessing. They are no longer puppets bound by strings and controlled by a puppet master under a script. Therefore, giving up is not an option. I can not and will not let go of this run where the girls are different. No matter what happens, I will try everything to save their precious lives. Until my final breath is taken away, I will fight with everything I can get my hands on.

But then, looking back at the classroom, I suddenly gain a spark. "Hey, A, and you too, B! You should come with us! Since we are classmates, we should help each other out. Right?"

Honestly, that feels like a long shot. A and B did not join in the event in the past when Laura was facing the bully, even though I tried. Yet my instinct tells me I can make it work this time if I target them directly with guilt. These two guys have been acting strange compared to the storyline, so there should be a chance.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing my request, Han stops in his track and nods. "Yeah! C's right! We should all help Laura and Rachel! Then there will be six of us versus...how many of them again? And where is Kurokawa?"

"...One."

I appreciate his dumbness.

"As for Kurokawa..."

"I'm here." A familiar voice appears. She is a little out of breath due to all the running.

"What do you say?" Han looks back at his besties.

"Sure! I can't let the class rep be on her own!" Standing quickly from his seat, A follows the group. "What about you, B?"

"...I guess more people are better than not." The guy seems a little uncomfortable.

"Great! Let's move!!" Taking the lead, Han runs down the long hallway.

My legs carry me forward at full force. My mind is focused on reaching the destination as fast as possible. Even when the school bell rings to inform us the first period has started, I push our group to continue saving the other two.

A few minutes later, we arrived outside the building. At first glance, the area is peaceful. Too peaceful, as a matter of fact.

There are no signs of struggle anywhere. Not a single sound echoes through the air, not a trace of the two girls except for the lunch box that Rachel left behind. Even the shadow people are all gone. To say the place is deserted would be an understatement.

My heart sinks down the bottom of my stomach instantly, and my limbs grow weaker by the second.

Where could they have gone? Did they really escape from the bullies? Or maybe they were caught...? Did the story catch up to them? Did I create a much worse fate for them again?

The thought sends shivers down my spine.

"Where are they, C?" Han looks at me after glancing around the area.

"Should be here, right? I see a lunch box. Where can they be?"

"Am I too late...?"

Please...PLEASE!!! No...not again... NOT AGAIN!

"LAURA!!! RACHEL!!! WHERE ARE YOU!?" Desperate, I shout from the depth of my chest.

It is my fault. I should not have abandoned the two girls. I should have been there with Laura and Rachel. And now...and now they are gone.

It is because of me.

Because of me!

I pulled them into this. They stepped in because they were protecting me.

Always. Always! Always!! Because of me.

Laura and Rachel's faces flash across my vision. The soft smile of our class rep when she woke me up this morning, the seductive look in blondy's aquamarine eyes, the touch of warmth that I was never given until yesterday... It dawns on me, finally.

There is no way for me to experience those from now on. I lost them.

As I stand aimlessly in the middle of the schoolyard, everything starts twisting and turning as if I was put inside a spinning wheel. I feel dizzy and sick to my stomach. All that I desire now is to disappear.

"C!"

Kurokawa grabs my hand, and Han grabs my shoulder before I can hit the ground.

"Are you okay, C?" The bookworm runs in front of me. Her beautiful emerald green eyes are filled with tears. "You're shaking."

Her hand is so soft and warm. I do not understand it one bit. Why is Kurokawa crying? For someone like me, is it really worth it?

Han tries to calm me down as well. "Don't worry, C! Everything's gonna be fine! I bet the two girls are just around the corner somewhere."

"Yeah, bro! Maybe they are in the bathroom or something. Ack!" A's sentence is cut short as if he is choking on his own spit. "Crap! Her, too?!"

A and B look at each other without saying anything after that.

I do not pay much attention to their shenanigans at this point. However, A's previous sentence gives me a little hope.

"Thanks, guys! I was a bit depressed after thinking of some bad memories, that's all."

It is indeed too early to sit down and cry like this. Unfortunately, I tend to look at the worse possible ending because of all my previous experiences. When I see something vaguely resembling the past, my brain instantly returns to those days. The only thing it knows best is to blame itself when that happens.

Laura and Rachel are in danger, and I must be there as fast as possible. Even if I want to be a wimp, I must do it while running after them. The more time I lose here, the worse the outcome will be. I have decided to fight for them again, so this much is nothing compared to what the future holds for us.

"If possible, I will need to divide us into groups. Kurokawa and I will be checking out the bathrooms. Han, if it is fine with you, please check out the storage room with A and B."

Everyone agrees immediately. There is nothing else we can do but search every inch of the school until the girls are found. I cannot afford to lose anyone.