After successfully escaping the "Hell Wave" game at Sinsō Station, Jo, Reina, Mina, Ren, and Taka breathed a sigh of relief.
The extra five days of life weren't much, but it was enough to simply enjoy life again that had previously felt like a lost utopia. They returned to Reina's apartment, the place that had slowly become their temporary home in the midst of a world that could no longer be trusted.
That morning, the sun rose with a soft golden color. Jo woke up first, sitting on the small balcony of the apartment, sipping the warm tea he had made. Reina came out with two sandwiches and sat down beside him.
"A peaceful morning. Too peaceful, isn't it?" Reina said in a half-worried tone.
Jo nodded slowly. "Maybe this is a trap that is more cruel than the game itself. A peace that we can't believe in."
Reina looked up at the sky. "Jo, when this is all over... what will you do?"
Jo was silent for a long time, then answered, "Maybe I'll write about everything. Let the world know that we survived. But... I don't know if we can really get out of this world."
Meanwhile, in the apartment, Taka and Ren were practicing with the sticks and daggers they had kept. They knew that the next game could come at any time. Mina herself sat by the window, writing something in her little notebook—a diary she had been writing since the first game. It was her way of surviving mentally.
That day they decided to go out. Not to find food, not to play, but to feel life again. They walked along the now silent streets of Tokyo, occasionally seeing the bodies of players who had lost the previous game still lying and uncared for. The world felt like a dead city, although there were still the sounds of birds and the rustling of the wind.
In one of the city parks that used to be filled with children playing, they sat on a long bench, sharing stories about the past before the game began. Their laughter slowly filled the empty space that had only been filled with tension.
Ren told about his desire to open a small cafe in Kyoto.
"You know, I'm not good at cooking. But I think... with coffee and a comfortable place, people can heal from their wounds," she said with a laugh.
Taka chimed in, "I want to be a martial arts trainer. So that people can survive if the world suddenly goes crazy again."
Reina looked at Jo. "You haven't answered me yet. When all this is over, will you still be here? With us?"
Jo smiled slightly. "If you're here, I'll stay."
Everyone fell silent for a moment. Not because it was awkward, but because they realized how precious the remaining time was. They knew, the next game was just a matter of time.
That night, they had another small party. This time with candles and dim lights, simple food, and music from Reina's phone that was still on. They danced slowly, laughed, and sang even though their voices were out of tune. In that moment, the outside world seemed to disappear.
But when the clock struck 23:59, the monitor screen hanging in the living room lit up again.
WARNING. Your remaining life: 4 days. The next game notification will appear in the next 24 hours.
Jo stared at the screen with a calm gaze, but in his chest was rumbling with tension. He knew that time was their biggest enemy. And the longer the game went on, the more brutal and complex the game would be.
"Tomorrow... we'll find out more about this game system. Someone is watching, controlling... and there must be a way out," Jo said while looking out the window.
Reina approached him and held his hand. "Whatever happens, we face it together."
Jo nodded. That night they slept close together. Not because they were afraid, but because they wanted to feel alive. In the midst of a world that stole time and life, love, friendship, and courage were the only real things.
They didn't know what kind of game awaited them tomorrow. But they knew one thing: if they stayed together, they had hope.