Junes
04/19
Daytime
It wasn't long since the group barely returned from that world with their lives. Because Yukiko has gotten slightly better after being healed by Haruto, they agreed to discuss the case together in the food court before heading back home.
"Yukiko, are you sure you can't remember who did this to you?" asked Chie.
"Yes, I'm really sorry… Even after you all had risked your lives to save mine…"
"That's okay, we're glad enough to have you safe. Although, this means we still has no clue about the culprit…" Yosuke sighed.
"Amagi-san, I need to confirm something with you," said Naruko. "You said you heard someone ringing the bell at your inn, and when you answered the door, you were drugged from behind before losing consciousness. Is this correct?"
"Yes, that's exactly what I told you,"
"When did you awoken in that world?"
"I don't know… I woke up after I felt something hard hit me. When I opened my eyes, I was already there in that castle. I tried looking for the exit, but the fog is so thick that I can barely see anything."
"I see… Can you give us an estimation to how long time has passed since you started wandering around until you met us?"
"I can't say for sure, but I think it was only a couple hours or so."
"Uzumaki-san, could it be true?" asked Yu.
"Yes, I believe that is the case. One of my friend had experienced the same thing as she did, so I'm sure of it. Their perception is greatly altered in that world."
"Uhh, you guys really lost me," said Yosuke. "Can someone please explain to us in an easy way to understand?"
"Y-Yeah! Please share what you guys were thinking to us normal people!" said Chie.
Yu awkwardly smiled at his confused friends.
"Yukiko thought she was in that world for only a couple hours. Although in reality, she had gone missing for three days now."
"T-Three days?" Yukiko was shocked by the revelation.
"So, uh, does that has something to do with why you asked her that?" said Chie.
"Yes. Most people can survive for weeks without food, but they can only last up to several days without water. But no matter how I look at her, Amagi-san is not dehydrated enough for someone who had gone missing for days without any water." Naruko explained to them. "If this is indeed true, then our time to save the victim is not limited to how long the individual can survive, but rather how long until the fog lifts from that world."
"Obviously, we will still try to save the next victim as soon as possible, which I hope there won't be anymore." Yu quickly added after seeing Chie horrified expression. "But if things get rough, we can take our time to train and thus ensure better results for the next expedition or rescue attempt."
"I-I see, that makes sense…" Chie nodded in agreement.
"There's another thing. We've seen today's result. Even with my experience and Narukami-san's ability, we still had a hard time in rescuing Amagi-san. I have little to no doubt that things will only get harder from now on. So, what do you think about having Haruto-kun joins us?"
Haruto looked at Naruko in shock while Yosuke and Chie fell silent after listening to her proposal. It is as she had feared, they have undoubtedly began to fear Haruto and what he's capable of.
"I think it's a good idea," said Yu. "Having Namikaze-san on the team will definitely benefit us, not to mention his healing power is indispensable. Besides, Uzumaki-san san has much more experience than all of us combined, I believe in her judgment."
"Well… I was the one who made you our leader, so I can't really say no to your decision…" said Yosuke.
"Yeah… And what Yu just said did makes sense. Besides, I still owe her and Namikaze-san for saving our lives…" said Chie.
"How about it, Haruto-kun? Can you help us?" asked Naruko.
If Naruko asked her just before she and the others went inside the TV, he would definitely say yes. But after hearing a certain entity's words, Haruto began to hesitate with his objective.
Seek it if you must, but tread your path carefully… For one wrong step will cost you what you hold dear the most…
However, seeing Naruko's expectant look, Haruto sighed before nodding his head as his answer.
"Excellent, then—"
"I do have one condition, though," said Yu.
"Yes? What is it, Narukami-san?" asked Naruko.
"From now on, you will call us by our first name only, and without any honorific." answered Yu. "You helped us, just like you promised, not to mention you're older and more experienced than any of us. It would be weird to have you continue call our name like that."
"I agree with Yu. From now on, please just call me Chie, Uzumaki-san."
"Sure, I don't have any problem with it. Go ahead and call me Yosuke."
"Yeah, it'd be weird to have our senior call us with honorific. Please call me by my first name, Uzumaki-san."
Naruko, who never opened her heart to anyone else besides her friends after that incident, finally let out a small laugh.
"I understand, then please call me Naruko too from now on. I'd be happy if you can call Haruto-kun by his first name as well."
"Naruko-san and Haruto-san… I like how they sound, you two have beautiful name." said Yu.
Naruko only smiled in response.
"It's getting late, I better escort Yukiko home now."
But when she's about to leave with Yukiko, Naruko felt someone gently holding her right hand. It was Haruto.
"I won't be gone for long," Naruko smiled at him. "I promise I'll return here tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, and the day after that too."
She gently caress his cheek with her left hand.
"So will you please wait for me again? Just like you did today?"
Her expression is genuine and there is no hint of false hope in her words, so Haruto let her go.
"Isn't it getting kinda hot in here?"
Yu's playful remark managed to cause Naruko to blush a little.
"R-Right, we better get going then," said Naruko while offering her hand to support Yukiko.
"Wait, Naruko-san. What should we do now?" asked Yosuke.
"There really isn't anything we can do until Yukiko regain her full strength and the culprit made his or her move, so…"
She gave them one last smile before leaving Junes with Yukiko.
"For now… We wait."