The moment Kanade Natsukawa heard the words, he froze.
"Yukinoshita… disappeared?"
It didn't make sense. Yukinoshita Yukino was the last person who should ever be associated with the word "missing." The mere thought of it felt absurd, like a cruel joke. But the person relaying the news to him was none other than Katō Megumi—someone who neither exaggerated nor spoke frivolously.
That meant this was real.
Just to be sure, he still asked, "You're talking about Yukinoshita Yukino?"
"Yes."
Kanade's expression darkened instantly.
His mind raced. He didn't consider himself particularly close to Yukinoshita. If anything, their relationship was more of mutual understanding than friendship. But that didn't change the fact that the news unsettled him. His heart clenched involuntarily, a reaction he wasn't quite prepared for.
Without realizing it, he reached out and grabbed Katō Megumi's wrist.
People are always like this. When something terrible happens to someone they know, even if they aren't close, the impact feels different.
"When did this happen?" His voice carried an urgency he rarely showed.
"About twenty minutes ago. On the path leading from the second checkpoint to the third." Katō's voice remained calm, but there was an unmistakable weight behind her words.
Feeling the tension in Kanade's grip, she gently placed her other hand over his.
The small action snapped Kanade back to reality.
"Ah… sorry," he muttered, quickly letting go. "I got carried away."
Katō simply shook her head. "It's fine."
He took a deep breath and steadied himself. "Did she say or do anything unusual before she disappeared?"
Katō thought for a moment before replying, "No, not really. We finished the second challenge, and then we stopped by the restroom. When I came out, she told me to go on ahead and wait for her at the third checkpoint. I waited… but she never arrived."
Kanade's frown deepened.
That sounded exactly like something Yukinoshita would do.
She despised these kinds of activities, especially those that forced her to work in a team. But she was also someone who never wanted to inconvenience others. The best way to handle it? Solve the puzzles as quickly as possible and get it over with.
That's why she probably sent Katō ahead—saving time by moving efficiently on her own.
But that didn't explain her disappearance.
Getting lost? Impossible. The paths were clearly marked. Signs were everywhere. And no matter how bad her sense of direction might be, there was no way she could just vanish into thin air.
A headache started creeping in, but Kanade knew there was no time to waste.
He turned to the student council member who had been standing by. "Has a search been organized?"
"Yes," the student nodded. "Vice President Shinomiya has already arranged a team. She also told me to inform you immediately."
Kanade let out a breath.
If Kaguya was handling it, things were already in motion. But knowing her, she would prioritize efficiency over numbers—meaning there still might not be enough people searching.
"Alright, then do this—go to the disciplinary committee and have them allocate half of their manpower. We need more people covering the surrounding areas and checking other paths along the way."
"But what about patrols?" the student hesitated. "If we pull them away—"
"Forget patrols. A missing person is more important than a few rule-breakers." Kanade shot him a sharp look. "Go. Now."
"Y-Yes, sir!" The student quickly ran off to relay the orders.
Kanade's eyes then swept over the remaining two students who were stationed at the check-in table.
"You two, don't just stand there. Get some flashlights. We're going out to search."
He didn't care if they were volunteers or council members. At this moment, he was the student council president—and he was making a call.
The two hesitated for only a second before nodding and hurrying off to retrieve what was needed.
Kanade turned back to Katō. "I need you to stay here and cover check-ins. If anyone asks where the student council members went, just tell them I took them for an emergency search."
Katō nodded without hesitation. "Understood."
Kanade let out a small sigh of relief. If there was anyone he could trust to hold things together in his absence, it was Katō Megumi.
Moments later, the two students returned, carrying three flashlights.
Kanade grabbed one, clicked it on, and turned toward the forest.
"Let's move out."
However, just as he turned to leave, a voice stopped him in his tracks.
"Kanade."
He turned back, meeting Katō Megumi's steady gaze. Her usual calm demeanor was still there, but there was something else—a rare flicker of emotion behind her eyes. The soft glow of the nearby lanterns cast a gentle light on her face as she spoke again, her voice quieter but firm.
"Please... you must find Yukinoshita."
Kanade blinked, momentarily caught off guard. He hadn't expected such words from her. But the weight of her request settled in his chest, and he let out a small breath before offering a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. Leave it to me."
Without wasting any more time, Kanade and his two temporary recruits hurried towards the location where Yukinoshita had last been seen. Once they arrived, he quickly took charge, issuing precise instructions.
"We'll split up. Search along the stone path and check both sides, but don't cross the fence. If you find anything, signal immediately."
The two nodded in understanding before heading off. Meanwhile, Kanade made his way toward the temporary facilities—wooden structures built for emergencies.
If Katō's account was accurate, Yukinoshita had disappeared around here. That meant the area needed a thorough search first. The wooden rest stops between levels were meant for quick breaks, but they were also convenient hiding spots. He didn't expect to find anything too out of place, but he checked the doors and peered into the dimly lit spaces inside.
Once satisfied that the buildings were empty, he moved his search outside, scanning the ground for anything unusual. He wasn't a trained tracker, but he knew enough to look for footprints.
And then, luck finally shone on him.
Near the edge of the tree line, slightly away from the main path, a trail of distinct footprints led into the dense forest. The impressions were consistent, left by the same person, and the direction was deliberate rather than hesitant.
Kanade frowned.
Yukinoshita wasn't the type to break rules. If anything, she was the kind of person who would strictly follow the designated paths. But then, why were these footprints leading deeper into the forest, beyond the safe zones?
Despite his doubts, he couldn't ignore this lead.
Taking a deep breath, he adjusted his grip on the flashlight and stepped forward, following the trail. His movements were cautious, his senses sharp. After his last encounter with wild cats in the area, he wasn't about to let his guard down. The deeper he went, the more the forest seemed to swallow him, the trees towering like silent sentinels.
Then, just as he reached the fenced-off boundary, something small caught his eye.
A faint glimmer in the grass near the wooden barricade.
Kanade stepped closer, kneeling to pick it up. The object was soft in his hand, yet familiar.
A panda doll pendant.
His breath hitched slightly. His fingers tightened around it as his eyes darkened.
This wasn't just any pendant.
It was the one he had given to Yukinoshita.