Nothing much happened after that in Suzume's cabin—except the extra scolding he received for his final comment.
It lasted a full hour.
But Haru didn't mind. In fact, it was exactly what he wanted. The longer he stayed there, the more justified his lateness would seem.
'As expected… the atmosphere's different.'
His eyes scanned the hallways and corridors.
During the day, they were bright and full of life. But now, with the sun dipping beyond the horizon, long shadows stretched across the walls, giving the school an eerie quietness.
He didn't head toward the boys' hostel. Instead, his steps carried him to the terrace.
Everything felt heavier the farther he walked.
Sure, the sun was still up—just barely—so there was no real danger yet. At least, not until nightfall. Still, the gloom was moving into the empty halls stirred a tension in his chest.
Maybe it was just the creeping darkness.
Or maybe… it was her words.
—Be careful out there. You might not know who is watching.
Suzume Garfield had said that just as he was leaving.
'A warning? A simple piece of advice? I don't know… and understand anything related to her.'
There were more questions than answers.
But one thing was certain—he took her words to heart.
Because what he was about to do… could change everything.
'This is the last one… If not, then I'll move on to Plan B.' With that thought, Hiru stepped onto the terrace.
It was vast—bathed in the final golden rays of the setting sun. The sky still held light, but the terrace was already cloaked in shadows.
And it was empty.
'She's not here…'
The girl he'd been hoping to see was nowhere to be found.
"So, Plan B it is…" he muttered, the weight of disappointment settling in his chest. All his careful planning had led to this moment, and now it felt like a waste.
He turned around to head back.
And then—he froze.
A young woman stood at the terrace entrance, framed by the door. She wore the standard school uniform, her arms casually crossed beneath her chest. A soft, unreadable smile played on her lips.
Her short black hair brushed her shoulders, and her eyes… they were deep. Too deep. Darker than anything he'd ever seen.
"Hello there," she said, tilting her head slightly. "Looks like I surprised you?"
"Well… yeah, you did." Hiru narrowed his eyes, confused. "I'm sorry, but I don't recognize you. And I was… actually expecting someone else."
She wasn't the girl he'd written to. She wasn't anyone he even remembered seeing around school.
And that in itself was suspicious.
'The school isn't that big. I've seen almost everyone at least once… And there's no way I'd forget someone this pretty—or this confident.'
Alarm bells rang in his mind. Something was off. Why was she here—now—alone, on the terrace, after hours?
Then she pulled something out of her pocket and held it up.
His breath hitched.
"That—"
"My classmate had this," she said, glancing at the letter. "She wasn't interested, so I came in her place."
It was the 100th confession letter.
The one Hiru had written for someone else.
And somehow… it had ended up in this stranger's hands.
"She didn't even bother to reject me, huh?"
Hiru let out an awkward chuckle, his eyes fixed on the letter in her hand.
The girl stepped closer, her tone playful.
"And why would any sane girl say yes to a guy who's already confessed to ninety-nine others before her?"
"I don't know. Maybe… because of my honesty?" He shrugged with a carefree smile, but his gaze stayed sharp.
She gave a soft laugh. "A handsome guy claiming to be honest? Now that's some rare topic in this small world. Or maybe… it's the only truth this small world has left?"
'Small world… truth…'
Something about her words made his heart beat a little faster.
A strange sense of familiarity. Of recognition. Of anticipation.
"You're truly flattering me," he replied, trying to match her energy. "But I won't deny I might be the most handsome guy thrown into this tiny world."
His gaze met hers, continuing, "So then, Miss… have you come to reject me in her place? If so, I'll be the second unlucky guy in history rejected by 100 different girls."
'There's a very famous novel in my world… about a guy who confessed to 100 girls and got rejected by all of them… but—'
Her eyes lit up, and she brought her hand dramatically to her mouth. "Wait… what are you talking about? If I remember correctly, the guy who got rejected by 100 girls wasn't unlucky at all, right? Didn't he end up with a massive harem in the end?"
She grinned. "Don't tell me… are you secretly aiming for the same thing?"
Thump!
His heart skipped a beat.
'No doubt… I found her!! After two long weeks stuck in this damn world… I finally found someone from my world!!'
Hiru couldn't hold back the grin tugging at his lips. "That depends on your answer."
She tilted her head with mock thoughtfulness. "Hmm… unfortunately for you, my classmate said she wasn't interested in someone like you."
"That's sad…"
"You don't look sad."
"How can I be," he replied, taking a step closer, "when I'm standing in front of someone as beautiful as you?"
"Oh? How cheeky…" Her brows lifted in amusement. "Are you really flirting with me? Right after being rejected?"
"I have a natural talent," he said with a confident smirk. "I move on fast. My resistance to emotional damage is top-tier."
"Wounds build up resistance, as they say," she teased.
"Or maybe," he leaned in slightly, voice softer, "when someone like you shows up… old wounds don't matter anymore."
She laughed—a genuine, warm laugh that echoed across the quiet terrace.
"You're quite the character."
At her words, he paused for a moment as the last light of the sun bathed their faces. For the first time in weeks, he didn't feel like he was just surviving. He felt… seen.
"I'm Hiru Nokoshima," he said, voice quieter now. "Pleased to meet you."
Her smile deepened. "Nice to meet you too, Hiru. I'm Miami Fujiwara, and—"
Without warning, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"!?" Hiru froze, stunned—not by the sudden hug, but by what she whispered softly into his ear.
"I'm a human… from another world."
His breath hitched. When she stepped back and their eyes met again, he whispered back:
"Me too."
Ting!
A message flickered before his eyes—
[Congratulations!]
[You have made first contact with another human within the Ghost Realm.]
[Sub-quest completed.]
[Reward: Unlocking Ghost Realm System.]
[Installing System…]
[Awakening user…]
[Ting!]
[Installing completed.]
[SYSTEM INTERFACE ACTIVATED]
[Welcome, Hiru Nokoshima. Initialization complete. Syncing with host soul…]
••••••••••••••••••••••••••
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Hiru Nokoshima
Rank: Awakened
Health (HP): 100/100
Spiritual Energy (SE): 100/100
Condition: Normal
⸻
[STATS]
• Strength: 30
• Agility: 30
• Endurance: 30
• Intelligence: 30
• Perception: 30
• Luck: 30
⸻
[SKILLS]
• None unlocked.
"Skills can be obtained through experience, unique triggers, or system anomalies."
⸻
[INVENTORY]
• (Empty)
"Inventory slots available: 20"
⸻
[CURRENCY]
• Ghost Currency: 30
⸻
[QUESTS]
• Main Quest: Complete the Tutorial (In Progress)
• Sub-Quest: Escape from the Academy
(Ongoing)
••••••••••••••••••••••••••
'So, I've unlocked it…'
Hiru stared at the glowing interface in front of him—the System he'd only heard rumors about. A strange mechanism, built to guide and strengthen humans trapped in the Ghost Realm. It was said to be the key to survival… or at least a fighting chance.
But as his eyes moved across the status window, something strange stood out.
Still, he didn't have time to focus on it.
"The description changed, didn't it?" Miami asked while checking her own status.
"Yeah…" he muttered. Their first sub-quest had ended, and the next phase had already begun—without even a moment's rest.