The morning news blared from the small TV mounted in the hotel lobby, the volume just loud enough for passing guests to catch snippets of the broadcast.
Raito stood by the front desk, sluggishly blinking at the screen.
The headline scrolling across the bottom of the screen told him everything he needed to know.
"Hostage Situation at Mountainview Mall — Authorities Negotiating with Armed Group."
The reporter, a woman barely holding together her composure, continued speaking rapidly.
"Among the hostages are several students and chaperones from an elite and respected school that were on a trip. Authorities have advised civilians to avoid the area as the police have surrounded the mall. No casualties have been reported yet, but tensions are high as negotiations continue."
Raito's eyes narrowed slightly.Mountainview Mall... that's where they said they were going.
He turned toward the hotel receptionist, a young woman in her early twenties, who looked up at him nervously.
"Is it true?" Raito asked in a flat voice, his tone so casual it was almost disturbing. "The school trip group was at that mall?"
The receptionist, slightly unsettled, nodded quickly. "Y-Yes... I think so. A lot of parents have been calling to check in. The police are saying they're doing everything they can... so you don't need to worry too much."
Raito simply grunted in response, processing the information.
Inside his mind, Kurai's voice whispered lazily.
"You know... you could just stay here. Let the issue solve itself."
Raito's brow twitched ever so slightly.
"Not that simple," he mumbled under his breath. "If Raika gets hurt, Her grandma's gonna tear me apart. Forget a quiet life… I'd be hunted to the ends of the earth."
"Hmph. You're thinking ahead for once," Kurai said, an amused snicker at the edge of her voice.
Then another voice — lighter, more solemn— chimed in.Seigi.
"You must interfere," she said firmly. "But..."Her voice faltered slightly."I don't know if your body is ready for full combat yet. You pushed yourself too hard last time for becoming my vessel."
Raito rolled his stiff shoulders and exhaled slowly, feeling the dull ache still lingering in his muscles.He knew she was right. His body still felt heavy, like it was half underwater.
But he couldn't just sit back.
The receptionist stared at him, her eyes wide, her mouth slightly open.It was clear she thought he was talking to himself.
"Umm... sir?" she said hesitantly. "Are you... okay? Maybe you should just wait for the professionals? The police are already on it."
Raito blinked once, slowly, as if seeing her for the first time.
Then, with a slight tilt of his head, he gave her a small, mechanical smile.
"Yeah. Thanks."
Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked out the lobby doors into the chilly mountain air.
Outside, his beat-up black car sat waiting for him like a loyal dog.He slid into the driver's seat, the engine rumbling to life with a low growl.
Raito's hands rested on the steering wheel for a moment, his eyes distant.
"I was hoping for nice vacation after dealing with Seigi" he muttered under his breath.
And without another thought, he pulled out of the hotel parking lot, heading toward the chaos.
The car rumbled along the mountain roads, the scenery blurring past in dull grays and muted greens.
Raito rested his elbow against the window, steering with one hand, his expression as blank as ever.
In the silence of the car, Kurai's voice lightly teased him.
"You keep saying you want a quiet life..."
He didn't answer immediately, just exhaled slowly through his nose.
Seigi, less amused, added,"Maybe you were never meant for one."
Raito's fingers drummed lazily against the steering wheel.
He remained quiet.
The quiet life he pictured — slow mornings, no surprises, people leaving him alone — felt like some distant island that drifted farther away each time he reached for it.
And yet...Here he was again.Driving straight into another mess he didn't ask for.
"... How annoying," Raito said under his breath, his eyes hardening slightly.
The car sped up, the tires carving steadily toward the mall, toward the hostages, toward the chaos.
Toward everything he tried to avoid.