Yaeko was ready to call the police.

  "Sister! It's my sister—she's back!"

  Yuzuru's excmation snapped Yaeko out of her anxious state. When she looked up, she saw Shouko walking in through the door.

  Seeing that Shouko wasn't hurt and didn't appear to have been bullied, Yaeko let out a sigh of relief. But she quickly asked, "Why did you e back so te?"

  Something happened. Sorry for the dey.

  Shouko didn't o type at home; she used sign nguage to expin.

  I'm just gd you're back.

  Yaeko didn't press further. "Now that you're home, get some rest a ready for dinner."

  Shouko nodded.

  Once Yaeko went into the kit, Yuzuru approached her sister with .

  "Sister, are you okay?"

  There was something off about Shouko, but Yuzuru couldn't quite put her finger on it. Could something really have happened?

  I'm fine.

  Shouko smiled and signed reassuringly.

  I just walked around a bit and lost track of time. Don't worry!

  "If you say so," Yuzuru said, though her lingered.

  "As long as you're okay, that's all that matters."

  Shouko chuckled at her sister's protective nature, patting her head before moving on without further expnation.

  Shouko hadn't lied; she really had walked around before ing home. Maybe it was because she felt like she didn't have much time left.

  As for the cursed tape, Shouko didn't bring it back. Instead, she found ay park, smashed it with rocks, and buried it. Things that brought harm shouldn't be left in the world.

  Even though destroying the tape meant giving up her only ce at survival, Shoko's ki couldn't bear the thought of passing her fate onto someone else.

  She'd already accepted the curse that would e for her.

  Mom… Yuzuru... if I'm not here, maybe your lives will be easier.

  Though Yaeko and Yuzuru never felt that way, Shouko had always seen herself as a burden. If her absence could mean a better life for them, she was willing to go. But that didn't mean she wasn't scared. She wao cry but held it in, unwilling to let anyone see her pain.

  Late that night, outside an izakaya, the girls who had handed Shoko the cursed tape staggered out, giggling and talking loudly.

  They felt liberated, free of the weight that had kept them up for days. It was a reason to celebrate.

  "Riko-, what did you think of that guy who flirted with you earlier?" one of them asked, sounding amused.

  The girl called Riko wasn't annoyed; she simply sneered.

  "Tsk, he was all dressed up, trying to look rich. But turns out, he's just some low-level office worker!"

  e to think of it, if he really had money, why would he be drinking at a pce like this? He probably thought he could fool me because I'm young and pretty.

  "If he were actually wealthy, I'd sider a one-night stand. But for a puy? No way."

  She spread her hands, showing no shame in her bluntness.

  "Hahaha!"

  The irls burst out ughing—not at Riko, but at the man who'd tried his luck.

  "Imagine! Just some broke guy ag like he's somebody."

  "An office drorying to pick up girls—how pathetic!"

  "Exactly!"

  They all thought the same way. While they might be carefree and easygoing, if given the choice, they'd still go for someoh money. Who wao waste time on someone who had nothing?

  "If only I had the ce to be with Ryuji even once," one girl sighed dramatically.

  "Ryuji? The sorcerer?"

  "Yeah. I wonder if a sorcerer's any different frur guys," she said, and they all giggled.

  They eventually made their way home, the ughter fading as each reached her destination.

  Riko, being the closest to the izakaya, arrived home first.

  "Looks like everyone's asleep," she muttered.

  She lived with her parents, and the dark, quiet house firmed they were already in bed. Relieved, she slipped in quietly. If her parents smelled the alcohol, she'd be in for a scolding.

  "Tsk, what a hassle."

  She crept up the stairs and finally reached her room, sinking onto her bed with a sigh.

  "Finally, I sleep peacefully."

  Sig Sadako's tape, she hadn't had a single night of det sleep. Nightmares of Sadako haunted her every time she closed her eyes, and it had worn her down. But now, with the curse supposedly gone, she felt safe enough to let sleep take her.

  Or so she thought.

  Just as she drifted off, a chilling presence jolted her awake.

  "What's happening?!"

  Her breath quied, eyes darting around the room. The realization hit her like a punch—was the curse still there?

  "No! That's impossible!" she muttered, shaking her head furiously.

  Riko was young and full of life. The idea of dying now terrified her. It had to be her imagination. The curse was go had to be.

  But she didn't notice the s of her tablet flicker to life. The darkened room glowed as the s lit up, showing static.

  Sadako didn't only use TVs.

  As long as it was aronic s, she could reach through it.

  By the time Riko realized, Sadako was already halfway out.

  Her eyes widened in terror, mouth open to scream, but Sadako lunged before a sound could escape.

  The same thing happeo the others.

  The curse was hat simple to transfer.

  ---

  The day, Shouko stepped out of her room, looking weary.

  Yaeko, preparing for work, quickly noticed. She had breakfast and lunch ready for her daughters and was rushing to leave.

  "Hey, did you not sleep well, Sis?" Yuzuru asked, frowning at the dark circles under Shoko's eyes.

  I'm fine.

  Shouko sigrying to reassure her.

  Just a bad dream.

  "Ah, I see."

  Yuzuru nodded, not suspicious. Everyone had nightmares on a while.

  "If you're scared, you sleep in my room tonight!" she offered, in her voice.

  Shouko ughed silently, shaking her head. She sighat she'd be okay, and Yuzuru didn't press further, returning to her breakfast.

  Relief washed over Shouko as her sister didn't pry. But the memory of st night lingered.

  She hadn't lied. She had dreamt st night, and it was a nightmare. Sadako had appeared, tellihat one day had already passed. Six days remained before the curse would take her life.

  She would really die.

  Her hands ched involuntarily, then rexed. Shoko didn't want her mother and sister to worry. If she left quietly, they might accept it better. At least, that's what she told herself.

  Resolving to cherish the time she had left, her eyes grew determined.

  ---

  At school, Shouko noticed that the girls who had tricked her into watg the tape weren't there.

  Maybe they stayed out too te celebrating that the curse was lifted, she thought.

  She didn't dwell on it until a teacher came in during css to make an annou: all the girls had been found dead, discovered that m. The initial iigation suggested it was due to a curse spirit.

  The news sent a shockwave through the css. Everyone khat curse spirits were real, but hearing about deaths so close to home made it all terrifyingly real.

  "What if a curse spirit es for us ?" oudent whispered, eyes wide.

  "Quiet down!" the teacher said, trying to calm the growing panic. "Remember, there are sorcerers out there to protect us."

  The room fell silent, but Shouko's mind was rag.

  So, even after they made her watch the tape, they still died. The method didn't work. But it didn't matter anymore. The tape was destroyed.

  For the rest of the m, the students whispered about curses and sorcerers.

  "How scary."

  "Yeah, I hought something like this could happen so close to us."

  "Do you think we should ask Ryuji for help?"

  "Don't be stupid. He's not going to help random people like us."

  "Exactly. Ryuji's on a whole different level. Why would he care about us?"

  Some thought about seeking Ryuji's help, but others quickly shut down the idea. They had no e to him. Why would he intervene?

  Hearing this, those with fleeting hopes fell silent.

  Sitting in the back row, Shouko listened ily to their versation.

  Ryuji…

  She remembered that the girls had mentioned going to Ryuji for help but didn't have time.

  If anyone could solve this, it robably him.

  Shouko's eyes lit up at the thought. Even though they had never met, she felt sure that Ryuji owerful enough to help.

  But they sank in. Why would someone like him help her? They were worlds apart, and she had no reason to expect his aid.

  Her expression dimmed, and she turo look out the window.

  In the six days she had left, she would focus on spending time with her mother and sister. If she had to go, she wao leave with s.

  Years of feeling inferior had left her doubting whether she deserved to seek out Ryuji's help at all.