Night had fallen over the city.
Saino sat alone in his room, silent and focused.
The strange book lay open on his desk, its worn pages illuminated by the dim desk lamp. The equation written on that single page looked simple at first glance—but something about it felt deeply wrong.
He stared at it.
Saino (thinking):
"Let me solve this quickly. This shouldn't take much time."
He picked up his pen and began writing.
⏳ Hours Passing
What felt like minutes slowly turned into hours.
Saino didn't notice the time passing at all.
Only when his stomach growled and his fingers began to ache did he finally pause.
He looked at the clock.
Six hours had passed.
Saino's eyes narrowed slightly.
Saino.
"…Six hours? On a single equation?"
For the first time in years, frustration appeared on his face—not anger a disbelief. caused not by a person, not by danger, but by mathematics.
He quickly steadied himself.
Saino (thinking):
"I can't lose control of my emotions over a math problem."
His room was a mess now.
Papers were scattered everywhere—filled with failed attempts, crossed-out formulas, strange diagrams, and rough sketches. He had already tried more than ten thousand variations, yet none of them matched the equation.
Saino (thinking):
"Why can't I solve this? What's different? Something is hidden here…"
🔥 A Strange Breakthrough
Almost eight hours passed.
Outside, the city slept—but Saino did not.
It was 1:00 AM.
His eyes were bloodshot. His hair was messy. His desk looked like a battlefield.
For a brief moment, a memory surfaced—
A younger Saino, long hair flowing, solving university-level problems effortlessly.
Mathematics had always been a child's game to him.
But tonight was different.
Then—
A spark.
Something clicked inside his mind.
Saino's eyes widened.
Saino:
"…So I was right."
He leaned forward.
"There aren't one or two formulas hidden in this equation. There are at least five. Each one connects to the next—and each carries its own meaning."
He stared at the shapes and patterns he had drawn.
This wasn't just math anymore.
It felt like a message.
A code.
Or something beyond both.
Saino (thinking):
"I have to apply all five formulas to this single equation. Five different answers will appear. Without them, no solution will ever work."
He was certain of it.
Then suddenly—
A sharp pain surged through the right side of his head.
A spark of Heat andPressure.
Saino grabbed his right side of head with his one hand
Saino (thinking):
"Impossible… This equation isn't normal. It's forcing me to go towards that state."
It was not a normal state the state in which he didn't entered for years.
He stood up immediately.
"I need sleep. If I continue, I'll lose control."
He glanced at the clock.
1:08 AM.
🌅 The Next Day — We see Saino standing near a small shop on the market side, holding his phone to his ear. After a few rings, Yagami finally picked up.
Saino said a few words, and after some time, Yagami arrived. Without much discussion, the two of them started walking somewhere together.
Soon, the scene shifts to a cinema hall.
Yagami, holding a bucket of popcorn, glanced at Saino and said with a smile,
"Hey, Saino… I don't know what actually happened to you today, but as you know, we bunked school and came here to watch a movie. Were you really waiting for this movie?"
Saino looked at the screen and replied calmly,
"No. Let's watch first."
Yagami smiled in agreement.
"Okay."
After the movie ended, they walked out of the hall.
"Honestly, it was a really good movie," Yagami said.
Saino nodded slightly.
"Actually, yesterday I forced myself too much… so I came here just to enjoy a bit. Thank you for coming with me."
Yagami laughed.
"Don't worry about it. We bunked school only once. But when you say 'forced yourself'… was it because of studies?"
For a moment, Saino thought about the complicated equations running through his mind. Then he replied,
"Yes… you can say that."
Yagami burst into laughter.
"Really? Are you joking? I thought you'd come first even without studying. Why are you pushing yourself so hard?"
Saino said.
"Let's go to another shop. Today, we'll just enjoy."
Yagami first shock then smiled and said " Ok "
After spending some more time enjoying themselves, Yagami suddenly remembered something.
"Hey, Saino, why don't you wait for the upcoming music concert? I heard it'll happen soon at the Geotax Refrain Hall. Do you want to go?"
Saino replied without hesitation,
"Yes, I will."
They entered the hall, which was already filled with people. Music echoed everywhere. The crowd was shouting, cheering, and fully immersed in the atmosphere.
On the stage were several performers: a fat man, a tall and handsome singer, and a few others playing instruments. The concert lasted for hours.
When it finally ended, people began heading home.
Saino overheard a group of girls talking excitedly.
"Hey, Honsu is so cute!"
"His voice was so perfect and clear!"
Most of the praise was directed toward Honsu—the tall, handsome singer.
Hearing this, Saino thought to himself:
So this is one of the dark truths of society… people favor looks over talent. It shows their immaturity.
He paused, then continued analyzing the performance in his mind . After listening carefully, he thought I'm sure the tall boy had learned singing from that fat guy.
Just then, Yagami said,
"Hey, Saino, let's go now. I think the next concert will be at night."
Saino nodded.
"Yes."
The next day school cafeteria:-🍽️ Next Day — Cafeteria
Lunch break.
Saino sat with Rue and Yagami, eating silently.
Across the cafeteria, a girl watched him.
Her hands tightened around her tray.
I should thank him…
He saved me.
Fear crept in.
What if he meant it?
What if he really kills me?
She took a breath and stepped forward.
"Um… hello," she said nervously.
"Can I… sit here?"
Yagami and Rue looked up.
Rue smiled.
"Of course."
She sat beside Rue, then turned toward Saino.
"T-thank you," she said quietly.
Saino's eyes met hers.
For a moment—
She froze.
The same cold gaze from that night.
Yagami noticed the tension immediately.
"H-hey!" he said quickly.
"Why don't we just eat? Food's getting cold!"
The atmosphere loosened.
They began eating.
🏫 Passing Thoughts
Later, in the hallway, the girl walked alone.
He's strange…
He meant what he said.
Then she frowned.
Yamahasi is a
"…Idiot. He doesn't even know how to talk with girls."