During the closure the principal contacted Akira's parents.
Mandatory counseling for Akira. School policy they stated.
The counselor's office smelled like rain and old incense. Damp. Ancient.
"How ironic" Akira mumbled under his breath as he waited to be let in.
When he got in he was surprised by the familiar voice that called his name.
"Orimoto Akira?" she asked.
Dr. Arisu Erisawa looked up from behind the desk. Same face. Same posture.
He sat.
"You don't remember me?" he asked suddenly.
She tilted her head. "Should I?"
"I met you before," he said quietly. "You gave me two pills. Red and blue."
Her expression did not change. But something behind her eyes did.
"Red and blue?" she repeated, with a finger on her chin looking confused by the random comment.
He stood abruptly. "You sent me back."
The air shifted. The scent of rain grew heavier.
Dr. Erisawa smiled. Not kindly. Knowingly.
"Well," she said. "That didn't take long."
"What are you?"
"A goddess."
She placed two coins on the table. One shimmered gold. The other was darker, fractured.
"They are called God Coins," she said. "They alter reality. I sacrificed my own to rewind your life."
"Why me?"
"I want you to be my knight. To play the Gods Game on my behalf."
Akira's stomach churned. "And the girl? Kana?"
Arisu took a moment to decide if or how she should reply.
"That... Was not my doing. The one who killed her is likely Blessed."
"Blessed?" Akira asked
"Blessed are what we call people who make a wish with a god coin for its power" Arisu replied
"So the one who killed Kana… They are playing this God Game?"
"Yes."
"If I defeat him… The Mist Killer… Will… Kana come back"
"If you mean, remembered, yes. But for the record bringing back the dead, that costs more than just 1 of these coins."
Akira stepped back. "There were four victims in my original timeline."
"I know two now," he said. "Kana. And Aira."
Her gaze flicked. "So you do remember."
"I'll find them myself," Akira said.
She slid a coin toward him. "If you speak their names, you expose yourself. The killer's blessing revolves around erasure."
Akira didn't touch the coin.
"I'll find them before they get to the next one."
He turned to leave.
Her voice followed him. "You don't know which number Aira is."
He froze. Then opened the door.
She was right, Akira knew it.
He didn't reply, he just left, with his mind set and now determined to find this Mist Killer.
"The game has begun," she whispered.