-ABANDONED BUILDING-
-11:18 PM, MARCH 7, 2017-
Snow fell quietly outside.
Inside—
The air was still.
But no longer divided.
Rikuu stood beside Ichika.
Shoulder to shoulder.
Facing the man.
And for the first time—
They weren't separated by distance.
The man studied them carefully.
Then smiled faintly.
"…So this is how it is now."
He spoke calmly.
"Two variables."
A pause.
"…Working together."
Ichika's gaze didn't waver.
Rikuu remained steady.
The man continued,
"Let's see how that changes your outcome."
A faint signal.
And the room shifted again.
The lights dimmed slightly.
A new scenario began.
The monitors flickered back on.
But this time—
It wasn't just one feed.
Multiple.
Different locations.
Different situations.
The man gestured.
"Choose."
A pause.
"But now…"
"…you decide together."
Rikuu frowned slightly.
"…What do you mean?"
The man explained.
"Multiple scenarios."
"Multiple outcomes."
A pause.
"And limited time."
Ichika's eyes sharpened slightly.
"…This is a decision test."
"Correct."
The screens showed different situations.
Each one requiring attention.
Each one demanding action.
The man spoke.
"You cannot solve all of them."
A pause.
"So choose."
Rikuu and Ichika exchanged a glance.
Rikuu spoke first.
"…We evaluate."
Ichika nodded.
"…Then prioritize."
They moved closer to the screens.
Scanning.
Analyzing.
Thinking together.
The man watched.
Silently.
Observing their interaction.
Their coordination.
Their communication.
"…Interesting."
A pause.
"They're not hesitating."
Rikuu spoke quietly.
"…This one."
Ichika looked at the same screen.
Then nodded.
"…Agreed."
They made the decision together.
Without argument.
Without conflict.
The man raised an eyebrow.
"…You chose quickly."
Rikuu responded.
"…Because we're not here to play."
Ichika added softly,
"…We're here to act."
The man smiled faintly.
"…Good."
A pause.
"But that's only the beginning."
The screens flickered again.
And something new appeared.
A single screen.
Focused.
Clear.
Ichika's expression changed.
"…What is that?"
Rikuu's gaze sharpened.
"…No…"
The man spoke calmly.
"Now…"
"…we test something more important."
A pause.
"Trust."
The atmosphere changed.
Heavier.
More personal.
The man gestured slightly.
"Only one of you can act."
A pause.
"…But both of you must decide."
Silence.
Ichika and Rikuu stood still.
Processing.
Rikuu looked at Ichika.
Ichika looked back.
The decision—
Was no longer about strategy.
But about trust.
About belief.
About each other.