[Early Morning — Urgent Call]
The sky was still pale.
Izumi stood outside.
Phone in hand.
"…Pick up…"
Click.
"…Hello?" Goutham's sleepy voice.
"…Come outside. Now."
"…What—why—"
"…Now."
The call ended.
Next.
"…Mr. Kaseki."
"…Hmm? This early?"
"…We don't have time."
A pause.
"…Understood."
Final call.
"…Dad…"
"…Izumi?"
"…I need you."
Silence.
"…I'll be there."
[Meeting Point — Minutes Later]
Goutham arrived first.
"…You look like you didn't sleep."
"…I didn't."
"…Same."
Mr. Kaseki followed.
"…This better be important."
Izumi looked at all of them.
"…I time-traveled."
Silence.
"…What?"
"…I went back."
"…Saw everything."
"…The train."
"…The exorcists."
"…The evil organization."
"…Ash's house…"
Their expressions changed.
"…And the attack today."
Goutham frowned.
"…You're serious?"
"…I watched all of you die."
Silence.
Heavy.
Mr. Kaseki's tone changed.
"…Explain everything."
Izumi did.
Every detail.
No one interrupted.
By the end—
"…So we strike first," Goutham said.
"…Exactly."
Izumi's father nodded.
"…Good."
"…We end this before it begins."
Mr. Kaseki smirked slightly.
"…Now that's a plan I like."
[Exorcist Organization Base]
The two men turned as Izumi's group entered.
"…You again."
"…We need your help," Izumi said.
"…Why should we trust you?"
"…Because I know your base."
Silence.
"…And theirs."
A pause.
"…And if we don't act now…"
His voice hardened.
"…Everyone dies."
The air grew tense.
The two exchanged looks.
"…Explain."
Izumi did.
Short.
Precise.
When he finished—
"…If this is true…" one of them muttered.
"…Then we don't have time," the other said.
They turned.
"…We're in."
Goutham grinned.
"…Now it's a party."
[Evil Organization Base — Arrival]
The building stood silent.
Too silent.
"…Creepy," Goutham muttered.
"…Stay focused," Mr. Kaseki said.
Izumi stepped forward.
"…This is the place."
He pushed the door.
CREEEAK.
Darkness welcomed them.
"…Let's go."
[WAR BEGINS]
The moment they stepped in—
The ground trembled.
"…So you came."
Voices echoed.
Figures emerged.
Dozens.
Then more.
"…Get ready!" Izumi shouted.
And chaos exploded.
A wave rushed them.
Izumi charged first.
SLASH!
Two spirits cut instantly.
Goutham followed.
Spinning—
STAB—STAB!
"…Too slow!"
One lunged from above—
Izumi jumped—
Mid-air strike—
CUT.
Behind him—
Mr. Kaseki moved flawlessly.
Dodging.
Striking.
Disappearing between enemies.
"…Left!" he shouted.
Izumi turned—
Blocked a strike—
Countered—
Destroyed another.
But the enemies kept coming.
"…They're stronger than before!" Goutham shouted.
"…Because they've absorbed spirits!" one exorcist replied.
A large enemy appeared.
Bigger.
Distorted.
"…I'll take it!" Izumi said.
He rushed forward.
The creature swung.
BOOM.
The ground cracked.
Izumi slid back.
"…Heavy…"
It attacked again.
Faster.
Izumi ducked—
Slashed upward—
The red stone glowed.
SHING.
The creature split.
"…Next!"
Meanwhile—
Goutham was surrounded.
"…Oh great."
Five at once.
He smirked.
"…Let's dance."
He dashed forward—
Dodged—
Spun—
STAB—CUT—THROW!
Daggers flew.
Three down instantly.
Two remained—
He kicked one—
Finished the other.
"…Too easy."
But then—
More appeared.
"…Okay not easy."
[TEAM COMBAT — HIGH INTENSITY]
Izumi's father fought beside him.
"…Focus on the core!"
"…Got it!"
They moved in sync.
Block.
Strike.
Advance.
Perfect coordination.
The exorcists joined.
Chants echoed.
Spirits shattered instantly.
"…We're pushing them back!"
Goutham shouted.
"…Keep going!" Izumi replied.
But suddenly—
The energy shifted.
Everything stopped.
"…So this is your resistance?"
A voice echoed.
Heavy.
Cold.
The mastermind appeared.
"…You've done well…"
"…For insects."
[FINAL BATTLE — IZUMI VS MASTERMIND]
Izumi stepped forward.
"…You're the one behind this."
"…Correct."
"…Then I'll end it here."
The mastermind smiled.
"…Try."
He moved.
Faster than anything before.
Izumi barely blocked.
CLANG!
"…Fast!"
Another strike—
Izumi dodged—
Countered—
Missed.
"…Too slow," the mastermind whispered.
BOOM.
Izumi was thrown back.
"…Tch—!"
He got up.
"…I won't lose…"
The katana glowed.
The red stone pulsed violently.
"…Then show me."
Izumi rushed forward.
This time—
Faster.
Sharper.
More precise.
Strike after strike.
The mastermind blocked.
But barely.
"…Interesting…"
The fight intensified.
Clash after clash.
Neither backing down.
Then—
Izumi remembered.
The vision.
The loop.
"…This ends now!"
He poured everything into one strike.
The katana blazed.
SLASH.
Silence.
The mastermind froze.
A crack appeared.
"…Impossible…"
His body shattered.
Energy dispersed.
Darkness faded.
[Aftermath]
Silence.
The battle was over.
The air—calm again.
Izumi stood still.
"…We actually did it…"
Goutham stretched his arms.
"…Man… I thought I was gonna die again."
"…Again?" Mr. Kaseki raised an eyebrow.
"…Emotionally."
"…You're still not over that girl?" Izumi asked.
"…Don't bring that up in a battlefield aftermath!"
Izumi's father chuckled softly.
"…You both did well."
Izumi looked at him.
Alive.
"…Yeah…"
A small smile formed.
"…This time… everyone's alive."
[Return — Videl's Birthday Party]
Lights.
Music.
Laughter.
As if nothing had happened.
Izumi stood at the entrance again.
"…This feels unreal…"
"…Stop thinking too much," Goutham said, dragging him inside.
"…Eat first. Exist later."
"…That's your life motto?"
"…Yes."
Inside—
Guests were smiling.
Talking.
Enjoying.
No fear.
No chaos.
Just happiness.
Videl walked toward him.
"…You're late."
"…Something came up."
"…You always say that."
"…Because it always happens."
She sighed.
"…Idiot."
But she smiled.
"…Come."
She pulled him inside.
[Birthday Moment]
Cake was brought out.
"…Make a wish!" everyone shouted.
Videl closed her eyes.
Izumi watched quietly.
"…What did you wish for?" he asked.
"…If I tell you, it won't come true."
"…That's unfair."
"…Life is unfair."
"…True."
They laughed.
Cake cutting.
Cheers.
Claps.
Goutham—
"…GIVE ME THE FIRST PIECE!"
"…NO!"
"…I'M YOUR BEST FRIEND!"
"…SINCE WHEN?!"
"…SINCE FOOD WAS INVOLVED!"
Mr. Kaseki took a piece calmly.
"…Children…"
Izumi's father shook his head.
"…Same energy as always."
[Quiet Balcony Scene]
Later—
Izumi stood at the balcony again.
But this time—
No darkness.
No attack.
Just wind.
"…We really changed it…" he whispered.
Videl joined him.
"…You're thinking again."
"…Yeah."
"…About something serious?"
A pause.
"…About how things could've gone wrong."
She looked at him.
"…But they didn't."
"…Yeah."
"…So stop worrying."
He smiled slightly.
"…I'll try."
She leaned on the railing.
"…Today was perfect."
Izumi looked at her.
"…Yeah."
"…It really was."
[Days Later — Departure]
Time passed.
Calm days.
Peaceful nights.
Then—
The day came.
Izumi and Goutham stood at the station.
"…Back to reality," Goutham sighed.
"…You mean boring life?"
"…Exactly."
They laughed.
"…Take care," Videl said.
"…You too."
A small silence.
"…Call me," she added.
"…I will."
"…You better."
"…I said I will."
She smiled.
The train arrived.
"…Let's go," Goutham said.
Izumi nodded.
As the train moved—
He looked back.
Videl still standing there.
Waving.
He smiled.
[Time Skip — Life Moves Forward]
Days turned into weeks.
Weeks into months.
[Goutham — New Beginning]
"…I PASSED!"
"…Of course you did."
"…I'M IN!"
"…Good college?"
"…THE BEST!"
"…Nice."
Goutham jumped around.
"…I'M A COLLEGE STUDENT NOW!"
"…You're still the same idiot."
"…SUCCESSFUL idiot."
"…Debatable."
[Videl — School Life]
Classroom.
Third-year student.
Focused.
But sometimes—
She looked out the window.
"…Idiot…"
A soft smile.
[Izumi — Final Year]
Classroom.
Calm.
Ordinary.
"…Open your books," the teacher said.
Izumi sighed.
"…Back to normal life…"
Mark whispered-
"…This is worse than fighting spirits."
"…spirits!?"
They both laughed quietly.
Everything felt normal.
Peaceful.
Like nothing had ever happened.
But—
Something inside Izumi remained.
That power.
That connection.
That… feeling.
[Final Scene — Vision]
The classroom blurred.
"…Huh…?"
Sound faded.
The world shifted.
Running.
People running everywhere.
Screaming.
Chaos.
"…What is this…?"
An unknown place.
Not Seoul.
Not familiar.
"…Another vision…?"
Then—
Someone appeared.
A girl.
Young.
Cute.
Standing in the distance.
"…Who…?"
She looked at him.
Softly.
"…Izumi…"
His eyes widened.
"…You know me…?"
She reached out—
Everything shattered.
[Back to Reality]
"—IZUMI!"
He snapped back.
"…Huh?!"
The classroom.
Everyone staring.
"…Pay attention!" the teacher shouted.
"…S-Sorry…"
His heart raced.
"…That girl…"
"…Who was she…?"
A chill ran down his spine.
"…This isn't over…"
He looked outside the window.
The sky—
Calm.
But something was coming.
He could feel it.