Chapter 5

The aroma of freshly cooked beef stew filled the McKay household, a simple, comforting scent that felt like a shield against the turbulent world outside. Plates clinked softly as Rina's mother set the table, her face glowing with relief to finally have her husband home.

"Come, sit," she said warmly as Chief McKay entered, hanging his coat by the door. "You've been gone too long. Tonight, we eat as a family."

Rina, already seated, offered a faint, tired smile. "Welcome home, Dad."

McKay returned her smile, weary but grateful. He sat at the head of the table, the place he had occupied so little lately, and rubbed his hands together. "It feels good to be home. Let's eat."

They began their meal, the soft scrape of cutlery filling the silence until Rina's mother broke it. "You know, Rina skipped class today. She doesn't listen when I tell her school is important."

Rina's cheeks flushed a bright red. "Mom…"

McKay set his spoon down, his eyes steady on his daughter. "Is that true, Rina?"

She hesitated, twirling her fork. "I just… didn't feel like it today."

Her father's voice carried no anger, only a quiet disappointment that weighed more heavily than any shout. "Rina, listen to me. I know you think missing one day isn't a big deal, but school is your foundation. Don't throw it away on whims."

She pouted slightly, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "Dad, you're never here anyway. Why does it matter to you now?"

The words cut deeper than she meant. Her mother frowned, a sharp reprimand on her lips. "Rina!"

But McKay calmly raised a hand. He leaned forward, his tone softening, revealing the weariness behind his stern facade. "You're right. I haven't been here as much as I should. My work takes me away, and I hate that. But family matters more to me than any case. Still, right now, the city is in trouble… people are dying. Things are harder than they've ever been." He sighed, rubbing his temple. "I need to protect the city. But I also need to protect you. And that means doing the right thing. Please—don't skip class again. Promise me."

Rina's eyes softened, her guilt creeping in and finally overwhelming her teenage defiance. "…I promise, Dad."

Her mother smiled, the tension in the room easing as they continued eating. For a short while, the McKay family felt whole again—a fragile warmth in a city growing darker by the day.

Meanwhile, across the city, Sanemi sat in his room staring at the freshly bought monitor he had just hooked up to his computer. He typed furiously, his fingers a blur over the keyboard, searching for any scrap of information about "VAbyss Net."

But every search returned nothing. No forums, no articles, no obscure threads on the dark web. It was as if the system didn't exist to the rest of the world. He leaned back in frustration, the new monitor mocking him with its blank screen. Damn it… I'm in something I can't even begin to understand.

Just then, his phone rang. It was Vito.

"Yo, Sanemi! We're hitting the bar tonight. You in?"

Sanemi hesitated, glancing at his monitor. As if sensing his dilemma, a chilling notification flashed across the screen:

[Task Pending: 8 hours left. Failure \= Termination.]

His throat went dry, the words a cold knife in his gut. He grabbed his phone. "Uh, maybe next time, Vito."

"You suck, man," Vito groaned before the line went dead.

Sanemi ran his hands through his hair, his mind racing. Eight hours? Do or die? What the hell is this?

Knock. Knock.

He jumped, his body tensing. Slowly opening his door, he found his mother smiling warmly, a small comfort in the growing darkness of his life.

"Dinner's ready, Sanemi. Come join me."

At the table, his mom watched him closely. "You look pale. Is something wrong?"

Sanemi forced a smile that felt more like a grimace. "No, Mom. Just… school stuff."

She studied his face for a moment longer but let it go, returning her attention to her meal. They ate quietly, and when Sanemi finally finished, he surprised her by saying, "Thanks, Mom."

Her eyes widened, a rare look of surprise on her face. "You thanked me… Are you sick?"

He laughed nervously, a dry, brittle sound. "No, no. Just… good food." She shook her head with a soft smile, though a flicker of suspicion lingered in her eyes.

Back in his room, the seconds ticking away felt like hours. Sanemi began to pace, his mind a storm of anxiety. If I don't complete this task… I die. But how do I even explain going out this late? Mom will never let me leave.

His eyes darted around the room, landing on the window. A desperate idea formed. "…I could climb out."

Moments later, dressed in his familiar black hoodie and cap, Sanemi carefully slid the window open. He straddled the ledge, muttering, "This is so stupid," before swinging a leg over.

And then his foot slipped.

Thud!

"Ugh!" Sanemi slammed into the ground below, rolling onto his back. Pain shot through his entire body, but the real horror came when he realized what he had landed in.

"…No way." He lifted his hand. A brown, lumpy mush clung to his palm. The gag-inducing smell confirmed his nightmare. "Dog crap. Seriously?!" He scrambled to his feet, frantically trying to wipe the mess off on the grass. But fate wasn't done humiliating him. A stray cat leapt out of nowhere, brushing against his hoodie—smearing the mess even further. Sanemi stared at the cat in utter disbelief. "You little demon," he snarled. The cat meowed innocently before prancing away, leaving a fresh trail of destruction in its wake.

As he stood, muttering curses, the automatic sprinklers clicked on. Water blasted him full force. "NOT NOW!" he shouted, slipping on the wet pavement and landing face-first again. Now soaked, stinking, and covered in cat hair, Sanemi dragged himself to his feet. "If this was a comedy… I'd kill the writer," he mumbled.

Upstairs, his mom's voice called out from his window. "Sanemi? Was that you?"

He dove into the nearest bush, whispering to himself, "She cannot see me like this."

Finally on the street, Sanemi shivered, his soaked hoodie clinging to his skin. The night was unnervingly quiet, each step echoing against the empty pavement. His earlier humiliation faded as a new wave of unease gripped him.

At the end of the street, beneath a flickering lamp, stood a figure. Motionless. Silent. Watching.

Sanemi froze, his heart hammering against his ribs. The fear was a familiar cold weight now.

"…Oh no."

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