Episode 5

"Nagi, I think I have an idea,"

"Really? So, what is it?" Nagi asked and immediately stood up from the bench.

"You see, we could just try distracting her while one of us takes the jewel. But we need to be fast." Hearing my plan, Nagi nodded his head in affirmation.

"Hmm...I guess we could do that. C'mon. Let's go!" He ran ahead while gesturing me with his hand as if to say 'follow me'.

I followed behind and after a while, we found where the old lady had taken the box.

"Nagi... you distract, I'll take the jewel..."

"Good morning miss!" Nagi said in a joyful manner, approaching the old lady.

"Kid, if you're here for the jewel, then get lost! I've already told you, it is not for sale!" The old woman shouted and tried shoo-ing Nagi away with her hands.

"No! It's not for that! I'm over that, buuut, I was wondering if you would want me to make some delicious tea for you? I could make amazing green tea!" Nagi tried convincing the old lady who seemed quite interested in his random, but apparently intriguing offer.

While Nagi and the lady were busy, I quickly tiptoed towards the box and grabbed the jewel. It gave away such a weird and mysterious aura, making me shiver by simply holding it. I then hurriedly rushed towards Nagi.

"Come on Nagi, We have to go now." I said, putting my hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, I'm really sorry, miss but I really gotta go now! Bye!" Nagi waved as he dashed off.

"Hey kid, you didn't even finish your green tea!"

Back to the MC's POV

We were both still searching for the jewel until Momoi and Nagi suddenly came running towards us.

(Finally! Now it wouldn't be so awkward anymore!)

"Oh, hey guys! Did you find the jewel?" I asked as I rushed over to them.

"Oh, yeah...*pant* *pant*..." Nagi spoke, clearly out of breath.

Momoi then opened up her palm, revealing the jewel.

"It looks...cursed." I muttered, examining it.

"Obviously...Why else would it be called the 'cursed jewel'...?" Tokiya spoke in a rude tone.

I just ignored him once again. That's when I noticed Nagi and Momoi exchange worried looks.

"What's the matter?" I questioned, feeling really puzzled.

"Oh, it's nothing. There's nothing to worry about." Momoi shook her head, her usual smile on her face.

(I can't help but get the feeling that there is something she's not telling me...)

"Oh, by the way, how're your powers going? Isn't it so cool?" Nagi asked, clearly trying to change the subject.

"Uhh... Oh, yeah... I guess they can be fun." I replied, still feeling a bit concerned about what had happened.

That very second, my phone rang. I turned it on and saw a message.

"You have successfully carried out the mission. Congratulations on not dying. But this means that things are going to get tougher and tougher.

Good luck."

Everyone else got the same message as me. I was so relieved to read this message because it honestly felt like a huge weight had just been lifted off my shoulders. But, just like the message said, things are going to keep getting harder.

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The following day, we all went to some shops and bought food and other necessary items. Then we managed to book a room in a small inn. I plopped on the bed and not soon after did I manage to fall asleep...

"Haruka. Your name's going to be Haruka, my sweet little angel." I heard a faint voice speaking in the distance.

I soon saw the figure of a young woman, her light purple bangs draping across her sleek face. She had wrapped a small baby in a blanket, who was held tightly in her arms. She then gave it a light kiss on the forehead. It was such a nice, warm picture but then suddenly...

The scene had changed in a matter of seconds and I saw a figure in the distance again.

It was the same woman. Tears were rolling down her cheeks and she was sitting in front of a gravestone. All I could hear was her crying with sorrow as she kept repeating the same words 'Haruka, my beloved angel!'

...

"Aaahh!!!" I got up in bed, panting as beads of sweat trickled down my forehead.

"Mmmhh... What happened...?" Nagi mumbled as he, too, slowly woke up, rubbing his half-open eyes.

"Oh... umm, nothing. Just a bad dream..." I whispered as he went back to sleep.

I tried going back to sleep after that but I wasn't able to. Honestly, that didn't even feel like a dream. More like a vision. It felt so real and why do I get the feeling that I was the baby... Does that mean... my name's Haruka...?

All these thoughts kept swirling through my head. Was she really my mother? Whose grave was she sitting on? I had so many questions but I wasn't able to answer a single one. Finally, after a while, I managed to put myself back to sleep.

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The next morning, I could feel someone shaking my body back and forth, vigorously.

"Wake up. Hey! Wake up!" I heard a familiar voice in front of me.

"Ummhh... what...?" I woke up with drowsy eyes.

I found Nagi in front of me, shouting at my face.

"Wake up! We got our mission for today."

Suddenly, what happened last night flashed through my mind and I knew I had to tell them about it.

"Wait, guys.." I said as I sat up.

"What happened?" Momoi asked with a concerned look.

"Something really peculiar happened last night. I had a dream, no, more like a vision. At first, a baby was wrapped in a woman's arms, probably its mother. She told it that 'Your names Haruka.' But then suddenly, the picture completely changed. The same woman was in the distance, sitting in front of a gravestone. She was crying, and I could just hear her shouting ...and...and *sob* *sob*..." Before I knew, tears started rolling down my cheeks.

Even though I didn't know who she was, I felt terrible. My nose became runny and soon my vision became blurry. Then, a hand patted me on my head. I looked up to see Momoi, her usual smile and warm eyes staring at me.

"It's okay. There's no need for you to cry like that,"

Momoi has always been there for me ever since the day we met. It fills me with joy to have a friend like her by my side.

"Thanks, Momoi..." I thanked her as I rubbed away the tears on my damp cheeks.

Momoi then continued with a grim expression, "So, you've finally gotten it too. That was one of your past memories before coming here. And the person in the grave was... you."

"W-Wait, what?! I'm dead?!" I was at a loss for words.

"Actually, we're all dead... This game is basically a chance for us to be reborn again, to return back to our normal lives. If we complete all the missions without getting erased, we can become resurrected..." Nagi explained with creased eyebrows.

"But, how could I be dead...? This is too random for me to just take in..."

I was overwhelmed by this sudden revelation. I couldn't just accept it in a blink of an eye.

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