24: The Next Priority

The student who always had his head in the clouds, dreaming up stories,
had suddenly been thrown from his ordinary world into something far stranger.
There was no way he could fully process it all.
So instead, he pushed those thoughts to the edge of his mind—just enough to function.
He’d finally fulfilled his top priority: finding Rena.
But even before he could breathe, a new “priority” was already waiting for him—one she was about to reveal.

“So… what did you want to talk about?”

Tom asked, casting a glance at the small swing that was supposed to have been removed.

“I’m okay, really. For some reason, I feel calm now.
Seeing you safe again—it kinda took the pressure off.”

“This way,” Rena said gently. “Let’s sit on the usual swings. That one shouldn’t exist anymore, right?”

The two of them sat down slowly, the metal chains cool in their hands.

“Hey… what really happened that day, when you disappeared?”

Tom asked. Then, as if unable to hold it in, he blurted out,

“Actually, let me just ask directly—did you see that horrible picture book in the park?”

“That’s your number one priority? You really want to start with me—not you?”

Her unexpected reply left Tom speechless for a moment.

“…You’re right,” she said, quietly. “I did say I had to tell you something.
So I should start with what happened to me. Maybe… that really is the best way.”

Rena looked down at her hands, lightly touching the cold swing chains as she spoke.

“That day… we had that fight, remember? And on my way home, I found something.
The book you’re talking about.”

“You… saw it?” Tom asked, unable to stay silent.

“It was blank. Nothing was written in it.
Looking back now, it almost felt like an encyclopedia.
But for some reason… I just thought, ‘oh, it’s a picture book.’ I wonder why.”

As she spoke, dark memories stirred inside Tom.
If you can tell it’s a picture book just from the cover,
then you’re ready. You’ll probably get along with it just fine…

“Ah—!”

A flash of memory jolted him. That night in the park—the twisted interrogation from the police officer…
It all came rushing back.

“Tom!? Are you okay!?”

“Y-Yeah… I’m fine. Go on.”

“I kept turning the pages of that empty book,
and eventually I reached one that showed these swings—this exact spot. And then I saw you.
You were sitting on the swing, Tom, and then—”

“Wait—what!?”

Tom’s voice rose in alarm.
The swing he was sitting on had started to move on its own, gently swaying back and forth without a sound.
Before he could react, his lips moved—before he even realized.
And out came words he hadn’t planned to say:

“How… how are you doing, Rena?”