The city lights blurred as Aqua sprinted down the narrow alley, his breath ragged, heart pounding like a warning drum. Behind him, the hurried footsteps of the stalker echoed ominously—a shadow of menace trailing Ruby's carefree smile just moments before.
"Ruby! Wait!" he called, but she didn't hear him. She was so close now, almost safe—just a few steps ahead.
Aqua's mind raced. This time, I won't let it happen. Not again.
He pushed harder, muscles burning, lungs gasping. The stalker's presence was no longer just a threat—it was a nightmare repeating itself, a loop he couldn't break.
Suddenly, Ruby stumbled. The stalker lunged.
Aqua reached out, grabbing her arm, pulling her back with all his strength. The attacker snarled and fled into the night, disappearing as quickly as he came.
Ruby gasped, trembling, her eyes wide with shock. "Aqua… thank you."
Relief crashed over him in waves. I saved her. This time, I saved her.
But the relief was short-lived.
Two hours later, Aqua received the call—the devastating news that shattered the fragile hope he'd grasped.
Ruby Hoshino has died after being caught in a violent gang crossfire.
His hands trembled as he held the phone, disbelief slicing through his mind. The stalker was gone—but Hikaru's sinister plans had only just begun.
The loop continued.
Day after day, he tried again—running, protecting, pleading—but no matter what, Ruby's fate twisted cruelly in another form. Gang violence, accidents, shadowy threats—all orchestrated from behind the scenes by Hikaru's reach.
Aqua's eyes darkened, the weight of failure pressing down on his soul.
He sought Akane's help, careful to hide the truth of the time loops, the death, and the voice of Tsukuyomi guiding him. To Akane, it was just a desperate fight for justice, a man haunted by a tragedy he couldn't explain.
But those closest to Aqua began to notice cracks.
Ruby grew worried, sensing his restless nights and haunted gaze.
Kana watched silently, pain hidden behind her smiles.
Akane's concern deepened as she saw Aqua's relentless push, his growing isolation.
One evening, as they gathered quietly, Akane took Aqua aside to speak with him alone. After a moment of silence between them, she finally spoke, her voice gentle but firm.
"Aqua, you're carrying too much alone. This obsession… it's changing you."
From a distance, Kana watched them. Her eyes held a silent message—something that had been trapped inside her for a long time, aching to be spoken, yet never quite reaching her lips.
He looked up, pain etched across his face.
"I have to save her, Akane. I can't lose Ruby again."
Akane reached out, steadying him. "Then let us carry this burden with you. We'll find another way."
But even as her words offered comfort, the shadow of the loop lingered—Aqua's silent curse that none around him could fully understand.
How many times must I fail before I get it right? he thought, eyes fixed on the darkening horizon.
The cycle of hope and heartbreak had only just begun.