"Kid, you've been visiting Fujioka a lot lately."
"Yeah, after all, she's also my son's friend."
"Ahaha, you really like to joke, kid."
The young nurse laughed brightly at Isaac, who looked even younger than her.
Though he looked just like a high schooler, he always acted mature. The nurse found it oddly cute.
"Kid, are you attending high school in Yomiyama?"
"No, I go to Tokyo Metropolitan Jindai High School in Chofu."
"Eh… Tokyo? Then school should be in session now. Why are you in Yomiyama?"
"Skipping."
"You said that way too casually…"
"There's no helping it," Isaac shrugged. "Ever since I had a son, I've had to take on the responsibilities of a father. You wouldn't know how heavy that responsibility feels without having children. Sometimes, giving up what you were doing for your kid is normal."
"I feel like you're just using that as an excuse to skip school."
Unaware of Isaac's true relationship with Rinji, the nurse could only assume the black-haired boy was a little crazy.
Her name was Mizuno Sanae, the first nurse Rinji had met at the hospital.
Incidentally, she had a younger brother named Mizuno Takeru, a student in Class 3-3 at Yomiyama North Middle School.
"Fujioka will be discharged tomorrow. Since her family works out of town, no one could visit her. If possible, could you ask your blond-haired friend to come see her?"
"You mean my kid?"
"Fine, fine, your kid. Just try to bring him tomorrow. Fujioka's been thinking about him this whole time." Mizuno sighed. "She really wants to see him."
"Alright, I'll tell him when I get back."
"Thanks, kid~"
After saying this, Mizuno waved goodbye to Isaac and pressed the elevator button.
When the elevator arrived and she stepped in, Isaac followed.
As the doors closed, Isaac suddenly asked, "Miss Mizuno, do you have a younger brother?"
"Eh? How did you know?"
"Well, my kid happens to be his classmate. Sometimes he mentioned a student who had a sister working here."
Rinji had never told him, but Isaac had learned it when investigating the class roster and families. Mizuno Sanae was indeed a close blood relative of a cursed classmate, and therefore also under threat.
"Your blond-haired friend, huh? My brother does go to Yomiyama North. But for you to connect my family from your friend's classmate info…"
After thinking for a moment, Mizuno suddenly pressed herself against the corner of the elevator, feigning fear.
"Wait, don't tell me you investigated me first and then tracked down Takeru?"
"No…"
"Are you a stalker?"
"Miss Mizuno, aren't you overestimating yourself a little?"
"Hahaha, just kidding." Mizuno laughed. "A handsome boy like you wouldn't need to do stalker-like things. If you're interested in me, you can just boldly pursue me."
"No thanks."
"Mhm, so my looks are still quite attractive after all."
"Stop flattering yourself," Isaac said flatly.
"Come to think of it… why hasn't the elevator reached the ground floor yet?"
"Because you didn't press the floor button, Miss Mizuno."
"…"
"…"
"Ehehe~"
"You're unbelievable."
Isaac ignored Mizuno's attempt to play it off and stepped forward to press the button for the first floor. Only then did the elevator begin to descend slowly.
"But, you know, now that you mention it, my brother has been acting a little strange lately," Mizuno said, touching her chin as she recalled recent events.
"What happened?"
"Since starting third year, he's often had a really dark, frightening look on his face at home, like he's afraid of something."
"I see…"
It was obvious Takeru feared the class curse, that either he or his family might die from it. But he couldn't say such things to his sister, so he bore the weight alone.
"So it's just his rebellious phase, huh?"
"Yeah, makes me think my kid will have a rebellious phase too."
"…Do all high school boys like calling their friends their sons?"
"We still do it in college."
As Isaac spoke, he suddenly heard an odd noise.
It came from above the elevator, like the grinding of the traction machine or the guide rails.
"What is it?"
"Nothing… just wondering, how long has it been since this elevator was serviced?"
"This is a city hospital after all, of course it's maintained regularly—"
Rumble—
Before she could finish, the entire elevator gave off a loud noise and shook violently.
The walls trembled, Mizuno screamed in shock, her balance was thrown off, and she fell straight into Isaac's arms.
"W-what's going on…"
The lights inside the elevator flickered erratically. The loud grinding noise and violent shaking filled Mizuno's eyes with fear.
Isaac frowned slightly.
Bang!!
A deafening crash came from the elevator roof, plunging the interior into darkness.
Immediately after came a sudden, powerful sense of weightlessness.
And that weightlessness meant— the elevator was plummeting.
"Kyaaaaaa—!"
"Shut up!"
Clicking his tongue, Isaac spread his arms and shielded Mizuno under him.
Boom—!
With a burst of fire and sparks, the elevator slammed into the hospital's lowest level.
---
"I heard Misaki's getting discharged tomorrow."
"Really? Then we should go visit tomorrow, congratulate her."
After school, Rinji and Mei were walking together.
Just then, Mei's phone rang.
"…Looks like the hospital's number."
Seeing it was the hospital, Mei worried something had happened to Misaki. She tensed, inhaled deeply, and answered.
"Hello? This is Mei—"
"Mei, something huge happened!"
"Misaki?"
Hearing her energetic voice, Mei relaxed a little.
"What is it? Did something happen?"
"Um… is Rinji with you?"
"He is."
"Listen. Just now, after your friend visited me at the hospital, he got into the elevator, but… the elevator suddenly dropped and then—"
"…"
Mei turned her head toward Rinji.
Rinji glanced at her calmly and said, "I heard everything."
"Then…"
"Subarashi~"
"Eh?"