"Speaking of which, the last D-mail also seemed to be fragmented, with the sentences broken into several parts."
While picking out groceries at the supermarket, Hashida Itaru suddenly remembered this.
"The time rewind was also the same, five days ago."
"Yes, is there some kind of pattern..." As he said this, Okabe Rintaro suddenly realized something: "Ah."
"So that message was..."
The fragmented words reassembled.
"Is it saying that I'm an empty-headed idiot?!" Okabe Rintaro shouted loudly.
"You're a little slow on the uptake." Hashida Itaru casually retorted.
This kind of thing, he should have noticed it from the very beginning, shouldn't he?
"Damn it, Christina, while we were in a panic..." Okabe Rintaro was still secretly cursing Makise Kurisu, but his gaze suddenly swept over the shopping basket Hashida Itaru was holding.
It was almost full.
"Wait a minute, why are you buying so much?"
"For food, instant noodles that are easy to store should be enough, right? Chocolate will melt, just take one bag."
Hashida Itaru's expression fell: "Didn't we say we were celebrating the success of the experiment?"
"Alright, alright, put it back." Okabe Rintaro waved his hand.
"Tch, how stingy." Hashida Itaru pouted and turned around.
At this moment, Okabe Rintaro's gaze returned to the shelves nearby, scanning the price-tagged items from top to bottom.
White-packaged yogurt, transparent pudding, pink and yellow-packaged jelly.
And... green-packaged 'jelly'.
"..." Okabe Rintaro's breathing became erratic.
His gaze fixated on the green jelly packaging, and then, the skeletal remains of those who had turned into green jelly-people from human experiments, as glimpsed in SERN's database, flashed before his eyes.
He even saw himself deeply immersed in green gel at one point.
"Yes, although we were engrossed in the joy of the experiment's success, we have already learned SERN's terrifying secret."
Standing in front of the supermarket, Okabe Rintaro's hands were in his pockets, his face as grim as water.
"Is it really alright to involve Mayuri too?"
He began to doubt if he had made some kind of mistake.
As he pondered, the music, like something from a horror game, grew louder and louder, as if a terrifying figure was about to appear.
Then, in front of Okabe Rintaro, the bustling crowd moved past, and suddenly, a blank-faced figure stopped.
"..."
Kiryu Moeka stood silently in front of him, looking at him.
The dull music abruptly stopped.
[The last D-mail was also set for 120 seconds, right? So, one second equals one hour?]
[Brooch's reaction speed, one can only say it's what's expected of a university student.]
[Yes, yes, that's right, I admit, all us university students are like Brooch, we don't have to go to class, we study the Time Machine every day, surrounded by beautiful girls.]
[11111, hey, if you invent the Time Machine, can I use it? I just need to send a D-mail.]
[So Brooch is uncharacteristically deciding to treat everyone?]
[Oh my god, what a day, for him to be so generous?]
[Look at Tonz's resentful little expression.]
[Are you only just realizing now that you shouldn't have involved Mayuri? Too late!]
[Honestly, this music combined with Moeka's expressionless face really does create a bit of a horror game atmosphere.]
"Isn't this the Flashing Shiatsu Master?" Okabe Rintaro casually greeted her.
But Kiryu Moeka didn't reply; instead, she pulled out her phone and started typing.
The crisp sound was fleeting, and she looked up again, gazing at Okabe Rintaro, still silent.
"What are you doing?" Okabe Rintaro didn't understand.
She then lowered her head again, typed on her keyboard, and then looked up at him again.
"What have you been doing since just now?" Okabe Rintaro asked aloud.
"..." Kiryu Moeka finally put down her phone and softly said: "Didn't you bring your phone?"
Okabe Rintaro spread his hands: "My Hououin Kyouma's phone is serving in a great, history-making experiment."
"So it's not here."
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Just then, Hashida Itaru emerged from the supermarket at the perfect moment.
Then, he immediately noticed Kiryu Moeka's presence.
"Oka, Okabe." He quickly approached Okabe Rintaro, who was clearly talking to Moeka, and then repeatedly asked: "Who is that alluring, oh no, I mean sexy, 3D girl?"
Hashida Itaru's gaze swept over Moeka from top to bottom, lingering for a moment on her long legs.
"Hmph, let me introduce you, this is the Flashing Shiatsu Master, Kiryu Moeka." Okabe Rintaro snorted lightly and introduced her.
Hashida Itaru's gaze continued to move up and down, then lingered for a moment on the very noticeable curve of her chest.
A smile appeared on his face, and he extended his hand towards Moeka:
"Please, nice to meet you, Kiryu..."
"Tap, tap, tap, tap..." Kiryu Moeka completely ignored his presence and walked straight past him.
"..." Hashida Itaru's face was covered in shadow, his outstretched hand suspended in mid-air:
"It turns out I can also have expectations for 3D girls."
[Tonz's eyes lost their light.]
[Moeka really can't communicate without her phone, can she?]
[This is already a sickness, isn't it?]
[2D people like Tonz are actually the easiest to be deceived by 3D girls; they don't even have to do anything, just standing there will make them turn into clowns on their own.]
[Wuwuwu, stop scolding, stop scolding.]
[Hashida Itaru (Clown Version)]
The noisy chirping of cicadas and footsteps intertwined.
Okabe Rintaro and Hashida Itaru returned to the Laboratory again.
"Oh, good morning." Amane Suzuha, who was resting in front of the Braun Tube Workshop, looked at the two returning figures, stood up, and greeted them:
"Could it be that you two have been doing something very enjoyable just now?"
"Precisely." Okabe Rintaro raised his voice again: "We are conducting a history-making experiment—"
"History-making is good." Before he could finish his sentence, Suzuha interrupted him: "But the shopkeeper is very uncomfortable."
"He said 'the shaking on the second floor is too violent,' and also said 'the rent will increase by ten thousand yen'."
As if imitating Braun's actions, Suzuha shook her head from side to side, raised her index finger, and then waved her hand.
"?!" Okabe Rintaro and Hashida Itaru's faces instantly changed, and beads of sweat appeared on both their cheeks.
"Ten thousand..." Okabe Rintaro repeated the large number, then made a decision, turning to Hashida Itaru: "Alright, I'll handle this here."
"Tonz, quickly tell Assistan