"Ah, wait." Seeing Okabe Rintaro really about to leave, Mayuri quickly turned around and called out to the shop behind her:
"Tonzuko-kun—"
"Ah, sorry to keep you waiting." Hashida Itaru finally walked out slowly.
"Hm?" Okabe Rintaro impatiently turned his head, then saw Hashida Itaru carrying two large bags in each hand.
His brows furrowed, and he couldn't help but ask through gritted teeth, "What did you buy?!"
"Ah, I found a limited edition that sold out as soon as it was released." Hashida Itaru wasn't embarrassed at all, he straight out extended his hands and displayed the two bags: "To put it in Okabe's style, it's like… "
"This encounter is 'steins;gate's choice'!"
He imitated Okabe Rintaro in a deep voice.
However, the original had a strong opinion:
"Don't just use it casually!"
After scolding him, he crossed his arms again: "Ultimately, why did you two follow me?"
"Wouldn't it have been better to stay at the Laboratory with Assistant?"
"When I heard we were going to Felis-tan's house, it was impossible to choose not to go," Hashida Itaru stated righteously, puffing out his chest as if reporting.
"Mayushii wants to go play too," Mayuri also said, pouting.
"…That Felis," Okabe Rintaro sighed deeply, raising a hand to cover his throbbing head: "Why did she say 'come to my house'?"
"Ah, Kirara-chan (Sparkle-chan)." Suddenly, Mayuri's eyes widened as she noticed something, and she scurried out.
"Ah, Mayuri, hey." Okabe Rintaro raised his hand to call her back, but seeing her happy demeanor, his raised foot was withdrawn. He shook his head and said helplessly, "Honestly."
Suddenly, an incredibly familiar voice rang out.
"IBN5100."
It was Moeka's voice.
"?!" Okabe Rintaro's pupils suddenly constricted. He sharply turned his head, looking in the direction of the voice.
His vision blurred, the crowd was chaotic, his nerves suddenly tightened, and he tried his best to find Moeka's figure.
Finally, he saw her, the one looking down at her phone.
"—The Shining Finger!" Abandoning Hashida Itaru, Okabe Rintaro took off running.
The pedestrian traffic light was flashing green. Kiryu Moeka walked slowly on the road. Okabe Rintaro jogged along, panting, and yelled:
"Wait, hey!"
But his words could not stop the traffic light from changing. The moment his voice fell, the green light suddenly turned to a prohibitory red.
Traffic began to flow, and he was forced to stop.
Gritting his teeth, Okabe Rintaro made a decision.
Although Moeka didn't realize he was chasing her, she didn't stop or speed up, but if he waited for the traffic light to change again, he wouldn't catch up.
He turned around and ran along the opposite side of the road, which had no traffic light obstruction, in the direction Kiryu Moeka was walking.
Soon, Okabe Rintaro was parallel to her.
"The Shining—" He was about to shout that, but immediately corrected himself: "Moeka!"
"Kiryu Moeka!"
His loud shouts didn't reach her. The passing traffic, mixed with honking horns, completely blocked out his voice.
He gritted his teeth again, intending to cross the road like this.
But.
"Honk—" A large truck honked its horn, blocking his path.
If he ignored the warning, he might end up being sent to another world.
Fortunately, after that large vehicle passed, there was temporarily no more traffic. After a brief pause, Okabe Rintaro quickly crossed the road.
Slightly out of breath with lingering fear, Okabe Rintaro took off running again.
Soon, at a corner alley, he abruptly stopped his momentum.
Kiryu Moeka was right in front of him.
"Why…" Kiryu Moeka was inexplicably slumped on the ground, sitting there very weakly in the dim, unlit street, muttering to herself: "FB clearly said 'it's right there'."
"…" As if sensing Okabe Rintaro's approach, Moeka slowly turned her head: "Oka, be?"
Okabe Rintaro stood in front of her and asked in a deep voice, "You just said IBN5100—"
"Snap." Moeka's hand suddenly shot up and grabbed him. She lifted her head and eagerly pressed, "You know? Where is it?"
"…You don't know either?" Okabe Rintaro sighed.
"Don't know, huh?" Kiryu Moeka hesitated for a moment, then silently stood up again.
Her phone, which she had pulled out at some point, reappeared in her hand. She turned around and, without a word, was about to leave.
"Tap, tap, tap…" Crisp footsteps sounded behind Okabe Rintaro, and the figure of Mayuri, who had run over, appeared.
"Okabe—" She jogged to Okabe Rintaro's side, then saw Kiryu Moeka again: "Ah, Miss Moeka."
Okabe Rintaro nodded slightly: "Mm."