Agung adjusted the heavy bag on his shoulder, his pulse finally beginning to settle into a steady, human rhythm. He looked at the group—Maki, Umi, Eli, and the others—who had been watching the scene with Kanata from a respectful distance. Their expressions were a complex mix of relief, lingering caution, and something that looked suspiciously like newfound pride.
"The rooftop," Agung muttered, his brow furrowing as he looked up at the glass-and-steel expanse of the station and the urban landscape of Odaiba beyond. "Wait, Kanata-chan. You're talking about the school rooftop, right? But... all of you graduated years ago. Can you even still access the campus? Do they let alumni just waltz into the Nijigasaki building for club meetings on a Tuesday?"
He looked at the women beside him, his voice laced with the practical concern of someone who had spent his life navigating rules and schedules. "Or is this another one of those 'magical' things where the school just lets you in because you're idols?"
Kanata stopped, one hand already pushing against the glass doors of the station. She didn't turn back, but her shoulders gave a slight, tired shrug—a gesture that felt more grounded and "real" than anything he had seen in the last three years.
"It's not magic, dummy," she said, her voice drifting back to him. "The Nijigasaki school board is surprisingly accommodating when you have a student president who knows how to budget, and a club that brings in as much prestige as we do. We have keys. Shioriko made sure of that."
She finally turned to face him, a small, genuine spark of amusement in her sleepy eyes. "And honestly? Most of the time, the security guard just wants a photo with Rina-chan's board. It's not a 'secret base' anymore. It's just a place where we go because it's quiet."
Agung let out a long, ragged exhale, feeling the tension drain out of him. He looked at Maki, who was already adjusting her jacket, preparing to follow.
"See?" Maki whispered, her tone dry but not unkind. "Not everything has to be a 'system event' or a 'miracle.' Sometimes, things are just... mundane. People get permission. They have keys. They do things because they're organized."
Agung nodded, a sense of grounding washing over him. He wasn't dealing with a simulation that required a cheat code to bypass a locked door. He was dealing with a group of people who had built a life, a club, and a routine out of the literal concrete and steel of their city.
He stepped forward, falling into step a few paces behind Kanata. He didn't rush. He didn't try to lead. He just followed, ready to carry the bags, ready to be the person who waited in the room while she finally, truly rested.
"Lead the way," he said softly.
As they walked out into the cool evening air of Odaiba, Agung took a deep breath. He had bruised ribs, a singed jacket, and a mountain of apologies to make, but for the first time in his second life, he wasn't looking for an exit or a reset button. He was just looking at the road ahead, one step at a time.
As they arrive at the school gates and see the familiar silhouette of the campus, what is the first thing that makes the 'reality' of this new, non-magical life finally sink in for Agung?