A Warning About Fate

"You! Don't you dare dream!" Furuya Rei quickly snatched back the clue-hinting device from Matsuda Jinpei's hand.

Seeing Matsuda staring intently at the item, Furuya Rei warned, "What if you take it apart and can't put it back together? I've checked the shop, there isn't a second one!"

"Hmph." Matsuda glanced away, but still used his peripheral vision to watch Furuya Rei put the item back into the system. He suddenly sat up straight. That's right, he couldn't take that apart. So, could this system be taken apart and examined? What if it was harmful to Furuya? Shouldn't that possibility be ruled out first?

Matsuda's hands began to itch again. He reached out to touch the interface, but his fingers passed through empty space.

"Oh, can't touch it..." Matsuda's face fell in disappointment.

"Jinpei-chan really has itchy hands," Hagiwara Kenji closed the window, walked over, and sat next to Matsuda, giving his friend a firm pat on the back.

Furuya Rei joined in the cheerful atmosphere of his friends. After everyone had finished laughing and joking, he sobered up. "Now do you guys believe my mind isn't messed up?"

"Of course, of course," Hagiwara waved his hand. All five of them had witnessed this miraculous thing with their own eyes. Could all five of them be crazy?

"Good, now I want to talk about something very serious!" Furuya Rei looked at his four still-giddy friends and began. "Hagiwara Kenji, less than half a year after graduation, on November 7th, you will sacrifice your life in a bombing incident while on duty."

The room immediately fell silent, the air seemingly frozen.

Matsuda Jinpei's expression became blank, as if he hadn't understood what Furuya Rei had just said. Hagiwara also froze, the smile vanishing from his face. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped, his eyes full of disbelief. He vaguely looked at Matsuda, seeing his childhood friend in a daze, and suddenly felt flustered.

It took Matsuda a long time to compose himself. He knew the police profession was dangerous, especially since he and Hagiwara were both preparing to join the bomb disposal squad. Bombs and explosives were not easy to deal with; he understood that well. He had even mentally prepared for sacrifice when choosing this profession, but Hagiwara...

He couldn't accept it, especially hearing that Hagiwara would sacrifice his life right after graduation. Such a person with a bright future, why would he die so young? Matsuda recalled their previous conversations. It was because he had said Hagiwara only knew how to hit the gas that Hagiwara decided to join the bomb disposal squad. If Hagiwara truly sacrificed his life, then it was his fault.

"Jinpei-chan, Jinpei-chan." Hagiwara's voice rang in his ear. Matsuda struggled to focus his eyes on his friend's worried face. He instinctively dodged Hagiwara's hand, which was reaching out to touch his face, turned his head away, wiped the sweat from his palms on his pants, and awkwardly said, "It's nothing, I'm just a little surprised."

Hagiwara, of course, didn't believe him. The other three also looked at Matsuda with expressions that said, "Go ahead and lie, we're listening."

Furuya Rei propped himself up on the bed and let out a cold laugh. "Is this already surprising? Four years later, on the same day, Matsuda Jinpei will also sacrifice his life at the hands of the same bomber."

"..."

"Tsk." Matsuda scratched his curly hair, not daring to look at Hagiwara's teary eyes. Really, such a big man...

"This hasn't happened yet, has it?" Matsuda said.

"You weren't this calm just now," the other four thought to themselves, seeing Matsuda put on his nonchalant expression again. A word suddenly popped into their minds: "Double standards!"

Knowing they would die young, the two of them stared at the others with guilty expressions. How strange, why did they have to act as if they had done something wrong when these things hadn't happened to them yet? Matsuda and Hagiwara looked at Furuya Rei, puffing out their chests. They weren't afraid!

Furuya Rei ignored them, his gaze shifting to his childhood friend, who was frowning in thought. Morofushi Hiromitsu froze, feeling a chill run down his spine as he met Furuya Rei's complex gaze.

"In the same year, on December 7th, Morofushi Hiromitsu's undercover identity will be exposed, and he will commit suicide to protect his secrets."

Furuya Rei's voice became hoarse, as if each word was incredibly difficult to utter. Morofushi opened his mouth, unable to speak. Furuya Rei lowered his head, then looked up at the only one left—Date Wataru.

Before the other's disbelieving eyes, Furuya Rei continued, "Two years later, Date Wataru, exhausted after finishing work, will be hit by a truck and die. In the same year, Ms. Natalie will also commit suicide for love, and her parents will die in a traffic accident on their way to retrieve her body."

Date Wataru's tall figure seemed to collapse after Furuya Rei's words. The four friends fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts. Hagiwara rested his chin on Matsuda's shoulder. Date Wataru dazedly thought of his Natalie. Morofushi looked at Furuya Rei—who seemed to have no emotions left. If all of them were to die in the future, then what would be left for Furuya? He was strong, but with whom would he share that loneliness and pain?

Furuya Rei picked up a pillow from the bed and threw it at them. Matsuda was hit, falling backward. Before he could get angry, he heard Furuya's voice: "Why the long faces, huh? I'm the one being left behind, and I haven't said anything yet!"

"I already said this is about the future, and we all know the police profession is dangerous. Even without these incidents, there will still be countless other difficulties ahead. Now we have a chance to change things; what we need to do is be more cautious and work harder! All of you, cheer up for me!"

The four looked at the very serious valedictorian.

"Ah." Hagiwara let go of Matsuda, pretending to clutch his chest, his tone teasing, "Officer Furuya is lecturing us."

"Yeah, we're being lectured. Officer Furuya is super strict," Matsuda threw the pillow back. Furuya Rei tilted his body to dodge.

"As expected of Valedictorian Furuya," Date Wataru also joined in the fun.

"Zero... Officer Furuya is really formidable when he's serious," Morofushi smiled teasingly.

Furuya Rei could only look at them with a resentful gaze. The group chatted animatedly for a long time before dispersing to sleep. They still had time.

Hagiwara, Matsuda, and Date returned to their respective rooms. Morofushi Hiromitsu was the last to leave. He suddenly turned back and hugged Furuya Rei tightly.

"Hiro?" Furuya Rei was flustered, his hands not knowing where to rest.

"Don't worry, Zero, we'll all be fine," Morofushi said. The group knew about the future and could comfort each other, but Zero, when he was alone, must have been in great pain. Yet he still had the presence of mind to reassure everyone.

Furuya Rei's heart melted. It was precisely because of such a gentle Hiro that he was so beloved.

"Yes, I know." Furuya Rei rested his chin on Morofushi's hair, wrapping his arms around his friend. He suddenly felt reluctant to let go.

The two hugged for a long time in the cramped dorm room until Morofushi suddenly came to his senses, his ears slightly red. He coughed twice softly, then walked to the door.

"See you tomorrow, Zero," Morofushi said.

"See you tomorrow," Furuya Rei smiled.

Furuya Rei tapped on the system, annoyed, "What else do you know?"

System 123 was indignant but said nothing. It knew a lot!

After leaving Furuya Rei's room, Date Wataru said goodbye to his two childhood friends and returned to his own room. Hagiwara Kenji lingered outside Matsuda Jinpei's door, intending to sneak in.

"Hagi, what are you doing?" Matsuda had just opened the door when Hagiwara pushed him inside.

In the dark room, the tall Hagiwara pressed against Matsuda's back. Matsuda tried to push him away but couldn't.

"Jinpei-chan." Hagiwara hugged Matsuda tightly, his voice full of coaxing, "Jinpei-chan, don't be sad anymore. What Furuya said is about the future; it hasn't happened yet. Hagi is still alive and well here."

"I know it's about the future, and I'm not sad," Matsuda mumbled, clearly saying one thing but meaning another.

"Alright, alright," Hagiwara didn't expose his friend. "I'm the one who's sad. Thinking about Jinpei-chan also leaving so early, my heart aches."

Matsuda tried to push Hagiwara away again but still failed. In the darkness, the warmth from Hagiwara's body transferred to him, making Matsuda keenly aware of his friend's presence.

Hagiwara lowered his head, leaning close to Matsuda's ear and saying, "I think, Jinpei-chan's sacrifice must be for me, right? You sacrificed your life at the hands of the same criminal because you wanted to avenge me?"

"Hmph, I wouldn't do that. At most, I'd just mock you every time I visited your grave," Matsuda still spoke stubbornly.

"Alright, alright," Hagiwara didn't expose his shy friend. He gently rested his head on Matsuda's neck. Matsuda shivered, getting goosebumps.

"Hagi would do that!" Hagiwara said, "If Jinpei-chan went first, Hagi would definitely be very sad, unable to eat or sleep, thinking all day about avenging you. Because I wouldn't be used to your absence, Hagi would look at your photos and ramble every day. Oh, how pitiful, just thinking about it makes Hagi feel so pitiful. So, to compensate Hagi, I must sleep with Jinpei-chan tonight!"

"Wait... hold on..." Before Matsuda could object, Hagiwara pulled him down onto the bed.

Matsuda struggled to break free.

"Sleep, Jinpei-chan, zzz..." Hagiwara pretended to be asleep.

"Let go a little, it's hot," Matsuda complained but received no response. Seeing that the other party was determined not to let go, he accepted the fact. Sleepiness, combined with the fatigue of a day filled with too much information, washed over him, and Matsuda gradually drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile, in the next room, Date Wataru's eyes were wide open like saucers: "Can't sleep, I miss Natalie so much, super much, sniff."

The next day, the four friends, full of energy, saw Date Wataru with heavy dark circles under his eyes. "Class rep, were you under a lot of stress last night?"

Date Wataru said resentfully, "You guys are great, you all have someone by your side. Only I am lonely. This world is so unfair."