"Your time is running out; go over this quickly," Sumire urged as she took a seat on the bed.

"How do you know that? Can your powers tell you if Chizuki wants to come back?" 

Akako inquired from her position on the floor where she was seated.

"Not really, it just feels that way. Is this what you wanted to ask me?" Sumire asked, tilting her head to the side.

"I need you to locate Ruri for me," Akako requested in a serious tone.

Sumire stood up abruptly, her voice filled with incredulity. "Are you crazy? Why would I do that after she killed a cast? She's dangerous for both of us."

"How do you know she killed me in my previous life?" Akako asked with a hint of amusement.

"What? I was talking about myself," Sumire said, looking at Akako with a puzzled expression.

"She got you too? How did you not detect her? That's what your powers are for!" Akako exclaimed, also standing up and expressing her frustration.

"What about you, then? Aren't you the strongest out of all of us?" Ruri probed, cutting through the most controversial subject among the cast.

"I was just a baby; what was I supposed to do after she burned down the whole house?" Akako explained, recounting her reasons.

"Exactly, she was also just five years old when she killed me. I had my guard down," Sumire yelled in frustration.

"She killed you at only 5? Were you also young at the time?" Akako asked, her curiosity piqued.

"I was an adult woman, teaching at a kindergarten at that time. That's why I didn't suspect it," Sumire explained in a hushed tone.

"What was the date when she killed you?" Akako asked, attempting to connect the dots.

"It was on September 26, 2004, at 10 AM," Sumire answered, sounding a bit perplexed.

"It was the same date when she killed me, but at nighttime. Did she copy your power before killing you to locate me?" Akako speculated, trying to make sense of the situation.

"She probably did! There's no other way to locate the cast besides me using my power to find them," Sumire said, clearly shocked by the revelation.

"She targeted you first because of your powers, then," Akako concluded.

"Why do you think she's killing the cast, knowing we'll be reincarnated later anyway?" Sumire inquired.

"Perhaps it was those three years she needed before we opened our eyes again. What did she do during that time? That's why we need to locate her right now and ask her directly," Akako suggested, her curiosity piqued.

"But if she still has my powers, she will know immediately if we approach her," Sumire pointed out, with a hint of worry.

"Let's worry about that later. Just give me the location for now," Akako pressed, her tone urgent.

"Alright, it takes time, so please be patient," she assured Akako.

Akako's hair suddenly reverted to its original short length, and Chizuki returned to her body.

"Hey," Sumire said to Chizuki, realizing that Akako was no longer present.

"Hello," Chizuki replied, gradually becoming more familiar with the situation.

'It's so awkward. Who even is she, and what is she doing in my bedroom? Akako never explains the important parts,' Chizuki mused, still trying to piece things together

"I'm Sumire. I'm just like Akako, and she didn't tell me anything, so I'm not even sure what I should tell you," Sumire tried to convince Chizuki, seeking to establish some understanding.

'Wait, violet eyes... So the girl Akako was searching for was Sumire?' Chizuki pondered, connecting the dots.

"Can you answer some of my questions? I can't talk to Akako for long, and she doesn't explain anything either. It would be a big help if you could explain instead," I requested of Sumire.

"I would, but I'm not sure if Akako would approve," Sumire replied, her voice tinged with apprehension.

"If you're worried about that, I'll talk to Akako about it, so you won't get in trouble," I assured Sumire.

"She listens to you?" Sumire asked in astonishment.

"She doesn't really go against my wishes. If I ask her for something, she doesn't usually complain, at least for now," I explained.

"She must like you a lot. That's a first; she usually never listens to anyone. She's the type to do whatever she wants without thinking about others. Wait, she isn't listening right now, is she?" Sumire asked, a bit worried.

"She probably is, actually, but it doesn't matter. I'm sure she won't be mad for something like this. We're not making fun of you, Akako," I said in a clear voice, aiming to alleviate any concerns.

"You should be more alert with Akako; she isn't really the kindest. Her mind changes in a split second. Actually, she won't even let others come back and would take over their body as her own. But for some reason, she's letting you be," Sumire warned, highlighting Akako's unpredictability.

"I will keep that in mind, Sumire, but Akako said she can't take over my body for long, so I'm sure that won't happen, or at least I hope so," I replied, showing a degree of trust in Akako's word.

"I'm not trying to make Akako the villain here either. The other cast is way worse. Comparing them to Akako, she does seem like an angel," Sumire chuckled.

"The other cast, are there more of them?"

"Yes, Akako must not have told you about it at all. There are actually 7 casts, including me and Akako."

"I still don't get it. Just what are you all?" I finally asked the question that had been on my mind all this time.

"The best way I can explain it to you is that we're like spirits with powers meant to protect the world from harm. It sounds really dramatic, right?" Sumire attempted to clarify.

"It does, but you're like the guardian spirits of us, right? That's actually so cool," I expressed, admiring Sumire and Akako in a new light.

"It's embarrassing to hear you say that. We were meant to be protectors, but we do more harm than good," Sumire lamented in a somber tone.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, curious to understand more.

"Enough!" Akako's voice suddenly yelled before Sumire could respond.

"Ouch," I exclaimed, holding my head in response to Akako's sudden outburst.

"What's the matter?" Sumire asked, hurrying over to me.

"It was Akako. She yelled 'Enough,' but it hurt my head so much," I described, still recovering from the sudden noise.

"That's weird. She can just come out. Why is she not coming out if she wants to stop Akako? If you can hear me, come out. Or is there a problem causing you not to be able to take over her?" Sumire asked, expressing concern.

"But I don't want her to take over right now. I still have to study, and we've already wasted so much time," I explained, highlighting my priorities.

"Don't tell me, are you restraining Akako from coming out?" Sumire asked, taken aback and suspicious.