What should I do?

Japan, Star Town.

Kouta thought he already understood how bad the situation was in Japan, but he underestimated it. When the dome disappeared, he, Mikami, and Takehiro split up. Takehiro stayed in Japan while he and Mikami went abroad.

This is awful.

This polluted air destroyed buildings and the infected. Normally, there are more here than in other places, but the amount still startled him. At least in New York, there are safe areas, but here? What place could be safe?

He stopped by the government building earlier, but the smell of dead corpses pushed him away from getting closer. How many people have died in this senseless war?

It was easier than he thought finding the clock tower. Like he discovered in his investigations, there are no infected in this place. But, his gaze fell towards the large tower in the center. It looks like it is about to fall apart any minute now. Is it safe to enter?

A man with spiky red hair stood by the bridge, but something was different about him.

"Hi, guys, it's been a while."

Kouta looked at his friend, horrified; he had lost a lot of weight. It probably wasn't easy for him to stay behind alone.

'It should have been me who stayed behind, but I felt that Yumeko would be in New York.'

His hunch was not wrong. According to what Mikami said, Iwa Kasumi admitted they were in some type of alternative dimension in New York.

Still, his gaze fell back onto Takehiro, who looked skinnier, and his complexion was pale. His friend's personality would not surprise him if he gave away all the food and resources they sent him.

His thoughts broke off when the silent Mikami took out a piece of a box from his bag.

IT was the lunch Lila made for him. But during the plane ride, his friend did not eat it all.

"It might be a bit cold."

Takehiro laughed. "Even if it is hard as a rock, I will eat it." He trailed off. "Come inside; it's cold out here."

'He mentioned it in his letter, but is he truly living in the clock tower?' Kouta followed the redhead and urged Mikami, spacing out to do the same.

Mikami's behavior worried him; after hearing that Iwa Kasumi is okay, shouldn't he be fine? But why is he still behaving like this?

It was a small shelter; judging from the items scattered around, it seemed Takehiro made himself comfortable here.

"Your not worried this place will fall apart?" Kouta asked as he looked around.

Earlier it looked like the entrance would cave in.

"Appearances are deceiving; this place is oddly sturdy." Takehiro positioned himself on the ground as he opened the lunch box. A tender gaze appeared on his face. "Lila-chan made this."

Kouta knew that look, that nostalgic one. He had the same look on his face not too long ago. Although she promised to contact him, she said she would notify him when she returned to Japan. With everything else going on, the girl did not get a chance. So when he finally found her, alive and looking cheerful, he felt so relieved.

"Takehiro, you look sick." Kouta pointed out. "Can you really-"

How can his friend sing in this state?

Singing will consume a lot of his energy and take a huge toll on his body.

"It's fine. I got your message. But I think we should wait for a while."

"Wait?"

Takehiro nodded. "Wait until we gather as many people that can still sing. On my side, I have contacted all the stars that are alive, but most of them immediately turned me down or looked frightened. It seems it is common knowledge to people how powerful songs are."

"We can use it against the infected."

"That is true, but there is an opposite effect. If the infected do not like your songs, they will consume you."

Kouta's eyes widened, alarmed. "I didn't know about this."

Takehiro laughed. "It is unlike you to not gather all the facts. But it makes sense; you can only learn this if you have been staying in Star town."

"That means it only applies to here?"

"Right, you can sing just fine if you are in other places. But in Star Town, it is far too dangerous. " Takehiro's gaze darkened, and he clenched his fist. "I saw it with my own eyes- and also." He pointed to the corner. "It was close, but I managed to save her."

Kouta approached the hunched-up figure in the corner of the room. It was a girl with magenta-colored eyes, with long curly silver ombre hair styled into four ringlets. She wore a cape on top of her clothing, but Kouta could tell how wounded she was.

But this girl isn't just a random stranger.

"Austin Akari?"

Takehiro nodded. "I recognized her right away. I managed to save her, but she turned out like this. I don't know what they did to her exactly, but her eyes are lifeless like nothing is there. Oh, I checked her heartbeat, she is still breathing and alive, but she does not react."

At those words, Mikami walked over and crouched down. "It's the effect of the drug, but the reason she did not go crazy is most likely-" Mikami pointed to the necklace around the girl's neck. "That has Lila-chan's powers infused inside."

Kouta could only stare at the girl with a pained gaze. It is not like they were close, but he met her several times. It is hard to believe that she ended up in this condition. "She sang?"

"She was trying to save some children; she thought by singing they would calm down. But that was when the infected turned to attack her. I barely made it; I think they were going to eat her alive."

At those words, Kouta clenched his fist as Takehiro explained the details.

"I did bring her to Hyou4 first. I thought it would be better if she was with her mother. But her mother was having a hard time suppressing the infected too. She told me to take care of her daughter and that she would catch up as soon as possible."

'If even Kiragi Asuka said that, then the situation must be very bad.' They did not land the plane at the airport but a field clearing slightly away from the city. It would be far too dangerous to land in the airport; the infected aside, many enemies from that side could attack them.

Right now, those people have the advantage because they have taken control of the town. So they used a quieter route to get to this place.

The last time he spoke to Austin Akari was when he decided to go off to New York and search for Yumeko and the others over there. She was the one who saw him off.

'I know the search for your sister is important, but please find Lila-san too and tell her that I-' What was it that she said to him again? The infected started to surround the area then, and she fended them off with her ice powers, so he forgot what she told him.

To think the next time they met, she would be in this state.

'Tell me, Yumeko, what would you do if you saw this?'

This entire time he has protected his sister from such sights. They argued and fought a lot about her getting involved. But, at the end of the day, it is no good. If he continues to shield Yumeko, more people like Austin Akari will get hurt.