Unraveling The Mystery

The morning sun cast a warm glow on the city as Rui and Kotogawa discussed their next steps. They knew they had to stay vigilant and focused if they were to uncover the oni mask man's identity and bring him to justice. In a quiet corner of a small café, they poured over the clues they had gathered so far, searching for anything that might lead them closer to their quarry.

Kotogawa, his eyes scanning the documents before him, let out a heavy sigh. "We've got a lot of information, but we're still missing the key piece that ties everything together."

Rui nodded, his face a mask of determination. "There has to be something we've overlooked. We need to retrace our steps and examine everything more closely."

Kotogawa looked took a sip from the cup of coffee he had sitting on his table, while shaking his head in agreement. "For now, you should get back to school, I will look back into the police files from last night and see what they have."

Later that day, Rui was confronted by his classmates, who demanded an explanation for his strange behavior at the party and the events that followed. He could see the concern and confusion in their eyes, but he knew he couldn't tell them the truth about his power and the oni mask man.

A classmate named Tetsuya stepped forward, his expression angry. "You can't just brush us off, Rui. You were acting really weird last night. What's going on?"

Everyone started to make noises of agreement. They looked at each other and started whispering rumors to one another. Rui could hear one of them talking about how he could be one of the reasons why three men tried breaking into the house last night.

Kaori sat in the back of the classroom looking like she wanted to say something, but she couldn't over the classes chattering.

Rui clenched his fists, feeling the weight of his secret bearing down on him. In a moment of frustration, he lashed out at Tetsuya. "You think you have any idea what's going on? I saved your life last night, and all of you are too blind to even see it! You're all ungrateful!"

The classroom erupted with a mix of emotions, some classmates defended Rui, while others accused him of lying. The heated exchange continued for several minutes before Rui, unable to take it any longer, stormed out of the classroom, leaving his classmates shocked and confused.

As Rui walked through the school corridors, lost in thought, he was approached by Kazuya, who wore a concerned expression on his face. "Hey, Rui, I heard what happened in the classroom earlier. Look, I don't know what's going on with you, but if you need someone to talk to or any help, I'm here for you, man."

Rui looked at Kazuya, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Thanks, Kazuya. I appreciate it more than you know. It's just… there's a lot going on right now, and I can't really talk about it."

Kazuya placed a hand on Rui's shoulder, offering a reassuring smile. "I understand, Rui. Just know that whatever you're dealing with, you don't have to face it alone. We're friends, and I've got your back."

Rui smiled, grateful for Kazuya's support. "Thank you, Kazuya. That means a lot to me."

Later, Rui met with Kotogawa again to continue their investigation. They decided to split up to cover more ground and search for any clues they might have missed. As Rui walked the city streets, he couldn't help but think about Kazuya's words of encouragement and the unwavering support of his friends.

As evening approached, Rui and Kotogawa reconvened at Rui's house. They shared their findings, but it seemed they were no closer to uncovering the oni mask man's identity. Frustration hung heavy in the air, but they refused to give up.

While they were deep in discussion, Rui's little sister, Hana, peeked around the door, trying to listen in on their conversation. She kept pestering them with questions about what they were doing

"Whatcha doin', Rui? Secret stuff? Ooh, let me see!" Hana said, trying to sneak a peek at the evidence on the table.

Rui sighed, exasperated. "Hana, this is serious business. Please, just leave us alone."

Unfazed, Hana pouted and responded with feigned innocence, "I'm just trying to help, big brother! Maybe I could be your sidekick, like in those superhero movies!"

Rui couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. "Alright, Hana. If we need a sidekick, we'll call you in, okay? But for now, can you please go play in your room?"

Hana saluted playfully. "You got it, Captain Rui! But if you need the amazing Hana-chan's help, just give me a shout! I'll be there in a flash!" With that, she dashed out of the room, leaving Rui and Kazuya to continue their discussion.

Kazuya chuckled at the exchange. "Your sister has quite the imagination, Rui. She's definitely got the spirit of a hero."

Rui nodded, a hint of pride in his voice. "Yeah, she's a handful sometimes, but I wouldn't trade her for anything."

As they sifted through the evidence once more, Rui's eyes fell on a small detail he had overlooked – a symbol that seemed to appear on all the oni mask man's accomplices. It was a small, intricate design – one that Rui felt held the key to unlocking the mystery.

Kotogawa studied the symbol, his eyes narrowing in concentration. "This could be our breakthrough, Rui. If we can trace this symbol back to its origin, we might be able to uncover the oni mask man's identity."

Rui felt a spark of recognition as he stared at the symbol. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen it somewhere before. It nagged at him, and he couldn't let it go. Wait. He did see it when he visited Maya. The wooden Doll she had carried that weird symbol.

The symbol with an ex with a bird in the middle. Maya has seen it.