Part 17: All Over Again

Connie's hands hadn't moved from the table. Her fingers still clenched around her phone, the screen dark now, but the message burned into her mind.

[Death Flag Resolved. Points: 22.]

Her pulse hammered against her ribs. She knew this didn't make sense.

Even when she ignored the fact that the System had looped her this far back—why had it taken her points?

This had never happened before.

Even in the worst resets, even when she'd failed completely, the System never erased what she had already earned.

This wasn't just a punishment for failure.

It was as if those points had never existed at all.

She needed time to think. She needed to sit down and—no, she was already sitting. She needed to get out of here.

But before she could so much as move, Ayaka spoke.

"Alright, I call bullshit," she said flatly.

Connie looked up sharply, eyes meeting Ayaka's skeptical, narrowed gaze.

"You've been sitting there gripping your phone like you're about to throw up," Ayaka continued. "What the hell is going on?"

Connie's mouth went dry.

Her reaction had been too obvious.

She forced her fingers to unclench, forcing herself to breathe. She needed to play this off. She needed to—

Her thoughts stuttered.

Her body was still tingling. The phantom sensation of electricity jolting through her veins had yet to fade.

She couldn't brush this off.

Not entirely.

"...I had a weird feeling," she said slowly. "Like, déjà vu or something. Made me dizzy for a second."

Ayaka frowned. "...Déjà vu?"

"Yeah." Connie exhaled. "Like I've already had this conversation before."

Ayaka's expression flickered slightly. "Huh. That's… weird."

Good. She wasn't pressing further.

Connie needed to think.

She was back at the café.

Before Takeshi had collapsed.

Before she even knew he was in danger.

This shouldn't have happened.

This reset wasn't normal.

That meant she had overlooked something.

Something massive.

Her brain hadn't caught up yet.

She was still thinking back to the pain of electrocution.

That burning sensation was the worst thing she had ever experienced in her entire life.

Her pulse pounded in her ears.

She needed to pull herself together.

Think. Think.

What do I do?

The café door suddenly swung open.

Takeshi walked in.

Connie's heart slammed against her ribs.

For a split second, she forgot how to breathe.

There he was. Just like before. The same slightly wrinkled uniform, the same tired posture, the same dull gaze.

The poison was already in him.

The poison the Organization had prepared, just to kill him.

Connie remembered the conversation Kurose had on the phone.

About Takeshi having an 'ability'.

After thinking about it for a few seconds, she decided to do things in order.

First, save him. Then ask questions.

Takeshi had already ingested the poison.

She had to act before it got worse.

Her chair scraped loudly against the floor as she stood up abruptly.

Ayaka blinked. "Uh… what are you—"

Connie didn't answer.

Her body moved on instinct.

Takeshi had barely stepped in when she grabbed his wrist.

He startled, turning toward her in confusion.

"You need to come with me," she said, voice low but firm.

Takeshi blinked. "...Huh?"

"No time. It's important."

Ayaka was staring from the table now, looking utterly lost. "Okay, what—?"

Takeshi gave her a slightly wary look. "Uh, do I know you…?"

He dragged his sentence near the end. It was probably that strange feeling of recognition again.

That feeling of having two different memories of the same place and time.

Connie ignored it. She couldn't waste time.

"You're not feeling well, right?" she pressed, keeping her voice steady. "Dizzy? Lightheaded?"

Takeshi's brows furrowed.

"How did you—?"

"Come with me," she repeated. "Now."

Takeshi hesitated. He did feel sick. She could see it—the slight unsteadiness in his movements, the way his eyes were struggling to focus.

The symptoms were already starting.

And if she didn't get him out of here now, it would spiral out of control again.

"Wh—...Alright," he muttered.

He was about to refuse, but after a slight pause, he agreed. As if he suddenly remembered something that made him change his mind.

Connie let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

She turned back to Ayaka, who still looked like she had way too many questions.

"I'll explain later," Connie promised. "I just—I need to do this first."

Ayaka hesitated. But after a long pause, she sighed.

"...Fine. But you owe me."

Connie nodded quickly, then turned back to Takeshi.

She had him. Now she just had to keep him alive.

And maybe—just maybe—figure out what the hell she had missed.

Takeshi was already unsteady on his feet.

Now that she was looking closely, Connie could see it—the small, almost imperceptible tremor in his fingers, the way his eyes lingered for just a second too long when focusing on something, as if his brain was struggling to keep up.

He didn't even realize it yet. But she did.

She knew exactly how this would end if she did nothing.

Not this time.

They stepped out of the café, the door closing behind them with a soft chime.

Takeshi finally spoke, his voice dry and skeptical. "...Are you gonna tell me why you just dragged me out of there?"

Connie exhaled sharply. "You don't have time for coffee."

Takeshi blinked. "What?"

She didn't slow down, forcing him to match her pace.

"You're sick," she said bluntly.

Takeshi gave her a strange look. "I feel fine."

Liar.

She knew the signs. Knew that his symptoms would only get worse the longer he stayed here, waiting for his body to shut down.

And then he would collapse.

It would be too late then.

Connie picked up her pace.

Takeshi frowned. "Hey, seriously. Who even are you?"

She ignored the question.

"We're going to a hospital," she said instead.

That stopped him.

Takeshi's steps halted, forcing her to stop too.

He raised an eyebrow, giving her a very skeptical look. "...Okay. What?"

"You need a doctor," Connie said. "Now."

Takeshi let out a dry laugh. "I think I'd know if I was—"

He swayed.

It was small. Almost nothing.

But Connie caught it.

The way his weight shifted slightly to one side before he corrected himself.

The way his fingers twitched.

The poison was already sinking in.

Her stomach dropped.

Not again.

She grabbed his arm before he could protest. "Takeshi, I'm serious. You need help."

"...Okay, hold up," Takeshi said, pulling his arm back slightly. "This is weird. Like—really weird. How do you even know—"

And then, as if on cue—

He stumbled.

Just slightly.

But it was enough.

A wave of dizziness crashed into him, his brows furrowing as he raised a hand to his temple.

His breathing hitched.

And in that moment—he finally understood.

"...Wait," he muttered. "Why do I feel—"

Connie didn't wait.

She grabbed him again, stronger this time.

"No time," she snapped. "We're going. Now."

Takeshi wasn't in a position to argue anymore.

Not when his own body was turning against him.

Not when the edges of his vision were starting to blur.

"...Shit," he cursed under his breath.

Connie's grip on him tightened.

They had to move.

Connie knew she couldn't call an ambulance.

She had tried that before.

But there was no signal even though they are in the middle of the city.

She had to get him there herself.

Her mind raced.

There was a hospital nearby—They just needed to get a taxi like last time.

It was further away because in the last timeline they had ran in the direction of the hospital.

Now they were about two more minutes away from it.

Takeshi was already deteriorating. He could still walk, but not for long.

She needed transportation.

Now.

Her eyes darted around the street, scanning for something—anything.

Then—she saw it.

A taxi was waiting at the curb.

Connie dragged Takeshi forward.

He didn't resist anymore.

His legs felt heavier. His mind felt sluggish.

He didn't know what was happening to him.

But Connie did.

And she wasn't going to let it happen again.

She threw open the taxi door and practically shoved him inside.

The driver, an older man with glasses, looked startled.

"Uh—?"

"Hospital," Connie snapped. "Now."

The driver hesitated.

Connie grabbed her wallet, pulled out cash.

"Hospital," she repeated. "Fast."

That was enough.

The driver didn't question it anymore.

The taxi sped off.

Takeshi's breathing was uneven now.

The taxi's interior was stiflingly quiet.

Connie's hands clenched against her lap.

She knew this was the right call.

Getting him to the hospital this early should mean that he could recover quicker.

But that didn't explain the loop.

That didn't explain why she had been thrown back this far.

Something was missing.

Something huge.

Her gaze flickered to her phone screen again.

[Death Flag Resolved. Points: 22.]

The seven points she had earned before—gone.

Like she had never saved him at all.

Her stomach twisted.

Would there be no more checkpoints from now on?

Would she have to do everything all over again if she reset even once?

The thought alone terrified her.

She still didn't get it.

What had she missed?

The taxi took a sharp turn, the hospital coming into view.

Connie exhaled.

One step at a time.

First, she had to make sure Takeshi survived.

Then—she would find out why this reset was different.