Chapter 24 — Retail Therapy

After the chaos at school, the Hayashi apartment should feel safe.

It does not.

Natsume’s badge, the reporter, Airi’s breakdown, Sara’s reflection of Liora, and the hidden name P.A.T.H. follow Riku and Sara home. Emiko knows questions need answers, but she also knows two exhausted teenagers do not need another interrogation before lunch.

So she takes them to the mall.

What begins as forced normalcy becomes something deeper. Sara sells two Valenmere gold coins to fund medicine and support supplies for Liora, turning old weight from her world into modern help for home. But once the gold is gone, Mina, Nori, Chika, and Ren pull Sara into the stranger battlefield of clothes, accessories, makeup, food court laughter, and friendship.

For a few hours, the day becomes lighter.

But gold has become yen.

Yen has become medicine.

Medicine has become weight.

And weight needs a road.