At night, only people look at the sky because of the full moon, as thankfully the sky cleared up after a few days of drizzle that made the clouds stay over the warm nights.

Indeed, only the moon and not a passing blur.

For Gin, even a single second cannot be wasted in this beautiful night with a beautiful moon.

A single second somewhere in this colossal world can be a risk for hours, or even days to pass.

The time was very crucial, so much that stopping to even greet the people inside the underground base can't even be a luxury to do. Even if that is the case, he was fast enough to see a still of his fellows with their smiles as they continue in this life, but it wasn't also an option. Then again, he already knows that Rion and the others are happy enough to be here. Thus, he slipped through the floors through the staircases, and came to a halt in the midpoint room.

…

Makoto felt that something extremely abrupt just happened that did not register on his eyes as he watches over the Void outside. Following his senses, he stayed on his guard.

But on the other side of that door, Gin is attempting to surpass the limits of his mind and thought multiple processes, so to speak. But it was an extreme waste of time to even continue.

With all of his literal might, he gripped the handle of the next door while thinking about the hope he received from his intuition. So many things were not an option, and one of it was closing his eyes even for a moment. He then clutched the doorknob to a twist as his veins tightened…

But the door opened as if opening a normal one.

Before even thinking that he is once again back inside this mysterious white box, his knees immediately folded without his command and his shoulders bent down as though a great weight has been placed on them.

"Is this 32 times…?"

But instead of letting himself fall to his knees, Gin pushed himself forward as if he was not even shackled by the accelerated gravity.

At that very moment, he was seeing Ken Ichikawa squirming all around the white floor as he uttered unintelligible screams. Gin slowly walked towards him but he felt a sensation under his shoe, and smelt a very subtle smell which prompted him to look at Ken's face whose nose is bleeding without end.

Amidst of the urgency, he "stepped" back to the midpoint room as he remembered that he left a rope that he used when he was the one isolating in the very room. He came back at a faster speed and tied Ken's limbs as he pulled his head up to stop the bleeding.

Now that the wild movements have at least came to a calm, he used the very little window of time that he had to think.

Why did Ken enter the Void again?

How long has he been here?

How long has it been since the mental distortion began?

And most importantly… how was Gin able to enter the room?

The very first rule for this white box is that the two doors separating this accelerated room to the world shall never be opened at the same time, otherwise, not only a mental, but also a physical distortion will happen in an unidentified radius. But he was careful enough to not let it happen when he was at the midpoint.

He recalled, there was never an instance in his two years that he was able to open the door of the room at his own will unless a month has passed, but just now, he was able to open it—to come in and out without experiencing any rebound if there actually is.

One more thing, he had theorized upon his entrance that his dreams were somehow connected as he saw this place and heard the door from there. But then, he was able to hear the screams and saw a semblance of this room in his conscious.

"…?!"

The man he was restraining has finally calmed down, and so an unconscious sigh of relief came out with his close eyes.

But it was that moment.

He opened his eyes that immediately widened, as if he was staring to the void itself; now that the room has turned completely sable.

"So you're inviting me here again…" Gin mumbled on his own.

He stood up and walked to the makeshift kitchen and thought of what he can make before Ken wakes up. In the middle of lamenting with a knife he was holding, he began deducing the incredible amount of information that he had to process.

▪ ▪ ▪

Three hours have passed, and Ken has fortunately woke up.

"Can't waste any of these ropes."

Ken slowly got up as he heard the voice and immediately gazed upon the polar change of appearance of the room.

"E-Eiji…? How…"

"Thankfully, you didn't attempt anything when you were in the state of distortion, but similarly, you went insane. What is happening right now is what also happened to me after I woke up with a huge wound on me.

How long have you been here?"

"Eight… months… I think."

"Do you have your clock lying around? That will be much easier; but I'll look at that later.

Eight months… but only 32 times?"

"H-How were you able to enter…?"

"I've asked that myself, but I have come up with some theories while you're asleep. Are you feeling fine? Go eat this. You lost so much blood, but this will help it return."

"T-Thanks…"

"I'll let you have some rest for a bit and then let's talk. I can't stay here for long, if you know what I mean."

~ ~ ~

‹Gin›

"What is it that you want to talk about… Eiji?"

Upon further observation, it seems that Ken's complexion has come back to normal and it looks like he is able to at least move around now. With the things finally settling down, I sat in front of him.

"I want to share my thoughts and my discoveries. I also wrote them all while I was at it, but that will serve as information for the other Exiles. Let's see… how should I start, I wonder…

…

I guess to the very meat of it all…

Ken, I think that this room—Room, Room of Reality, Void, White Box, or whatever—is probably connected to how we think subjectively."

"Subjectively…?"

"I just said that. To this room, there is not one constant answer. I think that this place is also extremely connected to our mind.

Our brains have energy, and I think that the brain energy is somehow being dissipated into the space of this room, or in other words, being borrowed. When you entered, did you find it weird that you want to eat a lot as you get used inside here?"

"I did."

"That is probably because our static and normal movements are equivalent to a good amount of exercise. The energy that was borrowed is being given back through the increase in gravity; and it should make more sense as simply trying to get up from bed is hard enough in a gravitational pull you're not used to.

Also, you are already here for eight months, but in my estimate, this feels like 32 times Earth's gravity. That's strange."

"I'm surprised that you're not even bothered by the weight…"

"Although my distortion happened at the same rate, I think that this is just a coincidence since it happened to me on the fifth month."

"Well, it was all over the place… The sequence for me might be 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, and 32."

"Then… could it be that the change is also subjective? Did you concern yourself a lot on the change of gravity?"

"No, not really."

"I see… I was so hung up on the changes so that is probably the reason for the geometric and arithmetic progression that was constant for me.

And on one side… was it because of my subjectivity that the room turned back to white…?"

It is as if I am looking at segment of lines… that are all connected.

"The mind is powerful indeed…

You see, Ken, I've had dreams a few nights ago of this room, and then a few hours ago, I heard you screaming in my head. I would also assume that you already know about my cognitive realm."

"Yes."

"So it seems that I made an image of this place that somehow connected here because of my desire to remember this… It's like some stupid communication that I can't understand…

And I think I now know how I entered the room so freely. I was just a husk when I entered, but this is the first place that I considered my home after realizing my purpose. I yearned for this place, I loved this room. It was as if this is my home where I can come anytime. I have had so many and so heavy emotions about this place."

"That… makes sense."

"So that's it… This room acts upon what our will and thinking, at least in limited ways. Then… does this mean that the Exiles from decades ago unconsciously created this place knowing all that? Are their negative emotions from back then was the initial fuel to the basic concept of this room…?

Haaaaaaahhhhhhhhh…"

With the overload of information finally getting into me, my body collapsed to the floor.

"I guess that does it for my investigation… Now I feel hungry suddenly.

…

But why did you come back here, Ken? You have already 14 months here in total. What is the reason? Did you come back because you know that we are similar? Do you pity me, and also want to know my pain?"

"No… I decided this on my own."

"You decided this on your own?! Are you blind, Ken?! Granted that we are the same back when we were children, but we don't have the same circumstances when we stepped inside this room!

You are aware of the love that you have and give to your family and to the Exiles. What about me?! I entered this room without even knowing what exactly is to be a family and to experience love. I was just an empty vessel waiting to waste away when I failed to understand those things!

Yet here you are telling me that you decided this on your own?! You have a family that you can tell about this and share your feelings before you come here, but you took them for granted and selfishly came here like I did?!"

"Eiji, I am guilty that I wasn't able to understand you when I was supposed to feel the same way when you were extremely hurt…! Is it so bad that I want to understand my friend along with understanding more of myself?! How is that supposed to be wrong?!"

"I'm not telling you that that is wrong… but you forgot to prioritize yourself and your family because you simply want to sympathize with a friend! Ken, you are much more of a human than me even before we met in Blue Ink! When I was on the verge of dying in Queen Street, I wished that my family would just forget about me when I disappear… But you know to yourself that you have a family… how would they feel when they found out that you died in here?! Ken, that was the one greatest thing that I failed to understand back then…!!

I am so frustrated that you are risking your life even when you know that your life was content compared to my forsaken past…! You have so much more chances than me… I wished that you wouldn't want to waste them just like that! And I wished that you would not dare waste the second chance that you gave Doc to atone…!"

"…"

«At that moment, Gin put his hands promptly on Ken's shoulders and uttered his assuring words.»

"Ken, I am just disappointed, knowing you; and that is all. Things will be the same once you leave to the world again.

For someone in isolation, I have said too much. This place is a space to think and reflect, and I overstepped.

I'll be leaving now. I just wish that something will come out of your time here. And, I wish you well."

"…"

«The echoing sound of the door then reverberated not only on the room, but also in Gin's mind.»

Upon opening the outermost door, I immediately saw Makoto standing in front of the door on his guard.

"G-Gin…?"

"Did you feel like the door opened earlier? That could only be me."

"Y-Yeah…"

"How long was I inside?"

"A few seconds. How long has he been there?"

"Around eight months."

"Four more months, huh…"

"Well, he's fine now so I'll take my leave. I promised Rin that I'll be back soon."

"I see. Then stay sharp."

…

I felt like my body can't do any more Step because of the mental fatigue so I made do with only leaping forward towards home. It made so little difference however, as I was still able to come back quickly.

The front of my house is unlocked as I see that the lights are turned on inside. I immediately saw Rin on her way to prepare something in my kitchen.

"I'm back, Rin…"

"You're somehow tired…? Here, water."

"Cold water yay…"

Somehow, the cold water tasted so delicious.

"Just what happened, Potato?"

"Ugh… I was in the Room for three hours…"

"Eh?! Then I'll make something quickly for you."

"Thaaaanks…"

I changed to house clothes as I switch the aircon again and immediately came back downstairs on a flail. Conveniently, there was already a cushion just by the first floor so I let myself fall down from the stairs.

"Ahhh… You know me so well, Rin…"

"Fufu, is that so? This will be done in just a second, alright?"

"'Kaaay… Let's eat at my room then since I turned on the AC…"

"Now you sound extremely tired. I won't ask what happened then."

"I'll tell you tomorrow before I leave for work…"

To think that a few minutes later, at least for Rin, she just had dinner with the Kagetora family and here she is eating with me again. But nevertheless, I was able to stuff my stomach anew and talked about stuff with her as I count my yawns.

"You can go to bed now and then I'll turn off the light downstairs. I'll come back to my room once you've fallen asleep."

"Really, thanks…

…

Thank you for… making me understand… what a… family is… Rin…"

"…"

"It seems that he went through something in those three hours."

With the help of Haku, Rin was able to check on the entire house quickly.

"Goodnight, Gin."

Upon coming back to the room, she kissed the man's forehead and crossed to her own room on the house beside.

After Haku waved his paw, he also went to sleep and enjoyed the balance of cold and warm.

▪ ▪ ▪

Another weekend means manga assistant work.

"Oh, right. Do you come to help out on weekdays, Rin?"

"Yup. Not like I'm super busy at home, and I get to earn some for myself."

"Do college students need a lot of savings?"

"Of course!"

"Ahahaha…

Knock knock, sensei~"

"On it…!" it was Minase who received them. "Oh, come in."

"Where's Yuuga?"

"He's probably snacking downstairs while he collects rent. The other tenants bribe him when their bill is short. He takes snacks, but he's not that easy."

"Surely you get free rent for making food for him…?" Rin teased as she nudged her elbow on Minase's side.

"W-Wh-?! Of course I pay my rent fairly and on time…!

A-Anyway…! He labeled the stuff you have to do for today, and he said to start without him. Seems like another assistant is going to come later."

"Ehhh. So he got some other assistants, huh."

"I'm back, Mina.

Oh? Good morning, you two."

"Ciao."

"I guess back to work."

"I heard you got a new assistant?"

Ah, Ringo. Chapter 7 will have a color spread. Can I leave it to you?"

"Roger. Where is the painting set?"

"I'll get it for you, Ringo," Minase prompted to stand and walked inside of Yuuga's room. "Ah, you still haven't lent me your books, Yuu! I'll get them from your shelf, okay?"

"Suuuure. I'll teach you later."

"Also, here's the watercolor set, Ringo."

"Thankies. Wha?! Isn't this the same as Nacchi's set?"

"Now that I think about it, yeah."

"I-I-Is it really alright for me t-to touch this treasure…?!"

Rin quivered as she tried to stay away from what she called a treasure. In that moment, Yuuga turned to face Gin with a blank face, but the latter only responded with a timid smile and shrugged.

A second later, he shifted to another topic while Rin was still hesitant to hold her brush.

"There's actually something that I forgot to do when 'Hana' was still ongoing—I didn't make even a single feature page."

"You mean… those pages like the assistant's corner?"

"Right, Gin. Even if it doesn't get published in this chapter, I'm sure Kuni-san will put it somewhere. So yeah, you can draw whatever you want as long as it's presentable enough."

Gin seriously asked, "So… I can't draw poop?"

"Why would you even?!"

And then a voice from outside was heard suddenly.

"Sensei, your door's unlocked. Ginji Satoshi, barging in."

The man on that note did not even have a hint of hesitation and walked straight inside the house. His eyes however locked on as he walked with clearly seen frowning eyebrows.

"Dude, that was the first time I've seen you that mad…" with so little context, he somewhat spoke bitterly.

"I'm sorry that you had to see that, G."

"Eh?" Rin confusedly let out. "I thought that you were only with Ken at that time, Potato?"

"Ahhh… Well, I can't deny that I shouted at him a lot. G eventually saw everything."

"What are you guys talking about…?" the mangaka suspiciously asked.

"Something personal. You don't have to worry about that.

So you were the mystery assistant, G?"

"That is no mystery, though. Yuuga hates doing a lot of background inking and I also do a lot of typing so he makes me do them before I go to my summer job."

"That's news. Since when have you been working?"

"I came back to Stylo with Nagi the week after our graduation. I'm currently doing advertising designs. And you won't believe what I worked for a few days ago, Gin."

"Are you sure it's fine to say stuff to outsiders?"

"You don't want to, even if it involves Hosa?"

"Did I hear that right?!"

"Yeah, yeah. That's the only thing I can say though."

"Hahh… What a tease."

~ ~ ~

And once again, the shameless potato is having lunch with them.

"Gin, Ringo. Do you know when is the Golden Week in the North?"

"From what I heard, was it on May 2-6?"

"That's right. After that time you and G won't be able to come here until the end of May."

"Is something up, sensei?"

"**We're actually going to Japan at that time."

They thought that their ears were playing with them. It was not Yuuga's voice that they heard, but Minase's, who just nonchalantly spoke with an unexpected language.

"And so you've heard her. I was actually making her read my books I used to learn the language while I teach her."

"Ehhhhhhhhhhhh…"

"Well, I was invited by a fellow author on his place in exchange of helping him out with his own manga while I also do my own. We are under the same publisher, you see.

Since 'Tale of Love' is so heavily based on Japan's geography unlike 'Hana.' I figured that I would use that time to study the places and the culture in the North more."

"That's good, I guess. No one is going to frame you two to living in a house alone, at least."

"Ugh… Now I'm worried. Just so you know, Gin, there are many authors that are eccentric on their own ways."

"Oh my… Good luck with that."

"Alright, enough of that. You've had your stomachs filled for free so you better go back to work."

"Haaaai, sensei," the three spoke concurrently.

"Now why do I feel like I'm a primary school teacher…"

Arc will begin on chapter 98!