He laughed nervously and reached for the power button on his tower. His fingers brushed the cold metal. But before he could press it, the screen glitched. Sayori’s smile stretched too wide, her eyes turning into black voids.
“Don’t go, Leo,” she said, her voice no longer bubbly but layered—a chorus of whispers. “You promised to spend time with us.”
Leo stumbled backward, knocking over his chair. He heard a giggle—not from the speakers, but from the corner of his dark room. It sounded like a young girl, trying to hide behind a door.
He was standing—or rather, his digital avatar was standing—in a sun-drenched classroom. Cherry blossom petals drifted across the screen. Four girls with oversized eyes and pastel hair smiled at him.