Chapter 3: The Forgotten One

Rein wakes up, finding himself floating on water. He tries to stand up, but his feet aren’t ready to support him so he fell again. The weird thing is that the water splashes didn’t make him wet.

Then Rein looks at his reflection, his clothes change. Now he isn’t wearing the school uniform, He wears a white suit. Rein looks at his surroundings, it’s all white. But there’s a black door. When Rein is walking to that door, the door opens slowly and someone in black suit came out. He wears a glasses and a grin decorates his face. “Who are you?,” Rein asks. He points to the water beneath Rein. “You’re… me?.” That other Rein laughs. “You totally had forgotten me, huh? Yes, Rein. I’m you, actually I’m your other personality. The long forgotten personality. Thanks to you saying ‘The old self possessing me again’, I’ve found a door to enter your mind. Well the effect of me entering your mind is… That pain on your head,” Rein confused. “I’ve never made you and I don’t know you,” His grin disappears and changed in to a sad face for a moment, but suddenly he laughs again. “Oh, silly me. I haven’t introduced myself am I? My name is Thanatos. For now, we shall say our goodbye. Your ‘new’ friends are waiting,” then he moves super fast and stopped right in front of Rein, He grins and flicks Rein’s fore head.

“GAH!,” Rein wakes up on a bed, cold sweating and gasping. “Where am I?,” he said. Then a nurse came in, she smiles. “It’s okay, you’re in the infirmary. You were fainted for about… 2 hours. Your friends took you here,” Rein hold his head. ‘it’s still hurts’ “Miss, do you have any headache medicine?,” Rein asks. “Wait a moment, okay?,” The nurse left. Rein look at his right, There’s a glass of water. Rein drinks a little of it, his throat feels like a desert. He checks his phone, 14.45 pm. 15 minutes until the end of the last subject.

After he drank the medicine, Rein wears his suit uniform and his tie, which were hanged. He went back to his class, but Rein goes to the toilet first. When he’s in the toilet the bell rang, ‘Just as I predicted,’ Rein thought. He walks out and continue walking to his class. Rein’s mind is pretty much empty, but there’s only one thing bothered his mind. Thanatos. ‘I had another personality, but he said that he was long forgotten. So that means, the past me has buried him and he comes again to… seek revenge? or just to wanders around my mind?,’ Rein thought hard. He doesn’t realize that he had arrived in front of his class. When he enters the class, it’s already empty. He takes his bag and stand still for a moment while looking a the orange line in the sky outside. “Oh yeah, the club… Ryuuji must be already at the Tech Lab.”

Shirayuki saw how Rein fell to his knees and Ryuuji called his name. Ryuuji tries to wake Rein. She come over to where Rein is lying. His face seems so fragile and also holding so much pain. Rein becomes the center of the attention, but there’s no one who wanted to help him. They’re just whispering at each other. Some of them even said that it’s only his act to gain attention. ‘Did they see his face? How he’s holding his pain all alone?,’ Shirayuki thought. “Ryuuji! Let’s take him to the infirmary!,” Ryuuji nodded and together they took Rein. Still there’s not even a sympathy from the others.

They stayed at the infirmary until the doctor finished her diagnosis. She said that Rein is lack of rest. Well Ryuuji said it’s impossible, his opinion is that Rein is a lazy boy. “He is a healthy teenager, his heart is like an athlete's,” The doctor said. Ryuuji can’t say no to that, because they have more data than him. After that both Shira and Ryuuji have to go back to their classes. Rein still lying on the bed, showing no sign of waking up. “Wake up soon, Rein. And meet us at the clubroom, okay?,” Shira told him. Rein’s face still shows that he is holding so much pain.

Shira can’t concentrate on the subject, because her mind still thinking about Rein. ‘He was still okay when I talk to him. How can he suddenly fainted?,’ Shira thought. The teacher notices that Shira isn’t focusing on him, So he throws a question for her. But he forgot one thing, Shirayuki gets the second highest score in the entrance test. Shirayuki can easily answer it even though she isn’t focusing on something.

The bell finally rings, Shira was putting her books to her bag when her friend called her. “Are you going to your clubroom now?,” She asks.

“Yes, Charlotte. But, before that I think I’m gonna check on Rein”

“You sounds so worried, it’s like you had known him longer than you know me,” Charlotte replied with a bit of jealousy. “You know I find you as my little sister, right?,” Shirayuki giggles. Charlotte pouts. “Just because I’m smaller than anyone else, doesn’t mean I’m the youngest!,” She shouts.

“You’re really cute when your angry! I’ll be going first, Okay?,” Shira said, pinching Charlotte’s Cheeks.

 When she’s walks out the door, Ryuuji was passing by. “Oh Hey, Shirayuki! Are you going to the clubroom now?”

“Well, I want to see Rein first actually and then go to the clubroom—“

“No need for that, just go straight to the clubroom. I’ll be checking on Rein. Since you’re our leader, you suppose to be the first one to see the room,” Ryuuji smiles.

“Oh, okay then. But, if you find him not in a good condition just ask him to go home first, alright?,” Ryuuji’s smile changes into a grin. “Rein’s choice isn’t wrong… I’ll be going, see you!,” and he walks off.

After asking for directions from the staff there, she finally found the tech lab.It is said  that the tech lab had been abandoned for five years and now it’s only being used for The Logic Breakers club activity. The room is in a dark corner and it seems that people won’t go in there or even near there. Shirayuki stands in front of the door and twist the knob. ‘Eh… It’s locked?… Oh yeah, the card key.’ She swept the card and open the door. A wet breeze came out.

The room is pretty small, but 6 or 9 people could fit in. In the middle of the room there’s a wide table and right in front of the window there’s a computer. The room has 4 big bookcase and 1 medium bookcase. The room is pretty dusty and dirty. ‘If things tidied up, it’ll be pretty comfy,’ Shira thought. When she walks around the room, three pieces of paper caught her attention. On top of every paper there’s a number written over it.

Shirayuki takes the paper that has ‘1’ written over. In it there’s many dots, that made patterns. “Is this a braille code? What does it mean?,” she thought. Suddenly Rein enters the room. “Hey, Shirayuki. You’ve been waiting long?,” Rein said it as he never fainted today. “No Rein, I’ve just arrived too,” she smiled. “Are you okay now? Not going to faint again?,” Rein shows a light smile. “Who knows? Maybe I’m going to faint again after this,” He sighs. “Don’t say such thing, Rein. It’ll be a handful to take you home if you faint again,” Shirayuki said. “I’m not that heavy am I?  By the way, is this really our ‘Extra-Ordinary’ clubroom?,” Rein said while putting his bag on a chair and looks around. Then the papers also catch his attention. “What’s this? Puzzles?,” Rein asks. “Yeah, I guess so. Hey Rein, do you understand braille? This paper here contains a braille code,” Shirayuki said while giving Rein the first paper. He observes it for a second and then he looks at Shirayuki. “This is no ordinary braille. This is a puzzled braille. See here, This is G and the next is P,” Rein said while showing it to Shirayuki, so she would understand. “You understand this kind of thing, Rein? You’re like some secret agents you know? Fainted after lunch, like being poisoned and now you can solve braille code,” Rein gave her a light smile. “Can I   borrow a pen? I’ll try to solve it,” Rein asks. “Sure, but can I watch how you do it?,” Shira said while giving him a pen. “Why not?.” He sits on a chair and pulls the other one beside him. He pats his hand on the chair, cue in Shirayuki to sit there.

Rein solves every character carefully. On how he does it, braille doesn't look like a challenge. Shirayuki watches everything Rein does, sitting very close to Rein, But she didn’t notice and Rein doesn't seem bothered, since he’s already sucked into solving it.

Suddenly Ryuuji barges into the room, both of them startled. Ryuuji looks at Rein, then to Shirayuki, and then back to Rein with a grin. “Well, well, well. You're already making a move, aren’t you?,” Rein still on his straight face. “What are you talking about?,” Rein finally can’t hide that his face is getting redder. Finally, Shira understands what Ryuuji meant. She hurriedly stands up, her face also gets redder. “Shut up, Ryuuji. At least help me with this puzzle,” Rein tries to change the topic. “Ckckck… Rein this room is pretty far from teacher’s attention, the light intensity is pretty low, and this room is well isolated from outside. What kind of indecent things are you going to do, if I don't hurry here?,” Ryuuji laughed. Shirayuki just look at them, feeling a little bit panic. “Ryuuji… Come here…” Rein’s voice changed and now he’s radiating a killer aura. When Ryuuji walks, Rein moves really fast and suddenly *Ctak!!!* Ryuuji fell. “Ouch!!! Why—What did you do?!.” Rein smiles, but it’s a damn scary smile. “Just teaching you a lesson, C’mon get up, Ryuuji. We had puzzles to solve,” Rein’s voice back to normal and helps Ryuuji stands up. Ryuuji rubs his forehead, “What did you do, Rein?”  

 “I just flick your forehead. not a very bad punishment, right?. Shirayuki will explains to you about this room and these—“

“Rein, didn’t you say I’m the leader? Why are you become the one who order things around?,” Shirayuki gives an intimidating smile to Rein. “Eh… Oh, Right! The commander here will tell you to do, I’ll be…” Rein points to his paper and sits right away. “Hmm, that’s more I like it,” Shira smiles and starts explaining things to Ryuuji who is still rubbing his forehead.

Rein sighed. “I think I’ve solved the first riddle,” He said while giving the pen back to Shirayuki who was reading a book. “Really? Let’s hear it then,” Shirayuki said. “Ryuuji, wake up. Read it for us, I’ve wasted a lot of energy solving it,” Rein said while shaking Ryuuji’s body. “Uuuhhhh, fine, fine… Give it to me.” After reading it, Ryuuji laughs. “You do have a sense of humor aren’t you?,” Rein laughs a little. “Just read it, Ryuuji. Don’t make our commander die of curiosity,” Ryuuji nodded while still holding his laugh. “Okay, here it goes. JNGPU BHG SBF RIREL QVERPGVBA GURER NER,” Ryuuji’s laugh explodes. “What does that mean, Rein?.”

“Didn’t I say it’s a puzzled braille?,” Rein said while laughing a little.

“Rein only gives us the raw answer, Shira. The final answer is… wait a minute I’ll solve it,” Ryuuji said while taking his pen.

“It’ll be dark when you finally finish it, Ryuuji. the answer is, ‘Watch out for every directions there are.’ Get it, Commander?,” Rein said to Shira.

“Yes, finally I understand. But what does it means by directions?”

“Just as I expected, the directions here might be where these numbers on the paper points to,” Rein said while putting the first paper to a not-dust-sheltered position

“Wait, the direction wrong. The first paper points to the left,” Shirayuki said while putting the paper to the right direction. Rein just looking at Shira when she did it. Then after Shira stood up, she looks at Rein which still looking at her. Then he looks away, pretending that he is suddenly interested in something random.
“Guys, I think we should go home now. It’s already 4.20 pm,” Ryuuji said while showing his phone. “Commander, do we leave the puzzles here or take it home?,” Ryuuji asks. “Since their direction also part of the puzzle, it’s better to leave it here. What do you think, Rein?.” Shira looks at Rein. “Yeah, that will do. Let’s go, I’m exhausted,” Rein said while taking his bag. “Shira don’t forget to lock the door,” Rein reminds her. "Are you commanding the commander again, Rein?," Shirayuki smiles. "Eh... No, of course not. Give me the key, Ryuuji will lock it."

Bright orange stains the afternoon sky. The lights around the school already turned on. “So, what’s the information you got, Ryuuji?,” Rein asks. “Oh yeah, I almost forgot. The headmaster finally gave the fixed date of the Avatar Burst introduction and guess what… It’s tomorrow!,” Ryuuji said cheerfully. “I’m really curious how my avatar looks like,” said Shirayuki. “Yeah, me too… Ryuuji lend me your text book, okay? I missed the last 2 hours today.” Rein said. Ryuuji looks at Rein with a mischievous look, “And the rumored one cares about it?.”

“Don’t call me with that name okay… I’m not a rumor, I’m real.” Rein emphasize. 
“Why were you being called ‘The Rumored One’, Rein?,” Shirayuki asks. Hearing it Rein sighs then grins. 

“Because I’m simply one hell of a genius.”