Terror in Resonance: If - Sphinxes of the Sleepless City
Terror in Resonance: If — Sphinxes of the Sleepless City
Nine and Touji have returned—not to the Tokyo of their world, but to another sleepless city where the festival lights flicker and the shadows of the Athena Plan still reach. The bomb is set. The detonator is ready. And the world is watching Sphinx.
But in this world, a girl sits alone in the corner of a classroom, her downcast eyes carrying the weight of a silence no one else can hear. She is not Mio. She is just a classmate. A stranger.
Terror in Resonance: If - Sphinxes of the Sleepless City - The Chaser — The Night Two Sounds Overlap —
Outside the hideout's window, the cicadas would not stop singing.
Even through the thin curtains, the summer sun mercilessly baked the room. The air conditioner was off—to keep their power usage patterns from being used to track their location. In the corner of the living room, Nine had his laptop open, cycling through surveillance camera feeds. Behind his dark navy frames, his deep brown eyes traced the screen. The small old scar on his left eyebrow glistened with sweat.
"Man, it's hot, Nine. Can I go buy some ice cream?"
Touji was crouched in front of the fridge, his head stuck inside. His fluffy, light-brown mushroom cut swayed slightly in the cold air. His big amber eyes glanced back over his shoulder.
"No. Nobody goes outside today."
"Aww. But come on, Risa looks hot too."
Risa sat at the corner of the table, clutching a plastic water bottle in both hands. Her shoulder-length black hair clung to her cheeks with sweat. Her round black eyes wavered with something like unease. The small earring on her left ear caught the light now and then.
"I'm fine, really. I've been drinking water."
Risa's voice was a little hoarser than usual.
In that instant, Touji's vision bloomed softly with color.
Every time a voice, a sound, vibrated the air, Touji saw color. Risa's voice was a pale yellow.
That faint shade you get when you peel a lemon.
Touji grinned.
"Risa's voice is a beautiful color today, too."
"...A color?"
Risa tilted her head.
"Yeah. Sounds show up as colors for me. Your voice is pale yellow. That's a really rare color, you know."
Touji shut the fridge door and settled down beside Risa.
"Pale... yellow..."
Risa gently touched her own throat.
"I've heard all kinds of people's voices. But pale yellow—that's genuinely rare. The first time I heard one was back at the facility... ah, no, never mind."
Touji cut himself off in a hurry.
"The facility?"
"Ah—that, uh, old story. Forget it."
Touji scratched the back of his head.
Risa stared at him for a moment.
(This person is always smiling, but sometimes he looks far away.)
"...What color is your voice, Touji?"
"Mine? I can't see my own. Same as how I don't show up in mirrors."
"I see. Then what about Nine's?"
"Nine's is deep blue. Like the bottom of the sea."
Touji said it while looking at Nine's back.
Nine didn't take his eyes off the laptop.
"The color of my voice doesn't matter. More importantly, let's go over tonight."
Nine spoke without turning around.
"Tonight?"
Risa's shoulders jumped.
"That black car's been circling nearby again. There's a good chance we move tonight. Are your things packed?"
"I'm ready to go anytime."
Touji raised his hand cheerfully.
"Risa, you carry this."
Nine set a small cell phone in front of Risa.
"What is this?"
"For contact. If we get separated, call this number. Don't use it for anything else."
Risa cupped the phone in both hands as she took it.
"...Okay."
"Good. And Touji."
"What?"
"Tonight you follow my instructions. No acting on your own. Especially you—don't run ahead with Risa."
"I know, I know. It'll be fine."
Touji laughed.
But that smile was somehow strained.
Even by evening, the heat hadn't let up.
Through the hideout's window, an orange sun sank between the distant towers.
Risa leaned against the balcony railing, watching the sky.
(How many days has it been since I came here?)
She hadn't been to school. She hadn't gone home.
Her mother must be furious.
She'd seen on the news that a missing-person report had been filed.
(Did I... become a criminal?)
A sharp ache tightened in Risa's chest.
"Risa, what're you looking at?"
Touji came up beside her.
"The sunset. It's beautiful."
"Yeah. But your voice is an even prettier color."
"...You're saying that again."
Risa looked down.
Her cheeks were faintly red.
"'Cause it's true. Hey, Risa—sing something for me sometime. I want to hear your voice more."
"Sing? I'm not good at singing."
"It's not about good or bad. I want to see the color. I want to see up close how your voice takes on color."
Touji's amber eyes looked straight at her.
Risa couldn't escape that gaze, and gave a small nod.
"...Then. Sometime. Okay?"
"Promise!"
Touji smiled happily.
Seeing that smile, the weight in Risa's chest eased, just a little.
Night.
The air had finally cooled, if only slightly.
Inside the hideout, it was dark.
No lights.
Only a thin sliver of moonlight slipped through the gap in the curtains.
Nine stared intently at the laptop screen.
Multiple surveillance feeds played in small windows.
The area around the apartment, the alleys, the street in front of the station.
"...They're here."
Nine's voice rang low.
"The black car?"
Touji leaned forward.
"No, different. The black car was on the west side until a moment ago. Now another car is approaching from the east alley."
Nine pointed at the screen.
A white station wagon was crawling slowly down the alley.
"Didn't that car pass by earlier too?"
"Yeah. And the driver's talking into a radio."
Nine aimed a small mic out the window to pick up audio.
Through a burst of static, broken fragments of voice came through.
"...Roger...target...confirmed...approaching from the east..."
"Not the police. The way they use the radio—they're trained."
"What do we do, Nine?"
"We leave through the north fire escape as planned. Touji, take Risa and go ahead."
"Got it."
Touji took Risa's hand.
"Risa, let's go. Stay quiet and follow behind me."
"O-okay."
Risa's voice was trembling.
In Touji's vision, her voice shifted from pale yellow to a muddy gray.
(Risa's scared.)
Touji squeezed her hand back.
"It's okay. I'll protect you."
With that, he led Risa toward the back of the room.
The three of them moved silently toward the north fire escape.
They eased the iron door open.
A creak echoed into the night's stillness.
"...Hurry."
Nine urged them in a whisper.
They started down the stairs.
Outside, a lukewarm wind was blowing.
The back alley was dark.
Only scattered streetlights glimmered in the distance.
"We'll head straight out to the north main road. From there, we cut toward the entertainment district."
Nine gave directions, mapping the route in his head.
"Huh? Nine, what about the west alley?"
"The black car's on the west side. That way's no good."
"But cutting through the west alley gets us to the main road faster. Risa wants to get somewhere safe quickly too."
For the first time, Touji pushed back against Nine's orders.
"No. They've got a net spread on the west side. The white car crew to the east hasn't noticed our movement yet. Going around from the north is the safest route."
"But with Risa's legs, the north route's a long way. The west alley puts us on the main road in no time. I'll go ahead and check that it's clear."
"Wait, Touji."
Nine reached for Touji's arm.
But Touji shook him off, pulled Risa's hand, and bolted into the west alley.
"Touji!"
Risa cried out softly.
"I'll be right back! Nine, go north first!"
Touji's voice vanished into the dark.
"...That idiot."
Nine muttered low and chased after them.
The west alley was darker than expected.
The shadows of the buildings swallowed the path whole.
The smell of garbage stung the nose.
"This way, Risa. Watch your step."
Touji moved carefully, pulling Risa along.
Her breathing was ragged.
"Touji, we really should do what Nine said..."
"It's fine. That white car's still to the east. The west alley should be safe."
That was when it happened.
"Don't move."
A low voice came from ahead.
At the alley's exit stood two men in black suits.
Something glinted in their hands.
"...What—"
Touji froze.
Risa's hand clamped down hard on his.
"You two are the Sphinxes. Come quietly."
One of the men pulled a radio from his jacket.
"This is west side. Targets located. Securing both."
"Touji, let's run!"
Risa's voice came out like a scream.
"Risa, run!"
Touji yanked her hand hard, trying to double back the way they'd come.
But footsteps echoed from behind them too.
"We're boxed in..."
The blood drained from Touji's face.
"Hey, you. The girl. You're the hostage. Don't move."
One of the pursuers leveled something at Risa.
A stun gun.
"Stop! Don't touch her!"
Touji stepped in front of Risa to shield her.
"Touji, no!"
Risa's voice cracked with terror.
In Touji's vision, her voice stained black.
(Risa's voice is going black...)
Touji's chest felt like it would burst.
Then—
"Get down."
A low voice rang through the alley.
An instant later, something burst at one pursuer's feet.
Bang!
"Gah!"
The man screamed and went down.
Nine came flying out of the shadows of the alley.
In his hand was something like a small tube.
"Fireworks?!"
"Run! North!"
Nine shouted.
All three broke into a sprint.
Behind them, angry shouts erupted.
"After them! Don't let them get away!"
Multiple sets of footsteps closed in.
"Damn it, they don't quit!"
Touji ran desperately, dragging Risa along.
Her breath whistled in and out.
"Risa, you okay?!"
"I-I'm okay...!"
Her voice shook, but it came back steady.
"This way!"
Nine slipped into a narrow alley.
The three of them wove through the maze of backstreets.
How far had they run?
At some point, the pursuers' footsteps had faded.
The three stopped at the corner of a small park.
Their breathing was ragged.
The sweat wouldn't stop.
"...Did we lose them?"
Nine muttered, scanning their surroundings.
"Hah... hah... sorry, Nine. I went off on my own..."
Touji apologized, hands on his knees, shoulders heaving.
"...Your call put Risa in danger. If I hadn't made it in time, what do you think would've happened?"
Nine's voice was cold as ice.
"...Sorry."
Touji couldn't lift his head.
"'Sorry' isn't enough. Why didn't you follow my instructions?"
"...Because Risa looked so scared. I wanted to get her somewhere safe fast. I thought the west alley was closer..."
"Your 'thought' isn't a plan. You put Risa's life on the line with your feelings."
Nine's words drove deep into Touji's chest.
"...But I just wanted to protect her."
Touji's voice was barely a whisper.
"If you want to protect her, protect my instructions first. The more you act on your own, the more danger Risa's in. Do you understand?"
"...I understand. Sorry."
Touji kept his head down, apologizing over and over.
Risa watched the exchange in silence.
(It's my fault.)
(Because I showed Touji how scared I was.)
(Because I'm here, the two of them are fighting.)
A tight knot squeezed Risa's chest.
"Anyway, this place is dangerous. We're moving. I'll arrange a new hideout."
Nine started walking.
"Risa, let's go."
Touji held out his hand.
Risa didn't take it.
"...I'm just dead weight, aren't I. I'm sorry. Because I was there, you ignored Nine's instructions."
Risa's voice was nearly gone.
"That's not it! It's not your fault! I just made the call on my own!"
Touji denied it frantically.
"But... because I'm here, you two end up in danger. I'll leave. I'll get out of here."
"Risa, what are you saying?! You can't do that!"
Touji grabbed her by both shoulders.
"But..."
"Risa, you're one of us. We're not leaving a friend behind."
Touji's amber eyes looked at her with utter seriousness.
"...One of you."
Risa's lips trembled.
"Yeah. When you're here, I can keep going. Because I want to hear your voice more. Because I want to see the color of your voice more. So stay with us."
Touji's voice was direct and warm.
Tears spilled from Risa's eyes.
"...Is it really okay for me to stay?"
"Of course it is. Right, Nine!"
Touji turned to look at Nine.
Nine stood a little apart, watching them in silence.
"...Do what you want. But next time, follow my instructions."
That was all Nine said before he started walking again.
His expression melted into the night's darkness, impossible to read.
The next morning.
The Metro
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