𝐻𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑘𝑜-𝐾𝑢𝑛, 𝐴𝑟𝑒 𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒?

Where is Carmen Sandiego?

"What do you mean there's no Yashiro Nene?!" The girl jumped from her seat, already stricken with emotion from today's events, this 'disappearance' of Nene wasn't helping her relax. The student who spoke yelped at the reaction from (Name), scrambling words up for clarification, "L- Like I said! There's no Yashiro Nene in this school!" An answer less than satisfactory, but it seems that the Sensei had taken a moment before his eyes dilated into dots before resuming normal size if somehow understanding something she didn't?
He nodded, "Right, my bad," though Tsuchigomori shot the (color)-haired girl a look of curiosity- a brief moment that was immediately covered up by a lecture- she couldn't help but wonder about Yashiro.

Where had she gone..?

Her mind zoned out from the lecture, thinking about going to someone for help, yet would be the first thing to do though? Would we just look around despite no signs of her existence but a cellphone number? (Name)'s hands crinkled into each other in front of her, trying to think of some solution that didn't involve Hanako.
She felt she disturbed him enough for now anyhow, so it's best to just leave that all be for now..
But that doesn't mean she's leaving Yashiro to be off who knows where!

"(Name)!"

The Sensei called, possibly for a third time.
She was startled as she looked up to catch the exasperated gaze, "Do you feel ill at all? You're looking a bit sickly." He walked to his desk, grabbing pen and paper- probably a slip to go to the infirmary- a perfect chance to go looking for Yashiro!
Tsuchigomori walked back to her desk, slipping the pass to her with a discreet gesture to not reveal the contents scribbled on. She didn't think anything of it when she got up from the class to leave, a quick thanks to Sensei for this miracle!

As soon as she left the classroom, she folded the paper into a small piece to slip in her bag and grab for her phone to try calling Yashiro's number.

But for some reason.
It hadn't worked.
Neither did calling her family residence and asking to speak to her, or even going around asking students about Yashiro and her whereabouts.

The several negatives made it dimly possible for a positive to show up, in consideration of that note given to her but it could just be a normal pass for the infirmary- she still hoped it was something different- as she opened up the slip of paper. Her eyes gleamed in anticipation for the contents scribbled on the paper, only to find..
It was a normal pass.
Her irritation was boundless, but decided it was best to just go to the infirmary for some thinking time as she tried to scour the place for Yashiro.

Her fingers grazed the sentences scribbled on the former blanks, though her curiosity became piqued once seeing the location she was supposed to be coming from was.. The Misaki Stairs? She just came out of Tsuchigomori-sensei's class, not from the stairs. Her brows furrowed at the much more odd instructions, they had been printed quickly onto the paper- it was telling her to go to the fourth step and wait- which was odd..
Another, even weirder, instruction was to 'Introduce yourself to Yako formally, the Echinococcus is difficult'. Though, with no other way for searching for Yashiro, she decided to just go to the Misaki Stairs without a second thought or clue of the mystery she'd encounter..
Besides!

She already tried those old stairs, they just had something against her!
In any case, a clue is a clue.

"Heading that way? Mm, is she dumb or brave?"

________________

Just as she was about to step on the fourth step, a hand reached out for hers and grabbed it quickly to reel her back, her head twisted to look behind her and saw Hanako! (Name) didn't react until seeing a black seal instead of a white one. Her brows furrowed but thought nothing of it really, instead deciding to once again apologize to him; "Hanako- I- you know I'm- I'm.. Sorry.." The words toppled out her mouth like jenga blocks, being rewarded a chuckle from the boy who flicked her forehead.
"Stutter-y muffin, aren't you?" He cooed, ruffling her hair absentmindedly.

This was.. Weird.

"Hanako, I was.." She paused, grabbing his hand to return his gaze to her eyes but his usual amused amber look felt more like a observant sight. 'Hanako' would quirk his head, "What?"

"Yashiro's missing!" She quickly spoke, wanting to find her friend as soon as possible, but it seems the mention of the radish girl put a frown on that smiling face. He leaned closer, gripping (Name)'s hands tightly in his own with silent gestures before yanking her forward to the fourth step; "Then, let's go get your friend!"

And just like that.
They took the step into the world covered in ribbons and scissors.