But now, a fourth stoppage had begun — without her permission. Sora woke up on the rooftop, surrounded by motionless students. A girl mid-laugh. A boy tying his shoe. A teacher dropping chalk. All statues.
“Oyasumi, onee-chan.” — Gakuen de Jikan yo Tomare 4: The Keeper’s Sacrifice
The ghost students flickered. Then, one by one, they became solid. A girl took a breath. A boy blinked. A teacher smiled. gakuen de jikan yo tomare 4
“No one ever knows,” Itsuki replied. “That’s why the hourglass was sealed. But you opened it three times. Now the academy’s time is collapsing. Unless…”
And then she was gone — replaced by a small, golden hourglass floating in the air. The black one shattered. But now, a fourth stoppage had begun —
Sora fell to her knees, clutching the golden hourglass. Inside, a tiny figure slept — Hikari, frozen but peaceful.
Sora looked. Among the frozen students, she saw figures she didn’t recognize. Ghostly. Translucent. — because their timelines had been erased by previous time-stoppers. A boy tying his shoe
It was — Sora’s little sister. She wasn’t frozen. A single silver hairpin glowed in her hand. “I found the second hourglass, sis. In your drawer. I’ve been following you this whole time.”