Boy Howdy!

After giving Yuuya and the other students a weak smile as his lips trembled, Hatsuna simply closed his eyes and held himself. A part of him still didn’t want to die, even though he felt truly alone beyond any point of salvation. And on top of all that, knowing what would soon await him filled the young shepherd with a deep sense of dread. How desperately he wished things could’ve been different. But before he could spend more time thinking about it, the floor beneath him opened up. Hatsuna fell with a shocked yelp, his hand outstretched at the others in one final attempt at holding on. It was only moments after, that the LED monitors around the students sprung to life once more. As the screens showed only darkness, a silent dread filled the room. What horrible images awaited them this time?

Bijou opens her mouth to say something, the moment the bullets rip through her metal body, exposing the wiring within. Her body twitches before tipping over onto the ground, where it stays.

It’s not until Hatsuna is done with his speech that another Bijou appears, looking as angry as her robotic features allowed.

“Hey asshole–! What did you expect to accomplish? Did you think I don’t have, like, a million Bijou’s lying around? God, you’re even stupider than I thought!”

It’s Bijou’s voice speaking, but somehow it feels like it’s the mastermind speaking through the plush hamster, to Hatsuna now. The impression fades quickly, though, as Bijou returns to her usual chipper self.

“You’re lucky you’re getting executed anyways! Violence against your chaperone is punishable by death!”

She claps her hands.

“Oh you son of a– YA CAN’T JUS’ DO THAT!”

Before Bijou nor anyone could do anything, Hatsuna pulled the pistol from his boot, aimed, and shot twice at the patchwork hamster, the deafening shots ringing through the trial grounds. Finding their mark, the force of the two bullets causing the mascot to fall from her seat unceremoniously into a heap, the sound of her circuits sparking as smoke rose from the two bullet holes.

Breathing heavily as Hatsuna lowered the gun, the shepherd stared wide eyed at Bijou’s ‘corpse’. Had he done it? Had he… Been able to save everyone? Looking about uneasily as he felt his breath catch nervously in his chest. He stood in silence for a moment, his gun clattering uselessly to the ground, now void of all ammunition. Letting out a sigh of relief as nothing seemed to happen, Hatsuna didn’t let his guard down immediately. He might have taken care of the puppet, but the puppeteer was still out there. He might not have much time left. Wasting no more time, Hatsuna vaulted over Hisashi’s empty podium and ran over to the one person he had to talk to before anything else happened.

Yuuya Hanasaki.

Taking in a deep breath, Hatsuna slammed his hand down on Yuuya’s podium, staring him straight in the face.

“Yuuya. I’m sorry I had tuh tell the truth. It’s… Gonna be rough for you from here on out. I’ve really caused ya a lotta trouble, huh.”

He let out a low chuckle as he shook his head sadly.

“I should be hatin’ yer guts right now… Like everyone else… But, like the fool 'ah am… I… Still can’t forget the times we had. Even if it was all a lie. If I could, I’d go back and relive those moments, over and over. But… If only I never listened to your words. If only I had never pulled the trigger…”

“But, it’s too late for regrets. And that’s not what I’m here to say. I just… Hope you’ll be happy. Stay safe… I… Left you a present on yer table. Tuh keep ya warm on those nights when ya have no one… Even if ya don’t care… I… I sincerely hope, you’ll be happy and safe out there one day.”

Hatsuna gave Yuuya one last smile. Just like the one’s he had given him when the two had been alone together. It didn’t last long but, Hatsuna did his best to cling on to the memories of the happiest times of his life as he slowly stepped away from Yuuya’s podium. Whatever happened now, didn’t matter.

“I changed my mind.”

Hatsuna was shocked to say the least. After the question had left his mouth, he had almost regretted it.

Almost.

As soon as he heard Bijou’s reply, Hatsuna’s eyes widened in shock. No way? What did that mean? Could it have been that that mastermind… He frowned, thinking long and hard. Bijou had said that it had to have been a classmate of theirs, right? And yet, it wasn’t any of the ones left standing here in this court room, himself included. Yet a deep sense of relief flooded over him at the fact that his remaining peers no long had to eye each other with suspicion, this opened up a whole new line of possibilities. Possibilities that Hatsuna knew he wouldn’t live to see. Still… He had to have faith in his classmates. He had to think of another question. But… What?

It was then when Goro chimed in with his suggestion. Hatsuna looked over at the sumo in surprise and then smiled.

“Ah– Thank you, Nakada-kun.”

He looked away quickly, unable to look his former friend in the eyes. He bit his lip as he turned back towards Bijou, mulling over Goro’s suggestion in his head.

“… My second question. Was… Er… Did the Mastermind… Get? Executed? B-but didn’t… Die?”

He glanced around, looking for any other suggestions that might come his way. Seeing that there was none, Hatsuna gulped and put his hand to his chin as he stared downward in thought. This was the last question. He’d already helped narrow it down to the point where no one had to suspect anyone. That was already more than he had hoped for. But he couldn’t stop now, he had to make this one count.

“…”

Hatsuna made a discontented face as Kohaku brought up the 3 questions. But when the lawyer presented the blueprints to bijou, and mechanical blueprints at that. Of course, Bijou had to have been a robot! Though Hatsuna felt a little embarrassed that for a while he’d almost believed that Bijou was some sort of otherworldly hamster entity. But it was then that Hatsuna blinked, looking confusedly from Viktor to the lawyer and back again. As the accusations began once more, but this time those accusing words weren’t directed at him, but at Viktor? Hatsuna frowned as he looked back at Vik as the roboticist gently freed himself from his arms. And as his one remaining friend revealed himself to be the traitor that had been said to have been in their midst, Hatsuna backed away slowly, shaking his head.

“N-no… Asi-kun? You too?”

He closed his eyes as he listened to Viktor’s explanation, frowning all the while. Though it technically made sense, Hatsuna just couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that… He had remembered… Memories? 

“This… Ain’t makin’ a lick ‘a sense…”

Then again, he figured, at this point. Nothing made sense. And with the fact that he was going to die soon anyway, what was the point? Hatsuna let out a resigned sigh as he sadly gazed out at each one of the students. Well, he still had one more service to them all before he got his just punishment.

“… I do gotta admit, this here’s some mighty strange stuff. But… There ain’t any point in talkin’ 'bout it here. I dunno how much time I have left. Before I go, let’s ask those questions… Like Matsushita-san said… I… Gotta do somethin’ useful. I…”

He smiled.

“I know y'all must hate me, but… I want y'all tuh stay safe and get outta here, alright?”

And with that, he turned to look at Bijou, deciding to ask the first question.

Hatsuna blinked over at Viktor, blinking in shock as the roboticist took off his eyepatch. He stared back, unflinching as he looked rather confused. But as his friend finished the short thing he had to say, Hatsuna’s lips trembled, feeling incredibly moved. Standing up straight, he slowly made his way over to where Vik was and pulled him into a hug and buried his face into the other’s shoulder.

“Thank you, Asi-kun. Thank you… Viktor. I’m… So sorry. Please, stay safe after I’m gone. Get out and live well out there fer me, ok? Maybe… We’ll see each other again. In a next life. I hope we’ll be friends then too…”

“Hey, hey! You did it~! That must be relieving after the giant embarrassment your last trial was, huh? Hanasaki-chan made it easy on purpose, though, so don’t feel too proud of yourselves, huhu!”

“As for the motive… Hitsukawa-chan didn’t get away with the murder, but he still killed somebody! That means he gets to ask 3 yes or no questions about the mastermind before being brutally and mercilessly executed right in front of your very eyes! Excited~?”

“I am, but our ratings would totally drop if I didn’t give you some time to think about things! Hitsukawa-chan, you can take a few minutes to discuss the questions you want to ask with your classmates… Or not! I don’t really care!”

The results are…

Yuuya Hanasaki - 1 Hatsuna Hitsukawa - 8

And the winner is…

Vote Recorded!

Hatsuna’s eyes widened, each of Yuuya’s words hit him like a truck. With every word, Hatsuna could feel each nail of his coffin being nailed shut. Ah, this was the end, wasn’t it? A cold sweat ran down his forehead as he stared back at Yuuya in disbelief.

“You? Wanted… Me dead?”

Unable to comprehend the fact that had been so plainly laid out before him, Hatsuna thought out every possible explanation in his head. Every excuse and false hope he thought of was soon cut down by the cruel reality of it all. Ah, so… He wasn’t ever loved after all, was he. What a joke.

Shaking his head as he let out a low chuckle.

“Ah! I see now! How stupid of me! Ya wanted me dead? Ya wanted me tuh kill Haruto Kiyoshi-san too yeah? Well, guess yer gonna get yer wish. I’m… Truly happy.”

Reaching down, Hatsuna reached into his boot and in one fluid motion, he pulled out the pistol that had done the job, pointed it at Yuuya with a click before slowly setting it down on his podium.

“It’s true. I… I killed ‘em. I… I killed…”

Hatsuna’s voice wavered as he collapsed to his knees and slammed his fist onto his podium.

“I’m… I’m so sorry. Everyone. It’s all my fault. Yuuya, he. He told me that Haruto Kiyoshi-san, that in an argument… Kiyoshi-san told him that he was gonna kill someone. E-either… Sakuramiya-hime o-or… Satoori-chan. I… I didn’t wanna believe it, but… Like a fool. I did. I didn’t know who or what to believe anymore. I jus’, didn’t want anyone else tuh get hurt.”

He shook his head as he continued.

“ 'Ah… Was gonna admit it. Right away, I knew I couldn’t live with it. Not after seein’ what I did to Sakuramiya-hime. E-even though… I did that tuh him, he– He said… 'It’s ok…’ Th-that… It didn’t hurt. Not… After what I saw, what I did tuh Satoori-chan either. I killed the one she loved… I wouldn’t fergive myself either if I were her…”

“But I let my heart get the better of me. When I saw him here I just… Suddenly didn’t want tuh die anymore. All mah thoughts were on… The time we’d spend together beyond this place. But, it ain’t like it matters now.”

“This was all planned that day. After Yuuya… Told me about Kiyoshi-san’s 'plans’… He went tuh go look fer him while I… Waited fer his message. I-it was gettin’ late when he actually let me know. Wh-when I got tuh the mirror maze, Yuuya was fightin’ with Kiyoshi-san somethin’ fierce. Th-that’s… When he told me tuh shoot. I-I hesitated. But then, Kiyoshi-san said I didn’t have it in me. Th-that I couldn’t shoot.”

Hatsuna gulped and bit his lip, tears streaming down his face.

“But I did. 'nd it’s… All my fault. I’m sorry, everyone. Fer all'a y'all that had faith in me. I’m sorry…”

The only way he could ever atone for any of this, was with his life. After all, there was no point anymore. The lie he had so desperately clung to had been shattered. And even though he’d been so thoroughly wronged by Yuuya. Tricked through and through. In the most horrible way, Hatsuna hoped deep within his heart, that he had at least been of some use. Because, if not?

Tears were streaming down Hatsuna’s face at this point. As the tensions only rose, Hatsuna gripped himself tightly, trying his hardest to ground himself. Slowly with shaky breath followed by shaky breath, Hatsuna shook his head as he stared blankly over at Kohaku.

“No. N-no. I’d never… I– I ain’t selfish like you. There… There’s nothin’ out there fer me. Nothin’… Not without Yuuya-kun…”

He blinked as Kiyoko spoke up, slowly turning his attention towards the two. An ache filled his heart that only seemed to grow with each passing minute. Everything was wrong. He just wanted to run away as far as he could possibly go. He wanted to die, right then and there. What was Yuuya even saying? Those horrible things… Even though he couldn’t say he had been the most fond of Haruto Kiyoshi and his insensitive comments, Hatsuna never knew that’s how Yuuya truly felt about him. He gulped as he looked from the seething Kiyoko back over to the equally as agitated Yuuya.

He near jumped out of his skin when Yuuya addressed him. Was he causing him trouble? A deep sadness filled his heart as tears overflowed from his eyes.

“B-but you said I should write that part! I-it’d be more personal… That’s what you said! Y-yuuya-kun… Why’re you bein’ like this? I, I thought we were gonna get outta here t-together… I, I loved you, Yuuya… So, why? Why’re you sayin’ things like this? You knew. You knew…”

Hatsuna bit down on his lip as he closed his eyes, unable to look at the boy he loved. Shaking his head in denial, he gripped the wood of his podium.

“S-so then, i-is what… Satoori-chan sayin’… True? I… Don’t wanna believe it. The meals we shared together… Th-the time you made me omurice… I was? S-so happy? When I told ya I liked ya… I thought ya… Didn’t like me back. ‘nd, that was ok. It was… F-fine. B-but then you said ya’d think about it. ‘nd… You were so kind tuh me. Ya let me sit with ya, 'nd you’d willingly sit with me… Y-you even let me…”

He trailed off, shaking his head.

“Ya treated me different from everyone else. For once, I felt like… I had a purpose. Y-ya told me I deserved tuh live… So, I don’t understand?”

Hatsuna was stunned to say the least. His eyes widened as a cold sweat ran down his forehead. What Yuuya had said completely took him off guard, and if the shepherd had any sort of bravado left in him, it was all gone by this point. He stood in silence as he stared straight at his roommate. What was he saying? No, this was wrong. Why was he saying this? Why was he doubting him? Why was he bringing that up?

“H-huh? B-but Yuuya… Yer–”

His voice cracked as he was unable to produce much more noise than that. His mind had gone completely blank, and a deep sense of hurt and confusion dominated what was left of his cognitive plane. So much so that he could barely register when Kasumi chimed in beside him. He shook his head vigorously as he desperately tried to shut everything out. 

“No, no no! That ain’t true! He’s been so kind tuh me, I was… N-not alone anymore. Fer once in mah pathetic excuse of a life, I was happy…! D-don’t! Don’t take this from me..!”

He was nearly screaming hysterically at this point, his hand clutching his head as he shut his eyes.

“I AIN’T KNOW NOTHIN’ ‘BOUT IT!–”

When Yuuya spoke up, Hatsuna couldn’t help but smile. Even though his roommate also shot him a glare and his words seeming a little backhanded at times… Hatsuna couldn’t have been happier that Yuuya had come to his rescue. If one had been observing him closely, you could almost swear the shepherd had a light tinge of blush dusting his cheeks.

“Thank’s a bunch, Yuuya-kun!”

Hatsuna nodded, agreeing with the reserve course student.

“Y-yer right! I dunno who did it, but it ain’t me. Ya really think I’d be that stupid?”

Hatsuna frowned and shot a glare over at Kohaku. He did not want an answer to that question, as he knew the answer would be ‘yes’. Letting out a sigh he nodded again as he continued.

“Yup yup! I’m the clumsy sort at times, so I thought I’d have some on hand, ya know? Mama always used it. There’re plenty 'o other bottles there, so I figured no harm in takin’ one fer mah own personal use.”

Though that argument sounded rather flimsy even to him, Hatsuna left it at that, continuing to address the accusations of one (1) slimy stinky lawyer.

“Now, don’t ya have any accusin’ bones in yer body, Matsushita-san? I ain’t got nothin’ tuh hide so…”

And without much a word of hesitation, Hatsuna pulls off his glove with his teeth and begins to unbutton his shirt before pulling it off, letting it hang loosely about his waist by the ends he had tucked into his trousers. And even for good measure, the shepherd took off their scarf as well. Holding out his arms, he gave the lawyer a slight smirk.

“See! All clean~!”

He even turns around for good measure, and as Hatsuna said, there was not a scratch nor injury on his body.

“Eat a slice of humble pie, ya prick. You’ve got it all wrong. Quit barkin’ up the wrong tree!”

And with that, Hatsuna pulled his shirt back on and re-did all his buttons before slipping on his glove once more. Wrapping the scarf around his neck and tying it with his mouth and hand, Hatsuna was back to his signature look in a matter of seconds.

But it was then that Kohaku spoke of the candy sheep. It was then that any and all looks of confidence fell from his face. Hatsuna bit his lip, looking away to the side.

“I’d never do that to Sakuramiya-hime… No way. I’d rather shoot myself…”

Hatsuna mumbled before shaking his head.

“I didn’t know about it till… Me, Nakada-kun, and Asi-kun were investigatin’ over there. I was shocked th-that… That was there?”

Tears began to well up in his eyes as he spoke, and Hatsuna did his best to wipe them away as they formed.

“Sakuramiya-hime-sama must’ve been lookin’ fer me wh-when this all… Happened… Our poor princess… He… Jus’ wanted tuh give me a present, but…”

Hatsuna had been one of the last individuals to enter the trial grounds, clearly emotionally and physically exhausted. Tears stained his cheeks as he sniffled every once in a while during the proceedings. But for the most part, he remained quiet, eyes following whomever was speaking at the moment. His tired expression showed no significant change till Kohaku brought up what they seemed to make out to be damning evidence.

Hatsuna furrowed his brows. He certainly didn’t like the tone the slimy lawyer was using with him right now, that was for sure. It was then that the shepherd finally speaking up with a somewhat hoarse voice, before quickly stopping. Hatsuna then continued after he’d cleared his throat.

“N-now hold up a second there, Matsushita-san. Y-ya got a point… ‘Ah… 'Ah was doin’ laundry last night. In all the commotion, 'ah jus’ plumb fergot 'bout it.” Hatsuna frowned and let out a sigh. “So… Yeah. Those’re my clothes. B-but, who in their right mind would keep doin’ their laundry at a time like this?”

Gripping his podium, Hatsuna shook his head.

“Y-ya got this wrong… 'Ah…” He paused, glancing over at Yuuya and then over to Goro. “Me, Nakada-kun, and Asi-kun… We found that bloody shirt in the haunted house. But 'ah swear, I had no idea what it were doin’ there. I… 'Ah still don’t know what it was doin’ there!”

He shook his head once more, leaning forward against the edge of his podium, looking around at everyone present and appearing rather upset.

But then turning his attention towards Kohaku once more, Hatsuna then narrowed his eyes slightly and gave the lawyer a sideways glance, clearly judging their insinuation of his guilt.