can we go see tomori. can we be kind. she did the best she could.
Maeda, narrating - …Jesus, Tomori.
Maeda - I mean- the whole trial.
Maeda - While we were laying into Tsurugi and Uehara- she just stood there, and said nothing. And she knew.
Maeda - But… for her friends? Seriously? I mean- I know how hard this has to have been on her… all for them?
//She startles, but doesn’t look at Maeda- actually, she turns away from him.
Maeda - I… don’t actually think she’ll talk to me.
Maeda - But I don’t know when else I’ll get to talk with them.
Maeda - You and Tsurugi woke up together, right?
Maeda - …Did he remind you of someone you knew back home, or…?
//One faint sob chokes out.
Tomori - …It was so stupid.
Tomori - He felt safe. I didn’t know what was happening, and he didn’t either, but he didn’t seem scared at all.
Tomori - Usually, I take charge, and I felt fine to do that here, too- so it was nice.
Tomori - I didn’t feel like I had to drag him along, or anything. No- assuaging his fears.
Maeda - …Right. You’re captain of your hometown’s cheer squad, right?
Tomori - Co-captain. But yeah, the others all listened to me, mostly.
//Her voice catches, as she finally turns her head- though she stays angled away from him, looking back over her shoulder.
Tomori - …I don’t feel bad.
Tomori - I don’t… I didn’t like what Hatano was saying.
Tomori - I can make my own choices. And I stand with Tsurugi and Uehara.
Tomori - …I want the group to stay together. But I’m not going to compromise my morals for that.
Tomori - I’m choosing my friends. I was right to choose Tsurugi and Uehara to be closest to. I… honestly?
Tomori - If I was in the situation they were in, I’d have done the exact same thing.
Maeda - Are you saying this because you think I’m upset with them?
Tomori - …I think you’re upset with them, yeah- and me.
Tomori - I’ll let them decide what they want to share. It isn’t my- my problem to deal with.
Tomori - But I want to make it clear.
Tomori - I’m here for a reason. I was scouted for a reason. I recruited half of my teammates. I came up with the idea to hang out in the rec room.
Tomori - Honestly, I really… don’t care that Uehara killed Higa.
Tomori - You kind of felt the same, right? You didn’t disagree when people made the point about how we should try to solve Iranami’s death.
Tomori - You’re upset because of the trial, and how it played out.
Tomori - But Uehara’s- about to die, Maeda.
Tomori - Do you- do you remember, when the three of us were in Tsurugi’s dorm room?
Maeda - I don’t like this conversation.
Tomori - …When I got upset, and started to cry. Because I was thinking about the execution.
Tomori - The difference between me and Tsurugi is that I didn’t believe Tsurugi could find a way out of this- do not tell him I said that.
Tomori - Maeda, I was thinking about Uehara. I was upset over his execution.
Tomori - And Uehara was the one who comforted me. Uehara told me not to be scared.
Tomori - He told me- that I was safe, that he didn’t think anything would happen to me, and he- he talked about the choices that we make, and how to cope when things were decided for us.
Tomori - And we talked about inevitability, and- and being powerless.
Tomori - He acted like everything was okay, because we made good choices where we could.
Tomori - But what does that matter, Maeda. He’s still going to die.
Tomori - If Tsurugi hadn’t played, if he’d let Uehara confess- would things have been different? Would Uehara not be about to die?
Tomori - No. They’d be exactly the same.
Tomori - Maeda, what… what does it matter?
Tomori - Uehara is going to die.
Tomori - He has two sisters, and two brothers. He’s in the middle of his siblings. He’s homeless, and he has a rosary, and a bible.
Tomori - When we were at the pool, he mentioned that he’s worried his made to fade tattoos are going to scar. There’s flowers on his boots that he painted on himself.
Tomori - Uehara has a really good singing voice. He has stretch marks all over, but they’re the worst behind his knees, and at the joints between his arms and his torso.
Tomori - He had plans for when he was an adult. He had hobbies, and interests. He brought Tsurugi an apple this morning, and cut pieces off for everyone. He wanted to be friends with you, and he’s had a headache all day.
//For a moment, it seemed like Tomori was going to cry. But before she finished speaking, the tears in her eyes went away.
Tomori, firmly - I don’t care about the other deaths. I cared about those people, and about everyone living- but oh my god.
Tomori - I kind of hope they don’t tell you what happened. I don’t think you need to know.
Tomori - Nobody needs to know. It doesn’t matter.
Tomori - Uehara’s going to die. I’ll have Tsurugi, and he’ll have me, and we’ll be stuck in here together.
Tomori - We could escape tomorrow. Someone could explode the school open.
Maeda - …Sorry… what’s the point of all this?
Maeda - I’m not- I’m not upset you… told me.. Uhm…
Maeda - What am I supposed to do with this information? I don’t- I don’t think Tomori’s going to kill anyone, but-
Tomori - …There isn’t a point, Maeda.
Tomori - I hope you’re doing well.
Tomori - I hope you didn’t get- especially traumatized. I hope you’re holding on okay.
Tomori - I can’t say anything that’d make you feel better, if not. You aren’t going to see me the same.
//She never turned to face him.
Tomori - …I shouldn’t act like I have any power here.
Tomori - If I had the ability to save us all, I’d have done that by now. But I can’t. So why act like it? Why try to help?
Tomori - And, I hope this isn’t affecting you. Really.
Tomori - Come to your own conclusions. You didn’t get close to Uehara. If you can stay happy, then that’s great. If you don’t care about what I’ve had to say, then that’s great.
Tomori - …Really. It doesn’t matter.
Maeda - …I’m sorry, Tomori.
Tomori - There’s nothing you could say.
Tomori - …A situation like this is unnatural. Life shouldn’t… be like this.
Tomori - I don’t think humans are meant to understand a world where this could happen. I mean-
Tomori - All I really care about is Tsurugi and Uehara.
Tomori - And, like… I want to go home. I want to see my mom, and my sister again. I would do anything.
Tomori - But this is so… directly cruel. I can’t even wrap my head around it. Kidnapping us? Torturing us? Taking fifteen people, and treating them like this?
Tomori - Who even cares what happens. Life shouldn’t ever be like this.
Tomori - So… I guess the things that happen here just don’t matter.
Maeda - How do you feel… about what Uehara said? Do you think… you could get out of here okay?
//She turns, facing him. Her head is tilted down, but her gaze meets his eye, as she looks out from under her bangs.
Tomori - Honestly, Maeda. I don’t think either of us are going to.
Tomori - I could make my guesses about the others, but I don’t think my thoughts on them matter, at all. We’re the only two in this conversation, so it’s only about our fates.
Tomori - You and I are both going to die.
Tomori - Hey- could you do something for me though?
Maeda - Please. Don’t ask me to kill someone don’t ask me to kill you don’t ask me to kill myself. Please.
Tomori - …If I’m wrong… let’s act like this didn’t happen.
Tomori - Don’t keep me from going home. Let me be like this here, and let me be someone else outside.
Tomori - …Maybe that’s why I feel so hopeless. Maybe… I can’t feel like this, and be outside. If I escaped, I’d feel differently…
Tomori - Do you think you’ve grown, Maeda? As a person- since you got here?
Maeda - I… I don’t know, I…-
Tomori - I think I’ve been changed for the better.
Tomori - I think I’ve grown a lot.
Tomori - I’m just never gonna get the chance to show it.
Tomori - I wanna go sit with my friends now.
Tomori - Maybe I’ll talk with you later, Maeda. I… kind of don’t want to talk with you if Tsurugi’s around, though. And I don’t know if I’ll want to be away from him.
Maeda, narrating - Holy fuckkkkk.
Maeda - I’d really rather remember the- the conversation with Uehara and Tomori. The one she mentioned…
Maeda - Actually, thinking back to investigation makes me feel really sick.
Maeda - Uehara’s… changed so much, hasn’t he?
Maeda - I…don’t think there’s anything else for me to do now, actually…
[Talk with Tsurugi and Uehara]
