Komet finally wondered back into the apartment complex after the nighttime announcement. He hadn’t gone anywhere in particular, his feet did all the leading and such, just out of Nodame’s hair whilst she recovered. They were spending a lot time with one another already, and he didn’t want to seem too clingy. Plus, the peace and quiet probably did her better than his loud, obnoxious, company. 

Soft stench wafted into his nostrils, but Komet waved it away. Unless someone was dead, he was too tired to care.

And, of course, he spoke too soon. 

At the base of the steps, the magical boy heard someone screaming, and he sped up stairway before he could get trampled by the alerted others. He stopped on the third floor, his floor, pace slowed, preparing himself for the sight to come. He turned the corner, and his breath left his body. Why... why her?

“Stella...? H-hey... Stella...” he spoke soft and grim while approaching her body. Thankfully, Komet wasn’t frightened. 

Okay, maybe was less frightened than usual. He fought the urge to run away, to hide under his covers until someone dragged him out for the trial. To combat his remaining cowardice, he inched even closer. The only thing he could do is protect the others by finding her killer. His lack of screaming or tears didn’t mean he wasn’t sorrowed by the sight. He knew Stella (or Usou). Well, at least knew of her. She was one of the first people he met on this kooky killer island. And now she was gone...

“WWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH”

Komet hadn’t stopped screaming, a wild, unyielding cry pitched in the key of despair sharp. They reverberated against the alley walls and crashed against his skull for deathly headache. Maybe, if he kept screaming, he was bound to wake up from shock! Any second he’d wake up in a cold sweat! But not in that musty dorm room, his real bedroom, with his favorite goose-feather pillows and Stardust… (oh God, where was Stardust when he needed him!? ) 

What’s more grizzly than a corpse, right? Especially one found under rubble with pipes and blood! He’s never had dreams so demented! Thoroughly convinced this was all just a bad dream, Komet kept screaming. He even pinched himself all the while for good measure. Instead, a speck of dust brought his shrieking to an even louder choking halt. He stumbled back into a classmate and admitted a small rasped squeak as if “the killer” were behind him. (Well, he wasn’t wrong.) Maybe, just maybe, he hadn’t tried hard enough! This was no problem at all@ He was still dreaming! Boy, this was some deep sleep, amirite? He shook his head, giggling now, in complete denial.