First was the hand on my arm. Second was something vaguely on my back. At least, I thought it was, I turned around, too tired to be fierce about it and thanked my lucky stars I hadnāt been. Looking a little pale and somehow smaller than usual, Buki stood in front of me, with a quilt over her shoulders, her hat missing. It somehow seemed surreal to see her without it.
I took the opportunity to check my back and sure enough, sheād... huh. Some things never changed, huh? I took the charm off and I stared hard at it before I met her eyes.
āI'm still not ghost-free, huh?ā
āNot ghosts, Shimizu-dono, but an ominous presence nonetheless. You are very clearly possessed by something. I cannot fathom what made you extend a hand to me, a cursed being. A moment of madness? It is a strange affair. Besides...ā
āI fear that your kindness will lead to misfortune. Particularly if you tangle with me. I must ask you take care and keep a good distance.ā
To be honest, I was surprised she was out and about. I got the impression Kumatani was the type to fret over someone more and she didnāt look a 100% to me.
āYou should go back and rest. You look like shit.ā
āW-why I never! I am as upright as a daisy! You would gainsay this?ā
I still need a thesaurus when speaking to her. Even when sheās not feeling well. Ahh, my head hurts.
āHow come Kumatani let you come out?ā
Speaking about him like that made him kinda seem like a mom. I didnāt realize that until the words left my mouth. Buki wrung her hands together as she considered her answer.
ā... True. He also bestowed upon me terrible kindness. Such eyes burned right into my flesh! Because it has been me and Panayomogi-sama for so long... I felt threatened! But even if he forgets his manners, I do not. I owe you a debt and this gnawed at me. So, I made a plea to Kumatani-dono. A brief trip is all. He could count the minutes, should he like! But, to Shimizu-dono, I had to go.ā
ā... You didnāt have to, I mean. Iām not going anywhere.ā
I hope Iām not, anyway.
āPerhaps not. But what if the world ended tomorrow? What if, by chance, I said your first name and allowed Panayomogi-sama access into your soul? You would perish! And the chance would pass. Dramatic, I know, but this is why I had to rush to your side.ā
So, wait... if she uses my first name Iāll be cursed too? Is that part of the Panayomogi mythos or something? I still donāt get everything about Buki or her weird dark god but... I guess at least certain pieces are coming together? In any case, I should try and bear in mind what I can for the future.
āWell. Iām here. Iām hoping that doesnāt change.ā
āI also...ā
The words tumbled out of her mouth quickly before she put an end to them with a shake of her head.
āThree souls lost is already too many... but while we remain on this dark ground... I fear for the future. Furthermore, I have brought Panayomogi-sama here. That was careless of me...ā
āYou say that, but you mustāve lived with people you cared about before. I mean... you canāt just act like this is your fault. You didnāt tell people to kill each other, right?ā
āNo! No, no, I wouldnāt! Perish the thought!ā
āThen itās fine, right? Trust me, you didnāt make this happen or anything.ā
She stands there, silent for a few seconds before whipping out another charm and sticking it directly on my face. I really should begin to see this coming. How many of those does she have, anyway...?
āYou truly are very cursed, Shimizu-dono. I implore you to keep that to yourself! You stay for my ceremony and hear me out... you do not turn your head away when I am weak and disgusting... and now this? To ignore Panayomogi-sama but pay me mind... itās dangerous! Itās a buffoonās gambit.ā
Was I really being that kind to her? I kinda thought my actions were pretty normal. But maybe normal things felt special to people who hadnāt ever had them.
āIām not cursed, Iām normal. And Iām not afraid of some curse, hell, I have enough things to be worried about without a dark god entering the picture.ā
āWhich is why! You need to watch your sweet talking!ā
ā... Iām sorry, sweet talking?ā
āYou know what it is! I wonāt hear it! If I am not careful, I will cost you your life. If you value that, keep your distance. And... and I, too, will try to meditate to calm myself.ā
Why was she so sure sheād be responsible for hurting me? Like Mikiro and what heād said, I had to assume something big had happened to her.
āLook, I know youāre afraid. But getting along just makes sense. If we work together, weāll get out of this easier.ā
āI do not know whether... you can trust me or not. Can you say for sure Iād speed up your plans of escape? There is a very good chance I would hinder them.ā
āBecause youāre cursed. Right?ā
She gives me a slow nod.
āI donāt expect you to take my word for it. So itās enough if you keep your distance.ā
That didnāt strike me as right. Buki hadnāt really done anything wrong yet. Rather than judge people on what I heard, Iād always just judged them on what I saw. And yeah, she was kinda out there but she wasnāt a bad person. No one to avoid, anyway. And if I was tolerating people like Shiratori, there was no reason not to tolerate her, too. Everything about her came from some really dark unknown place. Like... everything about her would just make sense if I knew a little more about her.
āWhen you collapsed... Kumatani said you were under a lot of stress. At the time I figured he was just being Captain Obvious but... he said, even before all this shit happened, you were under pressure. Thatās why your body rejected the food. So is it really okay for you to be out here? I donāt know much about it but... you should probably rest up.ā
ā...ā
She searched her person for something until she found... oh come on, is that another charm? I took on a defensive stance but she didnāt seem to have any intention of hitting me with it.
āOpen your hands, Shimizu-dono.ā
I kinda felt like I was being pranked but it also kinda felt like a jerk move to just leave a sick girl hanging like that so I did as she requested. She put the charm gently in my hands and then pressed her hands together, as if in prayer.
āThatās a protection charm. Panayomogi-sama targets those close to me. He is able to infect people with his darkness should I allow him to. If I break my rules. Those people will be driven mad by misfortune. I cannot... protect people from him when he like that. But I can do this much. Your āworryā I believe is routine behaviour... so I understand this is the right thing to do. Normally people give up, though. I worry you will not. This āstressā, as you name it, is... mine to bear. And it would not change, whether this happened or not. So put it out of your mind. Worry not, I will recover and... for your discretion, I am grateful.ā
She bows her head and then trots back indoors. Her steps seem a little shaky at times but she seems to be fine enough. I looked at the charm sheād given me and decide to pocket it. Iād thrown all the others away, I mean, they were slapped onto me and I was annoyed. But this one felt like more of a gift.
At this time the sun was going down and the whole outside coated in a kinda orange glow. I sat down and took in the sun for a bit.
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A low humming made me vaguely aware of where I was. I snapped out of my stupor soon after. The elevator continued a gentle descent. I did, too, sinking from standing to sitting in a few seconds. Everything after the murder seemed inconsequential but I mentally smacked myself for being so lax. If I didnāt focus, everything Iād checked out and everything Iād heard would just become a blur. I took the moment to just ease up; remember what I could, and think on it for a few seconds.
Think... commit to memory and... try and find a solution.
Iād never been the detective type - hell, Iād hardly touched a book but if there was ever a time to start, I figured thisād be it.
So... the structure of this building... was more complicated than I thought. Thatās the initial take away, I guess. It was like two buildings combined into one. I wondered if there was a name for that. The whole thing was a part of the same structure. Iād seen it from the outside, after all. But I didnāt realize parts would connect like this.
The elevator that took us down to that trial room also took us down to some other floor. A little higher than the trial room, I think. And that opened up to a corridor that led to the right... to this other structure. Other part of the building. Common theory is that this is where we did a bunch of work. Outside of the classroom, I guess. Since it was designed as a free school, I suppose whenever anyone wanted to train in the arts or get some exercise they came over here.
Letās see...
The clinic was one of the first places I checked. Pretty standard, but if Kumataniās warningās anything to go by, thereās some stuff in there that shouldnāt be messed with. Maybe heās being cautious - doesnāt want people mixing the wrong stuff together. Or maybe itās something more obvious, like poison or something. Either way, I might check it out later. He expressly doesnāt want me to and... it kinda sucks to potentially disappoint him. I mean, Iām not a fan of how, like... adult he is, sometimes. Like heās better than us and more mature or something. But heās not a bad person and heās helped a lot, too. Itās a weird thing, I guess.
Weāll see.
The swimming pool and gym seemed kinda standard although there were some rooms and cupboards I didnāt check out. Tiny things, really, but hey, maybe thereād be something of note there. Something I missed. Every time I consider Iāve missed something I feel sick to my stomach. Like, if I miss even just a little thing, maybe itāll cost me big time. Itās not like me to be so paranoid. I guess Iām used to worrying but the consequences just... didnāt matter at the time. So it was just easy to move on with it.
But this isnāt normal. And I have to keep telling myself itās real. If I forget what happened or blank on details, it might cost me my life.
Details... yeah, what else was there?
Sound-proofed rooms... if Iām right, two of them. The music room was definitely sound-proofed. And given the racket Chiffon made and the lack of reaction we got... I think... the AV Roomās probably also soundproof. Just like the rooms we stay at. Maybe itās a good idea to peek inside those rooms every now and again, just to be sure. The idea of someone screaming and no one hearing... that kinda freaks me out.
Speaking of the AV Room... there was a lot to process there, huh.
Shiratoriās apparently gonna keep an eye on us all. Itās a stupid, stupid, bad idea but thatās nothing new for him. Iām hoping someone that isnāt me provides a better argument than I would. But itās a really bad move. Nobody likes feeling like theyāre being watched all the time. Nobody likes that, but... they especially donāt like it if they know itās happening.
My eyes move across the elevator as it dings and I pass through the corridor. I keep searching for those cameras. I wonder if Iām looking right into the eyes of someone else far away when I see one. The grand hall feels grander when I step into it - probably because no one else is there. I remember Patchnuki falling down and... all of those voices back then. Itād been a few days ago, but somehow the way I was remembering it, felt like a lifetime ago.
Sure enough, I think there were cameras. They were just hard to see. Kasaharaās theory was that... we were being watched, even now, by those cameras. Because there were cameras in that very AV Room. If I analyzed it, I think... without all the murder and all that... maybe that made sense. Because, the students were supposed to be using a bunch of these rooms, right? Still, why were all these computers and monitors in the AV Room? Were students supposed to be using those?
I felt the more I thought about it, the more my brain hurt. I just couldnāt figure it out.
āThere wasnāt just one mastermindā. I ran those words through my head. The first motive had provided us clues. That meant we were being toyed with, for whatever reason. Rather than being pissed about it, I was more pissed at myself for not being able to figure it out. And Anzaiās clue matched with mine. Not only were multiple people in on this, they were among us. That meant you could throw out a common enemy.
There was a lot to chew on and a lot I still didnāt understand. Chiffon had brought more questions than answers. We still didnāt even know where she came from. Maybe she was just being dumb about it, but I kinda believed her - that she really couldnāt find the place she woke up. It made me think about our memory loss, too. If... we did somehow contribute to this... mastermind this as a group... did we even remember doing that?
Weād probablt lost months of our lives here. Maybe even years. I had no way of knowing. I found myself mulling over Yuunagiās words, too. Is it possible weād lost little moment of happiness?
Was there a time when we were all happier and better off as people?
Even Hanji? Wakatsuki?
Something buzzed in my brain. A face. Daisyās? ... I wasnāt sure. I was tired and my leg hurt and honestly I was done with the day. I wasnāt sure how many hours had passed even in this day. I should watch out for that, I guess. Time is... more important than I thought. If Iāve already lost a whole bunch of time, I should make sure the time I have now counts. Maybe Iāll alllow myself to think a bunch today. Thatās fine. Iāll just make sure I bounce back and do something worthwhile tomorrow. Thatās a fair trade-off... should be, anyway.
Rather than hang around in the house, I thought Iād get some fresh air and I pushed the doors open. It was funny; you could go outside like this but you sill felt trapped. But the fresh air did help. I passed look over to the bunker we all woke up in. Right before I woke up, I thought I remembered Hanji pushing me... given what he said, maybe I hadnāt just dreamed that. Well. Iād thought enough for one day. I opted to just enjoy what I could of the day so I could prepare for tomorrow.
Something disturbed that, though, or someone... someone who grabbed my arm. They mustāve been real quiet, I almost didnāt notice them.
The door shut with a snap when Chiffon left but as soon as I followed her out I didnāt detect any real grumpiness. Well, I mean, nothing out of the ordinary, anyway. It was weird to consider that: ordinary.
There was nothing ordinary about Chiffon, really. Her appearance, her memory loss... hell, even her actions were a little out there. But the way she spoke, it was pretty... direct. And simple. That made figuring her out a little easier, at least. I thought so, anyway.
Still, she had to reign it in at least a little. There was direct and then there was just asshole. It was a fine line I had to try and walk myself.
āWhatās with you, mouthing off like that?ā
Chiffon didnāt even look my way but she didnāt seem upset; just... pensive, I guess. Being ignored still irks me, though.
āHey. Donāt blank me.ā
She pauses, takes a deep breath and...
Let out a huge scream. No, more of a shout. But more than that, what the hell?! Just when I thought she was easy to figure out she pulled something like this. I was too surprised to really react until she was finished.
āWhat the... HELL... is your problem?ā
I was wincing plenty at her racket but I really shriveled at the thought of that AV Room door snapping open and either seeing an enraged Kasahara or Shiratori. To my surprise, that door never opened, though. I definitely thought I heard something from the Arts Room though. Poor Nagase probably never saw that coming.
Chiffon just stared at me, as if that never even happened, meeting my eyes with a calm I wouldnāt expect. I mean, I probably looked pretty furious right now.
āI wanted...ā
āTo hear my voice echo.ā
I was completely at a loss.
āAre you serious? Is this seriously happening?ā
āThatās what I want to know! I have to do these things, you know. I need proof that Iām here! And that youāre not all just robots sent here to terrorize the last human or something.ā
I heard a door from way down the hall open; given the rooms available, I was guessing it was the clinic. No need to pay it too much attention.
āIf youāre the last human, maybe weāre better off with the drones.ā
āSounds exactly like what a robot would say...ā
A loud cough interrupted us and I cast my eyes to the approaching figure of Kumatani. Ah, well... yeah. Okay, it made sense the clinic wasnāt soundproofed and this little idiot had just screamed her head off. He gave us both disapproving looks; you could feel the scolding before any words even exited his mouth.
āLook, Iām all for people taking their minds off of things, but... please be a little more mindful about what you do and where. What if someone thought the worst? You could give someone a heart attack. Thatās no joke.ā
āMindful of what? Itās not a library.ā
The poor guy looks like heās really trying to phrase this delicately.
āYes, well... thereās been a recent incident and people are on edge. Furthermore, I have a patient. So, please.ā
ā... Incident... huh?ā
āYou mean the murder. You donāt need to worry about that. If anyone here wants to kill anyone else, it wonāt be because I shouted.ā
The heaviest sigh Iāve probably ever heard exits Kumataniās mouth ahd he smothers his stressed face in a hand.
āCan I count on you to handle this, Shimizu-kun? I canāt leave the room unattended for too long.ā
āOh. Uh, yeah, sure.ā
He gives me a nod and then trudges back. I hadnāt paid it much attention before but he looked really tired. Everything had just happened all at once and now on top of that he was looking after someone. Yeah, I guess... that wasnāt easy.
āWhatās he mean āhandle thisā? Like Iām a parcel.ā
āNah, youāre decidedly worse than a parcel. Last time I checked, those donāt just break out into screamo arias when they feel like it.ā
āAn aria, you say...ā
Sheās stroking her chin and suddenly I know exactly where this is going.
āDonāt! No! No opera crap in the damn passage, geez. Are you crazy?ā
āI donāt know! Am I? I mean, shouldnāt I have woken up already if this a dream? I donāt think dreams are supposed to last this long but... there are those stories of people who visualize a whole life and then wake up so...ā
Despite her words, Iām not sure Chiffonās doubting this is really happening. I guess, in a way... in her way, sheās blowing off steam. Complaining and trying to find a reason for this. Unfortunately, I didnāt have that reason for her; notĀ sure any of us did.
āIf you were really dreaming you wouldāve woken up by now. How many times have I yanked your face now? ... Want me to try it again?ā
āBully! Go away!ā
She scuttles away and strikes a pose as if sheās hiding herself. Hopefully she knows sheās in plain view.
āI know itās reality, stupid! But itās weird, weird, weird! Amnesiaās not something thatās supposed to happen in REAL life! Itās that quaint thing in fiction! That irritating trope you scoff at when you see it on TV... I remember TV, you know! And walking! I just canāt remember anything about me! Itās an affront!ā
āI thought if I walked around with you, something would just click or something... but thereās nothing. Nada, zilcho, nothing!ā
ā... And you still donāt even know where you were when you woke up, huh?ā
āNot that itād help! If I was going to get some special memory flash it wouldāve happened already, right? Like, if I look into your eyes, I should remember your stupid face, right?ā
As if to prove her point, she stares at me. Normally Iād just look away but I felt like competing with her and glared her down. Well, glared until she huffed and turned away, anyway.
āBut Iām blank. Blank as a piece of paper. Itās clear Iām here for a reason, but Iām... Iām impatient! I canāt wait for the important reveals, I want to know who I am now!ā
I was in a weird place of understanding her and not, all at once. She hadnāt been a part of this game at first. Thatās how it seemed to me. But now sheād been dropped in and she remembered even less than we did.
Still, I kinda wanted to know where she got all that confidence from. If it were me, Iām not sure Iād think of myself as someone so special.
āThis... āamnesiaā, I guess... who knows how it works? I mean, all of us got it so itās some artificial thing, right? So who knows what triggers what? Havenāt been thinking about it much but itās fine enough to just go with the flow for now. I mean, we have bigger things to worry about anyway.ā
āI never said it was a big deal! Itās just annoying. Iāll be whoever I was in time anyway so itās not like it matters.ā
She quite literally hand-waves it away.
āBut itās not fair that youāre Kaede and Iām Chi... Shi... Shinigami.ā
āDonāt think you have to worry about that one being your name.ā
I didnāt really have words of consolation; for her or for anyone else. The more problems hit me, the more tempted I became to shrug them off. But I had to try something. If I let myself ignore these things I had a feeling theyād be back to bite me later.
āItās only been one day. And thereās been a ton of excitement. Maybe you got distracted. Just wander for a bit and see what that does. I mean, maybe youāll remember stuff when youāre not trying to, you see? Like... unconscious stuff.ā
She stared, and then...
āYou want me to knock myself out?ā
āNo, I do not.ā
āHaha! Iām not that stupid, stupid Kaede! I know what youāre saying. It canāt be that great of an idea if I didnāt come up with but I guess itās worth a try. I mean, if nothing else.ā
Chiffonās become so idiotically pathetic that Iām finding my strength leaving me. She leaves so many openings for so many barbs that Iām just overwhelmed and come away feeling bad for her.
āYep. Youāre a genius. Good for you.ā
āHmhm! It IS good, isnāt it? ... Although... hm... what now...? Thatās the whole floor, isnāt it?ā
I didnāt need to check my ID; Iād seen it quite a few times now and I could confirm there wasnāt any other rooms to check out.
āSeems like. Unless thereās some hidden door I missed.ā
āOoh, a hidden door! Well. You definitely missed that, but itās fine. Weāll find it later.ā
I donāt have the energy to play along. For a while now some stinging painās been giving me grief. Iād been ignoring it up until now but it turns out I hadnāt come out as unscathed as I thought from falling down those basement stairs. Hopefully it was just a temporary bruise or something. It was taking up my attention every now and again, though.
āSo... whatās the plan now? I guess thereās enough books and stuff if you like that kinda thing, but...ā
It wasnāt really the time or the place. Maybe for her it was different though, who could say?
āI have no idea! But thatās fine. Iām sure Iāll work it out walking around. Thatās how you get good ideas, right? By not thinking of them! Be-si-des, I have to find a place to stay...ā
āHuh...? Wait, werenāt you staying with Yuunagi?ā
āYouāre so... youāre so... vulgar! My god! You think Iāll impose for that long? Thatās so disgraceful!ā
āUnless I missed something, you donāt have a room. Or an ID.ā
āBah! Itās not like it has to have my nameplate! Iāll find some other bed! Or couch! Or... table! Iāll sleep in a coffin before I overstay a welcome!ā
āHey, donāt go around saying something so ominous...ā
āA place just for me... I could convert any old room into a glamorous bedroom... aha! Aha-ha! Admit it! The Break Room would be perfect, wouldnāt it? Itās where the important people probably used to take it easy and there are a ton of sofas.ā
Shit. God, thatās where they wanna set up their party... anywhere but there. I need to re-direct her attention, but where...? I wasnāt picky about where I slept but that didnāt mean she wasnāt.
Quick... god, I gotta say something!
āThat room sucks. I mean. Itās connected to that creepy basement.ā
āAww! Are you being concerned about me? Iām not afraid of ghosts or anything like that. Having such a cute weakness is worthless to me!ā
āWho said anything about ghosts? There could be rats down there. They could fight you for scraps and stuff.ā
That. Sounded so stupid. I wasnāt going to go the afraid of rats angle but this... this was no real substitute.
ā... Hm... I donāt want to waste my energy fighting rats...ā
Wait, that worked?
āThereās, uh. Thereās a lounge in the other building, yāknow. You probably still havenāt checked through it much.ā
Ahh! Ahhhgh!
What am I saying? Thatās even worse! Someone died there!
āOr... yāknow... a library. I thought I saw some sofas there.ā
I was sure Iād told good lies before; it was only in this moment I was feeling any semblance of intelligence leak out of a crack in my head. Chiffon surveyed me with some suspicion. Yeah, she probably had to be onto me now.
ā... Hm. Alright, I understand. Youāre saying I shouldnāt settle! The more I think about it, the more foolish I was! Why settle for the first nice room you see when there are bigger and brighter horizons! Right then! A new adventure calls.ā
She points her finger at me and I felt so lucky she was this dumb.
... Though after the crap I just said, I wasnāt sure I was one to talk.
āIām recruiting you as my vassal! Keep your eyes peeled for good rooms and furnishings. Iāll need them.ā
Why is everyone in this house recruiting me? Go recruit someone else.
But, whatever, this was easier than risking her ruining the surprise. And my mood was acting up; turns out this stupid leg was hurting more than I thought and I really just wanted to take a break now.
āYeah, yeah, princess.ā
āPrincess... good, good! Youāre already getting the hang of it! I suppose... I should let you go for now.I donāt want you shadowing my every move after all. So go forth! Go... go do cool things in my name!ā
She threw a finger my face before trotting off, looking behind every now and again as if to make sure Iād really go and do thoseĀ ācool thingsā. I had no intention of it. Though I honestly didnāt know what she meant, anyway. Now that I was alone again, I felt a million thoughts attack me at once.
It was... weird, having this free time, this free space. I felt like there were a million things I wanted to do and say. And yet, I didnāt have a desire to do anything. Like itād just be easier to sit right here and watch as the hours passed. Between wanting to, needing to and fighting every impulse I had of doing anything at all... it was pretty weird.
The only thing I could compare it to was as if... I was stuck in some crane game. Being yanked one way, being bogged down under everything else. It helped more than I thought having Chiffon around. If nothing else, she was a distraction. And when I was doing pointless crap, I was somehow able to forget everything that happened. I could almost write it off as a joke, as sick as it sounds. But... it was a pill. And after a couple of hours, I found I was the same as always. Weighed down by the same paranoid and pressure Iād been the second Iād seen Anzaiās cold, dead corpse.
My feet began moving, taking me in a direction even I wasnāt sure of yet. But moving... I guess that, as simple as it was, made me feel a little better.
As soon as I resurfaced I was greeted by Yuunagiās merry laughter. I made sure to glare at her but I wasnāt as embarrassed as I thought Iād be thankfully. Seemed like Chiffonās bitter mumbling took up most of the attention, anyway. She squeezed out her ponytail as if sheād been soaked through and gave her feet a good stomp.
āBah! I feel like I swallowed a cobweb!ā
āTh-thatās why you gotta be careful...ā
āAt least we have a swimming pool now. It... kinda evens out?ā
You sound so unsure, Yuunagi...
āThe only thing to do is sate my sense of adventure! Itās the only thing thatāll ease this indignation.ā
āKaede!ā
Sheās... she actually remembered it. Iām in awe. My voice kinda comes out a little dazed.
āUh... yeah?ā
āWeāre going! Youāre attending, right? To the first floor!ā
There were rooms I wanted to check, too so there was no real reason to say no. If I ran about a bit more, I might shake off some of this dust too. Itās not like I wanted to stay this messy either.
Chiffon lead the charge this time which Hirotsugu seemed particularly relieved about. I followed but I managed to give them both a thumbs-up before I slipped out of the door.
āGood luck!ā
And it was back into the hall. God, this damn hall was so long. Halls were long, stairs were long... this free school mansion house was such torture. I doubt that was in Patchnukiās plans but, man, it did add to the stress. Just a little. We were continuing on our merry way until we heard voices near the stairs.
āWait! Wait right there!ā
That was... Shiratoriās voice. His voice was so booming Chiffon stopped in place. She actually seemed a little intimidated.
āNagase-kun, Iām telling you to stop right there!ā
I hear him descend the stairs in a hurry. His voice is so loud itās basically impossible not to hear him. If youāre around the area, I guess, anyway. Iām really not sure whether to interrupt it so I just kinda loiter upstairs.
āI... um... donāt want... I... Iām sorry. But... donāt...I d-donāt want to see your face right now.ā
He seemed shellshocked but really... nothing seems to stop that guy.
āYou have to at least hear me out! Itās important!ā
Nagase stops in place but doesnāt bother facing him. Now that sheās actually staying it seems like heās unsure of what to do next.
āTh... that... while I still believe everything being in the open is better... I have to admit the way Iāve... I couldāve breached things in a finer way. That was my bad! I apologize profusely!"
The quiet that stretched made me skin kinda tingle. Iāve always felt there are good silences and bad ones and this was... definitely not a good one.
āIām... Iām, um... sorry, too...ā
āB-because Iām not, uh... Iām... itās like... I donāt think I can forgive you so easily...ā
She looks really uncomfortable to be there and Iām beginning to feel bad even hearing it. But turning away now just feels weird. And Iām nosy.
āYou didnāt... uh, um... Iām not sure how to put this but itās not like... you really lost anything, right? I mean, you know, credibility! Faith. That kinda... floaty thing. But... āyou donāt deserve to be hereā. āYou cheatedā. Those are things, um... I think... Iām sure, that uh, some people might be thinking. B-because I... stole. Because of what you said.ā
āI think itās... easy to say things are better in the open, but, um... is that really true? I definitely think that sometimes you donāt have to know the full story. Because, um, if anything, doesnāt think make me more of a target?ā
āIt doesnāt! Donāt be ridiculous! Nagase-kun, nobody else will die! Iām going to see to that. And you got here on your own talent, surely! I refuse to believe you donāt belong here! ā
āB-but you canāt, right? You couldnāt get people to go to your meeting thingy... so, Iām... the thinking is that... you canāt stop this either. And... and... and... and itās my life! Itās not really your business! W-when you act like youāre helping all you do is drive us further apart.ā
āAnd Iām... and Iām scared to be around someone like that. Someone who can callously just... out someoneās secret like that... Iām scared of you, S-Shiratori-san.ā
āThereās... thereās no need for that. If itād help, I can tell you my own secret! If... if itād get you to trust me, then--!ā
āSorry... Iām so sorry... I just... I just donāt think... it doesnāt work like that, Shiratori-san... you donāt... āgetā people to trust. I think... um... I think you trust people to trust. I-itās not really your choice... you have to believe in them... and... in wanting to expose everyoneās secrets, I think, um... all that really did was... like... it showed that you really donāt trust anyone, right? S... so I canāt... you canāt want trust if you wonāt trust yourself...ā
āYuu-chan didnāt... judge me at all. She didnāt ask... she said...Ā āChi-chan mustāve had her reasonsā. And it... and it made me so happy.ā
āForgive me for, um... for like... this part, but... arenāt you only here because you were told to reflect on it? Yuu-chan and K-Kumatani-san gave you, they like, you know, they were on your case. So you went and did this, but... if youāre only reflecting because they told you to, I donāt really think itās reflecting.ā
āNo, but! Look -- listen! Weāre strong enough to support each other! I believe in us! Definitely, definitely, definitely! But you have to be willing to give us a shot! I had every intention of telling everyone my secret as well. I just ... needed some good will first. If we all shared what was on our minds, what we kept hidden, we could allay our own fears! Fear is what causes accidents! If we believe in each other, nobody else needs to get hurt! Iām sure of it! I know I... I go too far sometimes! But Iām trying to make amends. Nagase-kun, please! Believe me, Iām trying.ā
āB-but! But Shiratori-san, itās... Iām sorry... Iām sorry! Iāll try but I need some space. And... and I still think... you need to think this through a little more. Because nobody will ever follow the lead of someone who wonāt respect others. T-thatās the truth. In reality and fiction. Donāt... donāt push this. Please... donāt make me doubt you more than I do...ā
Nagaseās inward body language said a lot. Through the whole conversation, sheād barely made eye contact. She... really was scared and I wasnāt sure I could blame her. Itād happened so fast and... people had died so soon after I hadnāt really considered her feelings and that made me feel like a real shitty person. To have a secret like that just blurted out... I hadnāt put much thought into it but Iām sure others had.
āShe doesnāt deserve to be hereā... I couldnāt guarantee that thought hadnāt passed through someoneās head even if it hadnāt crossed mine.
With one last muttered sorry, Nagase inched away from Shiratori before sprinting away, best she could. Shiratori made a vague effort to stop her but his energy seemed to die on him half-way.
āWhy... why canāt I do this right?! Iām trying to help! Iām really trying to help!ā
His head kinda drops and he sighs deeply before checking something on his ID and entering a door himself. If I checked my own ID, it seemed like... Nagase had escaped to the Arts Room and Shiratori had entered the AV Room. I sighed too. That drama froze up all my joints somehow... and I wasnāt even a part of it. Seemed like it wasnāt just me who ended up affected, too.
āTh... that was tense! You people are so roundabout!ā
āYouāre a people too, yāknow.ā
āFufu! Iām above you guys, though. Even those weird killing rules donāt apply to me. I wouldnāt demean myself to do such things even if they did.ā
Her face actually becomes... dare I say it, thoughtful.
āHmph. You trip up then wallow and regret all the time. Isnāt that tiring? Idiot Redās an idiot. If it means something to you, stand with pride and state your case!"
āDonāt think itās always that simple. I mean, not like youāre getting a warm welcome here from everyone.ā
āSo? If I cared about your opinions, Iād make concessions. But I donāt; youāre all strangers. If you donāt like me as I am, Iām not going to stretch myself into a shape you like for no reason! And if I did care, I wouldnāt stop until I was forgiven. Living with such heavy regrets sounds so tiring. Lamenting over poor results because it failed once? Such arrogance and cheek! Iād have someone beg 100 times over for wronging me. You all do things in such a confusing fashion - perhaps youād be happier if you just spat it out directly. Honestly, I canāt figure you elaborate people out.ā
ā... Directly, huh... sounds... difficult but itās not like Iām against it.ā
Wait, did she just call herself simple?
No, but more seriously... I kinda wanted that too - simplicity. But itās not that easy... I donāt think so, anyway. I mean, even if you didnāt want to regret something, life could mess you up good and proper and make you. Itās not like you always have a choice. And itās not like these things are always so clear in the moment.
āPhew! What a topic! It gives me goosebumps - hate it! Hey. Iām bored! Letās check a door.ā
On the bright side, sheās never down for too long. Itās fine. I wanted to take my mind off it, too. All this house gave me was shitty feelings and deep things to think about and I wanted no part of either. It was... a lot easier before this. I could just switch off my mind and go wherever I wanted.
I could escape.
This house was a trap in a lot of ways, I guess. I could feel the atmosphere strangle me sometimes. Try and drown me in its nothing. So I had to keep moving. And trying.
According to Mana, Hirotsuguās been planning some... surprise or something here. The Break Roomās pretty close so at the very least itās not much of a walk.Ā It was at the very end of the corridor and you could see a little bit of the inside before you ever entered due to a glass window in the door.
I pressed the handle down and let myself in only to be shocked by a clatter and a crash.
āOh Hiro-chan, are you okay?ā
āF-f-fi-fine! Ju-ju-just just f-fine! C-c-cause, you know, a hero n-ne-ne-never f-fa-fa-falls!ā
āKay-oh, just take care.ā
I entered with some caution, not wanting to alarm Hirotsugu too much and, to my surprise, Chiffon seemed to show similar restraint. The stunt double was too busy picking up his mess, some coloured pieces of paper and scissors to pay us much mind so Yuunagi ended up being the one to see us first.
Instead of greeting us, she put a finger to her lips as if to shh us. What... was she up to?
She creeps closer to the fumbling Hirotsugu with an amused smile on her face. Chiffon grabs my sleeve in some kind of anticipation.
āHiro-chan! Quick! Itās Aokami-san from Yokai Rangers!ā
He bangs his knee on the table and, undaunted, rises to his feet, looking in every direction. The second he sees us, he almost trips right back over the table but Yuunagi catches him. Not that I think she needed to; the guy knows his stunts.
āM-M-Ma-Maki-sannnn...ā
His voice sounds really pitiful... the reaction was kinda funny but I also kinda feel for the guy.
āSorry, sorry! Saw the opportunity and just kinda had to! You okay, buddy?ā
āF... fu-funny... I w-wa-was able to pa-par-participate in th-the the j-jo-joke? Th-then... then I th-th-think Iām ok-ok-kay with it!ā
āYouāre a good sport!ā
āB-bu-but... I c-ca-can... see... s-sh-she!ā
He points shakily at Chiffon
āWh-wh-whatās sh-she d-d-do-doing doing here?! Ma-Ma-Maki-san, th-this-this is a huge problem!ā
Yuunagi doesnāt seem to mind him shaking her roughly by the shoulders.
āItās fine if we keep it hush-hush. Just play it cool, big guy, you got this.ā
āY... yeah! Re-return fr-fr-from whence you c-c-came! G-go go home!ā
"Wha... go home? I donāt know where that is, you go home!ā
A sort of warbled wheeze comes from beneath Hirotsuguās mask and Iām guessing that reply was really not what he wanted. Yuunagi swoops in and hooks her arm around Chiffonās.
āFon-fon, come with? The coffee this machine makes is dee-lish.ā
āEh? Whaa-- w-well... since youāre offering me such attention! Onwards!ā
Yuunagi gives me a stealthy wink and while I donāt... really know what sheās up to, I think I can vaguely get a sense of it.
ā... P... pa-party... th-th-that was th-the-the idea... um... I th-th-thought it would ma-ma-maybe raise ev-everyoneās sp-spi-spi-spirits... and... th-th-that girl, sh-she d-d-do-doesnāt really know a-any of us. S-s-so I th-th-thought... Iād d-d-do th-th-this as a welcoming p-pa-party...ā
āOh... so thatās what it was. You were just trying to keep it a secret.ā
āIām! Ac-actually v-v-v-v-very ba-ba-bad with secrets... b-b-but Ma-Ma-Maki-san itād be more f-fun th-th-that way.ā
āHuh... what do you know. Thatās a really nice idea.ā
āD-do-do you th-th-think... th-th-that girl will b-b-be happy...?ā
I actually wasnāt sure. Iād like to think so, I know Iād be but I hadnāt actually seen pure joy from Chiffon yet. More just... a smug aura. Did she experience happiness like most humans? I honestly couldnāt be sure. But this was still worth a shot and it was honestly nice to just see Hirotsugu and Yuunagi in such high spirits planning it.
āDefinitely. Youāre doinā something good here. Canāt wait to see it all done.ā
Itās amazing how I can see how heās feeling so clearly when heās still got that mask on.
āWell... b-b-back to work with me!ā
I salute him and watch as he hurriedly puts all the paper back on the table.
This room seemed... honestly really comfortable. There was a big sofa and a TV there. I kinda wondered if it worked. There were vending machines, snacks and sodas both trapped inĀ āem and a lot of circular tables and folding chairs. Seems like more could be gotten too, if need be. A clock sat on the wall, ticking away minute by minute.
Seems like Chiffonās still over by Yuunagi. I guess I could talk to her or bother Hirotsugu a little more.
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The swimming poolās door is cold to the touch and somehow you can just feel the watery atmosphere before you even enter. You just know. Well, itās that and the stench of chlorine that seeps through the door. The cold metal makes my fingers tingle for a second.
The door opens easier than I thought it would and reveals a really large room. Obviously the main attraction is the pool itself but thereās a kinda majesty to whole thing, just how big it is. Thereās a diving board, chair for lifeguards and some other seats about here and there. I see one familiar face beat me here.
Itād be hard to miss her and I guess, all things considered, it makes sense sheād been in a place like this. Close to the sea and all that.
"... Geez... that girl...ā
Rie sighs, staring hard at her own reflection. I kinda contemplated leaving her be but Chiffonās loud voice put that thought to bed almost immediately.
āOh. This place reeks.ā
The sailor tilts her head our way now that sheās been alerted to our presence. Thereād been this... gentleness or distance on her face earlier but now she just seemed unimpressed. Or... like her usual self, I guess. Nobody wanted to appear too weak at a time like this. I know that was true for me.
āWell aināt this a curious duo. The hell are you doinā hanging out with the pipsqueak?ā
āSomeone oughta keep an eye on her.ā
āYouāre babysittinā now?ā
My eyes wander to Chiffon and sheās... ah, sheās gone. Sheās off having a looking at the pool supplies. So that chickās not even listening, huh. I donāt even have the energy to be surprised.
āSure feels that way.ā
I thought sheād be amused by that but thereās no trace of a smile on her face; not even a smirk. Instead, she folds her arms and glares daggers at the girl. Not that the other party notices.
āI donāt like it. Expecting me to swallow some chick's just randomly here and oh, she doesnāt remember anything... come on, that stinks and you know it.ā
āSounds bad, sure, but our storyās pretty similar. Itās a rough pill but it checks out, you know?ā
She shakes her head.
āThat note said ā16ā², right? Her being here makes 17. Doesnāt check out. And sheās annoying to boot. I know that info comes from that lying, murdering son-of-a...ā
Rie cracks her neck and knuckles in an effort to collect herself.
āYou know, that motherff... Hanji. Since he was talking his head off about how much he schemed this all I donāt think heād make such a stupid typo. Which means, he either didnāt plan for her or sheās his secret weapon.ā
Secret weapon, huh...?
ā... Sheās so dumb, though.ā
Rie seems to consider that and snorts.
āYeah. I noticed that, too. I dunno man, just donāt like it.ā
If someone doesnāt like something, they donāt like it. Thereās no way youāre going to force someone to think otherwise. Youāre definitely not gonna do it arguing. Honestly, wasnāt even sure of my own feelings about her yet. Her whole existence was a question mark... but whether I believed her or not, I wasnāt sure. I wasnāt sure I trusted anyone here even though, despite my intentions, I was warming to some of them. Yuunagi and Manabu came to mind especially there.
Walking over to Chiffon allowed me to realize, at the very least, it wasnāt just Rie - Seiyama was here too, trotting along the poolās edge. I just hadnāt noticed him until now. But I had no time to strike up a conversation - the second I approached the girl, she grabbed my sleeve and dragged me to a door.
āYou forgot my name already? Cāmon...ā
āNever mind that! Look at this! Are you looking?ā
āItās a door.ā
āYes! I peeked inside and saw cleaning supplies. Isnāt that grand? At the very least, we can keep this place very clean.ā
Hey, why is that your priority?
āA~nd! There are locker rooms! Right past that door on the other side. Theyāve got towels, suits, goggles... lots of stuff! And a section for girls, boys and people who donāt feel like either, too! Well? Impressed? I took time out of my busy schedule to scout the area out. To then SHARE that information without even being asked... arenāt you overwhelmed by my altruism?ā
ā... Thanks for opening two doors.ā
I meant it sarcastically but she seemed to take pride in it anyway.
āHm! Youāre very welcome.ā
ā... But... wait. So you went into the locker rooms? And you can, what, go wherever you want? Thereās no ID slots or like, special doors?ā
āI just read the signs. But thereās nothing stopping you from going anywhere you want. Ah, but... that doesnāt mean you should go into the wrong section intentionally! I wonāt be an accomplice to such deviancy!ā
I reached for her face and gave her stretchy cheek another pull for being irritating before Iād even realized it. Like that had ever even crossed my mind.
āOw! Owww! Stobbit! Whatāre you gonna do if you tear my face, huh?! Iāll... Iād sue you!ā
āHereās some advice for you: think before you say dumbass crap.ā
Chiffon hissed at me before skipping off to do something else. I felt it in my bones; if I talked with her again so soon Iād just get mad again so I looked towards Rie and Seiyama. Maybe since Iām here I oughta talk to them.
As soon as I agreed to having her around, Chiffon was shockingly on best behaviour; at least, thatās how it felt to me. The rooms nearest to the clinic seemed honestly a bit on the dull side. Maybe they were interesting, sure, but I just couldnāt see an arts room as appealing right now. Maybe it was just me. The most local and interesting place I could see was the pool. Itād be cool just to look at it, you know? Not like I wanted to swim or anything.
With a location in mind, I began moving and Chiffon trailed behind me, occasionally making small talk. There was this huge and grand stair case we had to get through before we got there... two, in a way, as it went up to a little corridor that just had some tableside desks, urns and potted plants before leading to another staircase. The Hanjis sure love their stairs, huh.
I thought Iād take a break and Chiffon followed suit, if only to glare daggers at the urns.
āUgh, I detest passing through here... Iām a person of taste but I just canāt see the appeal of vases... what do they do? How pointless! Itās the cheapest of the rich that feel the need to show off their fortune...ā
I canāt disagree... but the way she was talking made it sound like she was rich too. Then again, she also seemed to think she was an amazing person. One thing was for sure, from what she was saying this definitely wasnāt her first time passing through.
āYouāve been here before, havenāt you?ā
āYes, well... in some vein. I know of it. Ran past most of it.ā
It seemed like a stupid realization but as she spoke, it hit me that I didnāt know anything about her. Sure, she lost her memory apparently but where did she come from? She seemed to be expecting us but I didnāt know why... or how, for that matter. Apparently Kuma and maybe Yuunagi had talked to her about it but I was as clueless as ever.
āWhereād you come from, anyway?ā
āOh dear... did your parents never give you the talk? Well--ā
āNot that. Try again.ā
She thinks for a bit before giving it another go.
āIām a pure-blooded Japanese maiden.ā
Why is this so hard?
āAre you seriously that stupid?ā
She huffs.
āIf you donāt like my answers, refine your questions.ā
I sighed and tried to put this in the simplest terms I could.
āWhere have you been all this time? Nobody ever saw you yet you were actinā all high and mighty ābout us being late and all that. Means you were expecting us, right?ā
āAs I told your friend in the white coat, I was here! Somewhere.ā
āāSomewhereā.ā
"Believe it or not I know how it sounds! Hmph.ā
āThe room I was in was pitch black. As for why I was there, I canāt remember. Obviously. It took me longer than Iād liked to admit to even find my way out. But it fell naturally, like most obstacles, to my natural grace and acumen.ā
āOh, your ānatural graceā, huh?ā
āJealous?ā
āOh, Iām something alright.ā
Skeptical. Iām skeptical.
āI vaguely toured the area. But I didnt stay in anywhere for too long. Everything was so grand and exact, it all began looking the same after a while. Truly a dull affair. Finally, I found that room of computers and I saw all of you! You were supposed to come find me but you never did! I even saw you use that elevator! ... Eventually I was able to use the one on my end and made sure to give you a piece of my mind when I saw you return. Is that specific enough for you?ā
āHmmm. I mean, specificās a little...ā
She whirled around on her heel to glare at me.
āYou take your doubtful tone and you swallow it down you boorish beetroot!ā
āI wasnāt doubting you! Geez... you get so wound up over nothing...ā
Chiffon didnāt speak much after that but I could tell she was kinda sulking. I mean, she didnāt make it subtle. She steps away so we stop taking our break and move again. I paused and did something even I couldnāt believe. I thought about things in her shoes. I thought to myself,Ā āwhat would Anzai do at a time like thisā and I kinda came to that conclusion. And when I did that, I couldnāt help but feel a little bad for her. I mean, I donāt even know what Iād do in that kinda situation. You wake up alone and canāt even remember your name... youāre all alone in a place like this with no one to talk to. Then you see a bunch of people and you canāt reach them at all... yikes.
You know,Ā all things considered, Iām kinda surprised sheās been this easy to talk to. I let her take the lead while Iām thinking but she stares down at me with some suspicion from the stairs. Whether sheās waiting for me to catch up or wants to start something, I have no idea.
āWhat are you up to?ā
āNothing, just... sorry. Sorry we left you alone.ā
ā... Oh, thatās disgusting.ā
"Iām SORRY? I was trying to--ā
āOnly a man of true low stature wastes time with words like that. If you have energy to waste apologizing, keep moving! Iām shocked you thought I was such a petty person, to hold such a grudge! Iām not so lowly Iād think like that. If you donāt like what you did, fix it next time. Itās as simple as that.ā
Ugh, she makes it so hard to be nice to her... but at least sheās back in high spirits. She seems pretty simple, if nothing else. That makes dealing with her easy. And it means sheās not as much of a threat... seems that way, anyway. After what I saw... after what we went through... thatās kind of a relief. And I suppose... in a way, she has a point. At the very least, sheās speaking a language I get.
Wait, I hope that doesnāt mean Iām simple.
I take back the lead and I manage to get my hand to the poolās door before Chiffon. That petty victory makes me happy. Itāll be nice to see the area - itāll be a change of pace. At least, thatās my hope.
Only a few seconds passed I think, not even minutes but I felt like Iād been sitting in that dining room for hours. When I finally mustered up the effort to move it felt like my body was creaking in protest. But I needed this, I needed something to distract me.
Everyone scattered, heading off in their own directions. I vaguely wondered about that mysterious girl again before shrugging it off; I wasnāt in the mood to track down one specific person anyway. And besides, someone was already here - local.
Convenient. Manabu off by himself looking into space out in the main hall.
Heād always seemed fairly mature. Or at the very least, like he had his act together... so I guess I admired that some. But after the trial... he was pretty shaken up. I guess thatās obvious but itās still weird to see in a way. I offer him a wave but he didnāt really seem to notice me until I spoke up.
āYo.ā
He attempts a vague wave back.
āKaede. I wish I could greet you better.ā
That was definitely a fake smile.
āSorry. If you need some time to yourself then...ā
āNo, itās alright. I get what youāre doing. I get it, just... sorry, I guess Iām just not all there yet.ā
This whole thing seemed like a minefield to me. Iād never been Mr. Social Graces. if I met someone, there was an 80% chance Iād say something dumb and mess the whole thing up. If I was a little smarter, I wouldāve thought it over. But I wasnāt good at that. Maybe I make him mad, sure, but itās possible something I say could also make things a little better. I dunno. Worth a try, I guess.
āMana, I know this is gonna sound like the stupid copy-paste stuff everyone says but itās not your fault. I mean, you didnāt hold Hanji at gunpoint and tell him to do that crap.ā
That chuckleās forced too. It kinda hurts that he feels the need to fake it around me but I get it.
I get it, but it still sucks.
āI know... I know but itās stuck in my head. I didnāt... I didnāt really think about the consequences at all. When we were in that room, when everything was heating up I was just... determined to prove he did it. The worst part is, Iām not sure how much I even cared about Anzai-chan... or Wakatsuki-chan. I just knew he was lying and I wanted him to own up to it. For everyone to see what I saw. But... but...ā
āNot like that.ā
āNot like that, no...ā
I sigh. It was easy to write Hanji off as a bad guy. I feel itād be a weight off my mind if I did that. Hell, heād given us enough evidence to. But it didnāt sit right with me. And even if he was a bad guy, I dunno... what, was I suddenly supposed to be happy he was dead now? I couldnāt figure out my own feelings there.
āItās horrifying. Adrenaline. In the heat of the moment, you donāt feel anything at all. But when itās all over, youāre just left with the aftermath. And you wonder... how did it get so bad? And why couldnāt I stop it before it got to this point...ā
Wasnāt expecting him to speak up again like that. I wasnāt sure how personal this was... like, was this a one-off or was this a constant thing for him?
ā... We just need to stop making a mess of things then. I mean... Hanji... he said heād planned this out, like, he was central to all this, right? So was Wakatsuki. I feel shitty saying it but if theyāre gone now... then maybe weāll be okay.ā
āYou sound like Shiratori-kun.ā
āUgh! Gross!ā
āAhaha. In some ways, itās a praise. Heās an idiot but he means well. That kind of positive thinking... is just a little hard for me.ā
āIām not saying everythingās roses and cream, donāt get me wrong. Iām not gonna just forget about what happened. But if we donāt move on, if we donāt at least try something weāll just be wallowing in our own self-pity. I canāt guarantee nothing else badāll happen... or that no one else will die. Thatād just be wishful thinking. But what I can say is that we know more now. And maybe that knowledge is good enough to keep us trucking. I mean. I guess all Iām saying is: itās something. Somethingās more than nothing. Iāll take what I can get.ā
āHaha... Kaede-kun, youāre very cool. Thatās a good mindset. Unfortunately Iām very good at wallowing in self-pity. Itās a bad habit.ā
And then, suddenly... something clicked in my head. Something about Manabu felt like it made sense to me.
ā... Nah, itās not self-pity, right? Itās just... youāre overly kind, arenāt you? Youāre the sort of person who gives up so that someone else has a chance. Putting others first. Thatās why you got all self-righteous about Hanji. You knew something wasnāt right and you wanted to protect us. But when you reailzed what that meant... or... you know, when that happened... you blamed yourself. Because you accused Hanji, he died. You caused that.ā
The genuine surprise on his face almost takes me by surprise. The words kinda tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them and now I was kinda feeling weird about it. I mean, itās not really my thing to analyze people.
āUhh, sorry, that was...ā
āYouāre pretty astute... that caught me off-guard. Takeruās said something similar before. The two of you are pretty different so... I was surprised. I guess... youāre not that far-off. But calling it ākindnessā... that somehow feels too great a word.ā
Mentioning that name seems to make Manabu all the more distant so I reach out and pat his shoulder.
āHeāll be okay.ā
āMm. Heās a strong guy... much moreso than me. So I want to believe... but... everythingās so...ā
He sighs.
āIād just settle for seeing him. I miss him.ā
Manabuās not crying or anything but he still rubs his eyes and heaves another huge sigh.
āIām sorry, I really am poor company right now. Iām a useless guy, I guess. Iāll be... Iāll get better, Kaede, I will. I just need to think some things through.ā
āI get it. Sorry for getting in your space.ā
āNo... it was nice. Thank you for reaching out. And... ah, actually, could I ask you for a favour?ā
He reaches into his pocket and brings out an accessory of some kind. On closer inspection it kinda looks like a bracelet... some thick wooden beads. Real rustic-looking thing.
āKotobuki-chan dropped this. I saw her heading to the classroom in a rush. I wanted to catch up with her but... I realized I was... I really wasnāt in the right place to speak to her. If youāre checking in on people, can you return it?ā
Ah, now that I think about it... yeah, makes total sense a bracelet like this would belong to that chick. I nod and take it, putting it in my own pocket. I wonder if sheās okay. Seems like sheās been pushing herself a ton. Maybe... sheās still in the classroom. I oughta check it out.
But... okay, now this soundās been bugging me for a bit now but Iāve been ignoring it. Now that neither of us are speaking though itās become all the more annoying. Seems like itās coming from the elevator, a kind of hammering or clanking. The elevator doesnāt look all shady and hidden anymore... guess that makes sense. I stride over to it and give it a rough punch to relieve some stress. But to my surprise, the doors open and reveal...
āKya! Y-you pervert!ā
Oh, if ONLY I could kick this fat ball of fluff across the room...
āWhat the hell are you doing here? Donāt you have some B-tier script to memorize or some shit?ā
āRude! Thatās so rude! Who raised you to speak to me like that?! Iāve never been so! So!ā
Patchnuki wobbles around for a bit before almost shrugging, as much as it can anyway.
ā... Itās fine, Iām totally zen. My therapistās been recommending I learn to let things go more and... you know what? This feels right. This is good. This is progress.ā
āGoodbye.ā
I move to shut the door but it squeezes between the doors. I kinda back away, I donāt wanna like, accidentally hurt it and risk getting zapped again but itās kinda. Content to stick in place, all squished between the two elevator doors. If I felt more up to it, Iād laugh at the image honestly.
āHEY! Wait, you nasty little brat! Arenāt you curious? Whatever was Patchnuki-sama doing in the elevator? ... Hmm? Youāre dying to know, arenāt you?ā
āIām not. Go away.ā
āHey. Hey now. Listen. This is interesting. Hey. Look, Iām... Iām actually letting you visit the west side of the building. I just gotta do a bit of tinkering on this thing and... yeah! Yeah, itāll be cool, trust me, thereās a pool, thereās gonna be some wine... itāll be great!ā
Manabu, to my surprise, walked up to the door with gentle footsteps and with even gentler hands, pushed Patchnuki back into the elevator, allowing the doors to shut once more.
āThank you for your time. Goodbye.ā
I couldnāt help but snort that time.
āMy hero.ā
āHey, least I could do.ā
That smileās the most genuine Iāve seen yet. Iām glad.
āIf we can take Patchnukiās word on it... I guess more of theĀ house will be available to us now. Maybe thatāll give us more to work with.ā
āBut why? Why unlock these areas?ā
He shrugs.
āIt seems to like a game. I suppose these little additions and caveats help spice things up. In any case... Iāll stick around here. If anything changes, Iāll let you know.ā
ā... Yeah. Thanks. Iām gonna go check on Buki.ā
Manabu nods and I return the gesture before heading to the classroom. I distinctly remember the room. I talked to Hanji there before... and Manabu too, now that I think about it. Those conversations werenāt so long ago but somehow the words were already blurring in my mind. Was I going to forget them? They seemed so trivial at the time but now that Hanji was dead it was sticking with me. Itās like that feeling during breakfast all over again... fish bone in my throat. Iām not that smart. Iām not confident I can remember the important stuff let alone anything sentimental. But what if I forget what he looks like? I donāt want that.
