#junoopen

Although Enou had been delivered to the scene of the announcement, he didn’t see to have much of a response either to being toted or to the apparent upcoming sacrifice.

“.............”

Although Enou had taken quite some time to “recover” from the events of the trial, once he had made up his mind, he did everything he could to share his plan. He’d told everyone he’d crossed paths with and slipped notes under all of the remaining students’ doors, just in case.

He was instituting a curfew. The dining area was already closed from 10 pm to 7 am, so that seemed like as good a time as any. During that time, he wouldn’t allow anyone outside of their rooms. They’d be locked inside safely, and there would be no way for anyone to get killed if they were tied down to their own rooms.

Of course, there was still daytime to worry about, but since all but one of the murders had occurred in the middle of the night, he’d surely be able to prevent something this way. Or he hoped so. It was definitely worth staying up for, at least. Nothing else he’d tried had worked, but maybe this time... Maybe this time he could actually save his friends...

The hour was approaching, and he had begun his watch on the right side of the laundry room. Not everyone had come in yet, so he might have to go check out the rest of the grounds.

Shuffling the array of full take-home containers he’d smuggled out of the food court for the night, he perked up at the sound of approaching footsteps. There, someone who hadn’t retreated to their room for the night yet. He attempted a smile.

If it hadn’t been for Kotone’s scream from the library, Enou probably never would have been able to haul himself to his feet, let alone walk away from Denshi’s and Masami’s dead bodies.

Kotone had passed out but was okay. Yuu... was not.

Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead friend. Dead friend. Dead friend. DeAD...

How did this happen? Who could HAVE DONE THIS TO THEM? how had they gotten past enou wasn’t he SUPPOSED TO...

He didn’t realize he had sunken to the floor, his arms limp at his sides.

this wasNT RIGHT DENSHi masami YUU how many hoWWWmany/were killed dead KILLEDWH;O^w^ho4%2 DID he wOUld... wasn’t right he...\\ PROtecc/45645?T hYRT&is FRI{enDS b45%^EJHGut the*y sTIL]L...

why... wHy.........

By the time Enou came to, the trial was over. Whatever execution there was was over. The others had left and the bear was prodding him to go. His heart sank a little, but it wasn’t like the others could have dragged him back out without moving equipment. Hopefully they were all doing all right. Well, whoever was left.

Had Yuuki’s killer been executed, or someone else? How was he even supposed to react to the things that had come to light during the trial? It seemed like a good idea to stand in the lobby offering hugs, but the constant, knife-twisting pain in his arm probably needed to be taken care of first.

Nearly whiting out when he rose, he nonetheless hobbled to the elevator and went to the new floor. To his relief, he found an infirmary. He didn’t exactly know how to deal with a broken bone besides seeing a doctor, but there were definitely some pain pills in this cupboard. He nearly cried with joy—although he was already crying so much he couldn’t really tell if that contributed much.

He gripped the bottle with his left hand and tried to unscrew it with his right. As if his sausage fingers weren’t making it difficult enough, pushing down on the bottle sent new jolts of pain through his arm. He yelped a few times, vision going white once although he managed to stay standing.

Panting, he tried setting the bottle on the counter and opening it one-handed, but he didn’t make any more progress.

Suddenly, he glanced at the doorway—while he hadn’t heard anyone come over the piano music on his headphones, he still had a hunch. And thank God, someone was there.

Enou tried to smile, though it didn’t work so well.

Yuuki Senge. That was her name. Her talent, her family, her friends, her past, her dreams, her favorite foods and songs and colors... None of those he knew, or ever would now.

“...”

How could this have happened? Wasn’t she at the party? Wasn’t everyone? Sure, there were some necessary breaks with all the punch going around, but... He had been too busy with the music to keep track of everyone, and it seemed she and her killer both had evaded his watch.

Nothing was working. Strangers getting killed, friends getting killed, even Yuuki, who had been so sure of herself... What was he supposed to do? How was he supposed to keep anybody from being killed when he’d already failed this many times? How was anything supposed to work anymore when classmates were getting murdered left and right?

“...”

Taking stiff strides back to the food court entrance until his pace began to pick up, he stomped through the lobby and adjusted his soundtrack to something sufficiently loud with the flick of a finger. He came to a stop in front of the heavy metal doors blocking their way out of here, his shoulders shaking.

With a grunt loud enough to put a tennis player to shame, he threw himself at the more damaged side full-force. A sharp pain shot through his shoulder down to his fingertips as he rebounded off, but he just sucked in a breath and tried again.

This was it. This was why they were killing each other. This was the enemy he could take down if he just—tried—hard enough!

“GET OUT OF THE WAY!”

He continued hurling himself at the door, punching at it, kicking at it, anything, anything that might break it down, but it wasn’t working. He just had to hit it heavier, heavier, heavier!

Someone stop him before he breaks someth—

Well, this was just great.

The annoying homicidal bear was back, and he wasn’t back empty handed. She wasn’t going to stay long for breakfast, she never stayed too long with them in a big group anyway. Chiasa pretended she had something to do after taking a few bites of her food and leaving. She arrived at the lobby, staying at the back of the crowd as Monobear decided to make another appearance. She only huffed out and crossed her arms, briskly making her way to her room shortly after his announcement.

“Utterly stupid.. what does he think makes me crack?” The girl muttered under her breath and she slipped out her ID card from her shirt after unbuttoning one section and unlocked her door, turning the knob to find her room exactly as she left it. How could the stupid bear deliver the secrets in that short span of time they could have all been gone? Well-- she didn’t question much around here anymore. Questioning things in this place got her to no answers, which made her irritated. More irritated than she was at the current moment.

She strode over to her pillow, lifting it up to find the envelope sitting there. “There you are.” She snatched it, tearing the paper with her nail to pull out the paper. Her eyes scanned the words before she tore the paper neatly in half. 

“..What the fuck.” She muttered, she felt anger boiling inside of her. How dare he.. give her this type of secret. She was better than-- whatever this was! Chiasa crumbled the two halves paper in her hands and tossed it over her shoulder. “Useless, useless, all of you..” Chiasa stepped out out of her room, spotting someone in the hallway with her.

Enou had been silent since the trial had ended, though his music was still blasting loud enough it was probably hurting his ears. It had continued playing, blowing away all thoughts that may have surfaced, as he pummeled the vertical beam in his room, his blows falling on the beats. After maybe an hour of this, he wound down, more exhausted from the mental strain than the physical. Finally, as he left to get something to drink, his thoughts began to catch up with him.

Disgust, anger, fear, guilt, sorrow. All of the thoughts and emotions jumping and tossing back and forth and back and forth until he had finally come to a conclusion. Hauling himself out of the food court, he passed through the lobby, kicking at the little chip of marble he’d dislodged from the fountain. He began singing along to his rock music as he stationed himself by the stairs. With the new floor opening and the dorms on a different floor anyway, this seemed like the best place to catch somebody. Anybody. It didn’t matter. He had to talk to everyone.

Though he didn’t catch the sound of footsteps, he managed to notice someone as they came to the landing.

Kirie’s scream had cut straight through Enou’s music and even his deep sleep. He had spent a little time confused and trying to wake up, but once his brain registered the cry of distress and its source, he had shot out of the room.

“Kirie-san!”

What time was it? Wasn’t everyone supposed to be safe in bed? What happened? Maybe the small student had just slipped and fallen? Was he okay?

But as Enou drew closer to the scene, it was obvious something beyond a little accident had been the cause. Kirie seemed to be unhurt, but a small crowd had begun to gather and had failed to disperse. The center of attention seemed to be the fountain. And what—what was that horrible smell...?

A wave of coldness swamping him despite the clothes he had thrown on in a daze, he shuffled over to see what had happened.

Nothing could have prepared him for the cold, pale body lying against the side of the fountain.

“What...”

Even if Enou hadn’t checked the student’s pulse, there was no question they were dead, not with that gaping hole in their chest.

“Wha...”

Enou had never even gotten to meet this student. What was their name? Any details about them other than their hair and mellow expression?

He tottered a bit, grabbing the bottom level of the fountain for support. The cold water streaming over his fingers didn’t help snap him to his senses much.

“Wh...”

...More importantly, they couldn’t have fallen on something accidentally and ended up like this. Someone else had been involved. Someone had murdered them. Someone had gone straight past Enou and ripped another person’s life away!

“Wh-who...”

He slowly turned his gaze towards the others, his grip on the stone tightening until the blood was bleached from his knuckles and cracks began to form in the marble.