#kosami

“Please. . . I’m begging. . .” [morphogentic fields active] He keeps his eyes down, focusing heavily on the podium. You can tell he’s crying by the teardrops dripping on the surface, but he’s not looking up at anyone. It seems almost out of place to have Kosami, the strong, silent type, breaking down right before your very eyes, but it’s happening. And before you know it, he tears his gaze from the floor and looks at his fellow students, as if attempting to coax them into persuasion.  [deadlight engines calibrated] “I don’t want to die--” [our will be done]

Before a single soul could respond, the sound of static comes through harsh as Kosami fades away, your eyes stinging while you look at him. It's like watching a digital image loose all resolution and fade away.

You all watch the screen that drops down, as Kosami is dropped in the center of the stage. You hear a strange sound off to the side of the room, and before you know it, hundreds- if not thousands- of robotic photographers surround the poor boy, snapping photos of his every move as he tries to escape.

You see, for a second, that he reaches out to you in the audience. His face seems desperate. There’s too many robots swarming around him, giving him very little room to move, much less breathe, and the more panicked he becomes, and the more minutes that go by, the closer they become.

As they do this, two large TV screens overhead flicker on. They begin to play images of the Akita family from the very moment that Kosami was born. In most of the images, you can see a very young boy punching his siblings, yelling at classmates, and throwing various random objects. There are very few happy photographs, and Kosami looks distressed as this pictures are revealed for his friends to see.

You can almost hear him whisper “No, please, don’t look!” but shortly thereafter, you can see him fall to the ground. 

The robotic beings scoot closer to him, snapping more pictures, stepping on his bones, causing them to break. You hear a blood-curdling scream followed by the snapping of legs and arms as the robots pile on top of him, trying to snap photographs of his face. For a second, he wonders if this is what poor Kokei had to deal with regularly.

But luckily, he didn’t have to be consumed with that idea for long. A particularly large robot took its heel and jammed it into Kosami’s skull. You can hear him attempt to say something as the blood trickles down his face before several other robots follow in the first one’s footsteps and hit him relentlessly with their shoes. After several long, grueling minutes, Kosami takes his last breath, and the robots snap one last photograph to be displayed on the television screens.

You see a bloody, bashed in, beaten and bruised SHSL Bodyguard laying before you. Maybe he was your friend, your companion, or just some stranger occupying the same space as you- whatever the case, Kosami Akita has been executed.

[so it ends]

[know what you must do]

[you may go]

[trial 3 end]

[ CW: I have no clue, suicidal thoughts? Self harm, Other stuff involving metaphors I guess?]

[♪♪♪]

Everything was slipping through her fingers and things refused to go in her favour. The Occult Club's disastrous last meeting, then Farid, now Kosami. She had thought that... maybe this time, maybe just for a bit longer, she could keep her happiness. It had been a selfish thought but she still wanted it. She had wanted it will all of her being. 

He never answered her. She would never know what she did wrong. She clutched the jar tighter to her chest when he faded out. It stung, oh how it stung. Her dead heart hurt in her chest. There was glass pumping through her veins and hands squeezing all her organs. She could hardly breath. She just- she had just- She didn't want to lose him to. She didn't want this, she wasn't worth it so why would they? Why would they do this? She shifted the jar to rest in one arm, clawing at her chest with her now free hand. It hurt... It hurt she wanted it out.

They were crowding him, her throat felt raw. Why why why, she felt so powerless. Why couldn't it have been her instead. She would do anything to take his place. She didn't even get to hold him before he went, or preform the ritual. She never even got to kiss him. She could taste iron in her mouth. When had she started bleeding? Did it even matter anyway? The flashing photos catch her eyes. It was just like Kosami had said. He was a rowdy child, but that shouldn't define him... He was so much more then his past.... The crunching and snapping is what hurts the most. Her hand now covered with some of her own blood went back to grip the jar tightly. She didn't trust herself to not drop it now. Her knees are weak, just barely managing to keep her up. She can feel them buckling under the weight of her emotions. It's all too much. And his screams. It hurts it hurts it hurts- 

She crumples to the floor, landing on her knees. The jar held safely in her arms now pressed against her lap. Was this the price of her happiness? The price to not be alone? Would this be how it would always end from now on? Her touch corrupting the kindness around her? Why... why had she been born with a poisonous heart? Had she been cursed at birth? Why did she accept her planner that day, why had she tried to befriend people why did she-

She began to scream. No coherent words no undesirable noises, just pure raw screams. She had already been crying but now her tears were flowing more than ever. She was likely to stay there, screaming until her throat bleed, until her lungs gave out raw and withered. 

Maybe he shouldn't have relied on reverse psychology. Maybe if he had actually 'confessed' there and then, instead of banking on his denial to make himself look guiltier, we could have averted this plot. They could have voted for Neo then and there, and Gernot would have no reason to continue with his thorough handwriting search. Whatever ended up happening, well...Kayu announced the results, so there was that. Kosami was going to be executed. Kimiko was going to lose her Terra too.

"No...It wasn't...It wasn't supposed to end like this..." He mumbled to himself, before coughing slightly. Steeling himself for the long exposition ahead, Neo wiped away his tears, before putting on a brave face. Even as Kimiko and Kosami struggled to deal with their own personal demons, it was time to let the one in Neo's heart out to play. "I guess...I owe you all an explanation."

"I was going on a bathroom run last night when I saw Farid-san and Kosami-san headed in the direction of the security kiosk. I didn't think it very weird until...Until I saw only Kosami-san returning with bloody hands. I jumped to the obvious conclusion and hid before he saw me, but considering the motive, I...I knew what this would mean if he was found out. Kosami-san, I mean. Even if I wasn't around for the rest of the Occult Club's meeting, I knew he and Farid-san had, well, become Kimiko-san's loved ones, and I...I was only trying to give him a better chance at doing what he was supposed to do."

"So I rigged the place. With the kitchen implements lying around, I set up both a tripwire at the Informational Desk and the electrical fire in the Storage Room. I was hoping they would attract a lot of attention so the discussion time could be wasted trying to figure out their purpose. And if they were traced back to me, I probably would have framed myself by claiming denial and...Either way, it would have thrown the spotlight off of Kosami-san and he'd clear the motive and Kimiko-san would be safe because isn't that why he and Farid-san planned this together? I just...I didn't want her to lose another light in her life so soon after losing the first one, so I tried and I tried and..."

"..."

"..."

[SUICIDE IMPLICATIONS TW, negative thoughts tw]

Kosami just kind of stood here and shook his head. "I can't give you my handwriting." He repeated and stared at the floor. "I can't do that, because uhm… I guess you already know why." He didn't really feel the need to make clarification. That'd be condemning him to murder, but it wasn't like he wasn't condemned already. He just didn’t know what to say, because he didn’t really deserve to speak anyway.  "Thank you for voting for me. I’m, um, I’m sorry I didn’t confess, I didn’t want to lead you on, I guess. I’m sorry that uh, sorry that… Akiyama-san had to say those things earlier, and that Usokami-san had to be blamed for my shit, too. He- uhm, Farid, I mean- he didn’t want me to say anything, otherwise I would have. He, uh, said it’d defeat the purpose of it, and he wanted me to be quiet, and I didn’t want him to let him down, I guess.”

He paused and stared intensely at his feet, as if doing so would make this feeling of guilt go away. He was never good at talking to crowds either, and the fact that he had to do so in front of his whole class made this even harder. He gulped anxiously and continued, trying to steady his breathing.

“...But if it makes you feel better, I guess, I wouldn’t have let myself live after this… you know, if it had gone right… If that makes sense? I wouldn’t have allowed that, I promise. Uhm… sorry for rambling, I just wanted him to be happy… and her to be safe..." He paused and looked at the ground. He felt like he was going to cry, but no way in hell did he deserve that. His tears were all for nothing. It didn’t mean a thing to anyone. Why was he even talking? He didn’t deserve to speak. Not to them, nor did he deserve to tell what really happened. His side of the story was worthless. He’d have much rather kept his mouth shut and let everyone believe he was a monster than to think any less of Farid. If his wish could not be granted, then Kosami Akita would keep his mouth shut. And that was okay, by all means. He was a monster, he was the worst. Far worse, even, than the two killers beforehand. At least they confessed, right? Kosami hadn’t. But he wanted say one thing to Kimiko- not that he deserved to talk to her, look at her, anything of that nature- but this was for Farid’s sake.

“Uhm… not that this matters either, and not that I deserve to say anything. I’m sorry I keep talking… but he loved you… okay? I did too, I think, but you probably shouldn’t think of that anymore. That’s not worth your time… okay? Please don’t be too sad.” Cue a pause as he tried to say all the thoughts jumbled up in his brain.

“Just, uh, try not to even remember me. Uhm, I want you to please only think of him from now on, or else what he did was probably pointless. You’re both good people, you know. Like I told Arthur once, um… ‘Don’t let the bad people get you down.’ Something like that, so ...please, uhm… even if they cannot-” He meant the Benefactors. “Uhm… please try not to hurt yourself anymore…? Leave that for the bad people like me. What I’m saying is to please… try to be more happy for him. Does that make sense? I’m, uh… I’m rambling, I know, and I’m sorry I’m wasting time. That’s all I have to say, really. Other than thank you, for letting me get to know you, Setsuko-san. And everyone.”  

She was confused to say the least. Neo had no reason to want to protect her. Neo had Haruka. Neo would want to protect Haruka like Kimiko had wanted to protect Farid and Kosami. Like Farid had wanted to protect... her... It just didn't make sense, it didn't add up. Nothing added up.

And Neo backed up the fact that he wouldn't have complied. So it wasn't him. It couldn't be him. It shouldn't be anyone here, nobody should have been willing to kill Farid just to protect her. He was her Solaris, she was meant to protect him. Luna was the protector. Solaris was a giver of life and warmth, Terra a nurturer and healer. Luna destroyed what ever she touched, but she could use that power to protect. She would protect-

Yumie is yelling and she is pulled from her train of thought. Yes, Neo would not agree. Although she startles Kimiko enough that her heart stops for a moment when she thinks she might drop his heart. She takes a deep steadying breath. It's okay it's-

Gernot starts yelling and her grip on the jar tightens. Could they sTOP THAT? Wait- Kosami? Why Kosami- Kosami has no reason to do the test anyway Kosami would never- He would never-

She can't breath. It takes her a minute to remember how. In out, in out, cool breeze, calm waves. She holds the jar tightly to her chest and makes a beeline for Kosami. She stands in front of him, she will protect him. Luna is the protecter, it is her job, her duty.

When Gernot made his rounds around the room, Kosami stayed silent. He stayed silent as the accusations went flying, as the votes turned to chaos... But once Gernot approached him, he shook his head.

“No, I’d... rather not.” Kosami clenched his fists, then stuck his hands in his pocket. “The handwriting doesn’t matter, does it?”