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“A thousand words won’t bring you back; I know because I’ve tried.”
————————————
Foggy clouds rolled in from the cold south, bringing forth a somber and chilling wind. Malicious waves toss and turn until hitting the shore and beach, where the water is raging and rapid. Not very calm before the storm. Times like this is when people of all ages should be staying inside. But the gloominess of the seemingly never-ending sea attracts wandering life forms, in their sad pursuit.
Times like this is when people of all ages should be staying inside, save for a lone journalist.
He treads along the shoreline as the polite water slithers around his shoes, leaving a trail of shallow footprints. Behind him, the cape of his long trench coat flows in the breeze, tinged with recently blood-soaked memories that saturate the dry and colorless world around him. The journalist finds himself sitting on the cold sand below him, dragging a finger in the material and watching the tiny rocks fall from his hand. Now, as he looks back, he can’t remember how exactly he got to Utsuroshima’s beach or why. Just that he was somehow led astray away from his social group to reflect on some matter. His finger instinctively drew abstract art in the sand, not thinking, as his mind was occupied with more important matters.
Not that anyone would care or even notice he was gone from the island’s little community. If they can clearly forget about the existence of the death of his dear friend, Hajime Makunouchi, they can forget the quiet journalist too. Everyone was so preoccupied with themselves they wouldn’t or couldn’t give a damn about this journalist, too busy drinking last night’s event away, too busy pretending nothing ever happened, too busy moving on so easily. Even Mikado Sannoji, that damned wizard, now he’s more unbeatable than I thought... Even he moved on so quickly. Not this journalist though, no no, he won’t move on so easily… But that’s just it, Sannoji wants him to never move on. The journalist is too plagued with the trauma of losing a dear friend, so very mentally and emotionally weak to stand in Sannoji’s way, and that’s what the wizard wants.
He won’t have it that way, no no, he’d rather burn out his own eyes than to ever let Sannoji get what he wants.
And the most mocking thing about this current situation; not the lack of sympathy from the island’s community and not Mikado Sannoji’s manipulation, but the fact he had all the chances in the world to say goodbye to that dear friend. It’s too late now, no going back, so the journalist finds himself at the beach… Playing with the sand…
“Nikei Yomiuri.” That is what the dear friend would say as he materializes in the journalist’s imagination. “What use is there sitting around?! Getcha ass up and stand up for what’s right, spill the plan’s secrets, y’know? If you hate Sannoji so much, wouldn’t y’do anything to get rid of him?”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Hajime.” The journalist, Yomiuri, finds himself staring up at the sky. His dark hair mapping the sand around his head, like some sea urchin, a very sad sea urchin. He sits up to respond to his imagination, not realizing he’s speaking out loud. “I can’t stand up to Mikado Sannoji, I don’t have a deathwish unlike you.”
“That’s how you died right?” Says Yomiuri, still talking to himself.
“You were too confident in your abilities, you were too confident in us, you trusted us to take down Mikado Sannoji in case something happened to you. You were too confident, so you went along with the plan like sheep. Is that what you are? Is Void just a bunch of sheep made to follow order?! Tell me Makunouchi, where did I go wrong for you to trust me so much…” Nikei Yomiuri is quite iconic amongst the group for being stubbornly grumpy, other than the rude insults he has in store. Showing signs of weakness is traitorous to himself, he would never act so vulnerable to anyone, not even himself, but today the mood felt different. This was rare, very rare.
“Oho~? I figured you were around here somewhere, Nick.”
Yomiuri was so startled from the sudden appearance of the new arrival, that he scrambled and tossed in the sand. Yomiuri rubbed his eyes impatiently after feeling the minuscule rocks scratch his eyelids. The voice was too recognizable to not alert him, the voice was none other than Setsuka Chiebukuro. The most kind-hearted, charismatic, and selfless member of the community. But what was she doing here?! Yomiuri thought to himself.
“What are you doing?! Isn't it a bit rude to spy on a man’s independent lifestyle?! Jeez, shouldn’t you be with everyone else?”
“That’s rich coming from a reporter, isn’t your job to observe and share secrets?” Chiebukuro replied teasingly. Yomuri bit his tongue back and eased his shoulders.
“Anyways, you made big sis look all over the island for you! I expected a more secretive place… But from the looks of it, Nick likes taking beach strolls.” Chiebukuro’s walk over to Yomiuri made him chuckle a bit, she was so unsteady with those high heels in the sand.
“You know, I like a man whose coping mechanism is a cute little walk by the ocean~”
“Shut up and leave... Leave me alone, I didn’t invite you to talk to me, did I?”
“No, but you still seemed lonely! I heard you talking to yourself and figured you needed some company.”
“Plus, Nick.” Chiebukuro continued. “You and Em were the most shaken up about yesterday, and with the whole ‘distrusting everyone’ speech you gave before leaving, I can’t help but worry for you y’know…”
“......” Yomiuri broke eye contact with Chiebukuro, he wasn’t the most comfortable when looking people directly in the eyes.
“Yes… That’s right. Hajime died last night, didn’t he? Frankly, it seems like you all are the concerning ones for not-“
“Being upset with his death? You even said it yourself Nick, the Void is really untrustworthy by any means. But I’m a little curious now… Are you saddened by Mac’s death?”
“No! Why would you ever say that?!” Yomiuri ran his hands through his hair frustratedly. “Why would you think that of me….! I’m just disappointed you all aren’t worrying for Void as much as me and Kokoro. I had low expectations of everyone and it seems you all still disappoint me.”
“.....”
“Now leave me alone, don’t get any smartass ideas from me mumbling to myself. Just… Just- leave me alone! You could be Void, I won’t take any chances, not even with you.”
Chiebukuro looked as if she was about to respond before her words were cut off by the wind. Yomiuri turned around to walk away from the conversation, but he realized his head felt cold by some means. Yomiuri went to grip his hat down only to feel the texture of his hair, then realized what went wrong. He whipped around wide-eyed to survey his surroundings, picking up any signs of his hat. Chiebukuro herself somehow sensed his panicked state and looked over to him.
“M-My hat?! Where the hell did my hat go?!”
Yomiuri dashed to the spot where he was sitting on the sand and shifted his foot around to uncover any trace of his hat. Chiebukuro called over to him, alerting the location of his blown away hat. Yomiuri turned his head to see her wafting knee-length in the ocean, reaching for his hat that is now filled with water. The sea had calmed its huge waves ever since Chiebukuro showed up, but it doesn’t stop Yomiuri from hurriedly rushed over. He abruptly halted to take a few steps back after his ankles got wet. He noticed Chiebukuro’s vest, shoes, tie, hairpin, and hairclip lay in the sand near his shoes. And that’s when he realized that Chiebukuro’s long hair hung loose on her shoulders, ocean water stuck the curled blue strands together.
“My hat! Make sure my hat doesn’t get ruined, Setsuka!”
Chiebukuro prevailed against the stronger waves and grabbed Yomiuri’s hat, much to his relief. She wafted back to shore, before stumbling a bit due to the force of the water. After Chiebukuro made it to the beach, Yomiuri observed how soaked she was, how willing she was to get that soaked just to retrieve the hat. She fell to her knees to regain some stamina, Yomiuri found himself instinctively at her side.
“I’ll be fine... Just give big sis a sec, don’t worry too much about m-me.”
Chiebukuro trembled with a shudder and squeezed the remaining water out of her hair. Then picked up her stray clothing, stood up, shivering from getting wet and cold. Yomiuri glanced away from her with a pitiful, embarrassed, and guilty expression. She did all that for me? Barely hesitating too?? Is that even possible to be so selfless? Yomiuri frowned at how much water filled his hat and soaked the lining, so he decided not to wear it. Instead, Yomiuri threw his trench coat around Chiebukuro, hopefully enough to keep her warm while he guides her back to the cruise ship.
A sacrifice for a sacrifice... But the trench coat was barely a sacrifice anyway, this was Yomiuri’s language of expressing his thanks and gratitude. Yomiuri wasn’t too cold anyway, for whatever reason, he felt the opposite. The more Yomiuri pondered about it, the more he started to doubt it was an act of genuine gratitude, and more so because Yomiuri would be held accountable if he let Chiebukuro die of hypothermia or drowning.
And Yomiuri decided it was just that, he knew he wasn’t a kind person, so he believed he could never be kind. Chiebukuro will be left to wonder about what Yomiuri is thinking, as she’s neglected any verbal “thank you”s. But the only thing she wants or feels entitled to know is to understand the entirety of Nikei Yomiuri.
Wordlessly, Yomiuri assisted Chiebukuro back into the cruise. Once seating her in the dining room, he retrieved a few towels from the laundry room and set them in her lap, so Chiebukuro was left to dry herself. Yomiuri picked his soiled hat from the table, leaving a small puddle of water, and exited the room. Chiebukuro watched him leave, she was rather disappointed he didn’t stay, but it wasn’t unexpected he left. She clutched the trench coat that still remained on her.
Yomiuri turned a corner once closing the doors behind him and saw one of the fellow residents on the island, Emma Magorobi. She was like Hajime Makunouchi, a dear friend of his. But as much as Yomiuri respected him and Magorobi’s (and Makunouchi’s) relationship, he can’t help but reduce her to that of someone who is below him in every means. But even with his conscious superiority complex, he still subconsciously feels there is a true friendship between them… That was also the same for Makunouchi before he died.
“Emma, do you need something? Why are you in my way?”
Magorobi flicked the blonde hair out of her face. “A rude way to put it, I was here first. I’m not even standing in your path, you can just go around me.” It always amused Yomiuri how much her English accent would drop when she’s alone with someone she trusts. Magorobi was born in Japan, but grew up overseas, just to come back here to complete the Void’s mission.
“Unlike you.” Yomiuri took a step forward towards her. “I don’t avoid problems, much less walk around them.”
“Ah, then I’ll get straight to the point!”
Magorobi leaned forward, towering over Yomiuri with her unnatural height. It’s almost as if she was genetically English, they are much taller if Yomiuri recalls that correctly.
“Now why did you leave Setsuka alone, it isn’t all that polite of a gentleman to do that.”
“What do I look like? Her maid?! She can take care of herself, but why are you suddenly worried?”
Magorobi started prodding Yomiuri back into the dining hall. “Get her something to drink, something warm.”
“Hey hey hey! Don’t tell me what to do!” He snapped at her. “Just because Hajime is gone doesn’t mean you need to fill his place as a bossy nitwit!”
“I’m not doing it just for him.” She said quietly and coldly.
Nikei snorted. “Well, that’s a first.” Emma is mourning over Hajime as much as I am… They were closer, I know that for sure… What am I sayi- thinking?! Hajime’s death was his own fault, not mine, I don’t care. “You know he’d lecture you on unhealthy coping mechanisms right about now, you seem awfully shallow for everyone’s favorite actress.”
“Do you want me to help or not?”
“I don’t even know what you’re helping with!”
Magorobi flicked her eyes around to survey the area, making sure no one was listening. She leaned in closely and crouched a bit until Yomiuri felt her breath on his ear. “Setsuka is rather influential no? This seems like a great opportunity to make a friend and gaining trust so no one will suspect you of being Void. Plus, having someone who trusts you might help the plan later on…”
Yomiuri rolled his eyes, Magorobi continued. “Everyone has been suspecting your absences as an excuse to plot against them, they think you’re Void. We can’t let that happen, you know that.”
Yomiuri knew Magorobi was thinking of Makunouchi when she said that, how he almost revealed all the secrets of the Void. Emma can’t think I’ll end up like Hajime, that’s bullshit. I’m ten times more careful with my words than he was. He scoffed the thought away. “What makes you think my act is faltering? They’re as blind as you three when you chose Mikado over me, thinking he was more of an intuitive leader, my ass.” Yomiuri started walking back to the dining hall.
“If he’s a better leader than me then go complain to him if everyone thinks I’m suspicious, I don’t care, I’m barely a part of Void at this point.” Yomiuri shrugged smugly, he could feel Magorobi’s agitated stare burning into him, he knows how loyal she is to this whole mess. Yomiuri continued. “I’ll consider your suggestion for my own reasons as usual, but this doesn’t mean I’m anymore loyal to Void than I ever was. If you don’t have anything else to say to me, then get out of my sight!”
“What happened to us Nikei… You’ve never been the kindest, but you still considered our feelings, because I’m very worried about you getting exposed… What happened?” Magorobi muttered. Yomiuri very clearly heard that, and instead of answering he decided to ask for her to repeat it, just to hear her say it again.
“Nevermind, it’s pointless. I don’t have anything to say to a traitor.”
Yomuri reached for the door and smiled. “I’m not the first… You won’t dare telling Mikado Sannoji, right?”
“No I won’t… Because Hajime would’ve kept quiet, and I’m a salty fool who’s mind is too clouded with worrying for everyone that I don’t stop to act rationally.” That is what she would say. Yomiuri turned his head to look for a response and saw Magorobi was no longer there. Silently taking off is what he presumed. Yomiuri reentered the dining room, Setsuka’s face lit up upon seeing him. How nice… But Yomiuri soon noticed Yoruko Kabuya sitting in the chair beside her. How did she get in?! If she’s here, she must’ve seen me and Emma talking before going inside. Emma, of course! Emma made sure Yoruko was eavesdropping on us so my secret would be revealed, and Mikado Sannoji would get rid of me…. I should’ve never trusted anyone!
Yomiuri curled his lip angrily, anxious for himself that he’s now in danger, and that Setsuka was supposedly in on this too. He could feel beads of sweat run down his forehead, trying not to think of the future and only think about himself, and what he could do to escape… Or maybe stay to find an excuse?
“Nick, wait! Where are you going again?”
Yomiuri turned around once more, Kabuya stood up to accuse him. “Were you spying on us? Or maybe you came back in to check the room, to make sure Setsuka left, so can have a little Void meeting huh?!”
“Even if I was a Void, it’s a stupid ass idea to have an entire Void meeting in the fricken dining hall! Don’t assume such wild accusations.” He retorted.
“‘Yuko was here when you were giving me the towels earlier. She just hid in case you did something suspicious.” Said Chiebukuro, calming the situation.
Kabuya nodded but was too busy drinking her glass to respond. Yomiuri perked up, a half-smile forming on his face. I was wrong, I’m not getting exploited just yet… Yomiuri realized that after all this time he was still holding his hat, but by now it was dry so he placed it on his head, and let the stray hairs from his long bangs fall over his eyes.
“Anyway, I came back because I was wor-….. Thinking you needed something to drink, an idiot like you wouldn’t know what to have after the earlier event.”
Kabuya almost spat out her drink comedically. “You? Offering on your own will to get someone a drink?”
Well it wasn’t all on my own, Emma gave me the idea. “Thank you for repeating what I literally just said, new to Japanese eh?”
Kabuya narrowed her eyes at him and leaned in to whisper to Chiebukuro. “Make sure whatever he gets you isn’t poisoned.”
“Hey, I heard that!! I’m not stupid enough to kill in broad daylight!”
Kabuya stood up but Chiebukuro signaled for her not to continue the argument. Yomiuri groaned and looked away. “Do you want coffee or water?” He says bluntly.
“I dunno Nick, you can choose for me.” Chiebukuro softly smiles as she comforts the pouting Kabuya beside her, Yomiuri can’t help but feel comfortable around the billiards player. But that was no excuse to not act snarky as usual.
“Great decision making, very helpful.” He says sarcastically, took back his coat that way now hanging on Chiebukuro’s chair, then heads off to boil some water for coffee.
Yomiuri groaned exasperatedly and shoved his hands into his pockets as he walked. I’m not doing any of this to be nice, and I’m also not befriending Setsuka to look less suspicious. This is just for me to use her against Mikado and that alone... Yeah, that’s it... Nothing else. Yomiuri still pondered about her, about the way she reached out to him and retrieved his hat. He still hasn’t thanked her, but why would he? It’s not like she would care.
Yomiuri is just... Thankful he has someone to trust.
—————————
Chiebukuro stretched her back and wrapped a finger through her cerulean blue hair. With crossed arms, the local amnesiac Sora walked out of the elevator after Chiebukuro. Both of their eyes had large imprints of dark rings from the class trial that occurred not even an hour ago. Dark rings of purple, like (the now deceased) Magarobi’s eyeshadow.
And, above all, Chiebukuro can’t help but call her efforts to unite everyone a total failure. Her attempts to make everyone happy during such a grim situation, also a failure. Always a failure... Does anyone on the island receive as many losses as I do? Or did I do something wrong to earn this? Chiebukuro turned on her heel and pranced off, keeping a wary eye for any blind corners in case a Void was hiding in the shadows.
She thought she was careful, but the billiards player almost completely stepped over Hibiki Otonokoji. The unnaturally short vocalist looks a lot smaller when she’s not arm locked with her twin sister, Kanade Otonokoji. So what was she doing alone? By herself? Chiebukuro pondered. Hibiki scowled after being knocked into but brightened up once she saw Chiebukuro.
“Suka! Where were you?! Didn’t you hear me trying to call your name a sec ago??”
“Ah, forgive your big sis, I’m a bit out of it tonight.”
“Psh, what’s the death of those stupid Void gonna do to you? ... But if you’re, maybe, worried... I guess I should be too?”
Is this how we’re going to remember Em’s legacy? Or whatever legacy she had…? Her jokes and optimistic personality did so much for everyone, Void or not, but she’s gone now… I wonder how everyone will behave from here. Chiebukuro didn’t know how to answer verbally, so she asked (practically) the most important question here.
“How ‘bout this. Biki, where is your sister?”
“Kanade..? Oh! I snuck away from her at the last second! She’s going to be so worried sick.”
“I gotta tell you, it isn’t the safest idea, especially with everything that’s been going on. But I’m sure you’ll be fine, so shouldn’t you be getting to bed?”
“Ha! If Kanade really cared for her older sister, she would come to save me if a Void popped out of nowhere.
You two are only born a few seconds apart, silly Biki.
Hibiki rubbed her eyes like a tired child. “Anyways, I needed to find you to tell you that someone wants to tell you something in the bathhouse...”
“Oh? And what’s that?” Chiebukuro can't help but be a bit anxious, not only that, but she’s extremely worn out and tired from the trial. So in her mind, Hibiki’s quick words felt slurred and not the easiest to understand at the moment. Chiebukuro noticed that she wasn't the only one here who felt the same, Hibiki was wobbling at the knees, and hesitating before she spoke. Rather than her usual peppy and upbeat personality.
Though she’s about as exhausted as everyone else, Chiebukuro even admits that Hibiki didn’t do much in the trial, as most of it was completed by her outrageously intelligent sister, who took the whole “talented” cake when it came down to the twins. Chiebukuro doesn’t want to compare Hibiki much to Kanade, but let's just say the older twin has more time to grow.
“I-I can’t tell you anything about it! But even if I could, I dunno what he wants to say. But- he wants you there ASAP!!”
So, it’s a “he”. Chiebukuro crossed her arms and smirked. “I’ll go right ahead. Thanks for telling me, Hibiki.”
Hibiki gave the taller woman a huge smile and placed her hands on her hips. Chiebukuro knows how much Hibiki enjoys praise.
“Now hurry on over to your sister and go to bed, I’ll be here for you in the morning!”
Hibiki yawned and Chiebukuro called to the former a good night, she didn’t respond, Hibiki was too exhausted, and for good reason. Chiebukuro can’t help but feel like a loss or a letdown to the group. Kokoro Mitsume’s death resulted during one of Chiebukuro’s social gathering events, in the form of a music concert. But it wasn’t the first time she felt like this, as Yuri Kagarin’s death also took place during a party Chiebukuro directed.
I wonder who would want to see me, especially at this hour. I was guessing everyone wants to sleep but, it seems not... Hibiki said that the person who wanted to see me is a “he”; which means that it could be Syobai, Mikado, Yuki, Shinji, Teruya... Or Nikei... But I doubt it, after what he said post-trial, he wouldn’t want to see me.
With the sheer curtain falling behind Chiebukuro’s back after entering the sauna, there was nothing but the sound of her heartbeat. The same sauna that practically hasn’t been used since Chiebukuro pulled that prank on a few of her classmates when Makunouchi was alive.
Then, a creak.
It all flashed by so fast, but before she knew it, a blade was on the verge of piercing her neck. Originating from behind, a cold hand wrapped its fingers around Chiebukuro’s throat, keeping the muscle where her neck meets her shoulders stable with the hand’s thumb. On the other hand, held the knife that could kill her in less than a second. But all Chiebukuro could do is stay still.
“Not fighting back? Tch- it’s fine anyway, I wasn’t testing you.”
Yomiuri stepped from behind Chiebukuro and the grip loosened entirely. That’s when she made the connection that her attacker was indeed the journalist.
“Nikei...”
So I was wrong, it was Nikei! But what could he want from me?
Yomiuri tossed the knife into the bath and spun back around to see Chiebukuro, of course, still frightened. She could see he was also trembling to some extent, and his eyes were dull and cloudy. He wasn’t smiling, he wasn’t happy.
“You know, if someone else walked in here who wasn’t you, I would’ve tried to kill them right here. That was just to make sure the person I wanted to see would be the only witness to me ever being here.”
“I see. But Nikei, what do you want from me?” Chiebukuro tried to control her fear. She could almost sense the other man’s head was spiraling with thoughts and emotions, emotions that he struggled to push down. They locked eyes for less than a second, and Yomiuri looked away, trying to find and form words to say or explain. He double-checked the corners of each wall for no security cameras, then leaned in.
“I am going to tell you all this because I trust you, and I trust you to tell no one. If you get caught, the likelihood of ever getting rid of that bastard will vanish.”
He took another breath in. She could hear how dry his voice was, and that’s when she knew he was mourning.
“Because... I need your help, Setsuka, I’m a Void.”
——————
“…………”
“Yes, things will get more important from here.”
“I’ll do my best to look for the things you told me..”
“Be careful, act as normal as possible so the other two Voids don’t uncover our ploy.”
“… Yeah, I know. You can just count on big sis for everything…”
Yomiuri stood straight up from leaning on the wall, his hands still shoved into his coat’s pockets. He let his hair fall back over his face to cover half of it.
“It isn’t the time to think unrealistically, Setsuka. I’ll go along with my part, the only thing you need to do is to be unsuspicious and to find Mikado Sannoji’s secrets.”
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around everything…”
“Hm?”
“You’re one of the Voids… I suspected so from when I saw you at the beach. But, are you really as ruthless and bloodthirsty as Em and Mac?”
“Bloodthirsty?! Didn’t I already tell you the savage one was that son of a bitch, Mikado Sannoji? They’re... Emma and Hajime-... It wasn’t their fault! No, but it was- tch- I don’t know!”
“...” He’s having a rough time, though he may not show it. I should give him more space...
“You all only think we’re all horrible people, but if Emma’s breakdown taught us one thing, is that we’re more than just killing for no reason. We never exactly had it easy, you know.”
“.... Nikei, I-“
“Typical, utterly typical. Not even trying to think there is some good in us. But why bother, you know what you must do, so I don’t need to waste my time here.” Without another word, Yomiuri walked away from Chiebukuro and disappeared out of the room, leaving her alone. She crossed her arms and checked her handbook for the time. 4:27 AM... I should hit the bed.
She slipped her handbook away and walked out of the sauna, where she just agreed to take down the killing game with a Void. Now convinced her knowledge is valuable, she must be even more careful than before. Once reaching her room, after taking a moment to breathe from climbing that many stairs, Chiebukuro found herself looking in her mirror.
It was dark, so only a small portion of light reflected on her face. Chiebukuro has avoided looking in mirrors for a long time, and can’t help but admire herself for how much she’s grown. With her index finger, she traces over her closed eye, following faint scars that surround her skin. “That is when you use your devil’s eye to spy on Mikado Sannoji from afar.” Yomiuri’s words echoed in her head. For the longest time, she despised her devil’s eye and only used it for such selfish means. But Yomiuri found a way to turn it into something that will help everyone.
So Chiebukuro goes to sleep, no longer feeling like a failure or a burden to her classmates.
—————————
“If it’s something worthy of my interest and time, I’ll consider.”
“Now don’t be such a bummer Yomiuri-chan! The novellas are such classic material, I’ll lend it to ya when I have the chance.”
“It’s not a classic if I never even heard of it. Plus, shouldn’t you be focusing on what we agreed on, and not books?”
“Well I’m sorry, can’t help myself from bringing a little fun into your life. Also, you were the one who invited me over weren’tcha?”
“Yes, to talk about the plan.”
Upon stepping into his dormitory, Yomiuri lazily kicked off his penny loafers. Chiebukuro looked around more cautiously, avoiding stepping on all the stray papers and piles of incomplete articles. She observed Yomiuri taking off his shoes, and followed in advance, trying to conform to the “custom” of his dormitory. Chiebukuro sat down in a seat of a very traditional chabudai table that was fixed in the center of Yomiuri’s room. She kept her politeness, as Yomiuri kept glancing at her while he was writing something.
“So, what about the plan did you need to talk about and why here?”
As a response, Yomiuri sat down across the table from Chiebukuro and showed her the slip of paper he was writing on.
“Can you read this?” He asked.
The slip of paper had some sort of Japanese readings on it in bold graceful ink that reads “虚ろ” (utsuro), or in other words, “void”.
“‘Utsuro’….? No, it says ‘void’, right…?”
Where have I heard the name “Utsuro” before? Chiebukuro thought and looked at Yomiuri for some sort of answer. She noticed that the normally mysterious and mean-spirited man looked back at her, not with a mocking or condescending glare, but with a surprisingly rare soft gaze. She could assume that this “void” word meant something to him, as the organization he’s apart of, the Void, shares the same name. Yomiuri on the other hand was lost in thought. With each day passing the memories of a man with shaggy orange hair grow fainter, Yomiuri fears that he will one day not remember the man.
Not sure how exactly I’ll be able to tell Setsuka and explain everything. But I’m sure she’ll figure out enough on her own. If we’re both willing to go this far to take down Mikado Sannoji, it’s only fair for her to know everything I do... Fair? Am I a fair person? He thought to himself as he bit his lip and took back the paper from Chiebukuro’s hands. Wise of me to pick her for this job, wise of me to stabilize trust between ourselves. Hajime and Emma wouldn’t have done the same in my place, or go down the same path I chose years ago, but they would be proud of me if they saw me right now. For that matter, they would regret choosing Mikado Sannoji over me. But that’s in the past now, along with my past mistakes... Choosing Chiebukuro to help me has been the best choice I made on this island yet.
“I wanted to get away from everyone else so we wouldn’t risk being seen by anyone, including the surveillance cameras.” Yomiuri started. “Your performance in this plan wouldn’t be half as good if you didn’t know the full picture.”
He continued. “So let me ask you this, why are you, and the others, here on the island?”
“....” Chiebukuro crossed her arms. “You told me last time that the Void brought everyone here to bring back someone, like a resurrection, and how discovering Mikado’s secrets with my devil’s eye will defeat him. But I thought about it some more... And I don’t quite understand all the way… I assumed the rest of the story was some shrouded secret that wasn’t worth telling me, and that’s fine, you’re not the type of person to not be mysterious.”
“You’re here as a sacrifice to resurrect Utsuro.” He flipped the slip of paper over again to show the world. “His existence is the reason why Void is here today, not because bringing him back is our goal, but because we would all quite literally be dead without him.”
The structure of Void was complicated, to say the least...
Nikei Yomiuri, Emma Magorobi, Hajime Makunouchi, Mikado Sannoji, and one other, Iroha Nijiue; all are members of the Void, who are responsible for kidnapping everyone and bringing them here to the island. Sannoji was the leader of Void, but just because he was their commander didn’t mean the other four respected him. Magorobi, Makunouchi, and Nijiue only obey Sannoji out of fear. Yomiuri would rule himself out as a special case, but deep down he knew he was absolutely terrified of Sannoji, especially after the wizard executed Makunouchi.
But Yomiuri also loathed Sannoji, it was quite obvious by now. He continued.
“Our lives... Were utter trash, nothing more than that. Growing up was the worst part of this hell I’m living, until Utsuro made it all better. He gave us a piece of his godlike luck so we could be spared from the bullshit our lives throw at us. He was a gifted deity among men who chose to share his blessings, but once he disappeared and died, it all went to crap again.”
“I had no idea...” Chiebukuro sighed.
Yomiuri looked away from her. “I’m not expecting you to know, but I am expecting no one else knowing because you’ll keep your trap shut about all this.”
“So because this Utsuro man died, you thought that you could revive him somehow by sacrificing us?!”
“Not me, Mikado thought that. You see, I was the leader before Void, until that wretched scumbag came into our lives and took that leadership from me. He convinced and manipulated the others that his way of bringing back Utsuro was the right way... From there, I no longer recognized Emma and Hajime’s faces, they were different people than before... And it’s all thanks to him!”
Yomiuri slammed a fist into the table. “Setsuka... You have no idea how much I hate him, that Mikado Sannoji. Flaunting his successes and the deaths of colleagues who I once considered my fami-... Friends..” Through upset rage, the black-haired man planted his face in his hands while his elbows dug into the small table. “Whatever, ignore that.” He ran his fingers through the hair that covered his left eye. “They're dead now, no point retelling past events when we could focus on the future. They chose to betray me for Mikado, and that was the fate they got.”
Chiebukuro had the urge to put her hand on his, reminding him that he’s safe here, with her, and away from Sannoji. She gave in to her impulses and tried to loosely reach for Yomiuri’s hand, but it shot away at the last moment. Chiebukuro observed how the flinch was a reaction to Yomiuri receiving affection, pity, or even sympathy... Just how sad inside up is he? It all makes Chiebukuro want to reach out to him more, she thinks he could emotionally benefit from having her around... No matter how long it takes. “Nikei, how do you feel right now?”
Yomiuri looks up at her through the hair that covered most of his face, he looked half surprised that Chiebukuro called him by his first name, instead of a nickname. He opened his mouth to respond but bit back his tongue before any words formed.
“Nothing, no- I don’t feel anything. Emotions are futile to the plan, so let’s stay on topic... Years pass and you never change do you? Always so entangled in other people’s feelings...”
“...! What do you mean by ‘always’? We just met at least a month ago, yeah?”
“Oooh right.” He smirks, pretending to be surprised. “Your reality is still engulfed in this illusion, eh?”
“What...?”
“All part of the Voids plan of course. Tell me this, are your thoughts right now real? Well of course your thoughts are real, but what about your hands? How about your hair?”
“What do you mean ‘my thoughts’? You can’t tell me this isn’t the real world.”
“Tell me this, why wasn’t Kokoro able to contact the outside world? Why haven’t the authorities found us? How come none of us have ever heard of an island called Utsuroshima.”
“I mean... But it’s a stretch to say that we are somehow disconnected from the real world...? That’s science fiction, I’m telling you.” But then again, I’m hearing this from one of the people who took us here... Chiebukuo thought.
“Oh- but doesn’t it all make a lot more sense if I spell it out, Setsuka Chiebukuro?” He sneered. “We’re in a virtual simulation. Yes! That’s right! Everything you see in this room right here and now is a bunch of stringed lines of code. Everything you taste and smell is only your mind convincing you this is all real. You are controlling nothing but an avatar, a robot of sorts with a human brain.”
“That’s why... That’s why we can’t remember how we got here right? That’s exactly the solution for where our memories went. If you Voids can somehow manipulate our senses, then surely you kept most of our memory from us.”
Yomiuri sighed. “To make sure the plan fell where we wanted it, Mikado and us removed… A good portion… From all your guys’ memory.”
“How much memory was exactly removed, Nikei?”
“…. For everyone it’s different…” He was hesitant to answer. “Though, you may all see each other here on the island as regular teenage classmates… But outside the virtual reality? You’re all adults, us Voids included.”
Enough was already going through Chiebukuro’s head, first Yomiuri’s revelation to her as a Void, then the plan, and now this?! Her mouth hung slightly ajar, picking her next words wisely, but tempted to just bombard Yomiuri with questions.
“You knew me? You knew all of us…? That far into the future? Why… Oh Nick, out of all things why did it need to be this way? You have no idea how much some of us lost. Poor Sora is straining her neck just to figure out who she really is, and you’re telling me you just-… You just took that from her?!”
“Tch- don’t lecture me on things I’ve already done! I know why I’m like this, if you’re not unwilling to cooperate, then feel free to leave my room at once.”
“But just how long have you known us for?
“I don’t have all the answers-“
“Why were we chosen for this?!”
Yomiuri’s hair stands on his neck, he sits up from slouching and flares his intimidation. But he isn’t angry, he’s still surprisingly patient with Chiebukuro here. “Look, I don’t know. I don’t know every single card Mikado has shoved up his ass, that’s why I contacted you. Because I know you would help me, and help the others to escape. If we succeed, Setsuka, I promise you to have your memories back. Sora too… But think of our priorities and what we must accomplish to reach our goal!”
“... Right… Sorry, excuse that…
“…….”
“By the way, Nike, I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate you trust me enough with all of this. Don’t get the wrong idea, alright? I must’ve done something in the past, before the killing game, to really earn your trust huh?”
Oh Setsuka, You have no idea… He looks away without answering.
“So anyway, could you tell me who the last Void is?”
Yomiuri shook his head, a definite “no”. Chiebukuro noticed that he didn’t form any snarky insults or rude remarks at her since they sat down. Could it be from the atmosphere becoming more serious? Or does he respect me...? She thinks. Yomiuri broke the awkward silence by clearing his throat. “Ahem, I just... Need to outline the plan to remember some things. Then you can go back and hang out with everyone else... Or whatever.”
It’s all good, I like your company with me, Nick. She has the urge to say out loud, but the sentence never comes out.
Chiebukuro exhales calmly and moves to sit next to Yomiuri, across from where she was originally sitting. She noticed a large heap of a single quilted blanket on the floor and picked it up. He seems cold anyway, could that be why he wears such a heavy coat? Chiebukuro threw half of the heavy quilt over his shoulders and slid under, so they were both under the blanket. Yomiuri didn’t seem to mind but he did flinch a bit when Chiebukuro scooted closer to him. She watched as he drew on the paper, outlining the plan and specific directions. His trembling hand and shaky rough lines proved to Chiebukuro that he was still recovering from telling her all of that history earlier, so she had an idea. Chiebukuro reached behind him and bragged a blank sheet of paper, it took a few glanced for Yomiuri to get distracted and curious as to what she was doing.
“...? Uh, Setsuka?”
With natural elegance in the way she folds the paper, Chiebukuro flipped the forming paper shape over and over again until it resembled a near-perfect paper plane. She handed it to the confused Yomiuri, her lips pulled back to form her signature reassuring smile. Legends say Chiebukuro’s smile can cure millions of depression conditions worldwide, but that’s just a joke Magorobi made up to tease Yomiuri.
“Here, since you’re so judgmental I’ll let you decide if it’s good or not. If you like it, you can keep it.”
“Uhm, thanks….?” He set down his handy pen to gently hold Chiebukuro’s craft, she could see in the reflection of his purple eyes, his inner cogs and gears turning to analyze what use it has. Yomiuri tilts his head, still perplexed by the sudden gesture. However, Yomiuri doesn’t seem bothered at all from being side-tracked from drawing his plan, if anything, he doesn’t even notice he’s getting distracted.
“It’s a good looking paper plane, but I don’t know why you’re so interested in it.”
“No silly! Test it out, as in throw it, see if it’s a good dart or not!”
Yomiuri huffed and let the quilt blanket fall off his shoulders, he effortlessly tossed the paper airplane across the room and watched it as it glided to crash. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that ink was leaking out from under a spilled small jar, soaking the plane in a musky black. Yomiuri’s mind briefly associated the sight with the aftermath of Magorobi’s execution. And how the ink-like blood-drenched every corner of the execution room. Chiebukuro soon came into view to hurriedly clean up the mess, and Yomiuri very quickly realized her warmth was no longer there with him. So, he looked away and pulled the blanket back over his spine.
“Wow, no help huh?” After cleaning it up, Chiebukuro sits back down next to Yomiuri. Her fingers were only a bit stained in the ink that had spilled moments ago. As she spoke, she started to fold yet another plane, this time she wrote something in it.
“You looked like you were handling it just fine, without me. Hmph- anyway, I’m still trying to figure out what the whole plane origami was for.” He said as he continued drawing his plot again, whilst also trying to think it through.
“… You even said it yourself once that the greatest form of communication is by writing.” She dropped the new craft in his hands. “Open it, trust me.”
Cautiously yet curiously, he opened the folded paper to read the little message inside. The card only read “surprise!!!” with a smiley face, and the next thing Yomiuri knows, he was tackled to the ground in a hug. The air was completely knocked out of his lungs due to being caught off guard. And since he was caught off guard, of course, he would react in a way, so Yomiuri started to flail his arms helplessly.
“What are you doing woman??! Get the hell off me!!”
Chiebukuro let out a happy laugh and pulled herself up, still covered in the blanket with Yomiuri sprawled out on the floor.
“Jeeeez! What was that even for?!”
“I hugged you, of course.”
“Well duh- but did I permit you to do so? No!”
“I wanted to demonstrate how feelings and messages can be held in these little paper planes... But it was also, kinda, an excuse to surprise attack you.”
“You’re completely mad! Ridiculous, we should be focusing on the plan not coddling up on the floor.”
“Oh, your face says it all~ You enjoyed it.”
Yomiuri’s ear flared with red from embarrassment. “Shut up, it’s none of your damn business... How unprofessional of you.”
“Hate to break it to ya, but this atmosphere is hardly professional.”
“Because you made it that way!!”
“Anyway, Nikei, you seemed so tense from earlier. I know talking about yourself isn’t your get-go, so I tried to brighten your mood, even just a bit.”
Yomiuri pulled himself back up and got back under the quilt, Chiebukuro noticed how easily cold he gets. But even he can’t hide the slight smile forming on his face, as much as he tried to block it with his hair.
“And it seems... It worked.” Chiebukuro tilted her head. She had the idea to brush his bangs out of his face, but knew that it would cross the line too much and invade his boundaries. Even if Chiebukuro did just tackle him.
She didn’t notice, however, that Yomiuri was writing in the papercraft she gave to him. Finishing writing, he aimed for the ceiling and let it fly, only to fall on Chiebukuro’s head. He anticipated that didn’t he... She opened the message, it said, “stop wasting my paper to make airplanes, idiot.” With a frowning face... Or was it a frowning and angry face?
“See? You’re a lot easier to understand when you don’t mumble and cover your face, and instead write your feelings on this paper.”
“Enough about this ‘feeling’ bullshit or I just might vomit. Besides, I finished drawing the directions and plan....” He said as if he was waiting for something, whilst also taking the entire quilt from Chiebukuro.
She smirked. “So....”
“So, you can leave now.” His words gave off the impression that he didn’t care if she stayed or left. His lone wolf persona rather not be bothered, but he wouldn’t mind the company. So Chiebukuro took advantage of this thought.
“I was actually thinking about reasons on why you still should read ‘The Black Lizard’ and ‘Beast in the Shad-‘“
Yomiuri’s groan cut off her words. He wasn’t all that bothered, because if you listened closely, you could hear him giggling through his exasperated unarticulated sound. He’d much rather have Chiebukuro, the one person he could trust, here instead of anyone else.
—————————
How am I supposed to carry the weight of everyone on my shoulders, if I can barely keep an appetite?!
Chiebukuro pokes her mashed potatoes with her fork, spacing off. The dining hall was bustling with noise, but Chiebukuro can’t help but feel nostalgic to when it was louder. When there were sixteen people here in the dining hall instead of eleven. The mocking feeling of being a failure to everyone else danced around her head, singing a chorus of self-pity and loss.
Everyone is counting on… Me… Even if they don’t know it. Nick and I will succeed, definitely! I can’t let them down, not only for our safety and survival of course, but because Nick deserves it… He may seem like there’s only an unchangeably grumpy person under that coat, but he lost his only friends seemingly overnight, I wouldn’t have it easy either…
The whole liveliness of the room just reminded how at any point in this killing game, that “liveliness” would be cut silent forever. Chiebukuro doesn’t which one of these voices will be the last she’ll ever hear of them, to add to the tally of how much she failed to unify everyone. So, to not show her despair visibly. Chiebukuro will continue to wear a smile and greet everyone as normal and equal. Because if no one else was going to do that, then she will take charge and lead them to be that kind of person. Of course, no one should know that their leader figure was suffering from hopelessness
But why should I think that way, I have Nick of course! We’ll be a-okay, because I trust him. She takes one bite out of her food and stands up with her plate. Besides... I should get to work by now. Chiebukuro thinks to herself, eyes narrowing at the Sannoji who just left the room. She quickly yet quietly set her food on the counter, for another person to eat, then trailed the wizard mastermind from behind. Chiebukuro leaves the room of snarky remarks aimed at Yomiuri, stating why he perhaps doesn’t matter nor belong. But our plan will show them just how equally important he is, if not even more.
I’m doing this for everyone. I’m doing this for all of us. May we find peace after escaping the island. She reminded herself.
Chiebukuro walked lightly on her high heels, avoiding any noise to echo in Sannoji’s ears without being suspicious. She did a rather good job at staying quiet while traveling up the stairs, but it seems like Sannoji was too distracted with his own thoughts to care anyway. But all of a sudden, he took a sharp turn around a corner, so Chiebukuro responded the same and stopped walking. Keeping a fine distance between them, staying unnoticed, she watched Sannoji’s conversation with someone as he typed in his handbook. Unbeknownst to Sannoji and the unknown entity, it was all being recorded by Chiebukuro’s right eye.
And before all of this ends...
Her camera eye started to ensue a small headache after some time, but thankfully Sannoji ended the conversation with potentially important news. She feels satisfaction after closing her right eye, then continues to write in a small slip of paper the information she gathered.
It would be nice to remind Nikei again that his life matters.
Chiebukuro’s triumphant smirk is cut off from a message by Hibiki Otonokoji asking the billiards player to come over, it seemed urgent, so she left the area to find the small vocalist.
—————————
Yomiuri wanders around a colorful perimeter, with buildings that are drenched in obnoxiously bright hues. He’s been walking around this amusement park for half an hour or longer since the parade ended, he can tell since the leftover sand in his shoes is starting to make walking feel sore. "Amusement” my ass... Nothing is amusing about this clownery-topia. Yomiuri tiredly rubs his eyes and stretches his hips, which have been aching ever since last night. Just how much more miserable can I get?! I fucking wonder.
Thankfully, the calming swishing of the waves drown out the blaring circus music from the park. Yomiuri looks at the waves with such mockery, how such tiny forces of water used to give Makunouchi motion sickness. Objectively pathetic. Though, admittedly, the ocean has been a lot calmer for whatever reason, hardly a ripple can ever crack the stillness and cause tension.
Yomiuri stops looking at his reflection, after realizing that the “sea” was actually just the water coming from the pool. Tch- why am I acting so sensitive and distracted, and why is Setsuka taking so long?! She should be exactly here and right now to report what she found. He taps his foot, looking around and getting easily nauseous from the vibrant colors. ... No, I’m overthinking it. I am in no way worried for her, she’s fine, yes! She can take care of herself, without me. If the others don’t care about me... Then I shouldn’t care about Setsuka!
He loses himself in his thoughts, again. Oh but then again, does she truly care about me...? ...! Preposterous! We’re merely colleagues, friends with the same goal and nothing more. My plans ask for no personal feelings from either of us, so I should expect none!
Admittedly, Yomiuri does feel warm and cozy to think about someone caring for him. An uncontrollable coziness that reminds him of being with Chiebukuro in his room, while she threw the blanket over the both of them, her warm body close to his.
Ugh- why am I thinking about that, it’s nothing necessary...
I just...
It’s nothing...
At that moment, Nikei Yomiuri pulled out an old note that was quite out of shape. It had bents, dents, ripped corners, and more. This was a letter Yomiuri had written upon spawning on the island, a resignation letter to the rest of the Void stating why he wants to leave. Not because he doesn’t care about them (except for Mikado, he has never cared for him), but because he can’t stand to be under Mikado Sannoji’s leadership. It was futile now, Makunouchi and Magorobi’s deaths were a wake-up call that it’s going to take more than a letter to leave Sannoji out of his life. It’s going to take effort, a plan, and Setsuka Chiebukuro.
That plan was already in motion, obviously, so where is she? Why isn’t she here yet?!
Knowing that the letter was more useless than Nijiue, the other Void member who is less mentioned due to how minuscule her purpose is, he started to fold it. Practicing from memory and secretly watching Chiebukuro, the scrap paper became a paper airplane, albeit not in the best shape so it won't fly very well.
Emma used to call planes, “aeroplanes”... Weird...
But watching the plane glide into the calm poolwater was very satisfying to Yomiuri, all those words filled with useless and unneeded and worthless emotion, words that carried politeness and signs of weakness, were gone with time. He took pleasure in watching the paper disintegrate underwater. But the stillness of this moment was interpreted by a stranger’s voice.
“What should we do…? Did something really happen to Setsuka…?”
Yomiuri flinched from the sudden chatter and looked around suspiciously. For a journalist, it was natural to Yomiuri to eavesdrop on conversations and gossip.
“Maybe we’re too late… Maybe she’s already k-… I… No…” Says the same voice.
“Yoruko, calm down! Nothing has been confirmed right now.”
Ah that’s it! Yomiuri recognizes the voices clear as day once he turns around to look at the women a few meters away. None other than Kabuya and the amnesiac Sora. Yomiuri runs up to them with a steady pace, waving his hands to grab their attention.
“Huh? What are you two doing around here when the parade’s over?” He asks, while noticing the visible trail marks coming down Kabuya’s cheeks, Sora stands in front of her defensively, eyes narrowed and willing to deflect any insults aimed at her Kabuya. Yomiuri continues. Hm? And why are you crying, heheh… Have you finally realized just the kind of situation we’re in and given up?
“Nikei, shut up. We have no time for you right now.”
“And why is that-?“
“Setsuka’s missing.”
Then, the ocean waves in the distance crashed up in a symphonic crescendo, a sudden climax followed by more rounds of heavy waves. Could this be the start of a drastic storm?
————————————
“Neither will a thousand tears; I know because I’ve cried.”