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“And with that, the votes have been tallied!!” MonoMiku called out into the silent trial room. Well, silent wasn’t the right way to describe it. You could hear Ichika holding back her tears, as well as Honami’s gentle sobs into her cream cardigan. A big screen flickered to life just behind the throne MonoMiku, filled with the headshots of 20 contestants. Only 5 remained coloured and clear, all the others were blackened out with a pink X in front of them. All victims of the game horrifically symbolized the voting system. It started cycling through the living contestants' faces, a sick way to reveal who was the majority vote.
Ichika gripped her podium, feeling her bitten nails start to pull away from her skin due to the intensity. She wanted everyone to be wrong, even if it meant death. She needed them to be wrong and their wild accusations. The speed of the switching slowed as Miku stood raising her hand up into the air.
“The killer of Mafuyu Asahina, the Ultimate Doctor, is none other thannnn…..!!!”
Ichika felt all the muscles in her body ache as the tears dripped out from her eyes, leaking onto the gold nameplate at the center of the oak podium. The image had stopped as Miku threw her hand towards Honami.
“Honami Mochizuki! The Ultimate Drummer!! Such amazing strength!” MonoMiku cheered songfully. Her smile broke Ichika as she fell to the floor, covering her loud, pained sobs with her hands. Even then it pierced the ears of the others around her. Honami trembled in her own arms, her crying being far more gentle than Ichika’s. Even then, the pain resonating from the two were the same, and that harmonic despair carved out the trial room. The other’s wanted to speak, but they simply couldn’t. It wasn’t their time to.
“Hona….why….WHY!!???” Ichika’s cried out. The bluenette curled into herself, unable to look at anyone. Her lover, the only person who had stayed at her side the entire time, had killed someone. The Ultimate Guitarist knew what was to come now, and she couldn’t accept it. She needed answers first and foremost. She needed to know everything. She needed to stall for time.
“I…I'm sorry, Ichika-” “WHY DID YOU DO IT THEN!????” The screams stabbed like a blade through Honami’s heart. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Ichika. Yet how was she supposed to explain Mafuyu was going to hurt both of them? Ichika wouldn’t understand, much less accept it.
“She was going to do something horrible to me…me and you! I had to stop her from doing it….I….” Honami managed to get out, only managing to shake more by the end of it. The truth sounded like a lie. Mafuyu was nothing but helpful and kind to everyone, even when her smile broke. The idea of her betraying everyone was impossible to believe!! “I had to protect you…”
Ichika shook her head violently, as if refusing it. “I DIDN'T WANT YOU TO PROTECT ME!! I WANTED YOU TO- I NEEDED YOU TO LIVE WITH ME!!!” Ichika screamed, gripping onto her dirty school uniform tightly, rocking back and forth to collect herself. Ichika was losing it. First Saki dying in front of her, Then Shiho getting executed protecting Shizuku. Ichika couldn’t take another loss. Especially Honami.
Her love. The girl who kept her brain on tempo. Honami was the one person Ichika couldn’t lose. Not after losing everyone else, not after all the death Ichika was forced to see and solve, then watch again as punishment. Her Hona, her drum. She only just learned Honami accepted her feelings in return, after years of pining and hoping, years of almost, of wish. Now, like sand, she was slipping out between her fingers.
Ichika squeezed her eyes shut as she dug her nails into her exposed arm. The pain from the uneven nails felt good. It hurt, and she wanted it to not. She needed this to be the worst nightmare of her life, but it only stopped when a soft hand grabbed hers and pulled her close.
Honami was still crying, but her face didn’t look upset, it looked determined. “STOP IT ICHIKA!!!” She demanded. The guitarist didn’t say anything, just staring in surprise as the other pulled her close. The hold Honami had on Ichika was tight and warm. The comforting hug Ichika needed at that moment. Honami’s tears stained her hair, weighing heavy on her.
“Don’t do that to yourself…I’m sorry…I’m so so sorry…” Honami started, tightening her grip on the other slightly. She didn’t want to let go, she wanted to hold her for the rest of time, but they knew….they both knew deep down the two weren’t able to do that.
“I never want you to hurt yourself again. Don’t hurt yourself because I’m not there to tell you to not. I could never forgive myself for that. Don’t ever think I’m not watching over you when I’m-” Honami didn’t finish, knowing Ichika wouldn’t want her to. The last thing the bluenetter needed was a reminder that Honami was going to be gone.
“Think instead of all the times we had together. Each picnic, each sleepover where we held each other. Each time Saki did our hair, each practice, mall trip study session, performance, every time we had. And when you run out, think of new ones. So when we see eachother again, we can do them….okay?” Honami asked, loosening her grip on Ichika to feel her gently nod against her tear stained chest.
“Ahem!!!” MonoMiku rudely interrupted. Even with the other’s sharp stares, she didn’t seem to care. “We need to finish up here! Our execution is on a time limit!!! HURRY IT UP!!”
“N-no please I- I need more time!!!” Ichika pleaded before Honami stood up slowly. Ichika snatched Honami’s hand, pulling her back down. “DON’T LEAVE ME!!! PLEASE!!!!”
Honami’s tears fell again, “Ichika…please…..Please don’t..” She asked gently, crouching down to be on her level. She gave Ichika’s hand a final kiss before letting go.
“MonoMiku, I’m ready.” Honami said, gripping onto her cardigan nervously. She turned to face the other contestants, a smile on her kind face. “I’m sorry everyone…”
Ichika watched as her lover sat at a drum set on a stage. A screen appeared with a rhythm game. Honami followed along, but as the tempo sped up, she lost her combo, causing a fire to ignite underneath her. With each non-perfect, the heat got worse, causing Honami to sweat. After a continuous failure, a loud buzzer sounded “Preheat complete!” Was flashing along the screen as the stage turned into an oven, with the door slamming shut before an inferno erupted beyond the glass. Ichika watched, jaw agape. It was painful to even watch, and when the door opened, revealing a beautifully steaming apple pie with Honami’s signature hair tie on it, Ichika buried her face in her hands. She didn’t want to watch anymore, even if it was done.
Miku reappeared in the courtroom, smiling her deceiving smile. “Only four left! And yet there’s still some kind of hope between you all! How ridiculous!” Miku criticised. Ichika looked up from beyond her hands. “I hate you….you aren’t Miku at all….” She muttered, gritting her teeth in anger.
“Oh calm down! You knew from the start I was Miku! Just a Miku who’s reached her full pietential!” Miku’s pun was a punch to the gut for Ichika, she clenched her jaw tighter, looking away as she stood up. Without a word, she walked to the elevator, not waiting for Ena, Mizuki, or Akito who were behind her. She went from the trial room to her dorm without saying a word. She didn’t do anything until she had laid down. There, She tried to cry, but the tears never came out, as if Honami was wiping them each time they fell. It was Ichika’s sign that…she’ll be okay…
She’ll leave her….or at least meet Honami again.