Chapter Text
“Well, I think we’ve reached the end of our journey. Now it's time to announce the results.”
She proudly spoke, echoing through the tower. Her face still has a hint of amusement like always, it never falters. Even in this moment, where stakes were terrifyingly high, the mischievous glint in her eyes remained undiminished—a testament to her unwavering spirit, unshakeable even in the face of death.
“Yumeko Jabami has officially won the tower of doors!” Her pale slender hands gesture over to the woman who stood next to her, almost impressed at Yumeko’s ability to figure out the mechanics of her precious tower, a mixture of admiration and mockery lacing her tone. Sayaka Igarashi, who stood there, head bowed in acceptance, the weight of her defeat pressing down on her shoulders, stayed meticulously quiet.
She knew why she lost.
“So I suppose it's time for you to pay your side of the bet, Sayaka Igarashi.” She continued, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade.
Too focused on logical solutions, she didn't want to lose, no matter what, Sayaka wanted to be her Number one. Meanwhile Yumeko wanted to know everything about how the tower worked so she made what Sayaka would see as an illogical decision.
Opening an external door.
“You may choose any door you want. Now go ahead and jump off.” Her tone was almost icy, her words dripping with a cruel allure. In that moment, Sayaka felt a knife twist in her heart. It was Clear what Sayaka thought the President saw of her now. She wanted to show her that she was worthless to her, Being driven by logic is too boring for her taste.
The exterior door flashed with different problems. Sayaka’s gaze dropped to the braille that marked the doors, One through Six.
Silently, she squeezed her eyes shut and let the remainder of what glossed her eyes fall.
There's no point in crying, she’d whispered to herself as she took slow deliberate steps to one of the doors. The president and I are complete strangers.
The words echoed under her breath, trying to get the concept through her head.
“Here we go! The first time I've made someone jump from this tower.” The president smirked, a gleam of anticipation dancing in her eyes as she relished the unfolding drama.
The President and I…
Are complete strangers.
“President..”
She slowly typed in the number displayed on the screen. Tapping enter for the door to burst open. The wind instantly tangled in her hair; its arms tried to push her away from the opening, but she didn't hesitate to stand closer.
With a shaky frame she turned, letting the wind push her closer to her demise.
“I’ve never loved a person more than you… president.”
The president stared at Sayaka, her smile flickering, as if she knew something was amiss.
“Sayaka… is this the door you want to choose?”
She whispered slightly, almost concerned over Sayaka’s decision. She had convinced she'd take the logical route and open door number five.
She stood In Front of door One.
“I’ve always hoped to be your number one, and if this is how it is. I humbly offer you my love.”
With that she kicked her feet back.
Falling. For several long seconds, chaos enveloped her as if the very air had taken on a life of its own. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears, a frantic drum that echoed the intensity of her emotions, drowning out everything else.
Time seemed to stretch into an infinite expanse as her body plummeted. The sensation of weightlessness gripped her, a blend of terror and freedom coursing through her veins. Her heart raced, caught in between desperation and exhilaration. She felt alive—so painfully aware of every heartbeat, every breath—yet the very essence of her existence teetered on the edge of oblivion.
She knew it was the end.
Sayaka opened her eyes to see someone jump after her, quickly catching up to her falling form, their hands reaching out to grasp hers tightly. She could feel their palms against her skin, the warmth of their flesh burning like fire. There they fell, two people frozen in time, the rest of the world forgotten.
The brunette shook her head repeatedly, as if begging for it not to be true. Kirari had jumped after her, securing her in a tight hold as she spun their position, Sayaka on top.
She couldn't hear anything other than a buzzing noise ringing throughout her mind, like a static that made everything dull and distant. Everything hurt, the pain was overwhelming. it hurt to move, as if her body were being crushed by boulders. Her breathing grew heavy, laboured breaths that caused her chest to ache in agony. slowly turning her head to the side, she saw the president, silent as ever, her smirk wiped off her face. A frown etched onto her pale lips—her brows furrowed together, her mouth twisted into an unsightly scowl.
It was too late. The world faded to black, and Sayaka was once again plunged into the depths of unconsciousness.
“Ririka," Kirari leaned back in her chair, her gaze piercing and contemplative. The air was thick with unspoken words, Sunlight streamed in through the wide windows, casting the room with warm yellows and reds. "Come sit.” she purred slyly, she gestured to the chair across from her, a subtle invitation.
With a hesitant nod, Ririka obliged, her movements precise but stiff, as if every inch of her body was locked. As she sank into the chair, the coolness of the metal pressed against her back. Her hands rested on the table, fingers entwined, knuckles pale against the dark wood.
Kirari's eyes, sharp and calculating, followed Ririka’s every movement with intensity. She observed as her twin sat directly across from her. she stared straight ahead, her gaze fixed on a point beyond Kirari, a blank expression masking her feelings like she had learnt to years before. The corners of her mouth barely twitched, betraying none of the emotions that churned.
Finally, she smiled, “How have you been lately?” her words were soft yet probing, the words coming out carefully chosen.
The older girl bowed her head slightly thinking through her choice of words.
"I've been fine. Why have you summoned me?" Ririka answered immediately, her voice clipped.
Kirari shrugged casually, her features showing slight disappointment, “No reason. Just wanted to let you know I wouldn't be home tonight.” Kirari said, her tone light. She brought a tea cup to her lips and closed her eyes in content. “Ah, you should try some of this tea Sayaka brewed.." she commented after tasting the bitter beverage, a small smile forming on her thin lips.
“What do you mean?" Ririka's gaze shifted towards her twin, the only sign of emotion present in them. "Where would you be?"
Her tone wasn't accusatory. Her sister just wanted to make sure that she was okay, Kirari thought to herself with a sigh. “I thought Mary would've told you, I’ll be dealing a Gamble between Yumeko and Sayaka,” Kirari said softly, her lips curling upwards at the corner, her eyes half shut.
“And you think that will work out? Sayaka has no experience Gambling.” Ririka asked her words coldly, although they held no malice behind them.
"Well... yes," Kirari replied. "But if she's smart enough to avoid choosing anything risky then she can easily choose what cards she wants." Kirari smiled, taking another sip of the tea. "And anyway, I was thinking about putting the Tower of Doors to use."
A tense silence filled the room, neither spoke as Kirari placed the empty teacup down next to the saucer.
Ririka stared at her sister for the longest time until finally, a quiet sound escaped her lips, her shoulders relaxing as a sigh left her.
“Is this really necessary?” Ririka asked, looking up. The sight of her twin’s calm demeanour unnerved her.
“Yes. I'm thinking about raising the stakes too, whoever loses jumps from the fifth floor.” Kirari stated matter of factly, ignoring the look of disdain her twin gave her.
"That seems like it would be a dangerous choice for everyone involved," Ririka muttered bitterly, the mention of the game sending waves of anxiety rushing through her veins.
"You don't think so?" Kirari shot back, "there's a crash mat under door five anyway. I'm sure if Sayaka is to lose she'll choose the logical decision" Kirari said with certainty.
“I guess so.” Ririka conceded, “But even with those precautions it still sounds stupid.” She mumbled, fiddling with a loose strand of her hair.
The president nodded her agreement, taking her older sister's words into consideration.
"I could always jump after Sayaka. quite romantic, no?" Kirari teased, watching her sister's reaction closely. A smile stretched on her lips as she watched her sister become increasingly frustrated at her teasing.
"You're an idiot." Ririka sighed heavily, "you're going to get yourself hurt."
Kirari chuckled in response, her eyes shining with amusement as she continued to watch her sister , who looked completely lost.
The older twin got up with a huff, not wanting to listen to Kirari rant about nonsense that would be psychically harmful to anyone. The sound of her chair scraping against the floor filled the room, and she walked towards the door.
"Well it's my tower, is it not?" Kirari quickly spoke, halting Ririka in place. She didn't turn around, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed in concentration.
"I've got every right to be the first jumper, don't you think?" Kirari added, and her words hung heavy in the silence that descended upon the two.
Silence, a deafening silence that seemed to go on forever. The tension grew more intense by the second. It was as if Kirari was daring Ririka to disagree.
"I suppose you are correct,” Ririka eventually murmured. Her arms fell lifelessly to her sides. “but it's still dangerous." she added, the stern look still etched on her features.
Kirari chuckled, her grin growing wider the longer they stared at each other.
"If that'll kill me, I had it coming anyway." she responded calmly.
Ririka remained stubborn in her stance, though her frown deepened.
A small laugh erupted from Kirari, the sound light but sweet. It sent shivers down Ririka's spine. "Relax, Riri, I'm not going to die. I’ll be right back."
She said it like a promise and Ririka did believe her, she trusted her.
"if you say so, Rari."
“-said she would be right back but they were taking so long.” A familiar voice spoke. Dark eyes fluttered open to quickly squint under the fluorescent lights. They stung as if he were blinded by sudden sunlight.
Her vision adjusted slowly, her surroundings becoming clearer and sharper with each blink. She winced as she raised her head slightly. There was something restricting her neck, the material stiff and cold against her skin as she moved. A weight rested on her chest and her legs were pinned beneath a blanket covered with a white fabric.
staring at the blurry form of a large white object standing near one of the walls. It took her a moment to realize where she was. A hospital.
There were bandages wrapped around her torso, her entire body sore and stiff. Her clothes felt stiffer, the cotton material feeling coarse against the sensitive skin of her abdomen. Slowly, she turned her head towards the voice, her vision swimming in and out of focus. Her mind struggled to focus on the person in front of her.
Slowly, her gaze found their owner and she blinked twice. There stood Ririka, her brows furrowed and worry etched onto her face.
"no, it was planned. i don't think anyone would push those two." her voice was quiet and in conversation. she was on the phone, maybe a family member or authority figure was on the other line? Sayaka couldn't tell.
Another pause.
"We haven't seen them since, well..."
Her eyes wandered over to Ririka who was staring intently at a file in her hand. "I understand.”
Ririka stole a glance towards Sayaka, who laid motionless on the hospital bed just minutes prior.
Now the brunette was messing with the braces on her limbs, obviously uncomfortable. The Blonde sighed softly.