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Chapter Text

My head ached as I adjusted my eyes to the surrounding dark, starry sky that Shiho and I would normally be staring off into at this hour. I wasn’t aware of what time it was, or how I fell asleep outside in the courtyard of my school, Miyamasuzaka Girl’s Academy. 

It was eerily silent as I lifted my head, only able to hear the sound of crickets chirping and the light breeze that blew my tousled pigtails around. I would’ve guessed that by now some sort of school security would’ve woken me up and told me to go home, but I guess not. It all gave me a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach, but I tried to shrug it off. It could be possible that nobody noticed me by pure accident. 

I stood up, a bit wobbly from being immobile for so long in such an awkward position. When I looked around, I saw Shiho’s bass still lying next to the bench I was on. 

She never came back for it…?

That’s right, I could remember a bit more now. Shiho and I were practicing our instruments after school in the calming, sunny courtyard when she suddenly got a text. She needed to run off for a moment, which I understood completely. Her sister was a famous idol, and had a reputation for being a little ditzy, so any kind of emergency could be present. But Shiho not coming back for something as precious as her bass was extremely unlike her. Even if she expected me to take it home after waiting so long, Shiho hardly trusted anyone else with her bass. It was a part of her. 

Regardless, I fell asleep waiting on her for so long, and woke up in what appeared to be the middle of the night. The only thing that illuminated my path was the faint lights from the street and the moon itself. All alone, no students, staff, or security around… 

My Stalker…

No, now wasn’t the time for these intrusive thoughts. There has to be a reasonable explanation for all of this outside my creepy stalker. There’s no way one girl could orchestrate all of these things happening back-to-back. Plus, I had been outside all alone and asleep for hours. If my stalker truly wanted to capture me, they could’ve done it all afternoon…

That kind of thinking made me shudder. To think I had been so careless to fall asleep when I had a creep after me…I must be the luckiest girl on earth to have had nothing bad happen to me by now. Never again. Never again will I be so careless…!

I picked up Shiho’s bass, carrying it with me as I slowly walked out of the courtyard, making sure to take note of my surroundings from every angle. You could never be too safe at night, given my situation. 

Without warning, I heard some leaves crunch in front of me. The sound of shoes against concrete, running at me in a hurried pace. My hands around Shiho’s bass began to grow clammy and sweaty with anxiety, my heart pounding out of my chest. Someone was coming right at me. I knew deep down I could never protect myself on my own, I knew this moment would come, but I just wasn’t ready. Not now…I still had so much to do. My life had only just begun after finally getting out of the hospital, and the majority of what I wanted to do I couldn’t out of fear of this stalker. 

I began wondering just how angry Shiho would be if I used her bass to fight off this attacker. 

It was scary…I didn’t want to hurt another person, but if they wished to hurt me, then…!

“I’m warning you! Stay back!” I said to the darkness, holding up Shiho’s bass as if it were a baseball bat. “I’m not afraid of you anymore, you hear me?!”

…

The footsteps got faster. 

That’s when I saw him. I heard his voice call out to me, soothing every anxiety I had, lifting a giant weight off my trembling shoulders. 

“SAKI!!” My older brother Tsukasa yelled as he ran up to me, suddenly embracing me in a tight hug. I slowly recovered from my fear and pure shock, putting my arms around him in return. I could feel him trembling slightly, guilt flowing through me as I did. I didn’t even think about how worried Mom, Dad, and Tsukasa would be with me being gone all day. Tsukasa probably had the same worries about me being taken by my stalker, and came out to look for me. My older brother could hardly handle losing me for a minute at the mall, so I couldn’t possibly imagine how frantic he’s been searching around for me. 

Tsukasa pulled away slowly, dusting off my shoulders, then putting two warm hands on my cheeks, as if checking to make sure I was real. “Thank goodness I found you, Saki…Thank goodness you’re okay…”

“Onii-Chan…I’m so sorry…” I said without thinking. I knew he’d never blame me for this situation, but I still felt bad, he deserved as much comfort as I did right now. 

“Saki, what happened?” Tsukasa asked me in a stern tone. I could see the fire starting to burn in his eyes. “That stalker didn’t put her hands on you, did she?!” 

I waved my hands as I spoke, frantically trying to explain. “N-No, no…Nobody came near me, actually…Shiho-Chan had to leave our practice early, but she said she’d be back. I fell asleep in the courtyard waiting on her. I-I woke up a few minutes ago in the dark, to see Shiho never came back for her bass…! Something’s definitely wrong…!”

Tsukasa thought for a moment, his hands finally leaving my cheeks. “Did she call or text you at all after leaving?” 

My phone, that’s right…I never did check it at all after I woke up. How foolish of me, I should’ve called Tsukasa right away to walk me home in the dark. My anxieties were definitely clouding my own judgement. I pulled it out of my cardigan pocket, my charms jingling in the silent night as I did. The screen brightness lit up Tsukasa and I’s face as he leaned over my shoulder.

No new calls or texts from Shiho. Only a frantic stream of notifications from Tsukasa. My heart ached again. He really was worried about me. 

My phone had next to no reception, which was odd around the school. I never had a problem using my phone at school or even walking home when I watched videos or listened to music online. Everything was starting to add up in a terrible way. Shiho being gone, being left alone without school security or anyone around, my phone signal being next to cut off…I couldn’t stay strong anymore. I was scared. Maybe one girl really could pull all of this off. I began to cry, seeking comfort from my brother. I wanted to be able to do things myself once I got out of the hospital, to just live a normal life. It was next to impossible to do all that when I knew somebody was after me like this. I was filled with constant paranoia, relying on my brother all the time for protection or reassurance. Even Shiho grew wary around others and protective of me. There was no independence for myself. All I could do was fall back on the others. I’m so weak, I-

“S-S-SAKI…!” Tsukasa panicked at my tears, interrupting my panicked thoughts. “D-Don’t cry, Saki! I’m here now! I won’t let anything bad happen…! I’ll make sure you get home safe! You don’t have to worry anymore!” 

I cried more at his reassurance. I wanted to believe him, that everything was going to be okay, but a large part of me found that to be impossible.

“Tsukasa…I can’t be brave anymore. I’m scared, I can’t hide it, I-” I choked on my own breath as I cried, almost unable to properly communicate as fear swallowed me whole. He gently put his hands on my shoulders, trying to steady me. I put my hands on his wrists, squeezing lightly as I continued to cry. “I just can’t t-take this anymore…! I-I just want to l-live my life, I just…want all of u-us to be safe…”

“Saki…” 

Tsukasa was silent for a moment, his expression growing more and more concerned as each teardrop rolled down my cheeks. He took a deep breath, and for a moment, I felt his own body shiver with fear. I knew it was so selfish to rely on him so much like this, without consideration about how scared he might also be. So much pressure was put on him to be my protector, my strong older brother. But I didn’t know what else to do, who else to turn to. Tsukasa was always here for me. Tsukasa was always stronger than me. 

He didn’t get that way overnight, and I knew it. This stalker had equally ruined his own life; clouding his mind with protective instinct and worry over me, much more than a normal brother should take on for her sister. He had always brushed off his extreme exercising and training for shows. “To dance and project your voice at the same time requires so much physical strength!” he had told me. I knew deep down the real reason he trained so much was to be able to face this stalker. To be able to scoop me up and run away if he had to; to stand in front of me and be able to fight with his fists, to be fearless and intimidating to others. He did all of this for me in addition to his usual over-the-top care just to protect me, and I had absolutely nothing to give him in return. 

Nothing but tears, anyway.

“Saki.” Tsukasa said in a stern voice. “We will be safe. You’re strong, Saki. So strong… and on the off chance that isn’t enough, then I’ll be here to fight.”

His words shocked me for a moment. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing at all.

“...Strong…? Me?”

Tsukasa laughed cheerfully. “Saki, if you hadn't seen me a minute earlier, you might’ve bashed my skull in with Shiho’s bass. You were ready to stand up to your stalker, one way or another. That seems like strength to me.” 

I wiped the corners of my eyes on my cardigan sleeve, almost wanting to be embarrassed. I really hoped he wouldn’t be telling others, especially Shiho, about that like some kind of story over a campfire in the future. 

Hearing that Tsukasa thought I was strong struck some kind of hope in me. I was still cowering in fear behind him, but his words were enough to keep me going on the walk home. No matter how many times I needed him, my big brother was always there. He never thought of me as a burden, and I was a complete dummy for not knowing that. Him and Shiho…I should be happy they’ve always got my back. This entire situation just made me feel so emotional, but standing around in the streets at nighttime would only make it worse. We needed to go home.

I took a deep breath, giving Tsukasa a nod to confirm I was ready to go again. Before we took a step, I grabbed his hand, holding it in my own. He smiled at me, then began leading the way home.

We mostly stayed silent. I didn’t have much to say. I didn’t want to think about anything else but the comforting warmth I felt while holding his hand. I tried to clear my thoughts, but it was next to impossible given the situation.

“...I made some spicy curry for us to eat. I even recorded that new show you’ve been watching on TV, although I will admit I watched the beginning of it. It really sucked me in. I know it’s late, but tonight we should just get into our pajamas and relax a bit. Like a movie night!” Tsukasa chirped with ideas, a wide smile on his face. 

Eating dinner with my brother in front of the TV… It was such a simple thing I can’t say I have ever gotten to do much. Maybe it was normal for most families, but I spent a good majority of my life away in the hospital, and the only time I got to be with my brother is when my Mom brought him along with her to visit. 

Now, doing anything was still so difficult as I had a stalker that was like a hospital bracelet I couldn’t rip off. A constant reminder that my life was still not normal. That a peaceful moment with my brother was next to impossible.

I wanted this more than anything. To relax. To spend time with my brother. Without worry, without threat. 

Days like that haven’t existed since before I was hospitalized, when Toya’s family would come over for dinner and we would play together as kids. The idea of reliving those moments brought a smile to my face.

“Thank you, Tsukasa…! You don’t know how much I appreciate that.”

Mom and Dad wouldn’t like that we were staying up so late, but I think after the events of tonight we’d get at least a little leniency. I would have to remind Tsukasa to not turn the volume up so high when watching our shows to not wake them up. 

The walk home turned peaceful. I kept the thoughts of dinner and a movie in my mind, trying to motivate myself to keep pushing through any lingering fear or doubt. This was all just a big misunderstanding. My life has to go back to normal eventually. 

…

….

Tsukasa stopped in his tracks, his shoes scraping against the sidewalk. He put his arm out in front of me protectively, hitting my stomach as I stumbled, stopping my walk. 

I looked up at him, seeing an expression I’ve never, ever seen on his face. One of pure hatred, rage, and resentment. I’ve seen his face when he was angry, but the look on his face right now was enough to even scare me. 

That’s when I looked past him, to see a girl standing under a street lamp, her body barely illuminated by it. She kept getting closer with slower steps, some kind of mumbling coming from her lips. Not a single light was on in the streets anymore besides the one she was under. Nobody home was awake, the street lights had been cut off, no shop was open…Nobody was around. We were trapped with this girl, in a street of darkness. Blocking our path home.

It wasn’t just a girl. It was my stalker. 

I had barely caught a glimpse of her before in the past. All I made out of the previous encounter with her is that she had long, flowing hair. The same hair as the girl standing before us, eerily approaching with her weird chants and mumbles. 

I wanted to start crying again. I wanted to scream at her, to tell her to stop ruining my life. I wanted to run and hide at home, but my body froze, leaving me behind Tsukasa once more. I clutched Shiho’s bass again like it was another line of protection. 

“DON’T TAKE ANOTHER STEP…!” Tsukasa yelled, his tone a menacing roar. 

I grabbed his arm with my free hand, shaking like a leaf. Tsukasa’s hands clenched into fists so tightly that his nails dug into his skin, forming red marks that would soon draw blood.

The girl only got closer. 

“I’M WARNING YOU…! I’LL DEAL WITH YOU MYSELF, YOU CREEP! LEAVE ME AND MY SISTER ALONE!”

Another step closer. 

I could almost make out more of her features, but I looked away. I couldn’t bring myself to look.

Tsukasa let out a low growl of anger, gently removing my hands from his arm to step forward, to face the stalker. I gasped, tensing at the thought of watching my brother and a stranger get into a fist-fight.

I didn’t even know if it would be a fist-fight. This stalker could have weapons on them, like a knife or firearm. If she was clever enough to isolate us from everyone in Tokyo, then surely she didn’t intend to face us bare-handed...Right?

Tsukasa could get hurt. He could die, or be put in any kind of danger.

I couldn’t take it anymore. It was time to act. It was my turn to save him. 

I grabbed his arm, tugging him to run off with me in the other direction. “TSUKASA, RUN…!”

Thankfully, Tsukasa didn’t hesitate to drop his fight and take flight with me. He followed behind me, the two of us sprinting in unison in a different direction back home. The stalker must’ve been furious, her mumbles and whispers soon turned into yelling and screaming. We were running so fast, full of fear-ridden adrenaline, and her shouting only made us faster. The threats she called out to us made my heart pound out of my chest. 

“DON’T GO HOME!” 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*･ ｡ﾟ☆ ─── 

We finally arrived at our doorstep, gasping for air, our legs trembling and our bodies still feeling the straight adrenaline. It felt like we had reached a finish line in some way, getting far away from our stalker and arriving safely at home. But everything else inside of us still felt like this wasn’t far enough, that we should’ve kept running. Tsukasa exhaled, and I could see the internal struggle going on within him. I’m sure he was upset about running away instead of fighting, wanting to gain the upper hand and confront my stalker once and for all, but I wouldn’t let him. I wouldn’t let him charge into danger for my sake. I loved him too much to see him hurt. 

He didn’t say much before taking out his keys and opening the door, turning on the lights inside the house. I hurried inside behind him, locking the doors tight, shutting the blinds in addition.

“Saki, you warm up your dinner and try to relax, okay…? I’m going to call the police and report the situation.”

I nodded, trying to calm my shaking legs and sweaty palms, walking into the kitchen. I couldn’t possibly relax after being chased by my stalker, but I could at least fake it so my brother wouldn’t worry so much. We were home, after all, and it should be safe.

 Tsukasa took out his phone, about to dial the police when I realized something. The house lights were turned off when we came in. Mom and Dad were nowhere to be found, when I expected them to greet us with relieved hugs right at the door. “...Where’s Mom and Dad?”

Tsukasa froze, looking around as if he had just realized that too. I could see a bit of panic crossing his face, his next breath coming out shallowly.

“I-I don’t know. They were here when I left to come get you. Maybe they got worried and left to come find us. I’m sure when I get a hold of the police, they’ll help us.”

I nodded, but Tsukasa was looking back into my eyes with the same fear and doubt. There was an unspoken understanding between the two of us as we stared. We knew it wouldn’t be okay, that something was terribly wrong all around with everything we had just been through. But we kept trying to be strong for one another, to ignore the anxiety flowing through us. 

“M-Make sure to tell the police Shiho is missing too. I’m going to try and text her…Let me grab my phone charger.”

Tsukasa nodded, re-dialing the police number as I walked towards my room. The doorknob was oddly stubborn. I tugged on it twice before the door finally opened, the hinges nearly swinging off. My room was pitch black as expected. I hesitantly took a step inside my bedroom, about to turn on the light when at least six pairs of hands came out of the darkness, grabbing me. 

I screamed as loud as my lungs would let me. I heard Tsukasa drop his cell phone on the floor, letting the screen shatter.

“SAKI??? SAKI!!”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*･ ｡ﾟ☆ ─── 

….

Ow….

I don’t remember the last time I felt this physically terrible. My head was throbbing and spinning, dizzy like I had rode every ride at Phoenix Wonderland seven times in a row without a break. 

Was I in bed? I was lying on something extremely plush and comfortable. I must’ve gone into my bedroom and fallen asleep. Some of my memories slowly flooded back, and I hoped that they were all just a bad dream. Tsukasa had called the police, bringing Mom and Dad home. They’d seen me collapse on my bed, and let me sleep in until morning. 

I better get up and eat breakfast with them. 

I tried to slowly sit up, but my forehead was being held down by something. I did the same for my arms and legs, trying to move, but everything was restrained. I was tied down to some kind of bed, making my heart race. I could only move my right arm, which seemed to be free for some reason. I tried tugging on the restraints, but they wouldn’t budge at all.

In fact, as I regained more of my senses and became more aware of my surroundings, I quickly realized that this was not my bedroom. The walls were pale and white no matter which way I looked, leaving the ceiling only identifiable by a single bright light. My heartbeat quickened. 

What was going on…? Where am I…?

Calm down, calm down…Remember everything slowly.

My name is Saki Tenma.

I’m a somewhat ordinary high school girl. I spent so much of my life in and out of hospitals that I was excited to get my life back on track. I met my best friend Shiho after school to practice our singing like we often did as kids, when she had to leave abruptly. I fell asleep in the courtyard, then woke up in the dead of the night with nobody around. I blamed it all on my stalker- 

My stalker…

My eyes widened as I stared up into the ceiling light. My stalker… That’s right, they chased me and Tsukasa home. Little did we know that we were falling right into their trap, and they were waiting for us, hiding in the dark corners of my bedroom. 

Now here I was, alone in an infuriatingly white and deserted room, restrained with nothing to do but wait for my stalker to arrive and do as they please. This was truly it. This was the end. There was nothing I could do restrained and alone. 

I wanted to cry. I don’t know how exactly I got here, but I remember Tsukasa running after me not long after I entered my bedroom. I wanted to know if he was okay, but if I was here strapped to the table now, that can only mean that he…!

Tsukasa…

“Tsukasa…Please save me…” I cried out softly without thinking. 

“Saki?! Saki, are you there??” Tsukasa’s voice rang out from next to me. “Saki! Oh, thank goodness! Can you move at all?”

That feeling of relief slowly flooded in again. Tsukasa was by my side at the very least. I wasn’t alone, we were in this together…!

“I-I’m here…! No, I can’t move at all…! Only my right arm!”

“R-Really? Me neither…! Only one arm is free.”

…So he’s in the same position as me? But why would my stalker leave an arm open for him and me to potentially escape?

I suddenly got an idea.

“Tsukasa, hey…! You can reach your pockets, right? Check if your phone is in there! Then we can call for help!”

“Ah!” Tsukasa gasped as I could hear the faint sounds of him rummaging around through the fabric of his clothing. “Good idea…! The screen shattered when I dropped it, but it should still be usable…Got it!”

Yes…!!

“Great, call the police!” I cheered lightly, hoping for the best.

I heard Tsukasa pushing a few buttons on his phone, then it began to ring shortly after. When the ringing stopped, he spoke loud and clear.

“Hello?! Hello?? My name is Tsukasa Tenma! My sister and I have been kidnapped and we’re currently restrained with no idea where we are. Please, help u-!”

His voice was cut off by what sounded like a voice made by artificial intelligence. “...This is the first trial.”

…Huh?

“H-Hello?! Police! We’re in danger here!” Tsukasa yelled into the phone.

“There is a trick to this room.” The voice said, not even acknowledging my brother’s cries for help, almost like it was a recording. “You will have ten minutes to escape this room. The key is in the elder Tenma’s pocket. There is only one key. At the end of the time limit, the beds will close in on you, crushing you to death.” 

My face paled. 

The beds will…? One of us is going to…?

“Please decide wisely on who will use the key, as it can only be used once. Good luck!” The voice said condescendingly, before it clicked off.

Silence fell between Tsukasa and I.

What…Was going on…?

How…

How could we possibly make that decision? 

Tsukasa has the key…Knowing him, he’ll want to pass it off to me. He’ll want me to survive, no matter how scared of death he is. But the thought of my own brother dying in such a cruel and unforgiving way tore me apart inside. My stalker was treating this as some sort of test where we’re nothing but lab rats…! 

Tsukasa deserves to live. He’s stronger and braver than me. Perhaps he could handle the survivor’s guilt after I die, but there’s no way I could the other way around. Imagining a world where I have to live without my big brother, who died selflessly to protect me…

No…I don’t want that. I don’t even want to live. Not if I’m a caged bird unable to fly, wondering when I’ll be admitted to the hospital again or finally captured by my stalker. What kind of existence even is that…?

“Tsukasa…Hey…Please use that key for yourself.” I said quietly, full of despair.

“No way.” Tsukasa said, not even slightly shaken up. “I may use this key, but I’m not leaving you to die, Saki.”

“...What?”

“The voice recording said that there’s a trick to this room, remember?” Tsukasa reminded me. “The key is red, but there’s some patches of green underneath, and there’s sandpaper hanging in the corner of the room. You must be able to whittle it down, so I can use it on your restraints as well…!”

My eyes lit up a small amount. Once again, I was being saved by Tsukasa. I was so fear-ridden that I had already decided to give up and die, but there was a way out all along. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, before speaking to him again.

“O-Okay…! Unlock yourself first, then me…! I believe in you!”

“Yes…!” Tsukasa replied, hurriedly unlocking each of his limbs and lifting the heavy restraints off of himself. Just doing that took up quite a bit of time, and I began to worry…

I had to remind myself that Tsukasa has saved me dozens of times over, and that this would be no different. I had to just relax. All I could do was place my trust in him. There’s no way he would leave me to die. We’ll get out of this room, out of the stalker’s home, then finally be free from it all…

It felt like an eternity as Tsukasa stood tall, whittling down his key with the sandpaper hanging in the corner of the room to reveal that there was in fact, another color of key below. My heart raced, my whole body dripping in a nervous sweat as he began to unlock each of my limbs. I couldn’t tell if my bed was actually closing in on me, or if it was my anxiety making me imagine that. 

Click.

Tsukasa had unlocked the final part of my restraints, lifting me off the bed and into a tight hug. I couldn’t help but softly cry as I embraced him. I was so scared…

“Saki…Saki, please don’t give up like that ever again…” Tsukasa also began to softly cry alongside me, trying to choke the tears back down. “I won’t ever leave you behind. You have to stay alive, Saki…” 

“I know…! I’m just so scared…!” I sobbed into his chest, getting his uniform and tie all wet. He rubbed my back, trying to calm me down and soothe me. 

“Hey, no need to be scared now…! That creepy girl stands no chance against us now that we’re free! I can finally give her a taste of her own medicine! A cold, straight-fire punch into space!” 

At first, I wasn’t fond of the idea of Tsukasa fighting this girl. I still wasn’t entirely on board with it; since Tsukasa could still potentially get hurt. We didn’t know what kind of tricks this stalker had up her sleeve after seeing that bed trap. Regardless, part of me was angry for being put through all this, and the near-death experience of being strapped down like that made my blood boil. I found myself wiping my tears once again, putting on a confident smirk like Tsukasa.

“Yes…! Let’s get out of here! If we have to wipe the floor with her, we will!” 

CRASH…! 

Tsukasa and I jumped at the sudden noise, seeing the two beds we were laying on a moment ago fold in on each other. It heightened our nerves once again, knowing that this wasn’t some sort of sick prank- if we hadn’t escaped those beds, we really would’ve died. 

“S-Saki…” Tsukasa shut his eyes, turning away. “…Don’t look.”

…?

I looked across the room to see a slightly tinted window. How I didn’t notice it before, I wasn’t sure. I could only assume my heightened emotions and fear made me see nothing but an empty room with no escape. Through the window, I had to squint, but I saw another room just like ours. 

Sandpaper hanging from the ceiling, two beds just like ours, both ends closed in on each other without mercy. However…one of the beds was coated in blood…!

I covered my mouth, seeing the blood across the room. We weren’t the only ones here…? Others were put through that trial as well? 

Before I could put any more thought into it, Tsukasa grabbed my hand. “We need to get out of here. Now.”

I nodded in agreement, holding his hand. He led the way out of the room, slowly inching along the dark hallways. We had no idea where we were going or where this path would lead; we just knew we had to get away and not do what our kidnapper expected of us. 

“It’s so dark…! I can’t see where this hallway ends…” 

“Do you still have that phone? You could use it as a light!” I suggested. 

“Thats right, let me check-!”

Suddenly, we felt the ground fall, a large gust of wind blowing beneath us. Tsukasa lost his footing, turning onto his back, his front side facing my feet. It didn’t take us long to realize we were falling into what felt like a bottomless pit, screaming as loud as we could for help.

Our screams weren’t answered. Nobody came to our rescue. The fall in the dark seemed endless, going on way longer than it should. 

Had we really just escaped that room for nothing, now falling to our deaths…?

Tsukasa grabbed my leg, awkwardly and uncomfortably pulling me down to his position as we kept falling, my head now buried in his chest, his arms tightly wrapped around me. 

He was making sure when we landed that he would cushion my fall. 

I let my tears stain his uniform once again, my shaking hands gripping him tightly. 

I shut my eyes, enjoying what I thought would be my final moments once again. 

…

….

Unknown to Saki and Tsukasa, a boy with blonde hair tied into a small ponytail was watching them fall with a sadistic grin on his face. 

“Congratulations on passing your first trial, Saki and Tsukasa…”

He paused, hugging the clothes of the dead he’d already stolen. A woman’s gray hoodie, a red hairbow, some purple and yellow hairclips, a girl’s uniform bow the same as Saki’s, and an idol’s skirt. 

“I can’t wait…To wear your clothes. The regrets of the dead…Feel so good…”

“I can’t wait…Until you die…”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*･ ｡ﾟ☆ ─── 

Meanwhile…

Toya Aoyagi

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*･ ｡ﾟ☆ ─── 

….

For the first time in a long while, my body woke up on its own, without the sound of a ringing alarm clock. My body had its own sneaking suspicions that I was getting more sleep than normal, so I should get up before I was late for school.

However, when I lifted my head, my digital alarm clock wasn’t on my nightstand. I couldn’t see what time it was. I quirked a brow, now searching for my cell phone, but that was gone too. 

The only person who would’ve taken those things away would be my father. Perhaps there was a reason for it, but no logical explanation came to me. I got out of my blankets and bedsheets, approaching my mirror to at least get dressed into my school uniform for the day, only to find that missing as well. 

What on the Earth was going on? 

I shook my head. I doubt my father was home, by now he’s probably left for work, but maybe there were answers downstairs. Which means I’ll just have to go down in what I wore for bed. 

I felt a twinge of embarrassment as I looked at myself in the mirror. If my father really did come in and confiscate a bunch of my things- that means he’s already seen me sleeping in one of Akito’s hoodies. Not a huge deal, I’m sure he didn’t really care, but I know it took him awhile to accept the fact that I am gay. Akito was a choice I didn’t see him ever respecting, though…

I shook my head. Now wasn’t the time to think about all of that.

I walked down to the living room, finding nothing but silence. As expected, my father wasn’t home. I tried searching a few spots around the house for where my phone and other belongings might be hidden- the same places he would hide things from me when I was younger and couldn’t reach, but came out empty-handed. 

I stopped in my tracks as I found a single post-it note sticking to the kitchen counter. 

It read: Toya, don’t go out. You’re free from school today.

I blinked in confusion. That was a bit…ominous. If it was just an off day at school, why take my uniform? Why not just come in and shut off my alarm, instead of taking it…? Why take my phone away when I’ve done nothing wrong?

I was starting to get frustrated. I just wanted a clear answer…

With nothing else to do, I took a seat on the couch, turning on the TV. If something happened at school, it was sure to be on the local news. 

…

“…That’s right. Families across Tokyo are mourning the losses of their loved ones due to this mass kidnapping.”

Mass Kidnapping?! I turned the volume up, clutching the remote in my hands. 

“We’d now like to turn our attention to the families and other loved ones of these missing teens. Remember, if you have any information, please call the hotline immediately to help our police.”

The camera changed to show a mother with purple hair crying alongside her husband. “Our dear Mafuyu, with her whole future ahead of her…! Gone overnight…!”

Next the camera showed a backstage manager. 

“…I was helping fit Miss Shizuku for a new costume when we had to go get some more ribbon. When I came back, she was gone…! Like she vanished into thin air! She’s gotten lost before, but we’ve always found her…!”

Next, the camera panned to a mother and father I knew very well.

The Tenmas…!

The Tenmas, both Saki and Tsukasa’s parents, who I had considered an extension of my own family, tried to keep themselves under control as they spoke into the mic, but I could tell they were choking down their sorrows. 

I didn’t want to believe this at all…Please don’t tell me…The two I had considered my siblings, the two who brought so much light into my life when I was in a dark slump were…?

“Yes…Our two children went missing last night. Saki wasn’t home at a normal time without a word, so we sent Tsukasa to look for her, and now he’s gone too…! We would’ve never let him leave if we knew something so dangerous was out there!”

“Tsukasa, if you can hear this broadcast…!” Their mother cried. “Please, protect Saki…!” 

…

My heart sank. 

I slumped into the couch, my eyes permanently wide open from sheer shock. I didn’t even notice the cold tears running down my cheeks until the salty taste reached my lips. 

This mass kidnapping, and a family so close and dear to my own must be the reason my father shut me inside like this. I could only assume he took my phone away so I wouldn’t be reading the news, but I was destined to find out sooner or later. 

What did he think I was going to do? I could run out and search, but even I know it’s dumb to do so when I am a prime target in these kidnappings. A single teenage boy like myself isn’t going to find them any faster if even the top rated police have zero clues. 

Still, my heart ached for Saki and Tsukasa. I could only sit here, helplessly praying that they’ll escape whatever situation they’re in safely. I should think positive, I should have hope, but it was all slowly leaving me the more I thought about it.

…”Protect Saki.” Is what the Tenma’s mother had said, a message to her son if he could ever hear it. 

I know the weight Tsukasa carries for his little sister. I almost felt selfish on times where we would hang out at one of our homes, letting Saki chat with me or mess with my hair whenever she wanted. I wished she really was my sister, when I could tell it wasn’t an easy job to be her brother. Not because of Saki herself-but because of her stalker that’s been haunting her since she finally got out of the hospital. 

Tsukasa trained harder than everyone on the football team, determined to be the stronger man in a potential fight to protect her. His mind was solely wrapped around Saki’s safety and well-being, rather than a normal high school mindset of having theater after classes or attending a sports game later in the month. He had little to no time to live his life, just like Saki.

I hugged my knees to my chest on the couch, feeling nothing but my own intense heartbeat and guilt. 

Maybe Tsukasa was there to protect Saki through anything and everything. But who was going to protect him? 

No, I shouldn’t be thinking like that…

There’s no use thinking about it. There’s nothing I can do. I love those two more than anything in the world, but I’m ultimately helpless. I shouldn’t be acting like this, if they were here, they’d hate to see me with such a look of despair on my face.

I slowly took a deep breath, getting off the couch to grab a glass of water to calm myself. I’d normally reach for coffee in the morning, but I just needed to regain control. 

That’s it…Just focus on the way the glass feels in your hand…The cold water rushing down your throat…You’re alive, this is real, but it’s going to be okay, don’t freak out…Don’t do anything you’ll regret…

I exhaled. Even the little pep-talks I was trying to give myself annoyed me. I felt so guilty. On one hand, I should be going on a screaming and frantic meltdown over this as it’s completely worthy of that behavior, but on the other hand, I was frozen. I didn’t know what to do, I just felt endlessly numb. That numb part of me tried to keep me from becoming completely broken and insane.

“...I will now list the names of each teenager reported missing as of last night.” The news reporter said, making me listen back in on the TV. 

I gripped the glass cup tighter. 

There were more victims…? Not just those four…?

“...Yoisaki Kanade. Kamishiro Rui. Ichika Hoshino. Airi Momoi.”

The names kept going, on and on. Some people I had seen only briefly before, but others I had no idea who they were. Until I heard the very names I was dreading hearing.

“Azusawa Kohane.” 

….

Azusawa…

Azusawa was taken too…?

My breathing quickened again. I held my head with a single hand, silently praying.

No more…No more…Please tell me…

“Shiraishi An.”

NO…

“Akito Shinonome.”

The glass I was holding in my hand shattered due to the sheer amount of pressure I was clutching it with. Glass flew everywhere, making a terrible sound as it hit the floor and sliced open cuts all along my palm. I watched my own blood drip down my trembling hand. 

Not only were my siblings gone, but now my entire friend group…? My boyfriend…?

….

The TV reporter just kept going on, listing more and more names after that. I had no strength left to stand, let alone listen. My knees hit the floor, and my tears wouldn’t stop even if I tried to force them to. 

Everyone’s…Gone.

Am I the only one left…?

Why……?

Why am I alive…? 

If you’re going to take them all away, take everything away…

Then what do I have left to live for?

…Akito would punch me if he heard me saying things like that to myself. That only reminded me that he’s gone, though, and sent me into even louder sobbing. 

….

I’m getting…Dizzy….

I can hardly breathe…There’s some kind of tightness pulling at my neck, strangling me…

I can’t stop it. My head spins. I try to look down at my bleeding palm, trying to focus on something-anything in front of me fruitlessly. 

I passed out from the shock not long after that.

Chapter Text

“Hey…Hey…Excuse me…?”

Once again, my head felt like it was spinning in circles. My eyes were hazy as I tried adjusting to the sights around me, as if I had taken some kind of hard fall.

Actually…I did take a hard fall. The last thing I remember was Tsukasa holding me tight after the floor gave out below us. My stalker is lucky I haven’t developed some serious brain injury by now with the amount of times I’ve passed out in the past day alone.

“Miss…? Are you awake? Feeling okay?”

A voice in front of me said. I nearly forgot someone was trying to speak to me, warped in my own thoughts to regain consciousness. I held my head with one hand, squinting as I looked up.

There was a girl with long pink hair tied into pigtails offering me a hand up. I took a moment to look at her- pink eyes, an idol’s outfit, a little fang-tooth in the corner…This wasn’t any ordinary girl, it was Airi Momoi…! A famous idol who I used to watch all the time on the TV when I was stuck in the hospital!

“Y-You’re…! You’re Airi Momoi!” I exclaimed without thinking, taking her hand.

She smiled sheepishly. “That's me…Your friendly, cheerful idol…! What’s your name, Miss…?”

With her help, I stood up, a bit wobbly on my feet. The quick moment of joy I felt from seeing my favorite idol faded as I remembered the whole situation. Me and Tsukasa were kidnapped, forced into some deadly trial…and now here we were, standing in some blue-tiled hallway with a bunch of strangers standing around.

“My name is Saki Tenma.” I told Airi. “Sorry…I just remembered the gravity of my situation. Do you know where we are?”

Airi shook her head, placing her hands on her hips. “Afraid not. There’s still one more who hasn’t woken up, but everyone I’ve talked to seems to be in the same boat. Kidnapped, no idea where they are, and forced to play some death trap game before getting here…”

My heart sank a little deeper to hear that everyone else here seemed to be in the same sticky situation. But more importantly, I didn’t see Tsukasa anywhere…He must be the last one not awake yet.

“…Is my brother not awake yet…? I should’ve landed on him when we fell.” I asked Airi.

“Oh, that one…Yeah, he’s out cold. I’ll show you.” She said, gesturing for me to follow.

Airi led me down the blue-tiled hallway to a sectioned off part. There were many cuts in the side of this wall; three of them looked like they had other rooms past the doorframes, and the others were dead ends, with nothing but cushions at the end. I assumed this is where everyone fell and ended up, as they were all empty but one slot, where Tsukasa laid. I instantly rushed over, kneeling next to his unconscious body.

Healthy pulse…Beating heart…Good…

He’s okay…

I hadn’t forgotten about him clutching me on top of himself so he would break my fall…Even with a cushion below, it seemed he really did take a hit. I would just have to be patient until he woke up.

I gently brushed some loose hair out of his eyes, letting out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I knew he was just trying to protect me, but I really did wish he thought about himself a little more too. His survival and well-being mattered just as much as mine.

That’s when I saw something peculiar under the folds of his button-up shirt. It was…a collar?

A smooth piece of metal wrapped around his neck. Blue and red wiring on one side, multiple different small buttons and switches on the other. If only I had taken some kind of robotics class in school, maybe I would know what some of it was. But I didn’t, and what truly mattered right now is this kidnapper had my brother wear some kind of collar, like he was nothing more than a dog…!

Unforgivable…!

I needed to get this off him right away. I turned to Airi, about to ask for her help, when I saw it again.

Her neck lined with the same collar.

My face paled as I looked around at all the other people in the room. Each person had the same collar on their neck…!

I slowly, hesitantly reached up to touch my own neck. On the edge of my fingertips, I felt the same cold metal.

All of us…Had collars on?! For what purpose?? I could only assume it meant trouble…

A girl with short brown hair and a painter's apron noticed my panicked expression, crossing her arms with a small pout. “Hmph. Don’t bother trying to get that thing off. Even Akito's man-handling strength can’t get them off.”

A tough looking boy with ginger hair responded with an eyeroll. “Quit making it sound like I’m some sort of scary brute, would you?”

…Right. I haven’t talked to everyone here. I should probably do that while waiting for Tsukasa to wake up. Maybe I’ll find out some useful information. But before I could even think about standing up and brushing myself off, I heard him stir and groan behind me.

Tsukasa…!

Introductions will have to wait a moment. I was kind of nervous about approaching others without him, anyway…

I helped him sit up, holding both of his hands. I smiled down at him as his eyes adjusted, getting rid of the sleepy haze. “Onii-Chan…! You’re finally awake!”

He groaned loudly once more, wincing a bit from the head pain. I tried to steady him, holding his shoulders. He finally regained focus, looking me in the eyes.

“…Who are you?”

My eyes widened. Did Tsukasa hit his head so hard he forgot his own sister…?!

He laughed, sticking his tongue out at me. “Just teasing.”

I groaned, lightly punching him in the side. “Tsukasa!! Totally not funny…! Not right now…!”

“Okay, okay…!” He laughed. “Sorry, You’re right…Um…Where are we?”

I filled Tsukasa in on what I knew so far. All these other people, according to Airi, were also kidnapped out of nowhere and forced to do trials. I told him about the collars around our necks, and that strength alone couldn’t take them off. I expressed both to him and Airi the need for introductions between the others here. If we were trapped here together, the least we should know is names, and valuable information that might help our escape.

Airi took charge in gathering everyone up in a circle not long after that. “Okay, everyone…! If we’re going to get out of this mess, we need to use our brains and work together. Let’s keep it simple: tell us your name, a valuable skill you have or something you’re good at, and any information about what’s going on. How you came here, or potential suspects for who’s behind all this!”

Those who seemed shy or skeptical at first glance seemed to be moved by Airi’s claim to command, and agreed introductions were for the best. Everyone seemed so nervous to go first, though, silence filling the air once more.

“Alright, whatever.” The tough-looking boy with ginger hair stepped forward. “My name’s Akito Shinonome. I’m a pretty fast runner since I’m on the soccer team at school. I was doing my usual run home after a performance with my friends, when a car pulled up beside me, and abducted me.”

“…And…Your friend there?” I asked, tilting my head. Behind Akito, a short girl with the same school uniform as me and blonde pigtails was hiding. The second I met her gaze, she clutched Akito’s sleeve for dear life, trembling with fear.

“Hey, c’mon, shrimp. I’m not introducing you. Do it yourself.” Akito said harshly, although his tone lacked any real malice, unlike before.

The girl only trembled in response. I should probably wait until she’s more comfortable.

There was something else to address about Akito. Looking around, only three boys including my brother had been kidnapped, leaving the rest of us girls. While having a strong male with us might be useful for certain things, it could also be a problem to get on his bad side, which he certainly seemed to have. Even just looking back at me; he was glaring, his body language reading unshakeable confidence. His school uniform is slightly undone, a testament to what he thought of the rules.

“The fuck you staring at?” He finally asked me in a tone that made me jump.

“Y-You’re…Um…A little…?” I didn’t know how to put it nicely, so I just smiled sheepishly as if that would cushion the blow. “Scary-looking? You look like you want to beat me up.”

“Unforgivable!”

I turned my head to see the girl with a painter's apron once more. She put her hands on her hips, clearly annoyed with me. “Just unforgivable! Take back your words at my baby brother this instant! He may be a self-centered jerk at times, but only I get to insult him like that, got it??”

“Alright, alright…! Akito is…Totally not scary!”

“You could at least try and say it like you mean it,” The artist girl huffed. “Even if you’re wary, Akito is protecting the young girl who is too scared to even speak. Does that really signal ‘bad guy’ to you?”

I suppose she had a point… If Akito was protecting someone weaker than him, then it at least showed he didn’t just care about himself. I tried to think that maybe his scary exterior was just for show, to keep others away from the ones he really loved. He rolled his eyes when his sister came to his defense, and even looked disgusted at being called her “baby brother.”

“...Anyway, I’m sure you can all guess, but I’m Ena Shinonome, Akito’s elder sister. Um…I think I’m a decent artist, although I’m not sure how that’ll help with our current situation. Me and Akito were in some weird trial where we were tied to beds, and we got this key to unlock ourselves. Don’t know if it’ll be useful for anything.”

Tied to…Beds? That sounded exactly like what me and Tsukasa were made to do…!

“I-I think we might be on to something here…!” I said, taking a step forward to get everyone’s attention. “U-Um…My name is Saki Tenma. This is my older brother, Tsukasa Tenma. We had the same first trial as you and Akito, Ena. We both have a key, and I also know who is behind all of this…!”

The collective eyes watching me all widened.

“S-Seriously? You know?” Airi asked.

“Yes…!” I nodded. “You see, I had been in the hospital for a long time during my childhood. When I got out and finally made my way back into school and normal life, some weirdo stalker began following me all around…! I could hardly sleep, or go anywhere after dark without feeling unsafe unless I was in the company of my brother or best friend! On the night we were kidnapped, the stalker chased me and Tsukasa home, and then was waiting for us inside!”

“...So it’s your stalker that’s behind all of this?” Ena tilted her head.

Tsukasa spoke up. “Yes, that’s right! Her stalker is a girl our age that attends Miyamasuzaka Girl’s Academy! I saw her that night, since I was prepared to fight for Saki’s sake! S-She also has long hair, and a super creepy face!”

“Not exactly descriptive enough to help us identify her, dumbass.” Akito sighed. “Even if it is your stalker, can one measly little girl really orchestrate all of this? And why are we involved if we have zero connection to you?”

I sunk back down, feeling small under Akito’s words that brought reality to light. I had wondered that for a long time now- if my stalker could actually do all of this herself. What purpose my stalker had in us all being chained away in this facility, I wasn’t sure.

Maybe my stalker was even someone among us, kidnapped and forced to play along. Or blending in sneakily…

“Hehe. It seems answering one question only leads to another.” A boy with purple hair that had green streaks and a matching darker scarf spoke up with a smile. “Miss Saki, I do believe your stalker story, but it needs some more investigation. We all intend to support you in that.”

Miss Saki? How formal…

“My name is Kaito Kamishiro, everyone. I’m very skilled with robotics and machinery. Perhaps if given access to the proper tools, I’d be able to take all these collars off for us.”

“Oh, Kaito…!” Tsukasa repeated firmly with a nod. “I see. Your skills with machinery must be amazing if you have the confidence to get these things off!”

“Hehe. You flatter me, Mister Tsukasa. It’s simply the result of spending all my days tinkering away in a garage. In fact, I had just made some new equipment to test out, but I was ambushed by some mysterious people in suits on my walk home. I don’t quite have the physical strength like you to fight back, so I hope you don’t mind me relying on you from time to time~”

Tsukasa shut his eyes, a little embarrassed. “D-Don’t call me Mister…! I feel like an old, married man…! B-But as for relying on me, of course! If you think you can remove these collars, then we need you, Kaito. So stand behind me and my powerful muscles at all times! Ha Ha Ha!”

“Oh brother, we got two geniuses here…” Akito grumbled under his breath.

I looked behind Kaito to see another girl on the ground, rocking back and forth. She appeared to be incredibly anxious and scared, much like the girl hiding behind Akito. I felt bad, hoping those two would come and introduce themselves. In a big group like this, it was absolutely necessary for the strong to protect the weak. I wanted to become more reliable, someone these girls could be dependent on and hide behind if they had to. I’ll coax them into talking later, I swear…! Nobody will be forgotten here!

“Damn it, Damn it…! Does anyone have their belongings on them? My phone, my keys, my precious bass…! They’re all gone! These damn kidnappers took all our stuff!” An angry girl stepped forward, my eyes widening in shock. It wasn’t just another stranger, but my best friend Shiho, who had been with me that day before we were kidnapped!

I was relieved to see a familiar face, another dependable ally I could have in a situation like this. I couldn’t help myself, so I rushed forward to embrace Shiho in a hug. She wasn’t too fond of sudden affection like this normally, but I hoped given the circumstances, she’d be happy to see me too.

She let out a small grunt, catching my weight in her arms. “Saki…!”

“Shiho-Chan…! You’re here! Why didn’t you say anything when I woke up? Or when we just introduced ourselves?” I asked in a slightly whiny tone.

Shiho sighed, finally hugging me back. “I was focused on investigating this room, and looking for any place my stuff might’ve gone. You seemed pretty worried about Tsukasa after regaining consciousness.”

“She checked on your pulse before you woke up, much like you did for Tsukasa.” Airi smiled sheepishly.

“I did not!” Shiho protested in embarrassment, which only made me smile wider.

“…Is now really the time to be worried about your belongings, though?” Ena asked in a slightly annoyed tone.

“Hey, my bass is everything to me. It’s just as important as my own life.” Shiho glared over at Ena, letting me go. “I would’ve had it back if I caught up to those damn kidnappers. Me and Saki were practicing after school when some thief decided to mess with us. I ran after them, telling Saki to wait, but then was ambushed not far down the road…I don’t remember much else.”

My brows furrowed in confusion at Shiho’s explanation for her kidnapping. That wasn’t what happened at all…I know I wasn’t imagining things. It’s true Shiho did have to leave abruptly during her practice, but it was because she got a phone call, not because her bass was taken. I only assumed it was something to do with her sister, since it was a common occurrence. Shiho’s sister was known for getting lost and not being good at directions…It was something fans routinely made a joke about. Even Tsukasa should remember that when he found me, I still had Shiho’s bass, and was ready to hit him with it thinking he was my stalker.

I wanted to know why Shiho was covering up the truth, but I bit my lips shut. After all, she was my best friend in the whole world, and someone I cared so deeply about, so she must be lying for a good reason rather than a malicious one. Or perhaps the kidnappers did something with her memory?

“Shiho-Chan and I are best friends! Since elementary school!!” I told everyone excitedly, realizing that I had been quiet for a moment, and they might’ve thought I just jumped onto this random girl for no reason. “She’s a really caring and responsible person.”

“Saki…Don’t embarrass me…I just do what anyone else would.”

“Shiho and Saki…I believe we attend the same school. We might’ve had some classes together.” Another girl stepped forward, her eyes burning into mine.

…?

This girl…

She wore the same uniform as me, except she had no cardigan or jacket around herself, or really any accessory that made her stand out from the average student. Her eyes appeared to be drained of all light, even if she did speak with a slightly cheerful tone.

Her hair…I’ve seen it before…

Long, dark blue hair….

….

Is this girl…Could she be…?

“Umm…Miss Saki? Is everything alright?”

“H-Huh? I uh- guh?” I stammered like an idiot.

“You’re staring at me an awful lot.” She pointed out bluntly. “Is something the matter? Are you feeling ill?”

I shook my head, waving my hands frantically as if to convince her. “No, No! I was just thinking that you also look very familiar…What’s your name?”

“Right, yes. My name is Ichika Hoshino. I.. Don’t have any special skills. I’m afraid I’m just an extremely ordinary person. As for being in this facility, I don’t remember how I got here. My head was throbbing very badly before my first trial even began, leaving me without my important memories.” Ichika explained.

“Okay…Ichika. No special skills?” Tsukasa raised an eyebrow, almost side-eyeing her. “What about this kitchen equipment that you brought out here? Are you not a cook?”

Ichika shook her head. “These items were simply left in my first trial room. They are not my own kitchenware, but I thought maybe they could be useful if we ever found food or a kitchen here. I’m not a master chef, but if given the opportunity, I could make everyone some delicious Yakisoba buns.”

I raised an eyebrow at her explanation, but I suppose for now there was no reason to suspect her. I couldn’t prove she was my stalker just by the length of her hair alone, and the light dulling in her eyes. That wasn’t enough evidence, even if the resemblance was striking. Tsukasa seemed to notice it too, his suspicious eyes not leaving Ichika.

“Yakisoba…buns?” The girl with blonde pigtails behind Akito finally stepped out. I wanted to chuckle; the mention of food got her out behind him and talking, but I really couldn’t blame her. The stress of the situation had made me, and the rest of us forget about the last time we actually ate. We had to find a kitchen, or some food in here fast.

All eyes were on her, the realization hitting her face moments later, as she swayed back and forth shyly. “H-Hello…Um…I’m Kohane Azusawa…I-I sing and perform with Akito in a g-group…”

“Hey, nice introduction. See? You can do it.” Akito smiled down at her. “Kohane’s real smart, too. Any puzzles in this weird ass place? Just give them to her. Or if there’s a small corner you need someone to crawl into? She’s perfect for the job.”

I smiled faintly at Akito vouching for Kohane’s usefulness. After the first trial, we all must’ve come to realize that this was a life-and-death situation. These kidnappers were serious about playing with our very lives. The ones that might not be useful or worthy, as cruel as it sounded, could be left behind and forgotten by those only focused on their own survival. We were so united in this very moment, yet I could feel that uneasy tension in the air.

No, I shouldn’t think like that…We’re all allies here. All in the same situation. We’ll escape together…!

“Does that just leave me to introduce myself, then?” A girl with some casual clothing and a dark purple ponytail asked us.

“Um…There’s one more.” I said, looking over at the girl still rocking back and forth on the ground. Everyone looked over at her, but she didn’t move an inch or look up at us. It’s like she was in some sort of strange trance, her mind clouding her thoughts. Unlike Kohane who was also too fear-ridden to speak first, she seemed to be put in a state of pure shock.

Everyone looked at me, like I was the perfect candidate to calm her down. I accepted that, slowly walking over to the girl. I kneeled down next to her.

“Hey…Excuse me. Are you okay?”

She didn’t answer. I put a tender, comforting hand on her shoulder.

!!!

She flinched, her eyes going wide. She finally met my gaze, violently trembling.

“H-Hey, Hey! It’s okay…I’m not going to hurt you. I’m trying to help.” I insisted. “…Can I know your name? Can you tell me that?”

“Nene…Nene Kusanagi…”

“Nene.” I repeated with a smile. “That’s a pretty name. Do you know Kaito?”

She hugged herself, struggling to make eye contact as she spoke with me. “Kaito…is my neighbor back home. We haven’t spoken since middle school, though…”

“That’s nice…At least you have a friend here. I’m Saki. You can rely on me too, okay? We’re all here to get out of this together.”

“Saki…is kind…” Nene’s expression softened, seeming to calm down a bit. “Much like…Emu.”

“Emu?” I asked.

Nene trembled. “I…I…I was walking home…With Emu…We were getting ice cream after class…And then…A scary black car came and grabbed us…”

“….”

“We…Woke up in a room, tied to beds…A weird voice gave us instructions…”

“‘Only one can live’ it said…”

“And…Emu is kind. She gave Nene the key to escape and live…But when she got out, Emu kept trying to instruct me…!”

“But Nene is so stupid, she was scared, and didn’t understand a word Emu was saying!”

“S-So…”

“T-The bed CLOSED! E-EMU DIED! MY BEST FRIEND…! SHE WAS CRUSHED!! A-AND IT’S ALL NENE’S FAULT…!”

Nene screamed, before collapsing to the ground.

Silence and shock fell between all of us.

Nene had the same trial as me and Tsukasa did…But she didn’t understand that her key could be whittled down to a new color, able to also unlock her friend. In the end, her friend was crushed by those scary beds closing in on one another…!

…That room Tsukasa and I saw next to ours, the one with the closed in bed, blood gushing out the side…It wasn’t a joke. It wasn’t fake. Someone really died there, and it was Nene’s friend, Emu…

“Nene!!” Tsukasa shouted, rushing over to her side.

“What the shit? Her friend died?” Shiho grumbled angrily. “How cruel are these kidnappers?”

“…It seemed we truly underestimated our enemy.” Ichika said plainly.

“I-Is Nene going to be okay…?” Tsukasa asked, sloppily trying to do CPR.

The girl with the purple ponytail stopped my brother, putting a hand over his. “Relax. She’s going to be okay. She collapsed from shock caused by an anxiety attack. No need for CPR or anything, her breathing seems to be stable while unconscious.”

Tsukasa removed his hands from Nene, gently adjusting the way she was lying on the ground to be more comfortable.

“…I’m Mafuyu Asahina, everyone. I didn’t get to introduce myself earlier.” The girl with casual clothes stood up. “…I’m in school to become a doctor. If anyone here gets hurt, I should be able to help.”

“Oh, a doctor!” Tsukasa said excitedly. “Another useful ally, indeed!”

“She didn’t say she was a doctor. She’s studying to become a doctor.” Shiho reminded my brother.

“Yeah, and what? Are you saying the rest of us ain’t useful?” Akito snapped.

“If you’re all done bickering,” Mafuyu sighed, pulling out a large box. “This came from my first trial room. It has some keyholes, no doubt needing the keys from your trials. Perhaps there’s some sort of clue or supplies waiting for us inside.”

“Oh, yeah, the keys!” Tsukasa rummaged through his jacket pocket, pulling out the whittled-down key he used before to save me.

Ena did the same, pulling out the key she used to save Akito in their similar trial.

And the final key…

I walked over to Nene, rummaging through her coat pocket to find a key. It wasn’t whittled down like Ena’s or Tsukasa’s…

“Let me open it,” Airi insisted, stepping in front. “It could be something dangerous.”

She put each key into the holes in the boxes, unlocking it with a click. We all stood back in fear of what might be inside, yet we couldn’t take our eyes off the scene. Airi slowly opened the lid, then she gasped.

“Well…I don’t know if you want to look inside.”

“Hah?? What the hell's in there?” Akito stepped forward.

A head.

We saw a woman’s head without a body.

“GAHHHHHH!!” Tsukasa screamed. “A HEAD!! A DECAPITATED HEAD!!!

“Relax, everyone. It’s a doll head.” Mafuyu pointed out, picking up the head. After examining it closely, she gave it an experimental squeeze. “No brains, bones, or any former signs of attachment to an actual human.”

“What the hell? Why would the kidnappers put a doll head in a box?! To scare us or something? This is beyond fucked up…!” Shiho grumbled angrily.

Airi rummaged into the box again, pulling out a piece of paper. “Hold on everyone, there’s a note at the bottom! It says: Find my body, for I am just a poor doll. If my body is not put together in two hours, I will explode…?!”

“Only two hours?” My eyes widened in fear. We’ve wasted so much time just on introductions alone, so how much longer do we have before this ticking timebomb explodes?

“Well, there’s no choice in the matter then. We should all split up and look for clues in these corridors.” Shiho crossed her arms. “I’ll stay here with Nene until she wakes up. I can’t bring myself to just leave her here…”

“I-I’ll stay with you too, Shiho.” Ena nodded. I could tell she was just as scared as anyone else to go out exploring. I wasn’t mad, though. Nene would need some serious comfort and stress-free time when she woke up.

“It’s safer to travel with a partner. After all, we don’t know what kind of traps might be here.” Ichika said, her eyes darting over to me. “Saki, do you want-”

“ICHIKA!! Team up with me!” Tsukasa interrupted her with his usual cheerfully loud tone.

“Oh…? Um, sure…”

“Kohane, do you want to stay here with me and Nene?” Shiho asked.

“U-Um…N-No, that’s okay…I’ll go with Shinonome-Kun.” Kohane answered, shaking her head.

“Hmph…Fine. I’ll be holding you responsible for her then, Akito. Make sure she’s safe.”

“Relax, Shiho.” Akito waved her off. “She won’t leave my side.”

I watched as the others quickly formed partnerships and groups all around me, unsure what to do with myself. I considered tagging along with Tsukasa or staying back with Shiho, being around someone who I was close with and considered trustworthy. Then, I thought that maybe I should tag along with Akito or Ichika, people I found suspicious to keep an eye on.

“Miss Saki…? Would you mind too terribly to team up with me?” Kaito asked with a small smile. “I’m quite weak, you see. You and Tsukasa seem like dependable allies for me to hide behind.”

I smiled sheepishly. I wasn’t against teaming up with Kaito, I just found him a bit…odd. The way he spoke, the way he addressed me, and the constant casual self-deprication…Defintley not the type of person I would normally choose to hang around. However, he was asking me to team up because he found me dependable and strong, just like my brother, so I couldn't help but feel at least a little bit flattered.

“Sure, Kaito!” I cheered.

“If anything goes wrong Saki, you come running back here to me in the main hall, alright?” Shiho stood up from the ground where Nene was still lying. “Feel free to leave all the heavy lifting to Kaito…Actually, nevermind. He looks pretty scrawny as well. The two of you should just run back here together.”

“Wh…What a cutting remark, haha…”Kaito muttered under his breath.

“Best of luck to you two.” Ena gave me and Kaito a small smile.

Me and Kaito finally exited the main hall, walking into some kind of hallway. The walls and floors were all lined with the same ocean-blue tiles, not a single window or door to the outside world in sight. All that was in this passage was a single green vending machine, and a side door with a sign above it that said “Bar.”

“A vending machine, huh? Too bad the kidnappers didn’t let us keep our belongings. Without my wallet, I’ve got no money to use.”

I examined my own pockets, despite not having my wallet on me when I left school that night. Guess I should’ve figured that the kidnappers wouldn’t be so kind as to drop some free money in our pockets while we were asleep.

Curiously, I stuck my hand inside the chute to see if anything was left at the bottom, but no luck. I stood up and dusted off my skirt, before my eyes widened slightly at the prices on the vending machine. Water and Soda both cost 1000 yen? Talk about price gouging…

Me and Kaito shrugged it off for now, stepping inside the room with the bar sign. Here, a large wooden rectangular table was laid out with matching wooden barstools facing the door. There were two bright lights illuminating the red-walled room, shining down on all the alcohol on display behind the bar.

“A bar?” Kaito raised a brow. “All of us are underage. What’s the point of showing us such luxury when we can’t have it?”

I shrugged. We may be underage, but I saw no signs saying we weren’t allowed to drink…Our kidnappers didn’t care about playing with our lives in such a cruel way, I seriously doubt they’d care and have us arrested for taking a drink.

Akito and Kohane were also investigating here. Kohane was searching at low-eye level, but seemed to only find more bottles of wine. Akito remained right by her side, inspecting every inch of the room.

He noticed our presence in the room not long after that. “Hey, Saki. Encounter anything dangerous? You can hand it off to me. I’m not afraid of any of this shit, okay?”

“Right…I’ll…Come to you if I find anything. I said awkwardly, before my eyes caught sight of something interesting.

A blackboard, positioned at eye-level with the bar, almost like a menu sign. It read: “No drinking for any of these kiddos!” Following that, it listed the names of everyone trapped here, and some other names I had never heard before. Nene’s friend was also named here, giving me a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Did every other name on the blackboard that we didn’t know meet the same fate as Emu…?

“An-Chan’s name is on that blackboard.” Kohane said to me, noticing that I was eyeing it. “I wonder if she’s okay, or trapped in one of these rooms.”

Kohane…

“...Is An your friend?” Was all I could manage to ask her.

“Yes. An’s my best friend, and my singing partner. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have had any courage or belief in myself when it came to music. I wouldn’t have met Shinonome-Kun or Aoyagi-Kun either.”

“Aoyagi…?” I said in slight surprise. “You know Toya…? Wait, are you guys part of the music group that Toya’s in?”

Toya…He had completely vanished from my mind for a moment. My close family-friend had mentioned being part of a music group working to surpass some sort of legend in the area, but I didn’t know much else. Toya was much closer to Tsukasa, since most of my childhood days were spent in the hospital.

Kohane and An…Must be the dear friends Toya had mentioned before on occasion. Akito must be Toya’s boyfriend…Hehe. I almost wanted to giggle. When Toya told me that he started dating someone, I never would’ve expected them to be, well…Someone so…?

Akito?

“Yep, we're called Vivid BAD SQUAD.” Akito explained, shoving his hands in his jacket pocket. “Toya’s my singing partner and boyfriend. I don’t see his name on this chalkboard of people, so I can only assume he’s back home safe. Thank God…”

I smiled softly, looking at the two. I felt bad once again for judging Akito so harshly. If Toya loved him, then he must not be a bad guy. Plus, he’s been shielding Kohane this entire time…

Toya, for your sake…! I’ll bring them back to you!

“Hey, Miss Saki. I found something interesting down here.” Kaito suddenly called for my attention. I walked back to the opposite side of the bar, seeing him shove away some of the stools. Built into the barstand was a sliding door.

“Oh, amazing, Kaito! Open it!”

“...Huah…!”

“Yah…!”

I watched Kaito struggle pathetically a moment more with the sliding door. “....Won’t open. I’m just too weak, I doubt I could get this open.”

…

I guess we’ll just have to come back to that. There’s still other rooms to explore. Kohane and Akito seem to have a handle on this room anyway.

Me and Kaito slowly made our way to another hallway, which looked similar to the last. It had a single vending machine, this time in the color red. It wasn’t full of any snacks or drinks though, it was full of cigars. At the very end of the hallway, there was a smoking area that was closed off to us. I guess that made sense. None of us had any money to buy cigars, and even if we did, we’re still underage.

How strange, though. To close off a smoking area but let us have free rein over drinks? Where was the logic in that?

I stuck my hand in the bottom of the vending machine again, hoping to find something. This time, I was greeted by something lying at the bottom. A cigar…!

I…I don’t know what use this will be, and I certainly won’t be smoking it, but I suppose I’ll just hang onto it for now.

Kaito shrugged in quiet agreement with me, before we looked around some more.

Instead of a bar, this hallway had a “Game” room sign. Me and Kaito stepped inside to see a plainly decorated open area with brown flooring, a screen near the ceiling, and two doors- one red, one blue. The only other thing inside this supposed ‘game’ room was a dartboard.

“Is this supposed to be a game room?” Kaito asked me.

“Pretty lonesome, considering. I would’ve thought there would be some sort of trick or puzzle to solve in this room. Or even something to make it at least look like a game room. Where’s the pool table? Or Air hockey?” I crossed my arms with a huff.

Kaito chuckled. “Such things are luxuries I’m sure our kidnappers don’t care to provide us with.”

With nothing left to investigate, me and Kaito headed over to the red and blue doors. The red door was shut fast, with no way to enter. But the blue door seemed to open easily, making that our next stop for exploration.

“Woah…!” Kaito gasped as soon as we entered the room.

It was a room decorated in purple brick, with five black and white checkered chairs on the main level. In the right corner of the room was a red ladder, leading up to a second level with four more chairs. A portrait of a creepy man in a suit with bandages covering his entire face was up on the left side of the wall. Most peculiar of all was the human-like dolls sitting lifeless in five of the chairs. Mafuyu, Tsukasa, Airi, and Ichika were all in here investigating every corner of the room.

Mafuyu was at the front of the door, standing back and watching everyone work. I raised a brow. “Mafuyu, what are you doing?”

“...Just getting a view of this room.” She explained plainly. “It’s huge, and there’s so much suspicious stuff in the room…And yet, all three of them are investigating the room like it’s nothing. Aren’t they scared of traps?”

I nodded, thinking for a moment. We were all aware of the possibility of a trap, we just didn’t know what to look for. Some were being more careful than others…

Tsukasa was staring up at the large painting. He smiled when I stepped by his side.

“I wonder what this huge painting is for…”

“Maybe you should try taking it off the wall, Onii-Chan. There could be something written on the back.”

“Nah, I think I’ll stick to the easy stuff first, like investigating these dolls and chairs with the others. Besides, this painting’s just out of your reach, isn’t it, Saki?” Tsukasa teased me with a playful smirk.

I put a hand on my chest, acting offended. “How dare you! I’ll have you know I grew two centimeters this past year! I’ll be calling you shorty someday, big bro!”

“Ack…! No, no, don’t say that! I will always be taller!! Right, Saki?? Saki!!”

“Hey, Saki. Mind putting out your hand?” Airi said calmly, approaching me from behind.

“Hm…? Sure…”

Airi put three bullets in my hand.

“These are…Bullets?!”

“Yep. They’re the real deal, too. Dangerous stuff. I found them while rummaging around in these seats” Airi pointed out. “So, will you hold onto them?”

“Huh? Why me?”

Airi chuckled. “Tsukasa will get antsy if I have them. That being said, I can’t give them to him, either. I don’t particularly want to hand them off to Mafuyu or Ichika, either, so that just leaves you. You have a lot of connections here, Saki. It proves you have a good heart, and many trust you. So, I’ll count on you too.”

“Wow…” I couldn’t help but blush. I nearly forgot about the seriousness of her putting real bullets into my palm, caught up in getting so elegantly praised by my most favorite idol ever. I would have to prove my dependability to her, so she could continue to place her trust in me!

I put the bullets in my cardigan pocket before I approached the last person in the room I needed to talk to-Ichika. I still felt a little uneasy around her, but with Tsukasa and Airi in the same room, I knew I was safe. She was investigating the dolls sitting in the chairs with a curious hand placed on her chin, deep in thought.

“It would appear these are dolls. And the placement they have in this room seems significant. They can’t be lifted up from the seats, like they’re drilled in place.”
“How odd.” I said, unsure of what else to add. If this was some sort of puzzle, I wouldn’t be able to figure it out.

“The heads of these dolls appear to be weighted, too. When I shake the doll’s head, I can hear this weird…Sloshing sound.”

I cringed. “Is there liquid in the heads of those dolls?”

“...Perhaps the kidnapper’s aim is for us to stick a straw in the heads of these dolls for hydration when we find ourselves thirsty.”

…

“Um… The head seems pretty solidly-built, though.”

Ichika looked at me curiously. “...Apologies. I was trying to tell a joke.”

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her. Jokes, really? At a time like this?

This girl…Was a major weirdo!

I shrugged off my awkward interaction with the girl who might be my stalker. I decided to climb the ladder by myself to investigate the top level, Kaito holding the ladder steady for me at the bottom. There was nothing of note, until I saw something wedged between the chairs where one of the dolls sat.

I picked it up, examining it closely…

Was this…A gun?

When I climbed back down the ladder, Kaito’s expression darkened as he looked at me. I almost became scared of him. The way he was eyeing me made me feel like I had just committed the most atrocious of crimes.

“What are you going to do with that gun, Miss Saki?”

“H-Huh…?”

“Oh, Sorry, Miss Saki.” Kaito smiled at me, changing his demeanor. I could tell it was just a facade, though… “It’s just, ah, well… Could I have that gun?”

…

I trembled.

Kaito wanted the gun from me?

But why?

Even if he took the gun from me, I still had all the bullets…He didn’t technically ask for the bullets. I don’t have to hand those over.

I tried to calm my beating heart, thinking rationally. Kaito probably had no ill intentions, and was just scared of a complete stranger possessing both bullets and a gun. If I handed over the gun, but not the bullets, perhaps he would feel safer around me. I wouldn’t want someone else to have this weapon and ammunition, myself. I could understand his anxiety, if that was the case.

I offered the gun to Kaito.

He giggled mischeviously as I did. “Feeling relieved because I didn’t ask for the bullets as well, Miss Saki?”

….!

This guy…

He could read me like a total book! He knew what I was thinking the whole time!

Kaito didn’t take the gun from me. “Don’t give stuff like that to strangers, Miss Saki. You don’t know their true intentions. You found it, so you hold onto it.”

“O-Okay…” I stammered, confused and a bit weirded out on many levels about the mind games he was trying to play with me.

After that weird interaction, I decided that there was nothing further left in the room to investigate, and that we should keep moving. We were on a time crunch after all, and not a single doll body part had been found yet. Tsukasa waved to me and Rui just as we were exiting the room.

“Keep an eye on Saki for me, Kaito!”

“Hehe. I moreso have to worry about not dragging her down.”

“You know…Now that I think about these guys, why did the kidnappers put a gun and bullets both in this room?” Airi thought aloud, stopping us from going out the door.

I nearly forgot I had both the gun and the bullets on me. It would probably be best to decide who gets what before I left the room. I didn’t want anyone to be afraid of me since I have a weapon, especially Nene or Kohane.

“Perhaps to cause discord?” Mafuyu leaned her back against the wall. “Like, one person has a clear advantage and can dictate what goes on if they have a weapon. The weapon itself could cause fights over who gets to keep it. And I must say, I’m not particularly fond of Miss Saki carrying both the gun and the bullets.”

“Hey, a weapon could cause fights, yes, but we won’t fall into that trap with Saki here!” Airi chirped.

I blushed again, but couldn’t help but wonder…Airi’s been intentionally guiding everyone to place their trust in me…

“Airi, why do you trust me so much?” I asked.

“...Because you’re cute, of course!”

My cheeks turned an even darker shade of red. “B-Be serious!”

“Hehe…! Didn’t expect you to react to a compliment with such a dubious look.”

…

I sighed. I guess I wouldn’t be getting a serious answer from her anytime soon.

“Airi,” Ichika stepped forward, putting something into the idol’s hands. “I forgot to mention, but I found these dummy bullets in the cafeteria earlier. Mind investigating them for me? They might be some sort of clue.”

“Sure thing…! Let’s take a look, here…”

“Miss Saki, are you coming? There’s nothing else to look for in here. Let’s leave the rest to the others, shall we?” Kaito suggested.

I shrugged, but didn’t want to leave so soon without settling the weapon dispute. After all, I didn’t want Mafuyu to remain suspicious of me.

Just as I was about to leave the room with Kaito, iron bars shut off the exit, locking me in with the others, and shutting Kaito out.

“W-What the…?? Miss Saki, are you okay?!”

“Urk…! Hah…!” Kaito struggled to tug on the iron bars. “I-I’ll look for something to pry it open with. The iron bars won’t budge one bit! Hang in there, everyone…!”

Kaito ran off.

“Well, this sure is bad…” Airi sighed, rubbing her neck.

“Hey, Saki, are you hurt?” Tsukasa asked, rushing over to my side. I was thankful the iron bars didn’t shut down on me at the last minute, crushing me to death…!

“N-No, I’m okay, but…”

“Dammit, It’s a trap…Everyone stay alert. Who knows what’ll happen.”

“Well now…No need to be so on guard.”

“H-Huh…? Whose voice was that?” Tsukasa turned his head all over the room.

“Heh…Don’t sweat the details.” The voice said. I went from being nervous, to scared, to confused all at once when I saw the painting of the creepy bandaged guy in a suit talking to us. It didn’t look like a pre-recorded video, either…I didn’t know what kind of technology this was, but it was creeping me out!

“GAHHHH!!! TALKING PAINTING!! TALKING PAINTING!!!!” Tsukasa shrieked.

“...My name is Meister. I’m the Master of this room.” The painting said, correcting my brother. “Let me waste no more time, and explain the rules of this game.”

“T…The rules?” Ichika raised her brows.

“Well, of course! You wanna stake your lives without even knowing the rules, girl? You’re a real character…!”

“Stake…My life?”

“This one’s simple! Right now, there’s five of you humans in this room, right? Glance around the room! There’s four open seats. One will be the Challenger, and the other four’ll sit down and be the targets.”

Mafuyu glared darkly at the painting- Meister. “Targets? Targets for what?”

“Well, I gave you that cool weapon in this room, didn’t I?”

“You mean to say we’re going to be targets for a revolver??”

“And? What’s the catch?” Airi huffed. “Surely there’s an outcome where nobody dies.”

“Ha-Ha! Naturally. A regular deathtrap is just an old-hat, get me?”

“But see…First you’ll have to decide who’ll be the Challenger for me.”

“What?!” Mafuyu said, outraged. “You expect us to pick who’ll be targets for a game we don’t even know the rules for?”

Silence fell over us for a moment. The Meister painting didn’t address her concerns.

“...Will the Challenger be safe?” Tsukasa asked.

“Yep! Only the targets get to relish in the thrill! It’s a shame, isn’t it?”

“...Then, can I ask Saki to be the Challenger?”

Before I could say anything in response, Mafuyu stepped in. “You can’t just decide that all on your own, just because you want your sister to be safe!”

“You simply cannot ask your sister to shoulder the weight of holding a gun.” Ichika shook her head.

“Well, I do worry for Saki, but she’s got a clear head from what I can tell.” Airi nodded. “I wouldn’t be opposed to it.”

I was quiet for a moment, trying to think through the situation. Tsukasa was offering for me to fire the gun purely on the fact that I would be safe as Challenger- not because he thought I could do it. Which was not only dangerous for everyone else, but made me feel like I was just being protected by him shielding me once again. I began to question myself, if I could even hold a gun properly, let alone aim at my brother and strangers in some kind of game.

No, surely someone else is better fitted for the job…!

….

But am I really okay being a target?

“I think I should be the one to fire as Challenger.” Mafuyu asserted. “I have a clear mind, and don’t have any emotions involved. It’s simply what must be done.”

“Having no emotions isn’t exactly a good thing in this case.” Airi frowned, putting her hands on her hips. “I’m uncomfortable with you firing, Mafuyu, if you have no desire or emotion to save our lives.”

“Why don’t you fire, Airi?” Ichika asked.

Airi shook her head in response. “I’ve had some pretty bad experiences with guns as an idol. Doubt I can even hold one without freaking out. It has to be someone other than me.”

“…If I can’t do it, then I think Tsukasa should.” Mafuyu gave us all a warning glare. “As the only male here, he’s stronger than us. He’s also proven himself to be a capable leader in times of distress. With his sister as a target, he should have plenty of motivation to win.”

It was a solid argument, true by nature. Tsukasa was strong, but he was never the stereotypical country male who tinkered with cars and went hunting on the weekends. He had no experience firing a gun, just like the rest of us. The closest he’s ever gotten to such a thing was playing cowboys with Toya as kids with foam bullets loaded in plastic guns. His desire to protect me was stronger than anything else, but…Even I doubted that he’d be able to point a gun loaded with bullets at me and not falter.

But Tsukasa put on a brave face, like he always did. “Me? You think I should do it?”

“Hmm, I have to agree. Tsukasa has been protective not only of Saki, but Nene too. I think he has a good heart and his mind in the right place.” Airi nodded.

Ichika nodded as well. “I would prefer Tsukasa to do it over Miss Saki.”

I could tell Tsukasa was getting more and more nervous as the discussion leaned in his favor. He wasn’t prepared for this.

Onii-Chan, please say something…! Anything! Tell them you’re uncomfortable!

You don’t…have to shoulder every burden yourself. Not for my sake, or anyone else’s.

“Hmm? Have we decided on a Challenger, then?” The painting asked impatiently.

Mafuyu took the revolver out of my hands, handing it over to Tsukasa.

My brother instantly trembled as the cold metal touched his fingertips. I could see his face turning a bit purple from holding his breath in fear.

This wasn’t good. At this rate, Tsukasa will freeze up like an awful case of stage fright- which I’ve never seen him get. He won’t be able to think clearly at this rate, let alone formulate a plan to save us all.

“Everyone, wait, please!” I half-shouted, fiddling with the ends of my pigtails nervously as I spoke. “Let me do it. Let me be the Challenger, please!”

“Saki…?”

Tsukasa made eye contact with me. He didn’t want to show me how scared he really was. I had been scared, hiding behind him over and over again. I couldn’t do anything before, but I could do something now. This was my own life, and I won’t live it cowering in fear behind others. Not when my brother is trying to carry the responsibility by himself on his back.

“Tsukasa.” I said firmly. I wasn’t speaking in a harsh tone, but I also wasn’t going to sugarcoat how I felt. “You’re trying to do too much for me. If we want to survive this together, then you need to tell me when you’re at your limit. Right now is the time. Just touching the gun has made you hold your breath and shake like a leaf.”

I grabbed his hand, squeezing it tenderly in comfort, but also to confirm another suspicion. “…Your palms are sweaty. You don’t want to do this. Tell me you don’t, Tsukasa…”

“I…” Tsukasa looked away in shame.

Fear.

Fear of being seen as weak. The same fear I had when Tsukasa protected me as we walked home. But he strongly told me that I was brave enough to hold Shiho’s bass for protection. He picked me up at my weakest…

Please let me do the same, Tsukasa!!

“Let me save you. Let me save all of you. Please, let me prove myself as dependable…! Let me save my brother when he’s frozen up!” I said, looking over at the others for their approval.

They exchanged silent glances and thoughts, giving me both supportive, uneasy, and scared expressions all at once. Airi finally spoke up, giving me a confident nod.

“There’s no point in Tsukasa doing it if he’s clamming up, everyone. Saki is the only one here with the confidence to do it. I say we place our trust in her.”

Ichika gave me a small nod.

Mafuyu seemed disinterested, but eventually sighed, nodding as well.

I turned to Tsukasa, holding out my hand.

“Give me the gun, Tsukasa. You don’t have to worry about me, I can do things for myself now, remember?”

My older brother cracked under the pressure, tears flowing down his cheeks. He had been holding them in…”Saki…! I’m sorry, I’m sorry…! I can’t do it…! I can’t point a gun at you, I can’t even hold one…!”

I stepped closer, putting a hand on his cheek to comfort him. I wiped some of his salty tears away with my thumb, begging him to look at me. My other hand grabbed the gun out of his hands, relieving him from its weight.

“You don’t have anything to be sorry for. You were trying to be brave and stick up for me. But you’re allowed to be scared too, Tsukasa. Don’t shove all that away for me, okay?”

“SAKIII….” He cried loudly. “YOU’RE THE BEST SISTER EVER…!”

“…How touching. Can we get on with the game now? Seriously, I'm even getting bored of this soap opera.” Meister sighed. “So, Saki Tenma is the Challenger, correct? Then the rest of you targets take a seat next to those dolls!”

Airi, Ichika, Mafuyu, and my older brother all took a seat in the empty chairs, their arms out against the rests, their heads pressed back against the cushiony seats.

“Alright, Miss Saki. I’m sure you’ve all already assumed what we’re playing here- some good ‘ol fashioned Russian Roulette! The rules are simple: Miss Saki will have five minutes to load the revolver any way she likes. There’s six dummy bullets and three real bullets. After you load the revolver, you’ll give it a little spin…! Then, I need you to shoot every target- doll and human. If you load it up correctly, maybe you won’t blast your friends' faces off! Haha! Oh, and targets, no helping out Miss Saki! She’s the Challenger! You’re all targets who can’t speak!”

I took a deep breath, crouching on the floor with the bullets and gun. A three in nine chance of someone getting shot, huh…?

The answer came to me quickly. Everyone was placing their trust in me as the most capable person to do this task, so I had to show them what I was made of.

For every real bullet, I loaded in two dummy bullets after.

I gave the revolver a spin as instructed, hearing the shifting noises as I held the gun up to one of the doll heads. I would fire here first, just to see what it landed on…

I put my finger on the trigger, shooting the doll. I stumbled back a bit due to the unexpected force, but I kept my footing. The doll head exploded, the weird slosh from inside the head going everywhere behind it, as if to mimic real blood.

I had fired a real bullet at it…! So that means the next two should be duds!

I pointed the gun at Tsukasa.

His eyes were trembling in anxiety as he stared at the gun pointed right at his forehead. I would do the same if a weapon was pointed at me, sibling or not…

Click.

I fired a dummy bullet at Tsukasa. He let out a giant sigh of relief.

“Y-You did it, Saki…! You did it…! Keep it up…!”

I nodded in acknowledgment, repeating the process now that I knew the bullet order. I fired a dummy bullet at Airi, before shooting another doll’s head off. Then, I fired dummy bullets at Ichika and Mafuyu.

I…Won.

I won the game…! I saved everyone…!

“Haha, bravo! You won!” The painting cheered for me. “The targets and Challenger may leave the room now. I just lifted the iron gate. Oh, but before you go- you deserve a hand for such an amazing performance! Truly! So…Here’s my right hand!”

A dismembered arm fell from the ceiling.

“GAHHH!!! AN ARM?!” Tsukasa screamed.

“…It’s a doll part. We have to collect her body, remember?” Mafuyu said.

“H-How are you so calm about it?! Doll or not, it’s freaking me out!”

I picked up the doll arm. It was indeed fake like the head we found, showing no signs of real human attachment or life. Although, it looked and felt incredibly realistic.

“We better get this back to Kaito and the others. Maybe they’ve found more of the pieces in different games…” I said nervously, hoping everyone was okay.

Before we left, Tsukasa embraced me in a sudden hug. I laughed a little, hugging him back.

“You’re so embarrassing, Onii-Chan! But now you know you can rely on me more, right?”

“Yes…! Saki, I promise…! I won’t try and do anything like that again…!”

….

….

..

.

Chapter Text

I walked out into the smoking area hallway with Ichika, Mafuyu, Airi, and Tsukasa by my side. They had thanked me profusely over and over for saving them during russian roulette earlier, and humbly dismissed their praises. Although, I was impressed with my own abilities to stay calm. I was also happy I was able to save my brother and prove myself as a dependable ally to those who needed it. 

I expected to find Kaito waiting around or still trying to find a way to help us nearby, thinking we were still locked in that room, but the first person I saw when we exited the previously closed-off room surprised me. 

“Nene…? You’re awake!” I said, although my voice was hinted with a bit of concern. Shiho and Ena weren’t with her. It was far too dangerous for someone like her to be wandering this trap-infested place all by herself.

“Miss Saki…” She said softly, avoiding my gaze. I could tell she was still troubled from earlier-who wouldn’t be? Nene continued to hug herself, seeking comfort as she spoke. “N-Nene wants to ask you something…”

“Hmm? Of course, you can ask me anything.” I answered honestly, putting a hand over my heart to emphasize.

“C-Could…Could Nene have…Saved her friend…?” She sniffled, wiping the incoming tears that dribbled down her cheeks. “Emu…She…She tried instructing Nene, but she didn’t understand…You, Tsukasa, Ena, and Akito all had the s-same trials, so…Why didn’t Nene make it out with her…?”

My heart dropped in my chest.

What was I supposed to tell her?

I couldn’t possibly tell the truth. Even though I wanted others to think of me as an honest person, telling Nene that she did have the ability to save her friend in that trial might send her into full despair. 

But if I lied- would she even believe me? I had serious doubts in my abilities to casually lie about something so serious and sound convincing. 

I considered asking or looking to my brother for something to say, but that would only make me look like I was hiding the truth from her.

I was in a panic, about to open my mouth to speak when Akito and Kohane suddenly arrived in the hallway, interrupting our conversation.

“Hey, Nene. You can’t go running off like that. Ena and Shiho are worried about you. They want me to take you back to the main hall. That alright?”

“Akito…I…” Nene began, hugging herself tighter.

“...You were unlucky, Nene.”

“Huh?”

“There was zero chance of both you and your friend surviving that trial, Nene. It wasn’t just a test of trust-but strength. Ena and Saki both benefited by having a strong male in their trials to rip and pull the restraints off by force.”

Akito…

“N-No way…You’re lying to m-me…”

“I-It’s the truth, Nene! I had to rip the restraints off Saki…! It wasn’t easy, even for me. Whoever placed us here didn’t want to give both you and your friend a fighting chance.” Tsukasa said, backing up Akito’s lie.

“It’s true, Nene.” I nodded. I was unable to stop myself from going along with the lie. Akito was able to sound convincing enough, unlike me. The least I could do was back it up. The truth had to be shoved down if a little lie like this would put the hope back in Nene’s eyes. “E-Even if it sounds like a lie, it won’t change the reality. We’re all telling you the truth.”

Nene was silent. Her expression softened, but she still looked absolutely depressed. Akito frowned, speaking up once more.

“Hey…You regret it, don’t you, Nene?”

“I…Nene…Killed her friend…! Her friend was frantically trying to help! But Nene’s such an idiot…She didn’t listen…!!!”

Akito shoved his hands into his pockets, leaning back nonchalantly. “...What was your friend like?”

“Emu…Emu was so kind…So cheerful…She did everything…To make Nene happy…She was always thinking about Nene…!” Nene looked down, playing with the ends of her sleeves. “Why…Why didn’t she use the key for herself?”

“Hey, Nene. Don’t spit on your friends dying wishes like that.” Akito glared. “Was it not your very existence that made your friend happy? Did she not spend every single moment trying to make you happy…? She wanted you to live. Even in the very last moments, she was thinking about you, because that’s how special you were to her.”

Akito walked over, slinging an arm around Nene’s shoulders. “Your friend wanted you to live on more than anything else. So, you better be sure to survive for her. Wherever she’s watching you from, she wants you to live.”

Nene’s eyes soared with affection and warmth at Akito’s small speech to her. For the first time, I saw her eyes when they weren’t soaked with tears. She smiled, even if just barely, feeling the truth of Akito’s words. I smiled at the scene, once again feeling regret for judging Akito so harshly when we first met. He looked like a rough and tough boy who would beat you up behind the school, but the truth was that he was a kind and caring individual, with a strong personality. He let anyone coward behind him, brave enough to lead the way for us all.

“Hey, Saki.” Akito suddenly asked me. “If you were Nene’s close friend, what would you tell her?”

If I…Was her…?

I’d…Show her affection. As much as I possibly could!

“Nene, when you smile, it makes me happy. When you cry, it makes me sad. Let me protect…My dear friend. The fact that you’re alive…It makes me happy!”

…

“E…Emu…” Nene muttered out softly after my words. “Emu…I miss you, Emu…”

I was relieved that I had fit into the role of her friend and was able to comfort her enough with words alone with Akito’s help. Now, Nene could stand beside us and look forward with a positive light.

Akito slowly let go of Nene, as her trembling had finally come to a stop. He smiled, taking Kohane’s hand, and offering the other to Nene. “The time for blaming yourself has passed. Your friend is watching you from somewhere, yeah? You aren’t going to let her down, right?”

“Nene…!” She took Akito’s hand, squeezing it. “She won’t give in…! B-Because her friend is watching…!”

Hurried footsteps came from the hallway, approaching us all once again. This time, it was Shiho. “Nene…! Dammit, you punk bastard, what happened to ‘I’ll shout when we find her,’ huh? Why are you all holding hands? Is this seriously a good time to be picking up girls?!”

“Man…Quit yelling at me, would you?” Akito grumbled in response. 

“U-Um…That’s not it at all, Shiho…I’ll come back with you and explain.” Nene spoke, calming Shiho down, but not before giving Akito’s hand a final squeeze.

Shiho nodded in casual acknowledgement to me before heading off with Nene, a gentle smile on her face.

“...Me and Kohane will also return to searching around.” Akito said to me and the others, still holding the smaller girl’s hand.

“Akito…Thank you. You’re a great liar.” I said.

“Psh, Am I now? Man, I’m hopeless.” Akito scoffed playfully. “I was only able to make something of it because of you two playing along.”

“N-No way…I felt too bad, I couldn’t do a thing.” Tsukasa mumbled softly.

“Yo, Saki. You understand why Nene came to you, right?”

“Eh?”

“It’s likely because you resemble her friend. That’s why your words were so important to her. She wanted to hear the truth from you.” Akito said matter-of-factly. “Until we can leave this shady place, you might have to play the role of her friend. You gotta bring her some comfort and reassurance, you understand me? And loudmouth over there can be her younger brother.”

“L-Loudmouth…? Y-Younger brother?? I’m older than Saki, you know!!” Tsukasa huffed.

Akito laughed. “C’mon, Kohane. Let’s get back to searching around.”

…

Me, act as Nene’s friend…?

I wonder if I can even do a thing like that. 

After all, I have no idea what her friend was like besides the small things Nene had just said about her. I’m a different person, whether we’re similar or not. Would I really be good enough for that role…?

Despite the doubt in myself, there was no time to dwell on it. We still had to find all the doll body parts before the unknown ticking timer blew each and every one of our heads off. Me and Tsukasa found a doll leg in the sliding door that Kaito had failed to open earlier, and then found some other weird accessories like a cigar cutter and lighter inside. Since we were inside the bar where Kohane and Akito were exploring, Akito had eagerly asked to have the cigar, making both me and my brother suspicious that he was going to smoke.

He insisted that he would never do such a thing in front of Kohane, but that didn’t stop him from casually cutting the cigar to try and smoke it. Instead of it properly working, when he cut open the cigar, he found money inside. 

Looking utterly annoyed, he handed the money for me and Tsukasa to find a use for. We inserted the bill into the vending machine, hoping to get a cool drink, but we were instead met with another doll limb falling to the bottom. No matter how many body parts we came into contact with, my brother screamed loudly each and every time.

Finally, we gathered each and every doll body part. In the back of the cafeteria, there was an eerie room with a red light. Upon going inside, we would find a pink room with a heart-shaped vent, two white shelves, stuffed pink bunnies everywhere, and a doll torso leaning against the wall.

Head, right arm, right leg, left arm, left leg…We had the whole body ready to assemble.

Tsukasa called and gathered the other into the pink room while I waited with the different parts, my heart pumping with anxiety. 

The first two to arrive were Kohane and Akito. Akito let out a small breath, before taking his black coat off, leaving him in just his simple uniform.

“Hey, Kohane. This room’s pretty cold with the vent here. You should take my jacket for now.”

Before the smaller girl could protest, Akito wrapped the jacket around her shoulders. She smiled weakly. “T-Thank you, Shinonome-Kun. Won’t you be cold now, though?”

“Don’t worry about me, shrimp. I won’t need it.”

The two finally walked in, hanging back near the side of the room. I frowned. That conversation felt..Odd to me, somehow, yet I couldn’t put my finger on it. 

Oh well…It’s not my business anyway. They’re close friends, it could just be a genuine gesture…

Next to arrive was Airi and Kaito.

Airi stretched her arms, putting on her best chipper smile. “We’re actually doing it now, huh? Maybe this’ll be the ticket out of here.”

“Hey, Kaito!” Tsukasa yelled. “Where have you been? We haven’t seen you since you got locked out of that room earlier. We were seriously worried!”

“Fufu~ Nothing much, I just discovered a secret room, is all…”

“R-Really?” I gasped. “No way!”

“Yes, after all this with the doll, I promise to show you. I’m just glad everyone’s safe after that fiasco earlier.” Kaito smiled genuinely at us.

Akito shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants. “My heart’s beating kinda fast, though. I wonder what’ll happen…”

“Hey, everyone. I got the door to this room open just in case.” Shiho announces. “If anything goes haywire, we all have a clear exit.”

“Our escape route is secured, then…Good thinking.” Mafuyu nodded.

“Okay, everyone! We may not have much more time to waste, so I’m going to start putting this doll together now…!” Airi said to all of us.

The idol then began putting each piece of the doll together, carefully locking each limb in place. She stood back for a moment to admire her work, before looking back at us all with confusion.

Nothing happened…? We put the whole doll together, and nothing?

“Hey…Does anyone smell that?” Mafuyu asked.

“I-Is it just m-me, or is this room getting white…?!” Tsukasa gasped.

“I-It’s gas…!” Airi shouted. We could no longer see each other in the white fog of the room, we could only listen for voices.

“P-Posion…?” Kaito stuttered. “N-Not good, we have to leave t-the room…!”

But the white gas continued to fill up the room in a blink of an eye. 

I can’t see anything…! 

I don’t even know which way I was facing anymore, or where the door out was. I can’t see past my own hands. 

There’s…Nowehere to run.

Are we all going to suffocate?

….

I’m not…Prepared…

….

…

..

.

“It’s not poison gas, everyone. So please relax.” A new voice rang out among all of us. It was a woman’s voice, and she sounded…Almost robotic?

The white gas slowly dissipated in the room, leaving us coughing, waving our hands around trying to get the last bits of fog out of our eyes. In front of us was something…Truly terrifying.

A woman with long pink hair, and an outfit that resembled a pink, dripping cupcake. Her eyes were creepy- devoid of all light. One colored pink, the other purple. I had no clue who she was, but I had a guess. Despite this new outfit and appearance, the long pink hair , golden headphones, and robotic voice resembled the popular virtual singer- Luka Megurine. 

She giggled softly. “Hehehe…Hehehe…Good day, everyone.”

“W-What the…You’re…I mean…You…” Airi stammered, utterly baffled that the doll she had just put together had come to life.

“Hehehe…Hehe! Yes, yes! I am indeed the doll you just rescued. Advanced, am I not?”

“What…What the hell’s going on here?!” Shiho stepped in front of me just slightly, being protective.

“Ahaha…As it happens, I have been revived to tell you what is happening, and to support you through all the trials and tribulations to come.”

“S-Stay the hell away from us, you creepy-ass puppet!” Shiho yelled.

“Ehehehe. There’s nothing to fear, you see? I will offer you all support…” The doll giggled.

Meanwhile, Ena looked dizzy, like she was about to throw up at the mere sight of this doll coming to life. She let out a few soft groans and noises of utter confusion, which made the doll sigh, although her creepily happy expression never left her face.

“Ahaha…Sighhh…! Oh my, oh dear, is there nobody here that can speak calmly at all?”

It’s quite a leap to ask a bunch of people to not be surprised when a doll starts talking. Especially when that doll is a famous Virtual Singer we’ve all come to know. Nevertheless, someone had to speak to her calmly and ask what was going on here. I stepped forward, only a little. 

“I’ll ask. Just what are you?”

“T-Tell the friendly idol as well. I’m not exactly following what’s going on here either.” Airi put her hands on her hips.

“Ehehehe…Okay, then I’ll begin with my introduction.” The doll smiled. “As you may have guessed, I’m Luka Megurine. Well, a doll of her, to be exact. I’m also known as the laughing doll. I’m the doll that shall guide you all on this floor.”

Luka giggled once more as she took in all our shocked and scared expressions. “Ehehehe…My master has already instructed me to guide all of you brave souls, who have already overcome several trials, to the Main Game.”

“Your master?” Airi huffed. “In other words, you're on the side of the kidnappers.”

“S-So…You’re our enemy?! Don’t try and say you aren’t!” Tsukasa said fiercely.

“Hahaha! So serious, hahaha!”

“Quit laughing, you hunk of junk?! You wanna die?” Shiho threatened.

“Oh no, oh nooo…!” The Luka doll whined playfully. “Hehehe, no no, I wouldn’t like to be all torn up again. Oh! I know! I’ll just have to tear you all apart first. Since you all want to act so tough…How about a little warning?”

Luka took out a small remote control, then pointed it at Tsukasa. It made a loud beeping sound, before a bright red light appeared on his collar. He panicked, all eyes on him.

“H-Hey…W-What the…? My collar…? It’s vibrating…??” Tsukasa reached a hand up to his collar in fear.

“Ehehe, anyone will do. If it’ll make you all quiet.” Luka smirked.

The vibrating on Tsukasa’s collar got louder. He kept panicking, his breathing coming out in ragged, shallow breaths as he tried to rip the tight mechanical collar of his neck. My eyes widened in horror, looking over at the laughing doll.

“W-What did you do?! Leave my brother alone, you monster!!” I yelled.

“What did I do, indeed?” Luka answered with a giggle. “If you must know, I’m making his collar explode. Isn’t that so fun? Hehehe…!”

“W-What?!?! N-No way…! Stop, stop…! Get it off…!” Tsukasa yelled.

His collar began to make a ticking sound, before one final beep. My eyes widened in horror, unable to do anything as the collar…

Did nothing.

Tsukasa panted heavily, looking up in pure fear. 

“That was a lie, of course. Hehe, did you enjoy it? You were soooo scared. It was really quite funny, hehe.” Luka taunted. 

“A…A lie…?” Tsukasa mumbled. My brother’s knees gave out from stress and shock, truly thinking he was about to die a minute ago. He fell to the ground for a brief moment. I rushed to his side, placing a hand on his back.

“Yes, a lie…! That collar can’t explode, after all.” Luka told us, before exploding into hysterical laughter.

“She…She’s totally out of her mind…” Kohane trembled, hiding behind Akito once more and clutching the fabric of his shirt in fear.

Out of her mind…Or not human to begin with?

But…It seemed we had no choice but to do what she said. After all, she has a remote control to our collars, making it so our heads could fly off at her very command. That thought…Was terrifying. We were helpless to do anything but comply with the insane doll that thought pretending to kill my brother for an example was funny.

“What’s that ‘Main Game’ you mentioned earlier? The reason you’re here?” I asked, hoping it would lead to a clue out of here.

“Hehehe…What I’m about to explain is in regards to a fight you must take for your own destiny, hehe…You will soon undergo a great trial in order to escape to the outside world. As it has been prior- the superior will live. The inferior will die. It is a trial far from easy. One among you…Will certainly die.”

Luka let more giggles spill from her mouth before continuing her explanation. “And who dies shall be decided by your own majority vote.”

“H-Huh…?” Nene trembled from behind me.

I’m saying who shall be decided to die will be by your own hands. Your own vote, if you will. You will pick the most hated, unnecessary, and worthless one as acceptable to die.”

“Quit talking nonsense.” Mafuyu huffed. “As if we’d ever do such a thing.”

“Hehehe…Hehehe, oh, fun…! Then by all means, starve to death here. Each and every single one of you.” Luka smirked.

“Woah, just laying all that right on the table…” Airi murmured.

Pick…One of us…?

Pick one of us…To die?

What…?

I can’t…Comprehend what she’s saying.

Not one of us could speak up anymore. We would kill another person, trapped in the same situation as us…? The ones we had worked hard with, and formed allyship with?

Or else…These kidnappers would kill us? Leave us to starve to death…?

Where…Am I? 

What kind of reality…Was I living in? Why doesn’t any of this feel real?

“Hehe, don’t go so pale, everyone! I have some truly amazing gifts to hand out, yes, yes!” Luka smiled. She slowly made her way around the room, handing each and everyone one of us a shiny silver tablet.

These tablets weren’t the ones we were used to holding back at home. There was no home button, no cell service, and nothing to click besides portraits of everyone else in the room. My heart began beating at the sight. We were going to vote off someone to die…Now?

“Let us test the functionality of these tablets, yes? But I do have some important information to share before that, hehe…” Luka smiled. She began gesturing with her hands as she continued to speak. “When voting, if you can see what someone else voted for, it always turns into a huge quarrel, correct? Well, I’m happy to inform you that all votes on this tablet are completely anonymous! Isn’t it great? Now you can be safely vocal about who you truly want to suffer and die!”

“Everyone, just as a test, vote for whoever! Yes, now! Hehehe…Get on it!”

The room went silent.

I could feel my own heartbeat pound against my chest as I stared at the photos of the other people forced into this situation along with me.

I really didn’t know what to do…Luka said this was only a test, but after the stunt she pulled with Tsukasa, I wondered if it was really okay to trust her…

I couldn’t possibly vote for anyone else. Everyone here seemed so kind, worked well with the team, and brought some kind of value to our cooperation. Maybe some I found annoying or rude, but…I would never go as far as to say they deserve to die for that.

…

So should I just vote for myself?

It seemed like a safe bet…I’m sure everyone else here is thinking the same thing. How could anyone vote to kill someone they just met? Someone they just made allyship with?

I pressed on my own face, voting for myself without second thought. 

The room was silent as a few more minutes of voting passed. When all the votes were collected, a results screen with the amount of votes received per person displayed next to the corresponding person’s photo. 

Saki: 1 vote.

Tsukasa: 1 vote.

Airi: 1 vote.

Nene: 1 vote.

Mafuyu: 1 vote.

Kaito: 0 votes.

Shiho: 1 vote.

Ena: 0 votes.

Ichika: 1 vote.

Kohane: 1 vote.

Akito: 3 votes.

Results

Most votes: Akito, 3 votes.

“Tch. Stupid crap is all one-sided.” Akito grumbled. “So, this is a voting tablet, huh…?”

“...Is there something you want to say?” Luka asked innocently.

“Hmm…Not really. I’d say maybe if you were human, you’d have a heart and let us all go home already.”

“Hehehe, unfortunately, I’m not human. I possess no heart. So, you won’t be going home. But, more importantly…” Luka smirked in an almost unsettling way. “Are you sure?”

“...Am I sure? What?” Akito furrowed his brows in confusion.

Luka took out the remote control again, the same one she had pointed at my brother previously. This time, she pointed it at Akito, lighting his collar up red in a repeated action, similar to before. Akito raised a brow, but I could see the beads of sweat starting to form around his forehead.

He was…scared…

We were all…scared.

This was just a test round…Luka’s going to laugh it off again. I thought hopefully.

“...Are you really sure you want those to be your last words?” Luka tilted her head curiously.

“...Hey…Cut the crap. What are you doing…?” Akito asked, his voice coming out a bit shaky.

Luka didn’t answer.

“Hey…! Dammit, I asked you a question…! It’s not going to explode, is it?!”

Luka giggled for the umpteenth time. “Hehehe. Hehehe. No, it won’t explode…” 

“W-What…Hey…??”

“Akito?! Akito??” Ena rushed to his side in a panic, as Luka just continued to laugh like a maniac.

“M-My…My collar…? I-It’s…! It’s hot…!” Akito kneeled down, biting back the pain he was feeling. “F-Fuck…What…What’s…?”

When Akito stood back up, we could see that his collar was visibly changing color. It was now a deep red, with smoke puffing out from the sides of it…!

“My…! Neck…!” Akito cried out.

“Akito?!?! AKITOOOOO!!!” Ena screamed. She got closer to her brother, trying to help, but he only shoved her away roughly. He even backed away from Kohane, who looked absolutely mortified.

Then, it began to hit us all.

The smell.

A smell I’ve never experienced before. 

The smell of burning flesh. The smell of blood evaporating.

Akito was dying, right in front of us…!

“Ahhh…! Ahhh…AHHH!! I-IT BURNS!!!” Akito screamed.

“T-Take it off…! Try and take the collar off…!” Mafuyu yelled.

“Guh…Ahhh….Ahhh…!” Akito choked out, stumbling as his weak body tried to do anything to fight off the burning red collar around his neck. He then fell backwards, lying on the ground in front of Nene.

“....Ko…Hane…An…En…a…Toy..a…” Akito weakly muttered out, his eyes going wide as plates as he stared at the ceiling. “I…I’m…So…rry…”

Ena shrieked as loud as her lungs would let her. Her brother crying out, her brother apologizing…She ran over to Luka, screaming into her face. “HELP, HELP!! MY BROTHER’S GOING TO DIE!!! DO SOMETHING…! HE’S SERIOUSLY GOING TO DIE!! AKITO??? AKITO…!”

But Luka just stood there, a cheerful smile on her face.

And then Akito…

He stopped moving at all.

“AKITO??!!?!?! AKITOOO!!!” Ena screamed, tears streaming down her face faster than light. She kneeled on the ground where he laid, continuing to try and reach him…

“AKITO…! GET UP, GET UP, DAMMIT….! AKITO…! AKITO, PLEASE…! AKITO…AKITOOOOOO!”

Ena sobbed violently, filling the room with her despair. 

“AKITO….! AKITO….! I LOVE YOU, AKITO…”

“SO PLEASE…GET UP…!”

“GET UP…!”

“AKITOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!”

……..

…..

…

..

.

A k i t o  E x p i r e d .

Chapter Text

The rain gently tapped against Toya’s bedroom window. It wasn’t enough to be a thunderstorm, but it would keep anyone inside to prevent getting completely soaked. 

It fit the feeling for the day. Thankfully, Toya was already home from school for the day before the rain started crashing down like his own emotions. 

Akito and Toya had a fight that afternoon. 

They had a planned date today after school, over at a cafe Akito particularly liked for their homemade pancakes. Toya had agreed, even marking the date on his small calendar and notifying himself on his phone just in case. He would never forget a date with Akito, but on the off-chance something came up, he would be reminded of his committed relationship. 

Before he could walk out of the school gates, the library committee asked him if he could hang back for twenty minutes to help put up a display of new novels at the front of the library. Toya agreed, feeling like he had to. Besides, twenty minutes wouldn’t make him late, anyway. He’d still be right on time for his date, but he decided to text Akito what was going on just to be sure.

Akito understood, and said he’d save them a good booth at the cafe.

But Toya had gotten way into his books, and the overall look of the display, wanting it to be perfect. His face turned to one of shock and guilt as he checked his phone, seeing the time. He was forty minutes late for their date. Akito hadn’t even texted Toya, probably growing hopeless for his arrival as the minutes ticked by.

Toya rushed out of the school gates, calling Akito.

“Oh, Toya. Hey.” Akito said, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice. Toya felt another punch of guilt hit him in the stomach. 

“Akito…” Toya swallowed. “I-I’m so sorry. I got s-so wrapped up in committee duties, I let time get away. I-I’m on my way over right now.”

His boyfriend only sighed in response. “Forget it. I lost our table. I can’t hang around that long without ordering anything. They asked me to leave, so I did.”

Silence fell between the two. Akito didn’t want to hurt Toya’s feelings, but trying to hide his own disappointment and frustrations wouldn’t be healthy. Toya wasn’t sure what to say in this situation besides sorry, and that he’ll make it up to him.

“Again…I’m so sorry, Akito. I really didn’t mean for this to happen. I’ll make it up to you, alright…? We’ll reschedule, and-”

Akito scoffed. “Reschedule for you to forget about me again? Toya, I wanted to spend time with you today. Just you. On a date. Not with the other members of our squad. Our schedules are so jam-packed between performances, practices, and classwork that we’ll probably have to wait weeks more just for another opportunity like this.”

“Akito, I said I’m sorry…!” Toya raised his voice the slightest bit. “I didn’t forget about you, I made a mistake and time got away from me. We can still go somewhere else today, it’s early enough for that.”

“I…I don’t know. I just feel numb…” Akito admitted.

“Numb…?” Toya questioned. “Come on, please don’t let this ruin our day, Akito…It’s like you said, we’ll have to wait even longer if we cancel today.”

“Quit trying to find a solution, would you? I told you how I feel. That’s the end of it, Toya. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Akito hung up the phone. 

Toya glared as he stared at his cellphone screen, seeing that his boyfriend had so coldly hung up on him. His hand around the screen clenched, feeling the frustration. Akito was so stubborn all the time, letting the smallest inconvenience ruin his entire day, and moping around constantly like the world was out to get him. It was annoying, Toya had to admit. He wanted to feel better, but he also couldn’t motivate himself to find a solution or try to do anything to fix it.

When he finally got home, Toya collapsed on his bed with a sigh, staring up at the gray ceiling. Besides the sound of the rain, it was quiet. His father had a concert tonight, so his mother had gone to sit in the crowd. He couldn’t even turn to his parents to talk. 

Not that he wanted to. His parents were already not supportive of street music. They were clearly uncomfortable, but okay with him being gay, but didn’t support his boyfriend choices. He didn’t need to make them even more unsupportive.

His frustration with Akito quickly turned into guilt. Terrible, terrible guilt.

After all, Toya knew better than anyone how suicidal he really was. He didn’t even tell his sister the full extent of his feelings.

Toya shouldn’t have accepted work from the library committee. He should’ve told them he had other matters to attend to, and would help out at a different time. It’s his job as a boyfriend to make Akito happy and feel like someone special to him. Instead, he made it seem like his hobbies were more important. Maybe in the grand scheme of things, this wasn’t a huge deal, but brushing off someone who already wasn’t properly cared for by his family, and felt like he had no purpose in this world…

He had to apologize. He had to text Akito and make things right. He couldn’t sit idly by and let his boyfriend think he was not loved, or worth anyone’s time. 

Just as Toya sat up from his bed and reached over to grab his phone once more, he heard knocking coming from his window. He thought it might’ve just been some tree limbs or other small debris floating around with the rainy, windy weather but it continued to pound against the glass. Curiously, he pulled back his curtains. 

Akito was standing there, completely drenched from the rain. His usually styled hair went flat from the water, and his clothes ten times heavier from the water stored inside the fabric like a sponge. He looked up at the window with a small pleading expression, wanting inside. Toya instantly opened the window, taking his hand and pulling his boyfriend inside his bedroom before hurriedly shutting the window, closing out more rain being blown inside.

Toya should’ve been relieved to see Akito here before him, even looking slightly dejected and sad, but he couldn’t help but worry. “…You went out in the rain? Akito, you’re soaking wet. You’re going to catch a cold.”

“I came to apologize.” Akito explained, his voice coming off rather monotone. “I didn’t care about the rain. I just wanted to see you. You were right, Toya, we should’ve just gone somewhere else. You made an innocent mistake, and I blew it up into something bigger.” 

Toya shook his head. “No…I should’ve never agreed to help the committee when I had plans with you. I ruined an afternoon we were so excited for. Despite knowing how you’ve been feeling, I only made you feel worse. I made you feel unimportant. I’m so sorry, Akito…” 

Akito seemed to understand what Toya was getting at and what matter he was really trying to apologize for. He just crossed his arms, watching the water droplets fall off his damp clothing. Talking about this sort of thing wasn’t easy, even if it was with his boyfriend. 

“Listen…Really…I wouldn’t off myself because of something like this, Toya.” Akito said bluntly. “It’s not your responsibility to make me feel happy and loved. Even as my boyfriend, you’re allowed to be frustrated and upset with me. You should be able to voice those feelings without worrying that I’m going to end it all.”

“You’re more vulnerable than you think, Akito.” Toya shot back, but not in an angry tone. It was one coming from concern and love. “I’m not going to hide my feelings from you just because you’re hurting, no. But I need to be more careful. What miscommunication happened today made you feel worthless. I can tell just by the way you’re standing before me. You probably thought, ‘wow, even my boyfriend won’t show up for me. I’m not important to anyone.’”

Akito couldn’t manage to say anything in reply. He looked down at the ground, trying to gather his thoughts. Neither of them were wrong in what they were saying, but they couldn’t bring themselves to see it any other way. Akito thought he was being a burden to Toya, filling him with nothing but worry about his current mental state so much that he had to constantly walk on eggshells. Toya thought he wasn’t being supportive enough, and was even being selfish. His feelings over such small and inconsequential actions didn’t matter when Akito was barely hanging on to life by a thread.

“…Did something else happen today?” Toya finally asked, breaking the silence. 

Damn it, Toya could read him like a book. Getting angry over nothing, his numb feeling from earlier, and now being caught checking out of the conversation. 

He wanted to lie or brush it off, but Toya would just call that out too. Well, no backing out now…

“Yeah…” Akito muttered, running a hand through his soaked hair. “Ena sort of blew up at me today. I know the pressure from our Dad gets to her, and drawing is a stressful process, but I always seem to become victim to her angry rages.”

Akito took a deep breath, before continuing. “I just feel nothing. Like I’m an empty shell. My parents never ask how I’m doing, where I’m going, or if I’m okay. Ena doesn’t think about my wellbeing either, I’m just someone for her to take her anger out on. She gets slack from Dad, but at least Mom pays attention to her…I don’t get any of that. I just have you, An, and Kohane…You all mean the world to me. I know you guys love me too, but…There’s nothing I can do for you all that can’t be replaced. In the grand scheme of life, I just…don’t…matter.”

Toya’s expression softened, his brows furrowing with worry and concern. Akito…He didn’t really think that, did he? Surely he was just spiraling, unaware of what he was truly saying. He had a purpose, he had a reason to be here, and yet…

Akito began to cry, roughly rubbing his eyes with the already wet fabric of his hoodie sleeves. “I’m just so tired…! I’m so tired of feeling weak! I want to be able to function normally again…! B-Because…You shouldn’t have to take care of me like this…!”

…

Toya grabbed both of Akito’s hands, still freezing cold from the rain. He didn’t care. He would provide as much warmth as Akito needed, physically and mentally. He looked at his boyfriend with a firm expression, his voice not wavering as he spoke. 

“Rely on me as much as you want, Akito…!”

“...What?”

“I don’t care if you haven’t found your purpose. It’s selfish of me to ask you to live for me when even your greatest ambitions feel like nothing more than a distant dream. So please, rely on me…! I don’t care how long it takes for you to find a reason…! I’ll take care of you until you do, because I love you. I love you so much. Without you, I’d still be nothing more than a puppet for my father…!”

“Toya…” Akito’s eyes began to swell with more tears.

He responded by squeezing Akito’s hands tenderly. “Please, stop degrading yourself. I’m not mad at you. I’m not disgusted by you. You’re not a burden to me. I want nothing more than for you to just be here with me, like this. All the time. I can’t tell you what to do, but I can help you feel like life is worth living, even just a little more.”

Akito suddenly embraced Toya in a rough, yet loving, sudden hug. That was the only way he could respond. He didn’t have any words, and even if he did, none of them could properly express how much he loved and appreciated having someone like Toya in his life. Toya just smiled affectionately down at him, not even caring about how his rain-soaked clothes were transferring water onto his own. He just wanted Akito to feel like he had someone here for him, because he did. Toya gently ran a hand through his ginger hair, trying to soothe him further. 

The minute of silence was broken by a small chuckle coming from Toya. “...Why don’t I lend you some of my clothes? You need to wash off in some warm water before you get sick. You’re freezing.”

“...Too cold for you?” Akito managed to muster out a tease, pulling away just enough to look up at Toya with a weak smile.

“Yes, actually.” Toya smiled back. “You’re soaking me.”

Before fully pulling away to grab Akito some clothes, Toya kissed his forehead. Akito finally gave him a real smile, a look of affection Toya would never get tired of. His boyfriend pressed his forehead against his, almost nuzzling him softly. 

“I love you.”

> Burn his neck off. 

> Burn his neck off.

> Burn his neck off.

> B u r n  h i s  n e c k  o f f 

….

Toya glanced out the window from his bed, where he had been lying motionless for what he thought was three days. Maybe more, maybe less. Time didn’t matter to him at this point. 

It was pouring down rain, just like that day after school where Akito climbed through his window to apologize to him. Where he opened up to Toya once more, and they made up. Toya took care of him that night, letting his boyfriend use his shower and wear his clean clothes. The hoodie Akito had worn over, soaked by the rain, Toya had put in the washing machine. 

Akito left through the window that night when Toya’s parents came home through the front door, forgetting his newly clean hoodie. Toya had texted him about it, but his boyfriend insisted he could have it. 

So here he was, in the present day. Lying motionless on his bed where his mother put him when she came home and found him passed out on the kitchen floor with a bleeding palm. She bandaged his hand up before setting him down. Occasionally, she would peek her head in through the door to check on him, only sighing with worry when she saw him in the same spot. 

As much as he wanted to appreciate that, he wasn’t waiting for her. He was waiting for Akito to come knocking on his window once more. He just wanted to see his boyfriend again. He wanted to know if he was okay. He wanted to know if everyone was okay. His squad members, his family friends, his classmates…

….

Why was he the only one left…?

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*･ ｡ﾟ☆ ─── 

…

“I’m worried about Toya, dear…”

Mrs.Aoyagi can’t help but frown as she sets down the coffee she prepared for breakfast. Only her husband sat at the table, as their son had not come to eat a meal with them in three days. Try as she might, Toya wouldn’t budge out of his room. The most she could get out of him to do anything was when she brought him a glass of water. The next time she came in to check on him, it was half empty, but Toya still looked motionless. Absolutely broken. 

Her husband simply didn’t know what to say to that. After quitting classical music and turning his back, Toya and his father were anything but close. Although he cared for his son's well-being at heart, he felt like he didn’t have the right to say anything. 

Mrs.Aoyagi continued, hoping he would further get the point and say something-anything. “He hasn’t been out of his room in three days. I can’t even get him to speak to me…I know his heart is shattered, but I don’t know what to do. I don’t know if there’s anything I can do. But we can’t let him stay like this.”

“…Toya is not a frail child. He doesn’t need your coddling.” 

“…What?” 

Mr.Aoyagi sighed. “Toya needs to get his life back on track now that he is free from distractions. Losing what he had is truly terrible in his eyes, I’m sure. The path to happiness is moving on and reworking his career. He needs to return to classical music, and commit himself to his class work. He can’t spend the rest of his life wallowing about this.” 

Toya’s mother furrowed her brows in anger. She never cared for Toya leaving classical music, joining a street group, staying out late to perform, or even his friends and boyfriend. But she could see the gray area, she could empathize with her son and how he was feeling. It was utterly inconsiderate and heartless of her husband to compare Toya to a weak crybaby when his loved ones had disappeared without a trace. She’d seen her son immobile, with all light drained from his red eyes surrounded by dark circles. She’d seen her son neglect to do the simplest things like take a shower or drink a full glass of water. 

“No, that’s not what Toya needs right now.”

Mr.Aoyagi looked up, raising a brow. “What? Don’t tell me you’re siding with him and his nothing but noise music now.”

“I’m not,” His wife angrily put her palms on the table. “I never will understand that type of music- but I do understand my son. Have you forgotten that it’s not just his group and boyfriend that have gone missing? His classmates are also gone. The Tenma children are also gone. He’s so absolutely heartbroken that he can’t even get up to drink water!”

Mrs.Aoyagi continued, on the verge of tears. “As much as I’d like him to come back to the family legacy, I’ve seen how he gets when classical music is brought up. You're only going to hurt him more by talking about it.”

“This is exactly what I was talking about. You’re coddling him. You can’t go about life avoiding tough conversations.” 

“You haven’t seen the state of our son!” His wife yelled angrily. “You don’t get it- do you?! I’m worried he’s going to kill himself! I am not coddling him, I’m keeping him from falling further into despair! So I’ll tell you what you’re going to do- you’re going to keep your critical mouth shut until he feels better. Do you understand me?!”

Mr.Aoyagi was shocked by his usually-calm wife’s sudden outburst. He blinked a few times, before crossing his arms with a pensive expression. He simply couldn’t believe his son would go that far, but there was no arguing with his wife…

He nodded in understanding, although not happy about it. His wife wiped the tears spilling from the corners of her eyes, before rushing over to Toya’s bedroom, knocking on the door.

“Toya…! I’m coming in!”

His mother opened the door, seeing her son in the same position on his bed. She slowly walked over, sitting on the end of the bed. Toya made eye contact with her slowly. She smiled, running a tender hand through his disheveled and unwashed hair. 

“…You haven’t eaten in days, Toya…Aren’t you hungry? I’ve made your favorite coffee as well…Why don’t you get up? Just for a little bit?” 

Toya shifted a bit in embarrassment. He hated his mother to see him like this, and to worry her so much, but he also couldn’t bring himself to do anything about it. The least he could do was try and ease her mind a bit…Even he knew he couldn’t stay like this forever…

“…Okay.” Toya sat up, feeling dizzy. His mother helped him stand up and walk, the days of not moving and staying lying down combined with barely eating or drinking  anything hindering his strength. 

She finally let go once Toya was in his seat at the kitchen table- when his father saw him. Wearing Akito’s dirty white hoodie, unwashed and smelling bad just like him. His face pale and emotionless, the lack of sleep prevalent despite lying in bed for days. 

Nothing was said until Toya’s mother placed a warm cup of coffee in front of him, ruffling his hair in gentle affection. “Here, it’s your favorite…I made pancakes as well, but don’t worry, they’re not too sweet. Just for you.”

…

“Pan…cakes…?” Toya asked, his voice sounding scratchy and dry from the lack of hydration. 

“Yes…You like them, don’t you? Do you want something else…?”

…

Toya clenched his fists on his lap.

“Akito…”

His mother and father looked at each other, concerned. Toya hadn’t even realized he said his boyfriend’s name out loud like that. A plate of fresh pancakes being placed in front of him just made him feel so…empty. So incomplete. 

His father couldn’t resist saying something now, although he didn’t intend to be critical. He wanted to help, but his idea of doing that was…

“Toya. There’s…A memorial at your school for those who went missing. Perhaps visiting would help you…” 

…

“Memorial…?” Toya murmured, clenching his fists so tightly that his nails began to dig into his skin. Any tighter and he’d re-open the cuts from the shattered glass. “Why…Why is there a memorial…? They aren’t dead, they’re missing…”

“Quit mumbling. I can’t hear you.” His father said sternly. “I understand how you feel, Toya, but-”

“YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW I FEEL! YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND AT ALL!” Toya shouted, standing up. “YOU’RE SELFISH…! YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT ME, OR THE ONES I LOVE…! YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT THE BLUEPRINT YOU WANTED ME TO FOLLOW WHEN I WAS BORN! MY BOYFRIEND, MY CLASSMATES, MY BEAT FRIENDS, THE TENMAS…! THEY’RE ALL GONE…!” 

“Toya, don’t yell at your father…! Just calm down, he’s trying to help you!” 

“CALM DOWN…?! EVERYONE I LOVE IS GONE, AND YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN…?!”

“Toya, you’re making a fool of yourself.” His father stood up, approaching Toya. He tried grabbing his son’s wrist, but he violently pulled away. 

Toya ran as quickly as he could out the front door. 

“TOYA…!” His parents yelled, chasing after him. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*･ ｡ﾟ☆ ─── 

…

…Was it even right for him to be here?

Toya didn’t care how heavily the rain was pouring down on him as he stared back at his reflection through the Weekend Garage’s windows. 

A missing photo was up for An in the window, making Toya feel bad for running straight here. Ken was likely having his own episode with his beloved daughter gone. 

A missing portrait of Akito was next to An’s in the window. Made similarly to An’s, Toya assumed Ken was the one who created it and put it up, whereas Kohane’s missing photo was plastered on with a more digitally-advanced looking portrait. Kohane’s father was probably running mad around Vivid Street everyday searching for her. But the Shinonome’s…

Toya’s heart churned at the thought. Akito’s parents never asked where he went when he left the house. They never texted asking when he would be home. Did they even know he was missing? Did they even care?

“Toya.” 

The bell on the entrance to Weekend Garage jingled, and when the young boy looked up, he saw Ken Shiraishi standing there, outstretching a hand to him. He was hesitant to accept, still feeling guilty for coming here. 

Ken insisted, waiting for Toya to come to him. “You’ll catch a cold out here, kid. Come on in for a few minutes.” 

He doubted himself once more, but the guilt of Ken standing in the rain waiting on him outweighed the guilt of coming here. He took the retired star’s hand, following him inside the cafe. 

It was completely empty and silent. No lively music was being played over the speakers, no customers, and saddest of all…His cheerful daughter wasn’t there to greet anyone at the door. Kohane wasn’t sitting at one of the barstools to greet him formally. Akito wasn’t next to her, giving Toya a smirk-smile as he eyed his boyfriend when he walked in. 

Now, he could only hear each footstep the two of them took against the wooden floors until they reached the bar area. Toya took a seat, while Ken went around to the other side. 

Toya didn’t say anything. He couldn’t even make eye contact with Ken. 

An’s father only sighed fondly, fixing a cup of Toya’s usual coffee for him amidst all the silence. He couldn’t let Toya freeze to death, after all. Having no clothes that would fit the young teen, or a blanket hanging around somewhere in the shop, a warm drink was about all he could offer.

“…You look terrible.” Ken said, not sugar-coating it. 

Toya felt his cheeks heat up in embarrassment. He hadn’t really thought about his looks when he took off running away from the house. He probably did look ridiculous and disgusting. His greasy hair, unwashed clothes and body, lack of any self-care written all over his face, was all combined with the pouring down rain that made him smell (and feel) like a wet dog. 

Toya put his shaking hands around the coffee cup, slowly bringing the beverage to his lips for a sip. He couldn’t help but keep drinking faster than he normally would- he had almost forgotten about how dehydrated he really was. Water probably would’ve been better, but…

“…I’m sorry, Ken…” Toya muttered out. He had to say that before anything else.

“What’re you apologizing for? I’m glad you’re here, Toya.”

“…I…” Toya bit his lip. Was Ken just pretending to be strong in front of Toya? Surely the trauma of losing his daughter and her friends he had known and cared for so well was eating him alive. There was no way it wouldn’t. 

“Toya,” Ken said firmly. “Have a little faith, would you?”

“…Huh…?”

“An’s quite the strong girl.” Ken stated, although his daughter’s name came off his lips with a slight tremble. He missed her. “The police, they’re investigating day and night for your friends. They won’t let such a large-scale tragedy be swept under the rug. Whatever situation those three are in…You have to believe that they’ll be alright. Or you’ll drive yourself crazy.”

“I…I don’t understand…” Toya finally looked back up, setting the coffee cup gently. 

“I’m saying that those three are strong. They’ll work together, Toya. When they come back to us, you need to be here to greet them.” Ken ruffled Toya’s hair affectionately, although the gross texture of it made him regret the action slightly. “You’re here for a reason. And…In the terrible off-chance that something terrible has happened…”

Ken took a deep breath, trying to calm his own nervousness and doubt. His heart was pounding with nothing but pain and longing for his missing daughter. “Those three would want you to live on. For you to be happy, Toya. Don’t forget how much they love you. If you leave, there will be no evidence of that love left. You get me? But nothing like that has been confirmed by police yet. So stand up tall…Lick your wounds, and believe in them. They’ll be back.”

Toya stared down, feeling the weight of his foolishness once again. Ken was right. He couldn’t keep wallowing around. He missed his friends and loved ones more than anything, but he couldn’t keep grieving or go to some memorial like they were already confirmed dead.

The heartbreak and grief of losing everyone made Toya forget about who his friends really were. Strong, loving, hardworking…

In any situation, they’d have each other. They’d be strong enough to get out. He had to trust Ken’s words of encouragement. 

“You’re right, I…I’m so lucky to be safe, and I…” Toya began to cry without even realizing. “I…I wanted to give up on them. Give up on myself…”

Ken was about to respond to Toya again, before the company phone behind the bar rang. He picked up, not hiding the conversation from Toya.

“Oh, hello Mrs.Aoyagi. Yes, he’s here with me…Yes…Yes, he’s alright. He was a bit manic when he came inside, but he’s calmed down now. Just needed someone to talk to. Yes…Don’t worry, I’ll keep him here until you’re able to pick him up. It’s no trouble at all. If he needs anything, he’s welcome to come back….Right, I understand. Thank you. Bye now.”

Toya sunk a bit in his chair. His parents had known exactly where he had gone. He felt a bit annoyed that he was being tracked, but he also remembered the fact that there had been a mass kidnapping earlier this week, and his parents were worried about him going out alone. How foolish of him…He could’ve seriously put himself in danger. No doubt he had made his parents panic, and he would be in serious trouble for this later. Not to mention screaming at the both of them and running away earlier. 

“Sorry, kid. Your parents are on the way here. I can’t save you from that.” Ken shook his head. “They’re just worried about you, given the current dangers out there. If you want to visit, you have to be a little more careful. Never go out alone.”

“…I…I understand. I’m sorry, Ken…Thank you for…Comforting me. I’m sure this isn’t easy for you, either…”

Ken put a hand on Toya’s shoulder, giving it a small squeeze affectionately. “Dont worry about me. Worry about yourself. When Akito comes back to give you a big hug, you don’t want to be looking like this, do you?”

Toya smiled faintly, nodding. “Yeah…”

He would stop sulking. 

He would stop worrying.

He had to hope, just like Ken said. To believe in the best. 

An, Kohane, Saki, Tsukasa, all his other friends…

And Akito…His loving, sweet boyfriend…

They’d all be back.