Chapter Text
Kenna "Ken" Hasegawa yawns as she walks towards the dining hall with a book in her hand. It has been an exhausting day since she and the others gather the materials they need to reach the vent on the auditorium ceiling. While the others headed to their places to go to sleep, Ken decided that she would read a book about tortoises since she missed her pet tortoise, Kamekichi.
As soon as Ken enters the dining hall, she hears another voice.
"Well, look who's here to join my late night party."
She looks at the blue-haired girl, who has her back against the wall and sitting on the floor with her knees up, smirking at her. She is wearing a black hoodie with a skull design, dark blue pleated skirt, black thigh socks, and black and white converse. Her blue hair is medium length and has two long sidelocks. Ken even noticed that around her red eyes, she was wearing a blue eyeliner.
She knew her. It is Kazuko Kamimura. The girl who woke up in the basement with the others.
"Hey." Ken chuckles as she goes to sit on the chair that has a table.
'She looks so beautiful.' Ken thought, dreamily. Then, she quickly snaps back and starts the conversation.
"Honestly, I don't feel like sleeping. I understand that everyone's tired and all-"
"Yeah. No, I'm with you. I'm not letting my guard down around any of these bitches." Kazuko replies.
"But you are in the dining room in the middle of the night." Ken said as she raised her eyebrow at her.
"Hey! That doesn't count! That's different. You're okay." Kazuko protest as she waves her hand around.
"I'm fine? What?" Ken giggles.
Kazuko sighs. "I mean... you're not like Hama or Okazaki, who happens to be total goddamn freaks. I can sit my ass comfortably without worrying that you're gonna murder me."
Ken smiles at her. "I guess I'm honored."
"You're welcome." She chuckles.
Ken opens her book and starts reading. While she is reading, Kazuko stares at her. Ken is wearing a black skirt suit, white shirt, black tie, sheer tights, and black heels. She has medium-length brown hair with little curls and an ahoge. Her light brown "doe eyes" focuses on reading the book.
'She looks so damn cute when she reads.' Kazuko thought.
After a few minutes of silence, Kazuko clears her throat.
"Enough talking about me. What about you? What do you do for a living?" Kazuko asks as she lowers one knee down and her other knee up.
Ken stops reading her book, places a bookmark in her book that she got from her bedroom, and looks at her.
"Oh. I-I'm actually just a high school student right now. I don't have a job because I'm unemployed." She said, shyly.
"Unemployed in a nice and expensive suit like that?" Kazuko said in suprised as she tilts her head.
"O-Oh! I only wear this when I'm on tv."
"What do you do on tv?"
Ken bit her lips nervously. She feels like Kazuko is going to judge her on how boring she is and doesn't want to hang out with her. At the same time...Kazuko seems like a chill person to talk to.
"I go on quiz shows. Sometimes, I go on talk shows if I'm invited." Ken explains.
Suddenly, Kazuko's eyes widened. "Holy shit! You must be Japan's first female quiz show champion."
Ken smiles and nods her head.
𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘭𝘥, 𝘒𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘻 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦. 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘙𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘴. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘒𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘻 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘴.
"𝘔𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘺! 𝘋𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘺! 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘻 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸." Ken said as she points at the screen, smiling.
"𝘞𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦, 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘦." 𝘒𝘦𝘯'𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥.
Ken is forever grateful that her parents helped her achieve her dream.
Kazuko remembered how in her high school, a few people were talking about how there is a girl who became Japan's first female quiz show champion. She didn't who she is until now.
"Well shit! Now, we got three famous celebrities in here."
"I highly doubt that I'm famous. Besides, people don't watch quiz shows that much."
"Nah! Quiz shows totally count! Even if MikiMiki and Chiba Airi are A-List celebrities, I would arguably say you are on top. It's rare to see female quizzers on quiz shows. The fact that you are Japan's first female quiz champion is a huge accomplishment. You should be proud of yourself." Kazuko said with a smile and a thumbs up.
Ken thought about Kazuko's words. It is true because when she was a kid, she had never seen a female quizzer in quiz shows. When she got older and joined the competitions, she received a lot of positive feedback. Especially young girls who look up to her. It made her feel happy that she inspired young girls to be ambitious and follow their dreams.
"Thanks, Kamimura." Ken said.
"You can call me Kazuko. It's fine." She said.
"Since you're okay with it, then you can call me Ken."
"Awesome. That sounds like a deal."
The two teenaged girls smiled at each other. It was nice that they had their little late night party to themselves.
Then, Kazuko had a sad look on her face.
"I wonder when we will get out of this shithole." She said as she twirls her sidelock.
"Hopefully, it will be sooner than later." Ken yawns as she covers her mouth.
"Got anyone important you're waiting to get back to?" Kazuko asks.
Ken thinks about her family. She has a good relationship with her Mom and her older sister, Mao. Even though her parents got divorced, Ken still has a good relationship with father and will always be daddy's girl.
"I had a pretty good relationship with my family. I hope that they are looking for me." Ken said, with sadness.
'𝘐 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘔𝘰𝘮, 𝘔𝘢𝘰, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘺 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩.'
Thinking about her family made her eyes tear up. Kazuko noticed this and tries to cheer her up.
"Ken, your family cares about you. They will be looking for you. Trust me." Kazuko said.
"O-Okay." Ken sighs as she wipes the tears from her eyes.
"On the bright side, someone will be looking for Isono and Chiba. So, we are gonna be found anyway."
"I'm liking your optimism and positivity. It's a good color on you." Ken smirks.
Kazuko waves her hands around. "I'm your ray of fucking sunshine." She jokes. Which earns a chuckle from Ken.
Kazuko yawns and moves her shoulders around. It has been tiring for the both of them. From finding out that they are in a killing game to gathering materials. The short girl thought about Ken. She can definitely trust Ken.
"This is gonna sound crazy but...I'm glad you're here, Ken."
Ken looks at her with a weird look.
"Not like in a way that I'm glad that you're in a crazy murder school. But like... I dunno. I'm glad that I have somebody to talk to who isn't a total weirdo. I feel safe when I'm around you." Kazuko whispers.
Ken smiles. "I'm happy to hear that."
Suddenly, Kazutoshi runs her forehead. "Damn! My head's feeling heavy."
"Hey. Do you want me to come to your room? I will be your security guard so nobody will try to open your door." Ken said as she got off her chair.
"That's a great idea." Kazuko said as she stands up and follows Ken.
"If someone shows up to my door, you better start banging to scare the shit out of them." Kazuko said.
"I promise." Ken said as she held her hand like swearing an oath.
"You better keep your promise. I'm holding you to that." Kazuko teases as she points her finger at her.
Ken chuckles. Despite the situation that they are in...these two girls will need each other more than ever in their life.