Despairful Music

Who's The Mastermind?

"Good morning everyone! It is now 8 a.m. and nighttime is officially over! Time to rise and shine! Get ready to greet another beautiful day!"

I groan in exhaustion and urge myself to get out of bed. I follow my every routine of putting my makeup on, doing my hair, and putting my clothes on.

As I close my door behind me I see Kohane across the hall and decide to greet her, "Hey, Kohane!"

She glances up, then looks away, "...Hi."

"Do you want to have breakfast together?" I ask her.

"I- I'm sorry, can you just, let me sit alone today?" She asks.

"Oh, sorry for asking, Of course that's fine!" I scramble to apologize and quickly walk toward the cafeteria alone, having memorized the way on my own by now.

I feel really bad for her. Her entire group is gone now. Sure, losing Ena hurt, but I can't imagine losing both Mafuyu and Kanade right after that, especially at the same time. I don't blame her for wanting to sit alone.

When I enter the cafeteria, I take a plate and grab myself a fruit bowl and some cereal that are miraculously ready for me to eat. Mikukuma is so mysterious.

"Mizuki," Kanade calls out to me. I see her sitting alone at a table and come to have a seat next to her.

"Hey, Kanade! How's it going?"

Kanade looks away from me, an expression of guilt on her face, "Well, that's kind of my concern... It really isn't going all too bad."

"What do you mean?" I ask her.

"I just- I mean that... Well, look at Kohane, Tsukasa, Saki. They look so... so dead inside. It makes me feel guilty even though it wasn't me who put them in that situation."

"Ah, I get it. Looking at Kohane makes me feel so sad," I agree.

"On top of that people seem to think I look unaffected enough to be the one causing all of this. I mean, you heard Mafuyu. She thinks I'm the mastermind! Now what if everyone thinks so too! You don't think so, do you?"

I"m surprised to hear that Mafuyu's words really affected her that much. But, I guess she always seemed close to Mafuyu. Hearing her turn on her like that must really hurt.

I sigh and put a hand on Kanade's shoulder, "Kanade, of course I don't think you're the mastermind. You're one of my closest friends and I trust that you would never set up something like this."

Kanade looks up and gives me a smile, "Thank you, Mizuki. I appreciate it."

"Well, actually," I start, realizing something, "We never really confirmed there was a mastermind in the first place. Actually, it was Mafuyu that came up with the whole idea."

Kanade looks surprised at the realization, "So you don't think there's a mastermind? You think Mafuyu is just using the concept as a way to stir up trouble?"

"Well, I didn't say that. I'm just saying that there really isn't a reason to go suspecting our peers."

Kanade looks deep in thought, a frown on her face, "You don't think Mafuyu could be behind this, could she? I mean, she's been stirring up trouble this whole time! If it's Mafuyu I- I-"

"Hey! I get you're upset with Mafuyu, but, like I said, we shouldn't go around accusing people."

"Right, sorry. Hmm, well, maybe we can look for that phone we were talking about. I don't think anyone has really been making an effort to find it or something else we can use to leave."

That is true. After the roof incident we kind of stopped trying. Accepting our fate is the worst option, though. We should at least try to go down fighting!

"That's true, we should probably start looking for it soon! What about if Mikukuma has it though? What then?"

"Didn't Toya mention his theory about Mikukuma being easily breakable? If that's true we could try to take her down and get the phone from her. But then, if it really is easy to take her down, I doubt she'd have it on her," Kanade theorizes.

"That's true! Then do you want to search for it today?"

Kanade nods.

"Okay then! Just let me finish my fruit first!"