Aftermath [A Gontaguji Story]

Chapter 1 - Awakenings

[3rd Person POV]

╚»★★«╝

The air was cool and soothing within the resting hall, a thick silence hanging within the air. The remaining 13 students lay unmoving in their resting beds within the hall, thin curtains separating them from one another. The only students who had already woken were Shuichi, Maki and Himiko, having being the ones who faced no death nor punishment throughout the game. Because of this, they were the first ones to wake.

[For context, they all live/stay together within a school similar to Hopes Peak Academy, though it can be presented however you wish :] ] 

They gathered within the dining hall daily, hopeful another student would join them each day. Himiko was always last to appear, plopping herself down at the table with her arms and head down onto it. Shuichi always sat more off to the side, either keeping his anxious gaze towards the door to see if anyone else would appear or his nose glued to the same tattered book he'd read 100 times before. Sometimes Maki showed up, sometimes not. She wasn't a very fluent person, especially with having almost every other student resting in the hall away from the others. They were allowed to visit occasionally, but not for long periods of time. Maki frequently visited Kaito in the early hours of the morning or later hours of the evening with the slightest bit of hope that some progress had been made on his sleeping condition.

With nothing coming of it, Maki gave out a heavy sigh. She decided to check up on the others who were resting. She went down the centre of the hall, reading names outside of the curtains to help indicate who was where. One by one she checked; Kaito, Kokichi, Gonta, Miu, the list went on. She paused when she came up to Korekiyo's section, staring longingly at the name tag. Nobody had visited him so far. Maki began to step towards the curtain as her arm rose up to pull it aside. Though, for a moment, she stopped herself. Korekiyo had always worn that mask no matter what, despite his own fatal trial. She didn't want to disobey his comfort for the sake of herself in case the nurse removed it. She drew herself away from Korekiyo's curtain and continued to travel down the hall.

Shuichi looked up from the book his nose was stuck into, greeted by Maki who had finally decided to join himself and the barely awake Himiko.

"Ah- Hello Maki."

Shuichi gave a small wave and a smile to Maki as she sat down facing the other two at the table.

"I'm guessing you were visiting Kaito this morning?"

Shuichi asked as he shut his tattered book with a quiet thud. Maki responded with a nod.

"I checked up on everyone else too, besides Korekiyo, but everyone pretty much seems to be in the same state."

Shuchi then nodded, a slightly upset expression on his face. He was glad they were alright, but he felt an intense wave of guilt crash onto his shoulders. He wanted to apologise to all of those who were killed or punished within the game. 

"How come you didn't check on Kiyo?"

Himiko seemed to turn away slightly at the mention of Korekiyo's name, but no one took too much notice.

"I didn't want to check on him and he didn't have that mask thing he wears all the time. I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable."

Shuichi nodded in agreement.

"I suppose you are right. I don't know of anyone he trusts very well, so I guess we'll just have to wait until he or someone else wakes up."