April 11th, 2016
Afternoon
"Yes, Ayanokouji, your suspicions are correct... I am from White Room."
"So the murder of Sakura Airi was really plotted by you guys, huh."
Ayanokouji immediately spoke as soon as he was given the opportunity to. This is no time for dilly-dallying, he thought. This may be his first and last chance he would ever talk to someone like the person in front of him right now.
He might as well squeeze as much information as possible.
"Straight to business. It seems you have inherited a lot from your father."
"Weird you bring him up. I wouldn't be surprised if you bring up Mr. Watanabe though, considering how prideful WR is about their dear old director."
He obviously saw the person in white flinch a little as soon as the name was heard. However this didn't stop him as he continued to press on.
"Now speak. Are my suspicions correct?"
"..."
Instead of doing what Ayanokouji asked, the person instead looked at him straight forward. Although they can't see the person's eyes, they could still feel the ice cold glare from under the hood.
"Tell me, 'Detective', why do you think our agency would have been responsible for the death of a mere student of this school?"
"Mere? Is this how they told you to tell me how important Sakura Airi actually is?"
"Hm?"
"I can't imagine White Room of all agencies to do actions without reason. After all, we are talking about the agency who specialize in biological weapon-making and children enhancement programs. The same agency that the government poured a lot of hard cash into for the sake of this country's future."
"So... what are you trying to say?"
"What I am saying is that the only possible reason why WR would do such actions is that Sakura Airi is connected with White Room."
"Wait, senpai!" Ichika shouted beside him, "That is impossible. You already established from the very beginning that Sakura-senpai doesn't have special academic or physical abilities. Even her classmates know that."
"Ichika, that is true. However what I am talking about isn't whether she is a student of White Room or not. Rather, I believe... no, I know for a fact that Sakura is connected with someone there."
"Oho. You are certainly right. Ms. Sakura Airi is connected with someone from the agency. Now, the question is who is she connected to?"
"That's a good question. Who is Sakura Airi connected to in White Room? For the agency to even consider killing her, it must be someone who is high in terms of management and power. Someone who obviously has power over White Room itself."
"Who has power over White Room itself..." Ichika muttered.
!
"It is what you think, Ichika. After me and Arisu investigated the director's office last week, one of her friends told me something very important. It honestly shocked me, it is almost as if Sakura herself left this final message for those who really know the truth."
"Wait Kiyopon! I have something to tell before ending this call."
"Hm? I thought that's all?"
"I thought earlier that I would just tell you this tomorrow but I think telling you now is better."
"What is it then?"
"It's about Sakura's last name. It is actually...
Watanabe."
!
"Kiyopon? Are you still there?"
"Ah! Yeah, sorry about that."
"No problem. I hope this bit of info helps. Good night!"
"Yeah... good night."
"Watanabe?! That is the director of White Room's last name!"
Ichika exclaimed the obvious fact. After which, a cold, hard yet loud laugh echoed on the rooftop. The source was none other than the person in white.
"Hahahahahahaha! That idiotic girl really have told her friend about it!"
"What do you mean?" Ichika immediately asked.
"That girl was specifically asked by her father to never say her real last name. Instead she was asked to use her mother's maiden last name...
Sakura Airi is the daughter of the former director of White Room."
"F-former?"
"It seems my suspicions are correct. That was your goal this entire time. Your motives were clear from the moment I heard that one fact."
Ayanokouji explained his suspicions.
"Years ago, before White Room was created, the idea of raising children befitting of ruling the country in the future was first brought up by a scientist. A scientist who saw the potential of the youth in pulling out Japan out of its current problems..."
A continuously sinking economy, a never ending aging society, rapidly sinking birthrate, and an equally useless government.
"He believed that while the current generation would not be able to fix them, the new generation can, if and only if they prepare them for the battle to come. With the help of his colleague and friend, they suggested the establishment of an agency in pursuit to find an efficient solution for this."
"It took them years after years of continuous proposal-making and discussions with the government to make it happen. In the end, they came up with a compromise. The agency can run its research about children education only if they will also continue research about biological weapons. While at first they were hesitant, it was a small price to pay. So they agreed. Thus White Room was born."
"The history of White Room is the one of the first lessons all students of the agency are asked to learn and memorize." The person in white commented, "Is there any reason why you say this story again?"
"Well, let me clarify. The director's goal, that same scientist's goal in the first place, was to find a solution to efficiently prepare the future generation to take on the ongoing problems of this country...
Never was the goal of White Room to make the best superhuman children alive, was it?."
"..."
"Obviously, this is not good for some who have other plans for White Room. Plans to have the agency reach a far higher goal than intended. Like the one I mentioned. However they couldn't possibly achieve this goal if even the director himself is in the way...
So you guys want him out of the equation, right?"
"Hahahahahahahaha! You got it right to the very detail!"
The person in white continued his laugh, but as piercing in the ears as ever before.
"So you guys killed Sakura-senpai just to get Mr. Watanabe out... this is just a continuation of what happened four years ago, isn't it?!"
"Yes, Amasawa, Yes! Our plan started four years ago. We have planned for the takeover of White Room since that time. However that all have to get delayed ever since that stupid father of yours let you two escape." The person in white glared at Ayanokouji.
"Stupid... What happened to my father..." He glared back, with his tone much darker than before.
"Getting what he deserved. Researching his butt off in a place far harsher than hell itself!"
?!
"HAHAHA! Oh but, we have no intention of bringing you failures back to us. After all that was his one and only request before he set foot there."
"Ayanokouji-sensei..."
Ichika shivered as she called the name of her former mentor. While Ayanokouji has his hands all curled up as fists, his fingers digging into his palm much more than intended.
"You are worried about him, aren't you? Back then all you could give to him was your usual expressionless face. You never gave him any emotion back despite how much of that he gave to you."
"..."
"Oh? You really don't feel any regrets? Leaving him all behind?"
"No, not at all. I have no regrets. If I would have, then it would just bring shame to him."
Ayanokouji, after breathing slowly, was able to calm himself down. His hands are no longer fists, putting them inside his pants pocket.
"Your plan didn't just involve Sakura Airi's death, now is it?"
"Now do we?"
"Yes, another incident happened on that night, March 18th. The school director's, that man's, disappearance."
"You still can't call his name? Even after all this time?"
"What you could say, I have a grudge against him. He betrayed my father's efforts after all."
"How could I have forgotten about that? Oh wait. I remember full well when Tsukishiro pointed his gun at the professor's head."
The memory played out in Ayanokouji's head. Almost as if that memory is still fresh in his head. It was a memory of which he would never forget, even how much he would try to do so.
"We checked that man's office. We noticed in his computer the only app opened, the Email app. At first glance, it will look like nothing particularly suspicious is there. However, after checking his spam mails, that is where we saw it."
"For the last 30 days before his disappearance, he has been receiving emails, or more specifically threat emails, from an unknown sender. At this time we don't know who this sender is, however we are able to connect one thing though...
It was the same account that was used as well to contact Yukimura."
"Like what we suspected, the last threat email was sent exactly 10 minutes after that call with Yukimura, which further supports our suspicion."
"But, 'detective', why would we send such emails to an obvious ally of ours? A person who has even supported the overtaking of Mr. Watanabe?"
"Considering his personality, I could only deduct one thing: he has demanded something way more than he should have."
"..."
"That was what most of his replies are...
'I TAKE BACK WHAT I DEMANDED'
'PLEASE, I WILL NOT ASK ANYMORE FROM YOU GUYS!'
'I BEG YOU, PLEASE HAVE MERCY!'"
"I wouldn't be surprised if you guys are fed up with his cocky attitude. So I can presume that you guys decided that you take him out of the equation as well."
"He didn't actually disappear...?"
Ichika muttered as she realized what truly happened to the traitor.
"Yes. Remember those suspicions and reports of how a possible assassin was sent to kill Sakura but in the end it wasn't the case?"
"No. So we concluded that there wasn't an assassin in the first place that night."
"That we were wrong. There was an assassin that night but its target wasn't Sakura, it was that man."
"Where is his body then, 'detective'? If he is really dead, then where is he killed? In the office?"
"Not in his office. But rather somewhere near his office."
"?"
"When we were in that office, investigating, I was always hearing these whooshing noises. At first I thought it may be because of the air conditioning unit, however those weren't on when we were there. I would always hear those noises near the bookshelf."
"So? What is the significance of this in the mystery?"
"Very important. Because you see all this time behind the bookshelves, there was a secret exit."
"You can say so. That man... he has been receiving a lot of emails from the same unknown sender for the last 30 days before his disappearance."
Ayanokouji immediately stood up as soon as he said that, surprising Arisu.
"W-what is it, Kiyotaka?" The flustered girl asked him.
"Remember when I said that man was never that messy, that's why I was surprised. And how did you say it was most probably intentional?"
"Yes, I did say that."
"I believe I know now why the books aren't on the shelves in the first place."
As soon as he said that, he started putting his hand over the books, as if looking for something. This confused Arisu even more. However, it all made sense after Kiyotaka pulled a book out of the shelf.
*click*
Like a door, the bookshelf started opening, revealing the source of the noise he has been hearing since his arrival there.
"A secret exit..."
"That's the reason why the cameras never saw him leave the office. It was because he never left the office through the front door, but rather through here."
After he said that, he started walking through the stone tunnel. Much to her hesitation, she followed him as well.
They continued their journey through the pathway for quite a long time. The flickering of the worn-out lights was adding a more mysterious vibe to their surroundings.
"For how secret tunnels go, this fits best for this mystery fic." Arisu commented, breaking the long silence.
"How many novels have you been reading?" Ayanokouji deadpanned at her.
"Anyway," She changed the topic, "Aren't we walking for a long time now? I am feeling quite tired now."
"Yeah, my legs are going numb now as well. I swear after this I am laying down in my bed."
"Well, we should probably hurry now and finish th--"
Arisu was about to finish her statement when she noticed something.
"You notice it as well?" Ayanokouji asked her.
"Yes, I do. I think we are close to our goal."
The two immediately started walking at a faster pace than before. As if seeing the end of the long path, they saw a right turn ahead. The closer they were, the more they saw the source of the awful smell.
?!
"So this is where you have been, Tsukishiro."
Arisu simply said, with a hint of shock in her voice. Laying in the ground flat, his face pale as white. Flies were flying all over him. And the prominent part, the great amount of blood around his body.
Ayanokouji bent over to the body, holding his breath from the smell. He noticed the giant hole in the chest area. But this was no hole caused by any poison or such. It was caused by a sharp blade.
"This man...
.
He was killed by an assassin."
"HAHAHAHA! That's right! That's so right! How have I forgotten?!"
The person in white continued laughing, its voice piercing through the head of the two. While Ichika was trying to cover her ears, Ayanokouji stood still and looked at the person.
"Despite the fact he was able to establish the WR's influence in this school, as well as being able to sneak a dangerous biological weapon inside of the premises, you still targeted him. Even after all this time, it was, you guys are always the same."
"What's the same, 'detective'?"
"How disgusting you people truly are."
"Now why are you saying that?"
"He may have betrayed my father four years ago. He may have betrayed Mr. Watanabe as well in terms of helping out in the murder of his daughter. He may have done much more than what I could imagine. But the way you used him for your own personal gain...
....you used him as nothing but a mere tool for your goal."
"Haha! You are right! You are so right there, Ayanokouji!
In this world where nothing but winning matters,
...no matter what methods or techniques we use,
...no matter how gruesome and cruel our actions may be,
...no matter how much more we have to sacrifice and kill,
...as long as our goal is reached, as long as our objective is achieved,
...we are willing to become demons."
"That is the true nature of White Room. Behind those white, pristine, angelic-like walls to which can even be described as being in heaven, there is nothing more than red."
"R-red as demons..."
"To take this country out of the hell it is in, we have to be demons ourselves. That is the new view of our new director."
"That seems unrealistic." Ayanokouji immediately answered back.
"To me it seems like a reality already." The person in white commented.
"So? What is this new 'goal' White Room has right now? After successfully killing two people and taking out one person, what kind of objective do these so-called 'demons' have now on this Earth?"
The person in white walked near the edge of the rooftop and looked down. The person looked at all the students happily walking, chatting and enjoying their youth.
"The students of this school... it is said they are accepted not because they are academically-gifted but also excel in some aspects. In short all of these students have the potential to become future leaders."
"..."
"But imagine this Ayanokouji, Amasawa, all of these students having the same capabilities and strengths as all the students in our agencies?"
?!
"Wouldn't it be better? Wouldn't our goal be achieved quicker this way? Wouldn't the problem that caused the establishment of White Room in the first place finally be accomplished before all the problems in this country gets worse?"
"That is true..." Ichika muttered.
"So what about this, you two, I will explain to you about White Room's new objective as of right now. Consider it as my treat for being able to solve the last two cases...
We are planning to make AHNS the new grounds for making more superhuman-like students."
"That's just outrageous! You are trying to suggest that all of these students be lab rats?! Like us?! Like you?!"
Ichika immediately shouted her disagreement to the plan.
"Didn't you already see the results of those experiments? Don't you see how many subjects, how many children have already died in the hands of White Room?! In the hands of WR's pursuit?!"
She started crying as she continued to shout out not just her explanations... but her true feelings.
"You really want these students who are right now enjoying their lives as youths to have the same fate as those past WR students?! Are you really trying to say that by sacrificing these teenager's lives your goal would be achieved?!"
"We do, Amasawa."
The person in white replied in a more colder tone. As like how the sun is no longer visible and the night turned cold. The lights in the rooftop turned on and they could see the mischievous smile the person in white is making.
"We do believe that by increasing the number of participants, we believe that we may be able to find the most fit to become leaders. In short...
We don't care if most of these students die, even if all of these students die. In this world where the fittest shall survive, what we are merely is speeding up the natural course of life."
"You mean killing off all who are weak to survive the new Japan of the future."
"See you get it, 'detective'."
"I can assume that by doing this, you aim to give these students a more advanced and harsher version of all of our activities in White Room. By giving them a harsher curriculum, you are trying to push them as hard and as fast as possible, squeezing out that potential you speak of earlier."
"Yes, yes!"
"And while these are quite impressive..."
"Yes! Yes! Yes!"
"... I think it is pathetic."
"...Huh?"
"You heard what I said, this is a pathetic, worthless, shitty plan I have ever heard in my entire life."
"You... H-how dare you!"
"It is true. You seriously think that by doing that to these students, they would become better leaders. Well let me tell you one fact...
...These students you wish to sacrifice, they have the potential to be much better than WR itself without your guidance."
!
"And no, I am not talking about academics or physical attributes. More or less they will never reach the level WR students have achieved since they were young. However, like all people...
... there are things WR students lack that these students have a lot of. And that will be what will set them apart from you guys."
"Why you..."
"No need to get angry at me. I may be wrong about this theory. It may be that in the end, those who really fit to lead Japan really are those who have gone through the WR curriculum. However, if they were to hear just what I said right now, don't you think they would be motivated to do so?"
Ayanokouji stared at the door of the rooftop and saw a glimpse of black hair in the window. He could still hear the faint beeping from his phone in his left pants pocket.
"Let me tell you this right now. If the students of this school have proven that they are capable of leading Japan and you still continue to pursue this plan, what do you think the government will do?"
"Huh?"
"Didn't think of that, now did you? That was what was proposed as the original goal of White Room to the government, the exact reason why they allowed the establishment of the agency. No matter if your current goals changed, the government believed that White Room's goal is to efficiently prepare the future generation to take on the ongoing problems of this country."
"If that goal is already achieved by the likes of a school like AHNS, what do you think the government will do?"
"Have you heard of AHNS? It is giving us quite remarkable results."
"What about White Room? I heard they only succeeded in making one superhuman."
"Wouldn't that mean White Room's research and development is slower than AHNS itself?"
"I think allocating more resources and funding to the school than of White Room is the best route of action."
"Yes, I think that White Room is no longer needed."
"I would imagine the top dogs of the government will be having a discussion like that. Even if the staff of White Room have much influence there, it will still be overwhelmed by one fact: AHNS achieved its goal better than White Room could."
"So what you are trying to say right now is that if these students prove that they could be better potential leaders, then we will be discarded?"
"That is the gist. Whether you take it as a grain of salt or as a giant warning, I suggest that you take your future actions carefully now. Or else you would be causing more trouble, even more than what you and White Room can handle right now."
"Oh, I will. It seems my time here in this school will now be interesting, thank you for explaining that."
"As thanks, before you go, can you answer one more question?"
"Hm?"
"Now that I know that you are here, it makes me curious. There are more White Room students in this school, aren't there?"
The person in white simply smiled.
"Yes there are. How much though, I will not tell. But I do know that there is one right now in your class, isn't it Ayanokouji?"
"I know. I know full well that person's existence. Although I am still unsure on how much that person contributed to Class 2-D's success last year, one thing is for sure: I don't think that person is working under you."
"Oho? Even managed to figure out I am the leader?"
"Pretty obvious, considering you know much about WR's objectives as of right now. Well the flaw is that your other allies may know them as well."
"Oh they know alright. It's just that they don't know what their missions would be."
"So it seems we will be meeting each other much more often starting from now on."
"Indeed."
The person in white turned around to face the rooftop door. Holding the handle, the person said its final words.
"Looking forward to what you do next, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Amasawa Ichika. So will the future actions of that person."
The wind blows much stronger than before, causing the two to cover their eyes with their arms for a few seconds. As soon as they were able to regain their sight, they saw that the person in white gone, without a single trace left.
...
"He is gone..." Ichika muttered.
"We don't even know if that person is a he or a she. But yeah, I think our confrontation with White Room is over... for now."
Ayanokouji simply sighed as soon as he said that. He went to a nearby wall and plopped himself down, laying backward in it.
"The battle has only begun."
"I am sorry, senpai. I kind of lost my composure there."
Ichika apologized as she sat beside him. She looked at the sky with a face Ayanokouji had seen multiple times in some occasions.
"I wonder how Ayanokouji-sensei is doing..."
That is the face she always makes whenever she thought about her former mentor's condition. Especially after hearing his name earlier, she can't help but feel sad and worried.
"Must be hell for him. I mean more than hell, in fact."
"I really don't like how you say that as if you don't care..."
"No, I am serious. As far as I am concerned, we are here right now because of him."
Ayanokouji closed his eyes once more, and remembered that memory from four years ago.
"Kiyotaka."
He heard his name, with a shock in his face. He didn't know that he can react the way he is right now. This may be the first time Kiyotaka has ever expressed an emotion in front of him.
It is a shame though that it has to be in that situation that he would show it, a new emotion.
However the reason for his shock is more than acceptable. The man who his family had trusted is now pointing a gun towards the head of his dear father.
The flashing red lights that filled the corridor, the emergency announcements from the loudspeakers and the sobbing of the girl who he has been holding her hands with this entire time made it difficult for him not to be focused on the horrific sight he is seeing.
"Straight ahead... I unlocked the door... you two can go through there..."
Panting between each word, the blood continuously flows down his father's face. Badly injured, the father can no longer talk for much longer.
He has to choose his final words carefully.
His final words to him before he let his son go out to the outside world.
"You know... sooner or later, I will be gone. Knowing you though, that will not be sad."
"That's not..."
He put his index finger in his lips, shushing the boy from saying anymore. He simply gave the brightest smile he could give at the moment.
"It is not like the usual smile or expression I gave to you everyday but I hope this is enough." The father thought before saying his last words to him.
...
"Live. This is your life. Go and live it to the fullest."
!
"Live your lives.... Go... and prove this place wrong..."
"No matter how many times I tried to deny it, our fate has always been to go against that place again. That was what his last words truly meant."
A father who never even showed a single glimpse of sadness to his son. That is what makes Ayanokouji so guilty.
A guilt that he couldn't take away no matter how many years would pass.
So many 'what ifs' plagued his mind after that moment. And even now, he still does. However, unlike before, he isn't confused.
"Ichika, here."
He looked at her with a spare lollipop in his hand. She simply looked at him with shock but immediately took the lollipop.
"Thank you, senpai~!"
"Her mood really changes faster than anybody would."
Ayanokouji simply thought of that. He continued looking at Ichika, who was plopping the yellow lollipop into her mouth like a child, humming a yet familiar tune.
"That tune..."
"So what are you going to do now then? After that whole thing?"
He immediately looked forward to the source of the voice he just heard.
With short black hair and arms crossed, she directly looked at him.
"Ah, Horikita-san. Just the person I need."
"I think I know now what will happen next in this mystery story of ours."
Author's Notes
:ded:
I finally updated this fic after exactly one month.
Hey guys, I am back from the depths of hell called school and exam to deliver you yet another chapter. Well I am sure after reading this chapter, you have more questions than answers.
First up, the obvious changes in the world. White Room in general, of course. Not all are revealed in terms of WR's origin for this fic but a gist of it is already given. Also Mr. Watanabe is a character not originally from the series so he is an OC. Or is he? I mean he never talked or anything, so can I really call him an OC? Well that is for you to decide I guess.
(Also even though I made it that Sakura's real last name is Watanabe, I doubt I will use it again in the future lol)
Also let's address Ayanopapa's sudden change in behavior. At first, I was pretty hesitant to write this fic because of my plans for Ayanopapa. Because for me, his personality and attitude will have to change a lot, really different from the original. Because I have a lot planned for what is the original backstory for this fic. So as you can see, that's what happened. Now, once again, not all is revealed about Ayanopapa yet. We don't even know much about his own backstory and such so please look forward to that (if I can write it...)
Next is Tsukishiro. We got to see the case solved for that one. I wonder how much of you guys guessed about what happened? Not much I can assume. Also yes, he is a "former" friend of Ayanopapa and because of some circumstances, he betrayed him. Now what happened in the events four years ago is still not yet revealed.
Other than those sudden changes, that pretty much sums up this chapter. I made this as WR-centered as possible because of all the things I have changed in their world, WR probably has the most of it. Whether you guys like these changes or not is what I don't know so yeah, if you guys are kinda disappointed with it, I am sorry! (please don't hate on me T_T)
Like last time, I don't know when I will update because of school and such. I am active though in discord in the fanfic server sometimes (which btw you can join, just ask me for a invite link). So the next update may be very much sooner. (but i will try not to make it to the point that the next update is next month again :v)
If you have any questions about the fic, then just ask ahead through commenting here. Once again, signing off and see you guys next time! :kannawave: