I sat up in bed, running my hand through my hair for a moment. Why did Taguchi do that? He seemed hell bent on making everyone there uncomfortable. It maybe he had a different goal? Maybe he just wanted to intimidate all of us.
I sighed, sitting up on my bed. I couldn't just sit around and pout about the fact that yesterday was a bad day. I had to focus on what was happening now. I stood up, and I wandered over to the closet, quickly getting changed and walking to the door.
-Free Time-
I wandered over to the cafeteria, ready to start my day with some breakfast. Suddenly, I noticed someone sitting down at the table all by themselves. I smiled, walking over and sitting by them.
"What do you want Hirano..." Imamura sighed.
Should I hang out with Imamura Mitsuri? -Yes- -No-
"... whatever..." she replied.
Imamura and I sat in silence, me getting some food to eat and her watching in silence. She almost seemed to be out of it. Maybe it was because of what happened yesterday?
Even though all that took place was silence, I think Imamura and I grew closer today.
Would you like to give Imamura a present? -Yes- -No-
I gave Imamura a red megaphone.
"... I don't know what you're trying to say about me... but it's fine..." she said, slowly dragging the megaphone towards her and placing it on her lap.
We sat in silence for a while. It felt really strange. Imamura would always go on long rants about what was wrong with society and the world, but she's as silent as a feather. It was starting to make me uncomfortable.
"U- um... Imamura?" I began. She looked over at me, not responding to what I was saying. "Is... th- this about wh- what Taguchi said?" Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, as she sat up and stared at me.
"How did you..." she started, before taking a long pause. "Oh... yeah... you were there..." she said, resting her cheek in her hand, her elbow against the table.
"Um... sorry. I- it probably doesn't matter..." I said, trying to go back on what I'd said.
"It's..." she paused. "Fine..." she sat up, almost seeming completely calm as she got into a resting position. "I've kind of just... created my life around activism... you know?" She began. I nodded. "I just... wanted a better life... for my family..."
"Y- yeah... that makes s- sense..." I said. She remained silent, staring at the table with a melancholy look in her eye.
"The world... doesn't listen to your wants... if you don't... act harshly..." she said, taking long pauses in between, as if it were hard for her to even speak. Her eyes darted back and forth, almost trying to comprehend something in her head, seeming entirely conflicted. Suddenly, her hands became fists, as she continued to stare down at the dining room table, she was so upset, you could almost see her blood boiling. But rather than at the world, it was directed towards herself. "God... what the fuck have I been doing?" She said, putting one of her palms up to her forehead.
"You've been..." I began. "...trying to help the world." I said. She glanced over at me, almost surprised, but calmly staring at my face.
"Heh..." she started, the slightest hint of a smile on her face. But, it quickly vanished. "No... I haven't. I'm a selfish bitch who treats others with disrespect and as if everyone is a mass murderer..." she said calmly. "God I'm a fucking idiot. That isn't saving the world. That's not what I've dedicated all my life into doing. I don't deserve to be alive right now. Furuya, Sazama, Shishido, and Morita deserve to be a lot more alive then me right now..." she said, standing up from her seat.
"N- no, Imamura, that's not..." I began, watching her leave the room. I frowned, staring down at the table. Did I just... make things worse?
"Is she okay?" Kajiwara asked, walking into the room.
"Oh... um... I- I'm not to sure..." I said. He made direct eye contact, before nodding, as if he understood just by my expression what was going on.
Should I hang out with Kajiwara Hotaka? -Yes- -No-
"Alright. Would you like to do some self love exercises with me?"
Kajiwara and I walked over to one of the rooms, and sat down on the floor. Kajiwara made sure that I spoke some of the chants, which consisted of sweet nothings to one's self. Each time I would begin to tear up, Kajiwara would make sure to take a break to cheer me up again, before returning to the chants.
I think Kajiwara and I grew closer today.
Would you like to give Kajiwara a present? -Yes- -No-
I gave Kajiwara a floral essence candle.
"Well, Hirano. This is a very fine gift. I will definitely be using it." Kajiwara said. He sat with his eyes closed, almost seeming to be lost in thought.
"H- hey, why did we do that?" I asked. Kajiwara opened his eyes, and calmly looked into mine.
"Well, it's important to know your worth. Repeating these words every morning has made my life a lot better. Also, I thought you could use this small ritual in your life. You seem to be upset with yourself." He explained. I smiled at him.
"Th- that really kind of you." I said. He nodded, closing his eyes and returning to his deep thoughts. "So... um... w- what about what you said the last time we t- talked?"
"What do you mean?" He asked, his eyes remaining shut.
"W- well... you said th- that you'd t- tell me what you did b- before you changed..." I replied. His eyes opened, and he calmly looked into my eyes, almost as if he was trying to understand what I was thinking. He took a long sigh, almost finding the courage to speak.
"I accidentally set my little sisters hamster on fire." He said, closing his eyes and returning to the calm expression he'd had beforehand.
"WHAT!?" I yelled out, before covering my mouth. He opened his eyes once again, and shifted his position.
"That's the reaction I was expecting." He replied, almost as if he hadn't said anything remotely insane.
"B- BUT, HOW!?" I yelled. He took a long sigh.
"I was messing around with some matches in my sisters room, and ended up burning myself on the finger and I threw it into the hamster cage by accident. The hamster caught fire, and I ended up picking it up with my hands and racing into the bathroom and putting the fire out with some water." He said. I stared at him for a moment, my eyes wide.
"N- no... I don't believe it. Y- you're not that k- kind of person..." I replied. He stared at me for a moment, before reaching for his glove and pulling it off. He showed his palm to me, letting my hold it in my hand. The skin was covered in a dark scar, which almost seemed to have exploded into the white of his hand. "B- but..."
"It wasn't on purpose, and the hamster survived. It lived for about another year." He began. "But after that, I was kicked out of the house. My parents had enough of my shenanigans."
"W- what... happened next?" I asked.
"I came to my senses, and ended up studying to become a surgeon and eventually was able to begin medical practices. Though, even though I've accomplished a lot, I don't think they'd ever let me return home. Maybe I can visit them after we escape from this place." He explained. "I just don't want anyone to go down my path. I'd probably be happier if I didn't end up making that mistake. But I've come to terms with it, and this is just how my life has played out. And I'm happy where I am, so even if I would be more at peace with my family, I'm still glad I went down this path." He said. "It was nice getting this off my chest. Would you like to speak with me about anything?"
"O- oh, no, I'm okay..." I replied. No one can know what I did, even if they're as reasonable as Kajiwara. I stood up, and waved goodbye as I walked out of the room.
I wandered around for a moment, before I noticed someone sitting by the balcony. I sighed, bringing up my courage to approach them.
"Why hello there Hirano. How are you today?" Tengan asked.
Should I hang out with Tengan Kimiko? -Yes- -No-
"Well, maybe you could help me find a way out of this place." she said.
Tengan and I investigated all the rooms we could to try and find an escape route. There wasn't much talking, besides the occasional question or explanation.
I think Tengan and I grew closer today.
Would you like to give Tengan a present? -Yes- -No-
I gave Tengan a binder full of folders.
"Interesting. I've never seen anyone think this would be a gift someone would want, but I'll take it off your hands." She said. There was a long moment of silence for a moment.
"S- so, what do you w- want to talk about?" I asked. She remained silent for a moment.
"I'm not sure." She replied, staring at me. "What do you want to talk about?"
"U- um... well, tell me something y- you haven't told anyone else." I responded. She raised an eyebrow at me skeptically, before thinking to herself for a moment.
"Well... when I was a kid I did a lot of illegal stuff." She said.
"H- huh? What do you mean?" I asked.
"Well, I've always had the aspiration to become a very wealthy person. I ended up selling edibles to children, adults, all kinds of people." She explained. "That's how I started off my company. I got the money to start doing things on my own from illegal business. Don't tell Kawata though." She said.
"S- so... that's what you mean when you said that you did a lot of stuff you weren't proud of..." I assumed. For the first time, she started to chuckle.
"Really? That's what you think?" She asked. I paused, staring at her bring smile. "No, there's a lot more I've done to get where I am today."
"W- well... what did you do?" I asked. She lost her smirk, instead turning to a frown.
"Let's just say... I performed a lot of favors for a lot of different men." She said. She almost seemed upset when she said that, but remained calm and collected.
"O- oh... I'm so sorry..." I replied.
"It's fine. It was a necessary precaution to reach where I am today. I will not go back on my life. I've worked to hard, and done to many things to be forgiven. My company is my pride and joy and anyone who gets in the way of that must be disposed of." She said.
"Y- you're not going to do th- that to Imamura... right?" I asked. She stared at me for a moment.
"If you wish for me to make a promise, then sadly, I will not be able to make it. There's no way of telling what will happen in the future, even if things are set in stone. It could happen with anyone. I'm not sure what the circumstances will be, for instance I could kill in self defense, maybe I'll be a heartless murderer. All I can tell at the moment is that if it comes down to it, then it'll occur. I don't wish to become a killer myself, but if that's how the universe decided things to be, then so be it." She said. I nodded slightly, still a bit upset. She stood up, and wandered out of the room without another word.
I got up, and began wandering around the place. I noticed someone by themselves, so I quickly approached them.
"Hirano! Have you come to me to get some of my ancient wisdom?" Sugai asked with a chuckle.
Should I hang out with Sugai Tatsuo? -Yes- -No-
"Alright, I wanna steal something! You know, I just have this itch to grab and go!"
Sugai and I went around the hotel trying to find something to steal. Well, it was more of me just trying to get him to stop, but he didn't listen. He ended up trying to take a spoon from the kitchen, but was stopped by Kajiwara who bopped him on the head and gave him a good lecture.
I think Sugai and I grew a bit closer today.
Would you like to give Sugai a present? -Yes- -No-
I gave Sugai a squirting flower.
"Heh! This is perfect! Now I'll become a professional prankster!" He chuckled. "Ugh, Kajiwara always stops me from having fun. What's his problem!?"
"W- well... maybe he just wants to make sure you don't go down the same path as he did..." I said.
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Sugai asked, glaring at me skeptically.
"N- nothing..." I replied.
"Well, that doesn't matter. I gotta make sure that Kajiwara stays off my back for good! Then I'll never be able to have my talent change to the ultimate prankster!" He said. He thought to himself for a long while. Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Oh! I've got it!"
"W- what is it?" I asked. An evil glint showed up in his eye.
"I hire a hit man, and tell 'em to make it look like an accident..." he said, a sly grin on his face. I stared at him, a fearful feeling coming over me. He paused for a moment, before his face turned worried. "W- well, like, he accidentally dropped a cup of flour or something, d- don't think about it that way! I'd never want anyone to do something that I could do on my own..." he tried to making himself seem tough, but all that came across was worry. I smiled.
"You... really care about Kajiwara... don't you?" I asked. Sugai's eyes went wide.
"W- what!? PFFT- no! That's for wimps, and I'm not a wimp. Just because he actually seems to care that I'm doing stuff that's not good... unlike some parental figures I know..." he said angrily, almost pouting as he avoided eye contact.
"You sure?" I said, a tinge of teasing in my voice. His face went a bright pink, as he turned towards me.
"SH- SHUT UP!!! O- OF COURSE I DON'T CARE!! I- I'M AN ANNOYING LITTLE GREMLIN AND NO ONE CAN CHANGE THAT!!!" He yelled, before racing out of the room. I giggled to myself as I watched him escape the situation.
I walked out of the room, and paused. I noticed that one of the dorm rooms doors were open. Slowly, I walked over to the door. I stuck my head inside without thinking.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!" Arima screamed, him jumping up from the place he was sitting on the bed. "O- oh... h- hi Hirano... I wasn't expecting t- to see anyone right now..." he said, covering up part of his arm. I frowned, noticing the knife on the floor.
Should I hang out with Arima Iwoa? -Yes- -No-
"O- oh! Y- yeah, just, give me a second and I'll be right out!" Arima said, closing the door.
Arima came out of the room a moment later. He acted as if everything was normal as we allied around the hotel talking. We sat down at the balcony and dangled are legs through the bars.
I think Arima and I grew closer today.
Would you like to give Arima a present? -Yes- -No-
I gave Arima a statuette of a cow riding a skateboard.
"Woah! This is awesome! Thanks Hirano! Now... only if it was actually real... hmmm..." Arima said. "Okay Hirano! I wanna know something."
"H- huh? What do you mean?" I asked.
"What's your favorite animal?" He replied. I stared at him for a moment.
"U- um, well, I like sugar gliders, but I'm a bit more concerned about-" I began.
"What about your favorite hobbies?" He asked.
"Um, I like to study but I think we should talk about-" I started.
"W- what about desserts!?" He said, cutting me off.
"Arima I think-"
"What about seasons?" He replied.
"Wait, Arima, I-"
"What about holidays!? I- I really like my birthday-" he began.
"Arima!" I snapped, placing a hand on his leg. He froze, staring at my hand, before looking me in the eyes. "You... can tell me anything. It's... not good to hide your feelings." I said. His face started to fill with tears, as he looked away.
"No... no y- you guys wouldn't understand... no one ever does..." he replied, folding his arms and staring at he floor, sniffling ever so slightly.
"I- I understand that this whole killing game is pretty scary..." I said.
"It's not about the killing game! I've been like this the whole time! I just... can't control myself..." he said, his hands shaking. He stared down at them, as tears streamed down his cheeks. "I have no s- sense of myself. I- I just don't care what happens to me." He started to take fast breaths, as he tried to hold back his tears. "Why!? Why can't I just be normal!? Like everyone else!? Why do I just not care about my well being!? Why!?" He said, the tears rushing out of his eyes as he took quick breaths. "I've had a good life! I- it's not like I've been abused or something! The worst thing that has happened to me is my parents divorced and I was bit by a raccoon! Lots of people go through worse! So why the hell am I this way!?" I placed a hand on his shoulder, letting him sob into his hands.
"Hey... it's okay..." I began. "I understand what you mean... I- I'm not good to myself either." I said. Arima wiped the tears from his eyes, and stared at the floor. He remained silent, the water drying on his face.
"You know... it wasn't ever about the stunts..." Arima began, his voice sounding as if he hadn't spoke for days. "I... I wanted to be a hero... but it never turned out that way." He paused for a moment. "The first time... I ever did a stunt... it was from a bridge. And I jumped off of it. It felt like... I was lighter than air. It was a rush that I could feel all over my body. A fear that almost enveloped me. It felt amazing. But... that's not why I was there. I was there... because... I hoped the water would take my life..." he paused. "But... it didn't turn out that way... I hit the water in such a way that... I remained alive. I was saved from that bridge that day. I wonder if it was the universe telling me that I should continue on. Telling me that I had to survive on. Or if it was just a mistake because fate looked away for a moment." He remained silent. "It... evolved in me longing for the rush. It didn't matter if it was painful. All that mattered was that it was insane. All that mattered was that it caused some sort of dopamine to go off in my head. It made me want to..." he stared at the ground for a moment. He pulled a bit of his bandage back. "Hurt... myself..." he paused for another moment, before reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a box cutter, and placed it in my lap. I stared down at the weapon, my eyes wide with fear and surprise. "I... I need to stay away from these. I know it's bad... it's just..." he paused. "Addictive..." Suddenly, he rested his head on my shoulder. "I'm sorry I've burdened you with all of this..." I remained silent for a moment.
"It's okay." I began. "I don't mind."
The silence remained, neither of us moving from our spots on the balcony. After awhile, we both got up. Arima walked away without saying goodbye. But I didn't mind. He was trying to make himself better. It was just going to take a little while.
I walked over to the kitchen, ready to end the day with some dinner.
"Why hello Hirano! What would you like?" Otani asked, a big smile on his face.
Should I hang out with Otani Katsu? -Yes- -No-
"Why thank you Hirano. Would you like to help me cook some dinner for everyone?" He asked.
Otani and I worked on cooking for the rest of the students. It took longer than expected, since Otani was trying new recipes that didn't involve baking. By the end of it, we created a delicious meal.
I think Otani and I grew closer today.
Would you like to give Otani a present? -Yes- -No-
I gave Otani a small wooden sparrow.
"Aw, this is absolutely adorable. Thank you so much for the gift Hirano, I'll have to return the favor." Otani said. "Hirano, I'm worried about something."
"H- huh? What is it?" I asked.
"I feel like our group is becoming a lot more tense. For example, Imamura seems upset about something, Tengan has become a bit more confrontational, Arima is struggling with his own personal problems, Kawata seems to be battling with some sort of problem, Yamazaki has always felt separated but now he's a lot more upset, Naito is seeming a bit less cheerful, Miyazaki is a lot more fearful and Taguchi seems as if he very much wants to intimidate the group." Otani explained.
"Wow... y- you observed all of that?" I asked. Otani nodded.
"But it's not all bad. Kajiwara hasn't really changed, or he's just really good at hiding his feelings. Sugai is just Sugai. And you've grown a lot Hirano." He said, a smile on his face.
"H- huh? What do y- you mean?" I asked.
"Well, I've noticed that you've been a lot more talkative, and you haven't stuttered as much. I don't know if you've been trying to improve, but you definitely have." Otani explained. The slightest hint of a grin appeared on my face.
"Oh... thank you. A- and I have... been trying to." I said. He nodded.
"That's what I assumed." He paused. "I want to make sure our group doesn't split up. Splitting us all up would cause a lot of fear and anguish. It would also make it a lot more likely that someone will kill, and that has to be avoided at all costs." Otani said. "I feel as if Taguchi is one of the main causes for all of the distress. Do you think I should confront him about this?" I stood frozen for a moment. Confront him..? I shuddered.
"I- if you feel like y- you should. B- but I- I don't think it would be a g- good idea..." I said.
"Why'd that?" Otani asked. I could feel my hands shaking.
"I- I..." I began.
"Ah, I understand. Don't worry, I won't judge you because of that. I've had my fair share of fears." He responded.
"W- what were you afraid of?" I asked. Otani smiled.
"I used to terrified of people." He said.
"H- huh? Really?" I asked. He replied with a nod.
"I know it was kind of dumb at the time, but I always felt like people were constantly judging me. But overtime, I started to understand differential factors. For example, if someone tells a joke and immediately looks at you for your reaction, they like you most out of anyone out of the room. Before that, I believed it was someone trying to tell you that the joke wasn't meant for you." Otani explained.
"Oh... I- I didn't know that..." I said. Otani smiled.
"Well, that's one new fact for you then." Otani replied. I replied with a grin.
I walked back to my room after having a delicious meal. I wandered through the door, and quickly got changed into some sleeping attire. I hopped into bed, and took a long sigh. Today was a good day. I closed my eyes, ready to sleep.
-
They stayed at the door, waiting for the exact moment to walk out. They stared at the clock. 11:59. Then, it changed to 12:00. Quickly, they pushed open the door.
They began walking around the hotel, searching every inch of the place. They knew there was another one somewhere. After all, there's always something they miss. They paused, reaching inside of a filing cabinet. They pulled it out, staring at the front of the file for a moment. This isn't what they were looking for, or at least, not exactly. But it would have to do. If they were out here any long people would become suspicious of them.
Quickly, they raced back to their room, shutting the door behind them. The time was 12:21.
-
"A- attention students. This is a- a formal a- announcement. The time is n- now 7 a- am. That means n- night time is officially o- over. Have a w- wonderful day!" Araigu said, before the monitor shut off.
I took a deep yawn, before sitting up in bed. I pulled my glasses on and got up. I walked over to the closet, and pushed out some new clothes, quickly getting changed. I threw the pajama's into the basket, and walked out of the room.
I headed to the kitchen, intending to grab some breakfast. I noticed someone sitting by themselves. I smiled, and quickly approached.
"Oh... it's just you..." Miyazaki said.
Should I hang out with Miyazaki Chiasa? -Yes- -No-
"Alright. I just want to eat right now if that's okay with you..."
Miyazaki and I ate some breakfast together. She seemed to be a bit more on edge than before. I couldn't help but wonder why as we finished up.
I think Miyazaki and I grew closer today.
Would you like to give Miyazaki a present? -Yes- -No-
I gave Miyazaki a strawberry face mask.
"Huh... you have some pretty good taste Hirano. Thanks." Miyazaki said. The two of us sat in silence for a minute. "God dammit..."
"W- what is it?" I asked.
"Every time I think of that damn stuffed animal I just start to shiver. I can't help but feel terrified that the stupid thing is gonna kill me!" Miyazaki said.
"Is... is it because of what happened at the party?" I asked.
"DON'T- don't mention that..." she said.
"A- ah... sorry." I replied. "Is your arm okay?" I asked.
"Yeah, Kajiwara fixed it up. Luckily that stupid thing didn't hit any of the vital nerves. But it's going to take awhile for it to heal entirely." She replied. "God, I'm going to kill the person who put us in this stupid game when I get the chance!"
"H- huh?" I replied. She paused for a moment.
"Not literally. Well, maybe literally, but not until it's okay." She said. "I'm sorry, I'm just really angry..."
"Th- that makes sense." I replied. She stopped for a moment.
"Hey, do you have any siblings? I can't remember if I asked or not." She said.
"I- I do. I have a little brother. B- but he's only a little baby." I responded. She paused for a moment, almost seeming to be lost in thought.
"I... also have a brother." She replied.
"Oh, you do? What's his name?" I asked. She paused for a second.
"I... don't remember..." she said, looking away from me.
"Oh... why?" I responded.
"It doesn't matter." She replied. "Are you afraid of that... thing?"
"Of the red panda?" I asked. She nodded. I paused for a moment. "Well, yeah, of course I a- am, but I don't get afraid every time I see it." I said. I stopped for a moment. "Do... do you think that our parents are trying to save us?" Miyazaki paused for a moment.
"Yeah, at least my step dad and step mom are probably trying to get me out of here. I'm not sure about your parents, but I know mine would." She said. She paused for a moment. "Unless... we really did lose our memories..." she stopped talking for another moment. "Man... this is just making me depressed. I'll talk to you later." Miyazaki said, before walking away.
I sighed, getting up from where I was sitting. Miyazaki seemed to be a lot less talkative then she usually is. It's all because of this killing game. We're all like this because the killing game is creating tension.
"Oh, hey Hirano." Naito said, a bright smile on her face.
Should I hang out with Naito Chou? -Yes- -No-
"Okay! Um, would you like to go to the library with me? I wanna look around at some of the books there." She asked.
Naito and I went up to the library to search for books. After awhile, she found a book and placed it down on the table. It was about cryogenic sleep. We discussed the topic for awhile after that.
I think Naito and I grew closer today.
Would you like to give Naito a present? -Yes- -No-
I gave Naito a box of copic markers.
"Oh my gosh! I've been looking for a set of these everywhere! Thank you so much!" Naito said.
"Um... hey... Naito?" I began, staring at her.
"What is it?" She asked, a soft smile on her face.
"Um... a- awhile ago... you said that you wouldn't be here if you didn't trust people... so I was just wondering... what happened?" I explained. Naito stared at me blankly for a moment. She didn't react, remaining silent and motionless. "N- Naito?"
"Oh! Yeah, um, I was just thinking." She said. She took a deep sigh. "Um, do you know someone named Hano Yoshiko?" My eyes went wide, a shock coming over me.
"The... the serial killer?" I asked. She nodded.
"Well, one day I ended up getting lost. I was about 11 years old at the time, and I ended up getting lost from them. I didn't know it was her at the time, but after the incident I was able to figure out her name." Naito began. "Well, I remember feeling like someone was watching me, but I could figure out where they were. I thought I was being haunted by a ghost or something. So I started running away, because I didn't know what that scary feeling was."
"Y- you were being chased by a serial killer?" I asked, my jaw agape. Naito nodded, her eyes soft as she stared at me.
"At one point, I lost my breath, and I could hear someone running behind me. That's when a man from one of the buildings told me to get into his house from his window." Naito paused. "I know it may sound dumb, but it felt like my only option, and I was to tired and to scared to think of any other options. I climbed up into the window, and he closed it right after I did, along with the blinds. I got to watch her slowly walk by the window and..." she paused. "I made eye contact with her. A- and... I can confidently say..." she almost seemed to shiver. "No moment has ever been scarier than that brush with a serial killer."
"W- wow... that's horrible." I said. She nodded.
"The man brought me to the police station where we filed a report and my parents came and got me. If I hadn't gotten in that man's window, I don't think I'd still be here." She replied, a bright smile on her face. I paused for a moment, thinking back to the file.
"What... did she look like?" I asked. She stopped for a moment, almost fearful. She took a deep sigh, before going into her thoughts.
"Well... she had long, straight, black hair, that had clearly been dyed since her roots were turning blonde. She had piercing green eyes, and light skin." She described. She shuddered again. "Sorry, it's really... hard for me to think about..."
"Th- that's okay..." I replied. She smiled.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm glad I got to go through that fear. If I hadn't, she wouldn't have been caught, and she'd probably still be murdering people to this day." She explained. "Though... I kind of wish she didn't go through the rehabilitation program... if it didn't work then she'd be able to kill as many people she wanted. And... I don't think that fear should be felt by anyone else." Sue said. "It's nice to get this off my chest though. Thank you so much Hirano." Naito said, a bright smile on her face as she stood up and skipped off.
A famous serial killer... almost got to Naito? The thought of it made me want to freeze up. But... didn't her file say that she only killed 13 to 35 year olds? Maybe she just didn't realize she was so little, or maybe she wanted to kill someone younger but... how is this all related?
I sighed, taking a moment to think. Suddenly, something came to my mind. A thought that I couldn't shake off. Quickly, I raced over to their room, and knocked on the door. The knob turned, and slowly, it began to open.
"Oh, hey Hirano. Um, do you need something?" Kawata asked, a smile on his face.
Should I hang out with Kawata Satoru? -Yes- -No-
"Oh, yeah, I can hang out. Um, what do you want to do?" He asked.
Kawata and I went for a walk around the courtyard, before arriving at my ultimate lab. We walked inside, and sat down at the table.
I think Kawata and I grew closer today.
Would your like to give Kawata a present? -Yes- -No-
I gave Kawata a camping set.
"Woah! Hirano! How did you know that this is one of my favorite activities!? I'll definitely use this!" He said. "Um, so, what did you want to talk with me about?"
"Kawata, I need to know something." I began. "Do you... know anything about Hano Yoshiko?" Kawata's eyes went wide at the sound of her name, as if he wasn't expecting that kind of question.
"Hirano, I..." he began. "I don't really want to talk about this right now-"
"Please Kawata?" I replied. He paused for a moment, an extremely serious and professional expression on his face. He took a deep sigh.
"Alright. I'll tell you what I know. But this information is extremely confidential. If I get my job ripped away because of this I don't know what I'll do, but it won't be pretty." He said. He closed his eyes, lost in thought. "Hano Yoshiko, killed 217, including suspected killings. There was one close call where a child almost became a victim. Hano Yoshiko was arrested on August 2nd about four years ago, by officer Satoru. Hano Yoshiko beforehand had been on the run for about three months after someone was able to identify her as a serial killer suspect. Hano Yoshiko was brought to court about a couple of days later on august 20th do to her priority as a serial killer over other trials. Hano Yoshiko was found guilty only three days later, and was sentenced with the rehabilitation program at Yuutsumi academy, who claimed they could fix her. Hano Yoshiko graduated four years later with her high school diploma, and is currently studying to become a world leader." Kawata described, before opening his eyes.
"Y- you... remembered all of that?" I asked.
"Well, I had to. Hano Yoshiko's case was so important that I had to make sure I memorized it because of my involvement. But, I personally memorize every case I'm involved with, so it's not to interesting." He said.
"You were involved?" I asked. I already knew that from the files I had found on the front desk in the hospital. But he didn't know that I knew, and having him tell me would make me trust him a lot more.
"Yeah, I was the one who caught her." He replied. "I did have some help, especially since I was pretty young at the time. Honestly, right when I walked in she tried to kill me. It didn't work though, as you can see." Kawata said, a smile on his face as he pointed to himself.
"Do... do you think Hano Yoshiko is involved in this?" I asked.
"Oh, no, I don't think so." He replied. I stared at him for a moment, tilting my head to the side.
"What do you mean?" I responded.
"I mean, I got to see her again before I entered Yuutsumi academy. She's changed a lot, at least in my opinion." He said, a bright smile on his face. "Honestly, she's kind of like you now."
"R- really?" I replied.
"Oh, not in a bad way. She's become really kind and a bit shy. Of course, maybe she's faking it, but I don't think that's the case." He smiled. "It was nice talking to you Hirano, but I've got some stuff I need to deal with. I'll talk to you later!" Kawata said, before walking away.
I stared as he wandered off, before taking a bit of time to think. Hano Yoshiko... the Ultimate Serial Killer. Could someone like that really become a world leader? It sounded dumb to elect someone who used to be a serial killer. Was it even possible?
I got up from my seat, and walked over to the door. I didn't want to think about this issue at the moment. I just wanted to relax and not have to deal with any of the crazy things going on here-
"Hirano!" Someone shouted. I jumped back, making eye contact with Taguchi. "How are you today? You seem to be thinking of yourself a lot."
Should I hang out with Taguchi Masahiko? -Yes- -No-
"Okay Hirano! Follow me!" He said.
Taguchi led me outside where we sat down on the grass. We stared up at the sky for awhile, my mind racing. Thoughts of what Taguchi wanted filled my head, making it impossible to think.
Despite the tension I felt, I think Taguchi and I grew closer today.
Would you like to give Taguchi a present? -Yes- -No-
I gave Taguchi a vase from 2325 B.C.
"Oh this is cool. Probably worth a pretty penny too... I mean, I'll keep it with me forever... or something..." he exclaimed.
"H- hey... Taguchi?" I began.
"Yes?" He said, a smile on his face.
"W- why d- did you s- say that?" I asked. He looked at me, an oblivious smile staring back at me.
"What do you mean?" He replied.
"W- why did you s- say that s- stuff when w- we were in the c- cafeteria..?" I responded. Suddenly, his oblivious smile turned into a strong glare.
"Fine. I'll tell you." Taguchi said. "I..." he paused for a moment, trying to be dramatic. "I have no filter."
"Huh?" I replied.
"Yep! I don't know what I'm supposed to say, or what I shouldn't say. Like, should I say that Kajiwara almost killed a hamster? Or do I just keep that as a little secret?"
"I- I don't really-" I began.
"Oh, and apparently knowing everyone's secrets is a bad thing? Like, I'm sorry that you're really easy to read!" Taguchi laughed.
"W- well, I don't-" I started.
"And saying that someone's secrets isn't real is a bad thing? I'm sorry you don't have some huge sickness your suffering from!" Taguchi said. He paused for a moment. "You know, when I was little, I was told that telling my parents everything was a good thing. It was the only way to survive or something like that. Like, 'that old woman's probably won't notice if her diamond studded ring went missing, since she's already been through three marriages already.' It's just how we did things." Taguchi explained.
"Y- you... were a th- thief?" I asked. He paused for a moment, staring at me.
"Hirano, I have a question." He said. "Do you think it's fair that millions of people have to live on the streets? Do you think it's fair that the top class citizens shouldn't share their wealth to those who actually need it? Is it fair that a little boy should have to take things that aren't theirs just to get a piece of bread? If the upper class citizens are so wealthy that they can spend it leisurely, then isn't it only fair they give the slightest bit of wealth to those who can't do these things?" He ranted, almost angrily, as if trying to prove a point to me. "I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask my parents to teach me how to read people so well. I didn't ask to learn to pick pocket. I didn't ask to know how to play with peoples emotions." His frown turned into a horrific smirk. "But I sure as hell am going to use it." He said, standing up. "Have a good day Hirano..." he wandered off, his hands in his pockets.
I remained silent, unable to respond. I wasn't exactly sure what he meant, but I was able to understand the bare minimum. And that was... that Taguchi is someone I shouldn't mess with.
I paused, thinking to myself. There was only one person I hadn't talked to yet. And I wanted to make sure I got around to talking with everyone. I stood up, and wandered over to the ultimate labs. I spotted them, and approached.
"What do you want?" Yamazaki asked, angrily.
Should I hang out with Yamazaki Kazuki? -Yes- -No-
"... fine." He replied.
I sat with Yamazaki in his ultimate lab. He avoided eye contact with me at all costs. Which made the situation even more awkward.
Despite the tension, I feel like Yamazaki and I grew closer today.
Would you like to give Yamazaki a present? -Yes- -No-
I gave Yamazaki a puzzle box.
"..." he didn't react. The two of us remained silent for awhile, unable to come up with any topics to talk about.
"Um... Yamazaki?" I said. He looked over, glaring at me. "W- what... did you mean... w- when you said that we a- aren't so different?" He stared at me for a minute.
"What do you mean?" He asked, his eyes narrowed.
"Th- the file..." I replied. He didn't say anything for a moment, almost angry as he looked away.
"I was saying that we're both pretty secretive." He responded.
"Aren't w- we all?" I said. Yamazaki remained silent.
"Not as secretive as you." He replied. I looked back at the floor, a fear setting in.
"Y- you won't tell anyone... r- right?" I responded. He stood up, and walked to the door.
"I'm still thinking about it." He said, before walking out of the room.
I sighed, before standing up. The day was coming to a close, though it felt as if it had just started. I began walking, feeling my hands shaking in my pockets. I took a deep breath, returning to my room. My secret was going to get out... wasn't it?
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