It took two days until any of us entered the Diner again. During that time all anyone did was quietly exist and marvel about the garage.
Not many of us doubted that we had been here before after we saw the evidence inside the new building. No one brought up the memory directly, but we each implied enough details to know that we all remembered the same thing. Apparently every one of us had been there.
It also took two days until Kyofu left his house but even in doing that he was hard to find. Sometimes I would catch sight of him on the roof of the Store but he didn't acknowledge me. I was anxious to know if he had thought more about the report but I was too hesitant to ask.
It took me two days of a strictly popcorn diet before I let myself back in the Diner. I was quick to pass through the door and sit at the counter.
"Hon'yomi."
"Huh?" I looked up from the white countertop and the invisible patterns I had been making with my finger.
Kena shook her head while standing at the grill. "I said, do you want your bun toasted or regular?"
I sat up realizing I had fallen into a slouch. "Oh um...toasted."
She plopped the buns onto the grill next to the hamburger. While I waited I tapped my fingers anxiously.
"Hey do you think he was right?"
I frowned. "Who?"
Kena shrugged. "Renji." The Comedian did her best to speak of the Ventriloquist casually. "You know, he said you could've been sick because you might be allergic to something."
My reaction was to sigh. "I think I would kno-"
Kena shot me a look.
"Alright alright. So there's a possibility that I could be allergic to something and I don't remember." I began tracing patterns again. "But what could it be?"
"Well what have you eaten?" Kena mused.
"I don't know..." I winced. "How long have we even been here?"
Kena blanched. "Um...I have no idea."
"I mean since we remember being here."
"Well..." She thoughtfully flipped a hamburger. "We woke up and explored before Monokuma showed up. He arrived the second day."
I nodded, thoughts racing ahead of hers to add up the days. Day three...that was Hana and the first trial. Utsumi didn't die until the fifth night so that made today...
"Nine." I looked at Kena. "Today is the ninth day." Was it really? Three people had died before we had been here a week!
"Has it only been nine days?" Kena looked astonished.
I nodded. "I don't think I'm counting wrong."
"Well, can you remember everything you've eaten?" She asked again, shying away from discussing time.
I frowned, sifting through my jumbled thoughts. "Um, cookies, chips, those pancakes you made...a muffin..."
I ran the days through my mind and I discovered that I had seriously been lacking in the area of food consumption. I guess with the stress of everyday life here I had forgotten how hungry I usually was all the time.
"Oh! I didn't feel good so I ate nearly a whole box of saltine crackers. Also two hamburgers you made." That made me eye the one she had cooking on the grill.
Kena dismissed my thought immediately. "If there was something wrong with my cooking everyone would be affected by now."
While she was right and I was sure she wasn't at fault, the thought brought a shiver down my spine and I discovered how easy it would be for Kena to poison someone. "Then...well what is it?"
"It has to be something all those things have in common." She tossed me a confused glance. "Wait haven't you been stuffing yourself with popcorn these past two days?"
"Yes but I'm not counting that. I don't feel sick anymore I just feel hungry."
Kena laughed, "Hon'yomi you can't expect corn to keep you full."
I sighed, laying my forehead on the counter. "I knoooow...I have so many kernels in my gums..."
"You do brush your teeth right?"
I lifted my head and sent her a dark but teasing look. "Yes I do."
She grinned, flipping the spatula in her hand and placed the steaming burger on it's bun. "Here." The plate clattered as she slid it my way.
I eyed the contents warily, unsure of how my body would react to it.
'It's your own doing!'
Monokuma had said no one was at fault but me and for some reason I trusted that.
"Hon'yomi!" Kena exclaimed at my reaction. "I promise they're safe!" She stabbed a fork into her own burger still sizzling on the grill. "Here." She proceeded to look me dead in the eye and took a huge bite of the steaming meat.
I gasped like an idiot. "Kena! Don't be stupid that's hot!"
However my warnings didn't need to be said. The moment Kena closed her lips she burst them open again, spitting the hamburger out in any direction as long as it was out of her mouth. I watched as the Comedian gasped loudly, wincing at the pain.
"Oush." She said, her tounge hanging out of her mouth. "Dat's hot..."
I couldn't hide my laughter. "You fool!" I snickered at her reaction. "I've never seen someone spit out food that fast in my life!"
Kena grumbled quietly, cleaning up the mess she made. "Eat your hamburger!" She shouted at me, sending me feigned glares of annoyance.
I gave her a thumbs up and prepared to pick it up but stopped again.
'You're clever figure it out!'
Monokuma.
My eyes watched the burger on my plate. He made it sound as if only I could figure it out. But how? As a child there was no indication that I had any allergies to food. No one in my family had any allergic reactions to-
I raised my head from the bun and stared at the far wall. "Oh."
"Oh what?" Kena asked, looking disappointed that I still hadn't begun eating.
As things fell into place I groaned. "Damn it, no!"
Slightly concerned she walked closer to the counter. "What? What is it?"
Huffing I glared at the food. "I think I- oh I don't want to be- but I think I- I'm allergic to gluten..."
"Gluten?" Kena blinked. "As in...?"
I looked down at the bun and hamburger she had willingly made me. "As in bread. As in this bun." I pointed at it sadly.
Kena stared at me for a few seconds and I waited expectantly for her reaction. I myself didn't want to think it true but both my brother and my dad were intolerant and well, the majority of what I had eaten so far were types of bread, popcorn aside.
Kena continued to stare at me some time longer before sighing. "Damn." Without another word she snatched up my plate, tossing the food and it into a trash behind the counter. I watched silently and she vanished around the corner banging things around.
"Um Kena?" I leaned over the counter a bit. "What are you doing?"
"Finding gluten free food!" She called.
I sighed. "I don't think-"
Kena reamerged from the back, striding up to the counter and dropping a huge bag of rice in front of me. "Is this safe?"
I eyed it uncertainly. "I th-think so?"
She nodded. "Alright. Chicken and rice coming up."
Kena began the preparations for such as I watched in awe.
"Kena?"
"Hm?"
"You don't have to worry about this you know. I'm sure I can find something in the Store."
She shook her head. "Hell no! Plus I already started making the food." Kena grabbed the rice- bag and all- and tossed it into an empty pot. "See?"
I laughed. "Alright fine. Thank you." She nodded, giving me a smile and busied herself with her task.
The chicken and rice took a considerable amount of time which we spent idly chatting with one another. I learned that Kena was the oldest of four children by two, thirteen, and sixteen years of age. Her parents had split when she was young, making her two brothers half related to her but to her that didn't matter.
"They're my brothers either way." She said, pushing the chicken around in the pan. "I love them very much. As much as I love my sister."
I nodded. "I have a half brother too but I don't know him very well. We only met once at my sisters graduation. He seems nice but he doesn't live very close."
The conversation drifted to other subjects. I discovered that the two of us liked many of the same stories and movies. We even compared notes on the types of video games we'd sometimes play.
"Hey Hon'yomi?" Kena asked after we had finished laughing at a joke together.
"Yeah?" I muttered between mouthfuls of rice.
"What do you think is happening in the world right now?"
I paused, setting my chopsticks aside. "The world?"
She nodded. "Yeah, I mean Monokuma said we've missed years. So many things could've happened during that time. And also...I just wonder if anyone is looking for us."
Her words struck a nerve with me. I too had wondered if my family had been searching. If so, what had they found? Had they given up? Were they still looking?
"I don't know." I said finally. "All I can say is-"
"Hope for the best?" Kena offered.
I stared at her, at a loss of how to respond as the girl stole the words from me. "Y-yeah."
She nodded. "Trust me, I've heard that before."
The two of us continued our meal in silence.
I was glad that I had grown closer with Kena today and that my plan of getting to know people better had worked out with her.
She sighed and stared at our empty bowls. "Alright. I'm out." Kena stated, sweeping them up in her hands and setting them in the sink. "The dishes can wait. I'm going to go look around the garage a bit more." She looked at me. "Wanna come?"
"Hmmm." I frowned. "I don't think so. I'll walk around a bit." I slid to my feet.
Kena nodded and waved as she reached the door. "I'll be in the garage!" She repeated and left me momentarily alone in the Diner.
The new door whooshed softly as I exited it's shiny confines, trying to ignore the chills that it brought to my skin. The day was comfortably warm with a soft breeze tickling my nose, begging me to react.
Three sudden sneezes erupted from my lips crashing through the square like a clap. A glower found it's way onto my features and I began dreading the sneezes that were sure to follow.
"Bless you." Toshiro said strolling to my side from the Town Hall.
Slightly startled I turned to greet him. "Th-thanks." I sniffed
He nodded coming to a stop, pushing his hands into his pockets. "Allergies?"
Sighing I hung my head. "Unfortunately. I'm hoping they don't start up and kill me."
Toshiro laughed at my answer. "That bad huh?"
I nodded and shrugged. At the talk of allergies I thought to bring up my conclusion about my sickness but-
"Hon'yomi." The lighthearted mood drifted to a close as the Actor looked at the ground rubbing his neck. "Can I ask you something?"
I frowned at his request, instinctively looking around to see if anyone else occupied the area. Concluding that we were alone I knit my brows. "Sure."
"Well..." He glanced to my face almost apologetically. "It's about the memory."
My nerves reacted at once, tensing up my body restlessly. I still hadn't really discussed it with anyone other than to agree with details others recalled. "What about it?"
The Actor looked struck with energy after I spoke, his whole body filling with intense focus. "I've been thinking about it and- well-" His words vanished from the space between us. "The thing is..." Toshiro sighed taking in the breath like it would save his life. "I'm just wondering -among other things- what happened to the school?"
Miserably, I called upon the images Monokuma had so gratefully given us. "You remember that that was Hope's Peak too." Doubt weaved itself among my words as I tried to puzzle out what he was thinking.
Toshiro nodded. "I recognized the building from when I first arrived there. From-" He paused, cringing at the memory and gore it contained. "From where I stood I could see the front of the building."
I nodded slowly, unable to confirm or deny this detail. From the way I had been held I hadn't been able to see anyone other than Rika and that man in the mask... "It was destroyed. With what little I could see, there was debris and rubble everywhere."
Toshiro nodded in agreement as we continued to gloss over the moment of the womans death.
"How did that happen?" He asked it purposefully like he expected the world around him to give an answer. "It's a prestigious school Hon'yomi, known worldwide!" He watched me earnestly. "How was it ruined?"
My thoughts returned to the report I had lent to Kyofu. Did that have something to do with this? It sounded like it had been a huge issue but in comparison to the entire school being laid to waste it almost seemed arbitrary.
"I-I don't know Toshiro." I winced as the newest phrase leaked in my thoughts again: New hope we've grown has been murdered, by despair in our land.
"Don't you want to?" He asked.
"I mean- yes I do! I just can't pull things together in my head right now." I anxiously fiddled with the hem of my skirt, sorry to dismiss his attempts to puzzle this out. "Monokuma didn't give us much and...well my past self wasn't thinking about things like that."
Toshiro watched me warily, clearly crestfallen at my lack of recollection. "Neither was mine..." He anxiously tugged on his jacket, matching my awkward tick. "I just wish we could know." He bore his eyes into mine hopefully. "Then maybe we could start making headway against Monokuma."
At the mention of the bear's name I looked around fearfully. "Don't say that so loudly." I commanded in a hushed tone.
He blinked, realizing his mistake and nodded.
I shook my head. "That's okay, you're worried and just want to know what is going on."
"Exactly!" Toshiro sighed in relief.
The conversation died out as we reached this stalemate and I was scrambling for something to say when he beat me to it. "Where were you off to?"
Shrugging I scanned the square. "I was going to walk around. Nothing planned really."
"Heading to the Arcade?" He asked expectantly.
I narrowed my eyes in thought, "Um...no probably not..." I offered him a smile. "It's really dark in there."
As lame as that sounded it was my own reasoning. The Arcade windows were dark, leaving the blinking games and dull lamps to illuminate what shadows they could. I didn't want to be contained in a bleak environment at the moment, however I had never noticed it as being bleak before.
While appearing a little disappointed he didn't press my company. "Well I'm heading that way if you want to come by later."
"Sure!" I said brightly, unable to shake the strange sense of awkwardness in the air. "See you later." I stepped forward to make my way towards the Store.
"Hon'yomi."
I paused as he spoke my name, looking back at him with question. "Yes?"
Toshiro closed the space between us, hands raised towards my neck. Confusion spread to alarm as I froze, unsure of his intentions. I slightly stepped back, "Wha-?"
I felt slight pressure at my collar as I realized what he was doing. "Your bowtie is crooked." Toshiro muttered, adjusting the black bow.
Oh. "Th-thanks." I managed, trying my best to cover the paranoia that had easily overcome my mind.
The Actor nodded with a smile. "Sure thing." He casually walked towards the Arcade, giving no indication that he sensed my moment of fear.
I shook my head, disappointed at myself. "I need to calm down." He wasn't going to attack me after all.
Unsure of which direction to go I stood still outside the Diner enjoying the soft breeze. Maybe I would go for a swim? I had yet to enter the pool.
Heart set on this decision I strode my way between the tree and Town Hall, beelining towards the Gym. I had nearly made it past the open barrier when something bright flashed in the corner of my eye. Struck with curiosity I paused, turning my head to see what captured my attention.
Beginning at the base Kaz had expertly latched himself to the far end of the Store wall, utilizing the small pipes and divots in the surface to pull himself towards the roof.
Confused, I tried to distinguish what exactly had caught my eye when the sun reflected off his bright hair again. I smiled to myself and watched him climb, slightly in awe at the speed and skill he moved with, placing himself at the top in merely seconds before disappearing.
Casting a glance around the square once again, I made my way towards the Store. Walking past the door and large window I planted my feet, looking up at the wall he had easily scaled. I studied it cautiously, pinpointing areas of support and footholds. "What the hell?" I mumbled. I climbed my roof at home all the time. Maybe I could surprise Kaz at the top too.
Once I was confident with my deductions I began my climb. My foot wedged into an indent in the wall while I reached towards a small narrow pipe for grip. Pleased with my efforts I managed to hoist myself a few feet higher, grabbing onto a higher section of the pipe. It wasn't until I made it nearly eight feet off the ground before I ran into trouble.
"Hon'yomi!"
Heart leaping to my throat I clutched the wall tightly hoping not to fall and hoping no one below could see up my skirt.
"What are you doing?!" Akemi jogged over to the store, Kimiko following closely behind. I relaxed a little at the sight of the twins.
"Shhh!" I turned my head around as best I could. "I'm trying to sneak up on Kaz."
The girls looked at each other and smiled. "Can we come too?" Kimiko asked at a lower volume, bouncing with excitement.
I nodded as best I could while keeping my hold on the wall. "Sure!"
"Okay. Once you reach the top we'll follow." Akemi decided.
Pouring my focus by into the task at hand I studied the next level of support. I frowned at my slim chances: a small screw for my foot and the ledge of the roof for my hand.
"What's wrong?" Kimiko inquired, noticing my pause.
My fingers started to get slippery from their long hold on the pipe. "I'm just hoping I can make this."
"You just have to be quick." Akemi observed.
"Sounds about right." I muttered and took my chance.
Hand still braced around the pipe I lifted my right foot, digging the screw into my sole. Heart racing some speed faster than usual I pushed off my left, raising my hand towards the roof. I breathed a sigh of relief as my grips held and swiftly hoisted myself over the lip of the roof and onto the top.
Smiling I rose to my feet triumphant, ready to shout encouragement to the twins below as the wind was harshly knocked out of me.
"You climbed!"
I was vaguely aware of the excited voice twittering around me while my attention was captured by the vice-like hug I was trapped in and how close I was teetering on the edge. "K-Kaz!"
Just as quickly as they had arrived the arms around me vanished only to latch onto my wrists. "Don't fall!" Kaz looked at me like I was his student, his grip the only thing keeping me from tumbling to the street below.
I blinked to gather my bearings and shuffled away from the edge. Once clearly balanced, Kaz dropped his hands and beamed up at me. "You made it!"
I laughed at his jubilant reaction. "Well I've had my own fair share of climbing things before. And I wanted to surprise you!" I spun around to gaze across the town while Kaz nodded vigorously.
From the Store vantage point my sight traveled just over the Diner to the park. To the east I could see the tops of half our houses, the rest blocked by the Arcade roof.
Turning around there was the pool and gym and beyond that the garage. The Town Hall still towered over the square several feet higher than the Store. The rest of the vantage point was blocked off by the huge metal walls higher than any of the rooftops excluding the Hall, to prevent anyone from seeing the outside world.
"Ha!" Akemi's voice traveled to the roof as she made her appearance. "Made it!"
Kaz spun around in surprise, his smile growing even wider. "Akemi!" The girl straightened up and turned, hoisting Kimiko atop as well. "Kimiko!" Kaz rushed to them hugging them both.
"You all climbed up here!" He shouted.
The three of us nodded.
"We love climbing things!" Akemi said.
Kimiko walked around the roof. "Can you really see a good sunset from here?" She asked.
Kaz turned to her. "Yes! Though I haven't been up here since Hana..." He admitted sadly.
"Oh look at that bird!" Akemi exclaimed before the mood could grow dark.
Laughing Kaz ran to the small yellow cockatoo in flight, letting her land in his hand. "This is Tenshi!"
The twins watched with amazed faces. "You have a bird!?" Kimiko exclaimed just as Akemi started nudging her. "Kimi, Kimi. You have to draw it."
Kaz presented Tenshi to the watching girls and I wandered over to them.
She repeated the same ritual as before, fluttering up to the Artist and Illustrator, rubbing her head on their cheeks.
"That means she likes you." I said to them, repeating what Kaz had told me.
They both beamed with happiness, matching the growing energy atop the store.
"Can I hold her?" Akemi asked, watching the bird dance around our heads.
"If she want to!" Kaz shouted, waving his friend back to his hand. "Here." He carefully outstretched his arm to Akemi. "Don't hold her, just let her sit. You can pet her!"
Akemi cooed at the bird, proud that Tenshi had chosen to remain on her hand. "You're so pretty!" She said. "Kimi! You have to paint her!"
Kimiko mearly nodded, focusing on drawing a sketch in a notebook that had no apparent origin.
"You're going to paint Tenshi?!" Kaz asked.
Kimiko puzzled in thought. "Well," She said in a soft high voice. "There is paint in the garage and extra canvases. I think so."
"Thank you!" Kaz shouted.
Akemi reassured him. "She's amazing trust me. It will look so good!"
I smiled. "Kemi you should draw her too! Your also very good."
She looked at me and shrugged. "Well, Kimi is better but..."
I shook my head. "You're both very good! I saw your drawings in the garage-"
Akemi grew pale at the mention of those, making me pause. "Wha-?"
"Kiyoshi!" Kimiko burst out, waving wildly.
Curious, I looked to the ground in question where the Artist stared.
Kiyoshi paused in puzzlement, having been making his way to the Diner. He lifted his dark eyes, following the sound of his name. I caught them widen when he focused on our forms atop the store. "How did you get up there?!" He shouted fearfully, rushing to be closer.
I laughed at his reaction. "We climbed!"
"Yeah!" Kaz exclaimed. "They followed me!"
Kiyoshi remained unmoving, shock on his face.
"Kiyoshi?" Akemi asked. "You should come up here too it's very-"
The Inventor quickly turned on his heel, heading straight for the garage.
"Where are you going?!" Kimiko called, leaning over the edge a little to see him.
"I'll be right back!" He shouted over his shoulder before disappearing.
We shared looks of confusion before Kaz and his friend had our focus again.
The Inventor did in fact come 'right back'. Barely any time had passed before we saw his large shape again. I had sat myself down across from Kimiko watching her draw while Akemi and Kaz were distracted by Tenshi.
"Kiyoshi!" I called, noticing his return. I jumped up in surprise as he drew closer. "What's that?"
"A ladder." He said, marching his way to the Store wall, a metal structure in hand.
"Where did you find that?" Akemi asked. By now the Inventor had captured all our attention.
He huffed a little. "I made it."
"Yeah Akemi!" Kimiko said. "He makes things."
Akemi squinted at her sister in confusion, shaking her head at her.
"What did you make it for?" I asked, although I was quite sure that I already knew why.
He turned and swung it up, so it stretched past his head. "This way everyone can get up to the roof, and no one will get hurt trying to climb." Kiyoshi swung it towards us, hooking two pieces of it on the roof and letting the remaining parts rest against the wall. The rungs were made out of many different kinds of material but looked strong enough. Kiyoshi bent down as he started attaching the ladder to the wall.
"But we didn't get hurt climbing up here." Kimiko said.
"That's alright." The Inventor said. "This way no one has to chance it again. Except Kaz." Kiyoshi looked to the Climber who was studying the ladder with distaste. "I think he'll find a more difficult way to get up there despite the ladder." The Inventor smiled up at us.
"Thanks Kiyoshi." I said.
"Hey! What are you guys doing!?" Saori's booming voice found it's way up to us.
I turned towards the sound and ran to the far edge of the Store. "Just hanging out! You guys should come up here!" I shouted to Saori and Mae. They both appeared to have exited the pool.
Saori frowned. "I'm not really a-"
"There's a ladder so you can't say no!" Akemi shouted.
Saori glanced at Mae who looked unsure.
I sighed with dissapointment. "It's not that high up here." I smiled. "Trust me! You can see almost everything!"
They began walking into the square. "Since when is there a ladder?" The Singer asked skeptically.
Kiyoshi tipped his hat to the girls when they reached him. "I just made one." He gestured to the newest feature on the Store wall.
Saori looked at it as if she expected it to cave the moment she stepped on it.
"Come on guys!" I said. "I trust Kiyoshi to make it safe!"
"Alr-" Before the Singer could make her way up, the familiar voice that we all dreaded stopped her.
"What do we have here?!"
My face fixed itself into a permanent scowl at Monokuma's appearance.
The bear pranced around the new ladder attached to the wall. "Just what do you think you're doing?!" He glared up at Kiyoshi.
The Inventor cringed, shying away from Monokuma's gaze.
"He just built a ladder." Mae said, scoffing at the overreacting bear.
"And attached it to my Store!" Monokuma growled.
"So what?" I shouted down to him. "He'd didn't break any rules."
The air felt as though it calmed, the continuous breeze halting in it's journey. I held my breath hoping I wasn't somehow wrong. If I remembered correctly I wasn't.
Even in broad daylight the bears eye shined menacingly and I felt like it could see right through me. "No he didn't." He growled, as if clenching his teeth.
"Right." I said, although I didn't feel relieved with his confirmation. "Then no one did anything wrong here."
"I suppose not." Monokuma said dangerously.
"Then why are you here?" Saori demanded. I sighed as his attention went to her before frowning. She always seemed to ask him that question.
"Can I not check up on the residents of my town?" He countered.
I shared a look of uncertain fear with Kaz, noticing Tenshi was no longer in sight.
"This isn't your town Monokuma."
Our group collectively turned heads. Toshiro appeared, making his way from the Arcade. He scowled at the bear, his mood parallel to ours.
"Oh no?" Monokuma watched him with a challenge. "What makes you say that?"
The Actor crossed his arms. "Don't pretend like you haven't realized we've noticed. This place was real once! An actual town, so it's not yours. You had to have taken it somehow!"
"Well it's mine now." The bear insisted.
"So does that mean you're confirming what he said?" Mae inquired, glaring at Monokuma.
He turned between the two of them. "I never said he was right."
"Can you say he was wrong!?" Kimiko shouted.
At some point I noticed my heart racing, but not in fear. It seemed that somehow we had caught Monokuma off guard.
He grumbled to himself darkly. "Are you trying to trick me? Maybe you're all wanting a few more rules around here?"
While it was a true threat, I sensed that none of us felt very threatened.
"What will you add this time Monokuma?" Mae asked. "Go ahead, add a rule!"
We watched him perilously, fearing that he would in fact follow through with his threat.
"If you make it easier to get punished on our own, there will be less chances for people to be killed." Toshiro pointed out.
At first I was surprised at what the Actor said before I realized what he was doing. I felt excitement bubbling up inside as I watched the bear fumble for a response.
"Well? What do you say?" Akemi called to him. It seemed we had all found a little courage in his silence.
I opened my mouth to add my own comment only to notice that he was suddenly gone.
We all remained quiet, unsure of what exactly had just occurred. How much had we just upset him? Had we made a mistake?
At the same moment Saori and I met gazes and grinned, all my worries flying away. "Did you see that?!" I shouted instead of voicing doubt.
Each of us broke, letting out exclamations of joy and pure shock.
"Monokuma ran from us!" Kaz screeched happily.
"That was amazing!" Saori shouted, grabbing Toshiro and hugging him tightly. He smiled widely returning the gesture.
Kimiko and Akemi hurried down the ladder, Kaz following close behind. Once they reached the ground the twins tackled Mae unexpectedly in their excitement.
I laughed along with the rest. I couldn't believe it. In all reality we hadn't accomplished anything really but to us it was a victory of some sort and that made all the difference. I couldn't help but feel stronger as I watched my friends expressing their joy, and rush off to tell the others. We had -in our own small standoff with the bear- brought ourselves a moment of hope.
Noticing Saori and Mae gesturing to me I was shaken out of my stupor and headed to the ladder. It was then, amidst my movement that I caught sight of an observer none of us had noticed before. Haruko barely spared me a glance before she disappeared behind the huge oak tree.
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