DING DONG BING BONG!
"Attention kiddos, it is now 10pm, which means go to bed! Now! Go! Do you want to get killed?"
I headed up the stairs to my room when, suddenly, I heard a loud fight coming from down the hall.
Curious, I turned the corner to see Rouko Soba blocking Hisoka Yuuto's door, stopping the boy from entering. Kyung Hye watched from a little bit away, worried.
"You have to socialise with us!" Rouko shouted.
"I j-just want to go to my room." Hisoka replied, kicking at the floor.
"No! Because if you go back to your room, you won't leave again, and how are we supposed to make friends with you if you hide?" Rouko asked.
"I won't." Hisoka said.
"Rouko...please let him go." Kyung spoke up.
"No! He has to make friends!" Rouko replied.
"Your...assumptions...might be too big." Kyung said. It took me a minute to figure out what she was trying to say.
"They aren't! Yuuto, you have to make friends! Go out and talk to people!" Rouko said.
"I-I'm...I'm tired." Hisoka stuttered.
"Then we'll have a sleepover!" Rouko reached over to touch Hisoka, but he stumbled backwards, alarmed.
"Hey, what's going on?" I asked.
"Yuuto won't talk to us!" Rouko said.
"It is...night time. Let him sleep." Kyung sighed.
"P-please let me through..." Hisoka murmured, reaching for the door handle.
Rouko threw herself in front of it though, surprising the poor boy.
"He'll probably come out tomorrow morning." I said, "why now?"
"Because!" Rouko harrumphed.
"We haven't seen him...since the trial." Kyung expanded, "Rouko was worried."
"We'll do a Fuyutake on him! He can join us in a food fight or something and then everyone'll trust him!" Rouko shouted.
"A food fight now?" Kyung scratched her head.
"Yeah!"
"Isn't that a little bit...imaginary?"
"I-imaginary?" Hisoka asked.
"That's not the right word...but yes! Imaginary! Like you were before the trial, Yuuto!" Rouko cried, "now come with us!"
"J-just let me sleep, p-please." Hisoka mumbled.
"Sleep-over, you mean." Rouko grabbed Hisoka's hand and tried to pull him away, but he stood his ground.
"Rouko, just leave him alone, maybe." I said.
"No!" The Translator replied. She tried to pull him behind her but only got a couple of steps before Kyung stopped her.
"This has...gone too far." She said. She gripped Rouko's arm and pried her fingers away from Hisoka's hand, finally letting the boy go.
"T-thanks." He spun and dipped into his room, slamming the door behind him.
"You can let go of me now, Kyung." Rouko grumbled.
The Exchange Student didn't move.
She was too busy staring at something on Rouko's wrist.
"Come on, you're gripping too tightly." Rouko laughed, but it was higher-pitched. Stressed, even.
There was silence in the hallway. Until,
"What's...that?" Kyung suddenly asked.
"What's..." Rouko turned around to look at her wrist, "what." She whispered. Her face began to turn bright red. Curious, I took a few steps forward, and noticed what Kyung was looking at.
In her attempt to pull Rouko away from Hisoka, she had accidentally pulled the Translator's shirt sleeve up. Peeking out from it was a large scar. It ran up her arm, and disappeared under the sleeve.
"N-nothing! It's nothing!" Rouko hurriedly yanked her arm out of Kyung's hand and pulled the sleeve down, and in turn her other sleeve rode up a little, revealing a burn-like scar on her other arm.
"Rouko..." Kyung grabbed her arm before she could pull down her other sleeve and ran her fingers over the scar. The Translator shivered.
"Don't." She tried to pull her hand away but Kyung held tight, pushing the sleeve up further.
I gasped.
There were more scars.
So many, in fact, that I couldn't see a clean piece of skin.
"Rouko," Kyung didn't seem to be able to say anything else, only looking at her friend with teary eyes.
Rouko stared back, in fear, but she quickly covered it with anger and yanked her arm away, pulling the sleeve down.
"It's not important." She growled, backing up.
"Wait-!" I took a step forward, but Rouko moved back even further. She held her arms up defensively.
"Don't touch me!" She shouted, hitting the wall and immediately looking around for an escape. Her breathing shortened.
"I-I'll fight you! Get away!" She threw a weak punch, and I skittered back, throwing my hands up in defence.
"Rouko, I'm not going to hurt you!" I said.
"Do you...need a hug?" Kyung asked, reaching her arms out. Rouko saw what was happening and a shrill scream escaped her lips, and she ducked under Kyung's arms, bolting down the hallway and into her room.
"Rouko!" Kyung ran after the girl, and I followed hot on her heels, entering her room. Rouko was in the living area, but as soon as she saw us she made a bolt for the door, eyes wild.
Kyung slammed it closed in front of her, though, and Rouko hurriedly diverted to the bathroom, slamming and locking the door behind her.
"Rouko, let me in!" Kyung cried, rattling the door handle. A horrified shriek came from inside, making my heart drop.
"Kyung, leave her be!" I shouted.
"No!" The Exchange Student replied, slamming on the door.
"You're scaring her!" I pushed my way in front of the door, stopping her, but in a rage, unseeing of me, Kyung just continued banging.
I felt my stomach turning, the sudden stress of the situation and not knowing what to do getting to me. I couldn't just let Kyung continue, but I couldn't stop her, either.
Argh, I couldn't think straight! There was way too much noise!
You could use that.
I looked around the room, and suddenly an idea came to mind. I ducked around Kyung and ran into the centre of the bedroom, and, at the top of my lungs, screamed "Monoko!"
"You call-Geez, why is it so loud in here?" The cat clamped its paws over its ears.
"I need you to use the PA system. In this room only." I said.
"What? Why? When? Now? Why now? What's going on? What's the gossip? Why are you waking me uuuup?" Monoko went through a range of emotions before settling on annoyed.
"Look, just do it for me. Don't say anything, just switch it on." I said.
"And then I can nap?" It asked.
"Whatever, just do it!" I replied.
"Oiya! Don't be rude to your principal!" Monoko huffed, before disappearing.
Less than a moment later, a loud screech echoed through the room, causing me to press my hands over my ears.
After what felt like too long, it finally cut off.
"Happy now?" Monoko shouted over the system.
"Thanks..." I mumbled.
Looking over at the bathroom, I noticed Kyung was now sitting with her back to the door, looking defeated.
"Now that everything's calmed down," I began, but never got to finish.
"Everything is not calm!" Kyung glared at me and growled something in Korean.
"Sorry," I ran my hands through my hair.
Kyung looked at me, then the floor, and began to cry.
"Hey, wait-" I was ignored.
"Why would you do that, Rouko?" Kyung asked.
There was no answer.
At least, not until,
"I don't want to talk." Rouko managed to murmur from the other side of the door.
"But-" Kyung was stopped.
"It's over. It was over a long time ago." Rouko replied.
"You can't just...hide it!" Kyung said.
"Can you just...leave." The Translator's tone had gone from emotional to completely monotone.
"I'm not leaving you alone." Kyung wiped her eyes.
"...Do you pity me?"
Kyung fell silent.
"If you do," Rouko paused, "stop. I didn't do this to myself."
"What? Who...did?" Kyung whispered.
"She doesn't exist anymore." Rouko said the words with such venom I couldn't help but feel a shiver run down my spine. Kyung looked at the door, then at me, a question.
"Leave her be." I said softly.
"What if-"
I shook my head. Kyung looked like she was about to listen to me, but at the last moment she frowned, stood up, and walked over to the couch in the living area, seating herself.
"I'm sleeping in here...tonight." She said.
I was about to argue with her, but something told me not to. I would only make things worse.
In fact, I was pretty sure sticking around would make things worse too.
Kyung and Rouko spent all their time together.
They were always there for each other.
So...they would get over this, right?
"Be safe." I said, leaving.
I felt my heart turn as I closed the door behind me.
Everything was not calm.
Ding dong bing bong!
"Attention students, it is now 7am! Get out of bed and stop sulking~!"
Worry had kept me from a deep sleep, and when I looked in the mirror I noticed I had gained some eye bags not unlike Rei's, but less prominent. Nobody was knocking on my door this morning, but I had things to do.
To distract myself.
I met Tamotsu in the kitchen, seeing only a few people in the halls as I moved downstairs. He was humming a melody to himself as he prepared what looked to be the beginnings of grilled fish and miso soup. To the right of me were two industrial size rice cookers, switched on.
"When did you get up?" I asked him.
The Cello Player jumped, "oh!" And turned, seeing me. As soon as he did, he sighed.
"Mr. Seiko, I did not expect you to be so silent." He said.
"Ah, well...breaking into abandoned buildings for parkour helped me, I guess." I ran a hand through my hair.
"Breaking into abandoned...Mr. Seiko, have you done illegal things to become an ultimate?" He asked, shocked.
"The police never pulled me up on it." I shrugged. Instead of answering, Tamotsu gave me a disappointed look and shook his head.
"Sorry dad." I mumbled.
We made breakfast in relative silence, with Tamotsu giving me directions every so often on what to do. After only half an hour, we had fourteen plates of steaming food sitting on a counter and a ruckus of voices coming from the cafeteria.
"Mr. Seiko." Tamotsu bowed to me, "thank you very much for helping me today."
"U-uhm-" I ran my hands through my hair, surprised at the formality, "you don't have to thank me. We're friends, right?"
"Do friends not thank each other? Ah, maybe I am just stuck in my traditional roots." Tamotsu chuckled light-heartedly.
"Traditional roots?" I frowned.
"Yes. Though I was taught cello by my uncle, he also taught me the traditional ways of our family line. Before I came to Future's Hope, I would wear a kimono every day." Tamotsu looked like he was about to say something, but stopped himself. A sad smile crossed his face.
"Did something happen...to your uncle?" I asked quietly.
"Cancer." Tamotsu replied after a moment, "the man who was my inspiration never saw me become an Ultimate."
I wasn't sure how to reply. Saying sorry just felt empty, and trying to change the subject would be rude. A melancholic silence passed over us as we stood in the kitchen, sharing a moment of respect for the people we had lost.
It didn't last long, though.
"What the fuck's the holdup? I'm starvin'!" Michi Katsu shouted from somewhere in the cafeteria.
"Ah, right." I shook myself into action, grabbing a couple of plates and beginning to walk out.
"Fuckin' finally!" Michi shouted. He skated over and snatched a plate out of my hands, seating himself at the head of the table, far from where everyone else was sitting in the middle.
"Hey! That was rude!" Kioko called.
"I have to train!" Michi replied. He began shovelling the food into his mouth. I grimaced and walked to the first person seated - Yuudai - and gave him a plate.
"Woah, this looks great!" He said.
"Tamotsu made it. I just cut up stuff." I replied.
"You still helped." Yuudai grinned at me, "thanks, Asahi!"
"It's okay." I laughed a little, before heading back to the kitchen.
I pushed the door open, grabbing some more plates, and began handing them out. Tamotsu had come out of his memories as well and started bringing plates out too. As I handed food to everyone, I became aware of something weird.
Rouko and Kyung were sitting at opposite sides of the table. They were nowhere near each other.
Rouko looked defeated. She barely noticed when I put a plate in front of her. Instead, she sat rigidly in her chair, staring at the table, her hands gripping the edge tightly, like she was about to fall. I made a note to talk to her later.
Kyung, on the other hand, was quite the social butterfly. Rei, specifically, seemed to gravitate towards her, but she was talking to a few others as well. It seemed that even without Rouko's help, she had improved her Japanese, to the point now where she could keep up with everyone's conversations.
Finally, everyone had food and I grabbed a plate for myself, taking a seat next to Fuyutake.
Ever since yesterday's battle, she seemed to have reintegrated herself into the group dynamic. She barely even noticed I was there when I sat down, too busy talking. That was, until she almost elbowed me in the face while sharing a dramatic story about a midnight escapade she'd gone on last night to find food and avoid Monoko.
According to her, she'd managed to make a grilled cheese, even thought she had no knives to cut the cheese.
"I used my karate skills!" She said, and I narrowly avoided her arm as it swung at me.
"Woah, watch out! You almost hit Asahi!" Kioko shouted, "that's my job!"
"Eh?" Fuyutake asked.
"Eh?" I asked.
The Graffiti Artist turned to see me, "When did you get here?"
"A couple of minutes ago." I replied.
"Damn. You're quiet." She said.
"He's like a ninja! Or a spy!" Kioko added.
"Ah, not really." I ran a hand through my hair, "my hair wouldn't help."
"White!" Kioko shouted, "that's right! I still haven't touched your hair!" Immediately she leaped up onto the table, dodging some plates and cups to get over to me. She jumped off between Fuyutake and I, and turned to me, hands on her hips.
"Gimme your head." She said.
"Eh?" I asked.
"Go on, Asahi. Chop it off." Fuyutake poked her head around the Board Gamer.
"Eh?!" I grabbed my neck, "You can't have it!"
"I'm just kidding." Fuyutake poked her tongue out, and reached over to ruffle my hair.
"Bah bow!" Kioko karate chopped the Graffiti Artists hand down, "I got dibs on touching Asahi's hair first!"
"Aw man." Fuyutake laughed. Kioko spun to me, and an excited smile came over her face.
"I've been waiting since the first day." She said.
"I-I told you, it's not that interesting." I said, "it's just hair."
"It's more than hair!" Kioko shouted right in my face, "it's hair that's different!"
"Uhm..." I ran my hand through my hair.
"I'm so excited!" Kioko lifted her arms, reaching for my head, "my first time..."
"Word choice, Kioko." Fuyutake said.
"Shush!" The Board Gamer replied. She bit her lip, eyes wide, and reached for my hair.
But then I felt someone slam their hand down on my head and start ruffling my hair violently.
"Kyaaaah!" Kioko shouted, angrily this time, "Yuudai, I hate you!"
"It's your fault." The hand came away from my head, "you made me want to touch Asahi's hair." Yuudai giggled.
"You're so mean!" Kioko glared behind me, "you ruined my moment!"
"Hey, you can still touch his hair." Yuudai said.
"But I was gonna be the first! The only other person that's touched Asahi's hair is Asahi!"
"Actually, people touched my hair outside of this place." I said, trying to fix the mess the Theatre Manager had made.
"That doesn't count!" Kioko replied.
"Okay, fine. How about I was the first person to touch Asahi's hair in the cafeteria? Then you can be the first to touch his hair anywhere else." Yuudai said. I spun to see him giving Kioko the thumbs up.
"Woah, what a great idea!" Kioko cried.
"Uhm, there's a person attached to this hair..." I said.
"Fine! I dibs on touching Asahi's hair first everywhere else!" Kioko ignored me.
"Hmmm," Yuudai put a finger to his chin, "fine."
"Yay!" Kioko grinned.
She spun around, leaped up onto the table again, and made her way back to her seat. Yuudai, also ignoring me, went to his seat too.
"Your hair stands out more than you do." Fuyutake laughed.
I sighed.
After breakfast was finished, Tamotsu got everyone's attention to explain the new kitchen roster. He had chosen Kyung, Alastor, Aimi and I to help him in shifts with cooking. Today was my turn, tomorrow was Aimi's, and so on. Since everyone had lunch at different times we were left to our own devices, but I'd have to be back at dinner.
Yuudai was thoroughly unimpressed with the situation, but Tamotsu only had to utter the word 'batter' to shut the Theatre Manager up. After that, he let us all go.
I was going to find Rouko, but Seiichi caught up to me before I could.
"Hey, Asahi! Come to the onsen with me later." He said. Before I could answer, he ran off.
Well, at least I wasn't being dragged around again.
I continued on my way to find the Translator, and, after much too long, found her in the library, reading something.
"Rouko?" I knocked on one of the bookshelves, gaining her attention.
She looked up at me, scowled, and went back to her book, "I don't want to talk."
"I just wanted to make sure you were doing ok-" I was stopped.
"What makes you think I'd be doing okay?" She asked.
"W-well, maybe that was the wrong word choice..." I ran a hand through my hair.
"Look, there's a few people I don't want to see at all right now. You're one of them. So if you could leave, right now, I'd be much happier." Rouko said, turning back to her book.
"Do you want to talk about anything?" I pushed.
"No." Rouko put her book up, ignoring me.
Well, that wasn't what I was expecting.
But, if she didn't want to talk, there wasn't much I could do.
"See you." I waved, and left the room. She didn't respond.
I spent most of the morning in the cafeteria, mulling over things in a corner.
However, I was interrupted.
"E-excuse me." A voice murmured, "that's-that's my s-seat."
"Eh?" I looked up to see Hisoka Yuuto, his hoodie down, looking at me. He was holding a plate with a singular piece of bread on it, lathered with butter.
"I-I usually sit there." He stuttered.
"Can't you move to a different seat?" I asked.
He looked around at the empty cafeteria, then turned back to me, "N-no."
"Fine." I sighed, shifting over a seat. Hisoka sat down and picked at his bread, eating very little. For a while it was absolute silence.
Finally, I decided to say something.
"So...how was your day, Yuuto?" I asked.
"T-that's your opening line?" The boy took a small bite of the toast.
"Oh, well, uhm..." I ran a hand through my hair.
"That q-question is about as plain as-as this toast." He said.
"For someone so quiet, you've got a mouth on you." I mumbled.
"W-was I rude?" Hisoka suddenly dropped his toast and his eyes went wide.
"Eh?" I asked.
"I-I was obse-obs-observing everyone's b-behaviour and s-saw that people who were c-close usually insulted each o-other." He pulled his hoodie up and tugged the strings until only his nose poked out.
"Uh, no, it's...fine, Yuuto. I just don't know you that well yet." I waved my hands.
"Real-ly?" He whispered.
"Yeah." I said.
"Okay." He unsinched his hoodie strings.
"So, who...who are you, anyway?" I asked.
"H-Hisoka Yuuto." He replied.
"You really don't have an ultimate talent?" I asked. He shook his head.
"No. I don't-t have many things that a-are certain, but that's one of them." He said.
"How did you end up here, then?" I asked.
"I-I don't know." His voice filled with emotion, "I don't w-want to be here."
"Nobody does." I sighed.
"But I don't b-belong." He stuttered, "t-this isn't my...p-place."
"Maybe that's because you disappeared for a really long time." I shrugged, "it's never too late to start making friends."
"B-But it is." Hisoka said.
"I'm trying to become your friend." I said. He paused.
For a few seconds he sat in complete stillness. I wasn't sure what to do. Finally, though, he spoke.
"I-I g-gotta go." He stammered. He pulled his hoodie strings tighter around his face and grabbed his plate, disappearing out of the cafeteria doors.
Huh?
My confusion was short-lived, though, as Seiichi suddenly burst into the room. He looked around for a millisecond before zeroing in on me.
"Asahi! Come on, we're going to the onsen." He huffed.
"Were you running?" I asked, climbing out of my seat.
"Yes! I was getting all the guys together so we could go, but when I walked past it I caught Fuyutake trying to get in instead! Since it was an emergency, I had to send Alastor to distract her, and now I have to hurry and get everyone else so she doesn't end up going in!" He shouted.
"Oh, okay." I began walking over to him, but the closer I got, the more fidgety Seiichi got.
Finally, he gave up, let out a yelp of frustration, and ran over, grabbing my arm.
"Come on, Asahi! We have people to collect!" He launched into a run, and I stumbled after, finally getting to his pace, which was actually really fast.
In less than five minutes we had Tamotsu and Yuudai. Hisoka had disappeared and Michi started shouting at us as soon as we got into his talent room, so in the end it was just the five of us going to the onsen.
"-Been lovely talking to you, Ganko." We heard Alastor say. Immediately, we turned the corner as the Graffiti Artist turned around to scan her E-Pad.
"Nooooo!" Seiichi shouted, launching himself forward and into the blonde. They both collapsed the the floor, and in the ensuing confusion Yuudai sprinted forward and scanned his pad, running inside.
"Mr. Shigeru!" Tamotsu moved to where the two were on the ground and pulled the Tailor off.
"Are we safe? Did someone go inside?" He asked, completely ignoring the fact that he was being held inches off the ground.
"What was that for?" Fuyutake sat up, fixing her shirt, "that's not how you cop a feel!"
"E-eh?!" Seiichi asked.
"Just when I thought I would be fine here." Fuyutake rolled her eyes, standing.
"I wasn't trying anything!" Seiichi argued.
"Yeah, sure." Fuyutake took her E-Pad back out.
"I swear! I am in a loving relationship with my boyfriend!" Seiichi cried.
"So you're cheating now, too?" Fuyutake gasped.
"No-Tamotsu, put me down!" Seiichi kicked his legs in a fruitless attempt at escaping.
"Apologise to Miss. Ganko." The Cello Player simply replied.
"For what? Knocking her over?" Seiichi asked.
"Obviously." Alastor said.
"My E-Pad isn't working..." Fuyutake grumbled, turning around. Suddenly, she noticed the amount of people around her.
"Geez, what's happening? Where did you all come from?" She asked.
"We're going to the onsen!" Seiichi replied.
"Not anymore." Fuyutake poked her tongue out and spun, trying to scan the pad again.
However, it kept coming up with an error message whenever she tried.
"Dammit...Seiichi, did you break my E-Pad when you knocked me over?" She asked.
"No! I was trying to stop you so we could go in!" Seiichi replied.
"That's no better!" She cried.
"Hey, I've been meaning to come here for days, but every time I try one of the girls is inside!" He replied.
"So?" She asked, "we get there earlier. Tough luck."
"No! Not tough luck! You're being selfish!" Seiichi tried to make a grab at her, but he was still being held by Tamotsu.
"Monoko said its first in, best dressed." Fuyutake shrugged.
"Oh? Oh, really?" Seiichi looked towards the CCTV camera on the wall in front of the onsen, "Hey, Monoko! Get down here and explain the rules!"
"Willllll do~!" Suddenly the cat appeared in our midst, "But be prepared to be proven wrong, Mister Tailor!"
"What?!" Seiichi shouted.
"Miss Graffiti Artist is correct~! Whoever gets to the onsen first is the one that registers what gender can be allowed in for the period of time the person is inside!" Monoko said, "so if Miss Graffiti Artist goes inside first, only the girls are allowed in until they all leave! If Mister Tailor goes in first, only the boys are allowed in until they all leave!"
"But there's nobody in there right now, so why isn't my E-Pad working?" Fuyutake waved the pad in Monoko's face, annoyed.
"Ah ah, Miss Graffiti Artist. Unfortunately, you can't win every argument! While you and Seiichi were having some fun on the floor, someone managed to get inside the onsen!"
"What?! Who?" Fuyutake asked.
"That's for me to know and you to find out!" Monoko replied.
"Wait, this isn't fair!" She cried.
"First in best dressed." Monoko cackled, "oh, what a cat-astrophe for you!" And with that, the thing disappeared. Fuyutake looked at us all, then the door.
"You guys suck!" She stormed off.
For a moment, we were silent. But then...Seiichi began to laugh.
"Yuudai Kenen, I love you!" He shouted.
"Well, I'd say that's been my drama for the morning. I'm going inside." Alastor pressed a hand to his forehead and scanned his E-Pad, walking into the onsen.
"I do hope Miss. Ganko is not too upset with us." Tamotsu finally put Seiichi down, following the Croupier inside.
"Ha ha! It's our turn now!" Seiichi rushed inside, and I followed after, amused by everyone's antics.
This group...it was a good group. I mean, we'd only known each other for a few days, yet here we were, able to joke around and make the best of our situation.
I just hoped Michi and Hisoka would become closer to everyone.
We spent the next few hours in the onsen, relaxing. I only realised how nice it actually was when I walked in for the first time.
Seeing the changing room had been an experience in itself, but through the doorway to the baths was something I had never expected.
The whole room was huge, steamy, and where I thought there would have been only one bath, there were multiple.
In the centre, where the other boys had decided to settle, was a basic giant mineral bath, big enough to fit probably the entire 'class' comfortably. On the far wall was a long, thin bath that was milky white in colour; a sulfur bath. On the left side were three smaller baths, each one a different type.
From what I could see, they all looked the same, but on a stand in front of them was a label, possibly naming what each bath's type was. On the right was one bath and, next to that, a simple door with the title Sauna. The bath had a stand which I could read. It said Alkaline.
There were tiled floors connecting all the baths, and each one had a natural looking slope into the water, rather than stairs.
"Hey, Asahi! What are you waiting for?" A voice called. I looked over to see Seiichi standing up in the water, waving me over.
"Oh, uhm," I ran a hand through my hair, "I was just looking around."
"Why look when you can experience?" He asked.
"Ah, good point." I felt my face grow a little pink and stepped into the middle bath, the heat making my skin burn a little.
I walked in further until, finally, I was fully submerged to my torso in the water. I waded over to where the others were sitting and sat down on a ledge which ran around the edge of the bath, leaving only my head poking out above the water.
"This is so relaxing." Seiichi said, "who knew manmade onsens could be just as good as natural ones?"
"You must have lived in the country to be closer to a natural one." Yuudai laughed.
"Oh, that's not true. My family were just really picky." Seiichi replied.
And the afternoon continued like that. Bouts of silence, sometimes filled with short, idle chatter about meaningless things.
We were all too busy relaxing to think about anything serious. As I breathed in the steam, I felt my head getting lighter, the weight on my shoulders lifting.
For a while, it felt like the last week had never happened. In fact, it felt like none of this had ever happened. We weren't trapped in a building. We were a group of people, spending time together relaxing after a stressful day of schooling.
We were...friends.
Friends.
My eyes shot open.
What?
Why had that word clicked? Nothing else had come after it...no memories, no great reveals...just the word.
Friends.
Ding Dong Bing Bong!
"Attention students, it is now 10pm! Leave all out of bounds areas within the next ten minutes lest you suffer the consequences~!"
Tamotsu shot out of the water, "dinner!"
"Geez, why are you all shouting?" Yuudai groaned, covering his ears, "I was having a nap."
"In the water?!" Seiichi asked.
"You could have drowned." Alastor stated.
"Don't worry about me, I've got skills." Yuudai went to lean his head back on the edge of the bath but failed, instead dunking his head straight into the water. A few seconds later he resurfaced, coughing and spluttering.
"You really should be more careful." Alastor said.
"Glasses..." Yuudai coughed, "lost my glasses."
"They can't have fallen far." Alastor said, "do you need help finding them?"
"No, you guys can go on ahead. I'll keep searching." The Theatre Manager sighed.
"But you've only got ten minutes." Alastor replied.
"Then you should go. There's no point in all of us being punished." Yuudai said.
"You make a fair point." The Croupier replied, "fine. I shall take my leave."
"I'm going too. I have work to do and I'm not letting Monoko punish me before it's done!" Seiichi left.
"I cannot believe I have forgotten dinner. I need to go to the kitchen and make sure everyone is fed." Tamotsu disappeared too, leaving me and Yuudai.
"I'll help." I said.
"No, you should leave." He replied.
"If there's two of us looking we'll find them faster." I said. Yuudai looked over at me and sighed.
"You're kinda blurry, but from what I can see you're staying no matter what I say." He said.
"At least until the ten minutes is up." I replied.
"Fine," Yuudai began to walk around, searching for his glasses. I followed suit, heading the opposite way.
After a few minutes of not finding anything, Yuudai groaned annoyedly and stood, stretching his back, "You know what, Monoko probably has a replacement set anyway."
"How long have we got before the ten minutes is up?" I asked.
"You have thirty seconds! Get out!" Monoko shouted over the PA system.
"Dammit!" Yuudai scrambled to get out of the bath and bolted into the changing area.
I followed after, barely even bothering to dress myself fully before running out of the doors just as they locked, an obnoxious beeping noise coming from them.
Yuudai let out a sigh of relief and almost collapsed on the ground, holding a bundle of clothes in his arms. He was only wearing his pants.
"It wasn't kidding." I said.
"I never kid!" Monoko appeared right in front of us, "and both of you have gotten on my nerves enough this last week! You're on the last life of nine!" And with that it disappeared again.
"What...did we do?" Yuudai asked. I didn't reply, instead pulling my shirt over my head and my shoes on my feet. When I was done, I said a quick goodnight to Yuudai and headed back to my room.
As soon as my head touched the pillows I was out.